Season 1 of Paradise follows Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown), assigned to protect former U.S. President Cal Bradford (James Marsden) inside the isolated underground city known as Paradise — a controlled refuge built after a global extinction-level catastrophe devastated the surface world. The community operates under strict order, overseen by powerful administrator Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond (Julianne Nicholson), whose leadership keeps the population stable while concealing the full truth about the outside world. After Bradford is murdered, Xavier begins investigating the circumstances surrounding the death and discovers growing evidence that the official story of the disaster is incomplete. His search frequently brings him into contact with Gabriela Torabi (Sarah Shahi), a doctor whose position inside the community places her near key events and deepens Xavier’s understanding of the system maintaining Paradise. As secrets about the bunker and its leadership surface, Xavier’s investigation becomes personal through memories of his wife Teri Collins (Enuka Okuma), believed to have died during the catastrophe. The season concludes with Xavier learning she is alive — and choosing to leave Paradise to search for her in the unknown world above.
Season 2 expands the scope of the series beyond the bunker. Xavier must navigate the dangers of the real world, while inside Paradise a power struggle grows and the underlying conspiracy continues to unfold. The story shifts from uncovering what happened to exploring what kind of world comes next — and who gets to shape it.
Paradise is created by Dan Fogelman, best known for This Is Us. While the two shows are very different in genre, Fogelman’s strength remains his focus on human stories and emotional consequences. He also uses flashbacks not as detours, but as storytelling tools that actively move the narrative forward.
This season reveals more about the super-volcanic eruption that devastated the planet, allowing viewers to witness its impact firsthand. The show balances traumatic moments with humanity, emphasizing not just survival, but how people choose to treat one another when everything familiar is gone.
Season 2 effectively balances events inside the bunker with those unfolding outside it, contrasting control and order with uncertainty and adaptation. The writers maintain tension by focusing on decisions and consequences rather than relying solely on twists.
Sterling K. Brown continues to excel as Xavier Collins. Driven by the need to find his wife, Xavier becomes less a protector and more a survivor, relying on instinct as much as training. Brown brings intensity and vulnerability to the role, grounding the series emotionally.
Julianne Nicholson returns as the manipulative Samantha Redmond, playing the character with a quiet calm that suggests she is always calculating several steps ahead. At the same time, moments of vulnerability prevent the character from feeling one-dimensional.
James Marsden appears again as President Cal Bradford in flashbacks, which continue to add perspective to the present-day events.
Joining the cast this season are Shailene Woodley as Annie, a former Graceland tour guide, and Thomas Doherty as Link, leader of a group determined to rebuild the world.
Overall, Season 2 broadens the story beyond mystery and survival, focusing on rebuilding, leadership, and trust. Rather than simply asking how people live after disaster, the series explores how they choose to move forward.
Paradise Season 2 premieres Monday, February 23rd with three episodes, followed by new episodes weekly on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S., and Disney+ internationally
Anthony Andujar Jr.