Paradise

The pilot episode was one of those that left you thinking about the show afterwards and eager for more.

Writing about it has to start with characters. The main character is a solid, interesting to watch, pretty classical action movie hero with some depth that promises more to discover as the show goes on. The president however was such a surprise. The setup of his character was almost dismissing him as an a-hole. However, the way his character is spun towards a likeable guy within a few scenes really felt quite fresh and interesting. While nothing to write home about, the dialogues are gritty, sometimes actually funny and along with enjoyable acting, glue the characters together in a fitting way.

The promise the show made with how it seems to handle characters really makes you want to stay with it to see more. Having said that, I don't feel too intrigued by the immediate whodunnit mystery of the show, but I do stay open to be more invested in it as more is revealed. What I'm worried about is the world presented in the show. It's beyond ambitious to present what they need to present, and to keep it believable, with as little "how silly is that" moments as possible. I really hope they will pull that of, however it does feel there's some margin to be forgiven if the other aspects remain as solid as they seem to be so far.

Paradise is a political sci-fi thriller that revolves around the death of the president and many mysteries surrounding it. The narrative unfolds with every episode leading to a strong conclusion to the first season. The cliffhangers are not cheap gimmicks; they are carefully constructed moments that leave you genuinely asking for more in the next installment.

Sterling. K Brown as Agent Collins gives a commendable performance as a character that is both captivating and unsettling, while being supported by a uniformly amazing cast. The narrative gets unfolded by every means in Episodes 7, that depicts the true nature of survival and the why & how to the whole premise.

The premise, at times, may feel a little too much, but the series transcends from typical genre conventions, to keep you hooked and immerse yourself in this 8 episode thriller. Waiting for the next season to kick in.

My Rating : 8/10.

Update, after watching all of Season 1: Some scenes have outlandish dialog and the transitions are either clunky or too speedy. Here's what I've decided: I'll try to approach certain scenes in a similar way as I would a comic book. If there are things which don't echo traditional "reality", I'll attempt to keep moving forward.

Original review: I almost gave up on this show after two episodes. There was something in the way the plot unraveled which felt a bit overwrought. I'm glad that I stuck with it, and the writing seems to be getting better, or maybe I was in a less receptive mood when I first watched. The entire cast is well placed, with standout performances from Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, James Marsden, and Aliyah Mastin (as the daughter of Brown's character). Gerald McRaney gives his role gravitas and interesting twists. Marsden as the president has a complexity which I did not expect. While I've seen him in other productions, this one stands out. The effective soundtrack is sometimes subtle, and the set design is more than apt. My prediction is that this series will resolve itself within 3 or 4 years. Overall, this series is worth a watch.

A political drama, murder mystery, and sci-fi thriller all rolled into one. When the President is found murdered in his residence, his Secret Service detail gets right on it, and one of his top agents quickly becomes Suspect Number One. A show like this is only as good as its premise, and the premise here is terrific; and it can only maintain suspense as long as the Big Questions go unanswered, and right from the start the head-scratchers "Paradise" asks are endlessly intriguing. Who DID kill the President? WAS it the agent? What did the agent have against the President? Exactly what happened to the agent's wife? What about the "extinction level event" that's mentioned? And is the town they're all living in real, or is it the "Truman Show"-type safe haven it appears to be? Some questions are answered immediately and others aren't, but that's the show's strength; layers are peeled away, little by little, until all the various truths have slowly been revealed and we know as much as the characters do. Low-key and leisurely paced (but never dull)--with a complex plot that will leave you wondering, "Where is all this going?"--"Paradise" is a show that not only demands to be watched, but watched attentively. (Losing a plot thread here and there would be disastrous.) Shifting in time from the present to the past and back again--there's a lot of that--it's one giant jigsaw puzzle, and it's up to us to piece it together even as the characters attempt to do the same. Exactly how will it look when it's finally finished? Can't wait to find out.

Sterling K. Brown's performance here, although restrained, is nuanced and intense. I've been watching him since he was on "Army Wives" almost twenty years ago, and he never disappoints.

It's challenging to talk about the plot without spoilers, but in this series, he is the lead Secret Service agent protecting James Marsden, the former POTUS. The story flashes back back five years a number of time, to give background on their relationship. There are a number of plot twists just in the pilot - the first of two mysteries is revealed early in the pilot, and another is revealed at the end.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the story and the characters develop, and can't wait until tomorrow to see episodes 2 and 3.