Disney+’s new thriller series Paradise follows Agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) as he investigates a high-profile murder in the town of Paradise—an idyllic vision of Anywhere, USA, reserved for the uppermost echelon of American society. Incidentally, I’m almost certain the town centre is the same set used for Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls. I’d recognize that gazebo anywhere.
Paradise starts strong, but after being let down by so many mystery-box streaming series over the past decade, it’s hard not to approach any new drama with a touch of skepticism. However, after 40 minutes of brilliant pacing, stunning cinematography, excellent performances, and the exploration of a genuinely compelling little world, I had to admit—Paradise was putting out some particularly juicy bait. In the closing minutes of episode one, when the story unveils its first major twist, I took that bait—hook, line, and sinker. I should have known better, but I couldn’t help myself.
The next four episodes each focus on one of the story’s other main characters, tying them together through Xavier’s investigation of the murder. There’s Cal (James Marsden), a bathrobe enthusiast and former president of the United States; Samantha (Julianne Nicholson), a string-pulling technocrat; Gabrielle (Sarah Shahi), a grief counsellor and social engineer; and Billy (Jon Beavers), a bad-boy bodyguard from parts unknown. The web of relationships and motivations comes together like a near-future game of Clue, hinting at a much larger game being played in Paradise’s halls of power.
“Paradise starts strong with brilliant pacing, stunning cinematography, and a genuinely compelling world, but its later episodes struggle to deliver on its early promises.”
Production-wise, Paradise is a visually stunning show. The mystery is filled with moving parts, and the directors skilfully navigate a complex web of characters and timelines, sometimes cutting between multiple flashbacks without losing the narrative thread. Each shot is meticulously planned, with blocking and colour grading that feel more akin to a David Fincher film than a typical streaming series. The cast delivers outstanding performances, with Julianne Nicholson standing out for her gut-wrenching portrayal of a business leader and mother navigating family tragedy.
The first two acts of the season cover the full spectrum of TV drama. There’s murder, messy romance, family drama, looming disaster, a whodunit, betrayal, and even some tasteful yet lingering shower scenes combining sex and espionage. It’s a proper narrative onion. However, no one can survive on onion alone—and no amount of partially nude Sterling K. Brown can change that. Unfortunately, by episode six, when all of Paradise’s buildup should start paying off, the show seems to run out of creativity to deliver on its earlier promises.
The mystery doesn’t so much unfold as it completely unravels. The story painstakingly sets up a Rube Goldberg machine of plot hooks for Xavier to trigger. Instead of utilizing it, events fall into a pattern of dumb luck and contrivances. New characters are introduced just in time to play pivotal roles. A key piece of evidence conveniently contains oddly candid recordings of villains expositing their plans. A group of the world’s brightest minds struggles to solve what should be a basic computer problem. Meanwhile, a top-secret digital MacGuffin isn’t secured by anything more sophisticated than an AirTag. It all feels deeply unsatisfying.
“Despite its flaws, Paradise remains an entertaining thriller with enough high notes to make it an intriguing ride.”
Even less satisfying is the shift into a near-bloodless revenge story, where the once duty-bound cast suddenly masters guerrilla tactics and effortlessly field-strips Air Force One’s weapons systems. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a story nosediving into schlock—provided it’s fun. Paradise, however, opts for nonsense while maintaining a straight face. In hindsight, the cracks in the narrative appeared early, but there was always another twist or a moody cover of a classic pop song to slap on just enough emotional plaster to keep the story from falling apart entirely.
Paradise sets itself up to make some hard-hitting commentary on class, power, and oligarchy but shies away from choosing anywhere but a vague direction to point its finger. Instead, the villains are presented as misunderstood elites who had to make impossible decisions during difficult times.
In a world inhabited by the beneficiaries of an almost cartoonishly evil conspiracy, it becomes challenging to care about anything happening in Paradise. There’s a lingering sense that somewhere, floating in the ether, is an early draft of this script that fully tackles the subject matter this version only skirts. Its hotter takes feel redacted, replaced with requests for more Die Hard references.
Even with its shortcomings, Paradise remains an entertaining thriller. It has all the makings of a top-tier mystery but stumbles into the same pitfalls as many forgettable ones. Still, it hits enough high notes to be an intriguing ride. The show starts smart, looks flashy, and features brilliant performances throughout the seven episodes I previewed. I remain hopeful that the eighth and final episode will deliver one last twist to bring the story back on track. Until its release on Jan. 28 on Hulu and Disney+, that mystery remains unsolved.
