Reel Review: Sterling K. Brown Leads Paradise, Hulu’s New Gripping Drama
A seemingly perfect community is abruptly disturbed when a former president (James Marsden) is murdered in his own home. The President’s head of security, Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) takes it upon himself to investigate the crime, putting himself and his children in danger. In this small town, secrets spread quickly and make the rounds to its prominent residents who all have power and wealth.
The series starts in current day, introducing each of the security detail’s team members all set to protect the former President. During what seemed to be a routine morning check up, Agent Collins finds his boss’s dead body. Ignoring typical protocol, the agent begins his own investigation, scanning the room for details and delaying communication with other team members.
One of the best aspects of this show is the clear dual timeline storytelling. While following the current events of the retired president and his untimely death, the audience gets a peek behind the curtain as to what led to the current happenings and why things are the way they are. Questions are answered slowly and in fragments, but the current picture becomes evidently clear that things are not what they seem.
At the end of episode one you get a glimpse into the town in which they reside and how it may not be as things seem. Children pay for things with bracelets, the ducks in the pond are fake, a sign says that dawn is delayed by two hours for maintenance. All of these small details point to a town reminiscent of The Truman Show. Except, in this town people are aware that much of their surroundings are a facade.
Agent Collins’ dedication to President Bradford is made even more evident when it is shared that he took a bullet for the President. Their professional relationship is counterbalanced by a pretty intimate friendship in which they exchange personal information and secrets that somehow got put on edge by events to come. Marsden and Brown have a hilarious and honest banter that is refreshing for the genre. In what usually feels like an overly professional and buttoned up friendship reads more as a friendship turned working relationship. Their witty comments and brutal honesty feels real and far more true than other depictions.
By the end of episode three, the situation is far more clear. A natural disaster occurred that led to the creation of an underground city based in a Colorado mountain. President Bradford knew about the potential disaster and Agent Collins seems to blame him for the fact that his wife did not make it to the protected city. A single woman was tasked with selecting who would be brought to the new city to survive the most deadly disaster known to man. Most of the survivors are wealthy, powerful, and smart. Out of the entire human race, only twenty five thousand people survived. What is above ground is unknown thus far but is sure to be explored in episodes to come.
Paradise has impeccably balanced elements of drama, thriller, sci-fi, and politics into one show without feeling like it is doing too much. Each character has depth and a distinct voice. Sterling K. Brown is the ultimate leading man, carrying the weight of this show on his back but supported by a great ensemble. He shows off acting skills not yet seen by him in other roles. Paradise is sure to be a hit Hulu original by the time season one concludes.
Paradise is streaming on Hulu.
