Paradise, a new Hulu sci-fi thriller from Dan Fogelman, presents an intriguing premise but struggles with a reliance on flashbacks that overshadow the present-day narrative. The show's strong emotional core and well-developed characters are primarily explored through flashbacks, leaving the present-day storylines lacking in comparison. While the flashbacks offer compelling insights into the characters' pasts and the origins of Paradise's dystopian setting, the show needs to find a way to bring the present-day narrative to the forefront and create more compelling reasons for viewers to invest in the characters' current struggles.
Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Paradise episodes 1-3. Paradise 's three-episode premiere presents a challenge that the series will need to overcome. Created by This Is Us' Dan Fogelman , the new Hulu show is a combination of a murder mystery, a political thriller, and a dystopian science-fiction story. Paradise 's cast of characters is led by Sterling K. Brown , who plays Secret Service agent Xavier Collins.
Xavier is sworn to protect President Cal Bradford (James Marsden), but everything is upended when Xavier discovers that the president has been murdered. Xavier's search for the killer is only the tip of the iceberg, as Paradise's sci-fi twist reveals that Xavier, President Bradford, and the other characters are living in an underground city after a cataclysmic event. The episodes alternate between the present-day timeline and with flashbacks that explore Xavier's history with President Bradford, along with flashbacks that flesh out Samantha 'Sinatra' Redmond (Julianne Nicholson) and other key characters. Paradise is off to an intriguing start, but is already struggling with one overarching issue. Paradise’s Flashbacks Are Much More Interesting Than The Present-Day Storylines The Flashbacks Are More Emotional Despite the intrigue surrounding President Bradford's mysterious and sudden death, Paradise's flashbacks have so far been more compelling than the present-day storylines. Xavier's complex relationship with President Bradford, Sinatra's tragic backstory, and Xavier's relationship with his father (Glynn Turman) are three of the show's most engaging stories so far. The issue is that all three of these stories are happening in the flashbacks and not in the present-day timeline. Related Paradise Review: Sterling K. Brown Delivers A Sensational Performance In Hulu's Entertaining Thriller From This Is Us Creator The political sci-fi thriller is a great sign for TV this year, though it routinely reveals itself to be better on paper than in practice. Posts The flashbacks are meant to flesh out Xavier and Sinatra, along with providing context for the show's murder mystery and the creation of Paradise. Sinatra struggling to process the death of her young son and Xavier trying to convince his father to quit his pilot job due to his Parkinson's disease are stories that feel emotional and genuine. Additionally, the flashbacks are gradually telling the story of Paradise's cataclysmic event and of the underground community's origins. These storylines are more interesting than what is happening in the present-day plot lines. Paradise’s Premise Made The Flashback Problem Inevitable James Marsden's Character Is Only Alive In The Flashbacks Close Paradise's premise involves President Bradford being dead from the first moment he is seen in the present day. This necessitates that one of the show's best actors, Marsden, can only appear in the flashbacks, and is otherwise sidelined from the rest of the show. Getting to know the charming, but flawed president through the flashbacks has been one of the best parts of Paradise so far. Marsden brings a dynamic presence to the character that makes it easy to see how President Bradford won over the public, and his presence is sorely missed outside the flashbacks. Xavier's father is not alive in the present-day story, meaning that another one of the show's best characters is constricted to flashbacks. The flashback problem is made worse with Xavier's father. As an Emmy Award-winning actor, Turman unsurprisingly delivers a phenomenal and heartbreaking performance in the single episode he has appeared in so far. The love and pride he feels for Xavier is palpable, as is the heartbreak he feels when Xavier gives him no choice but to quit his job due to the safety risks of posed by his Parkinson's disease symptoms. Xavier's father is not alive in the present-day story, meaning that another one of the show's best characters is constricted to flashbacks. How Paradise Can Fix Its Flashback Problem The Show Needs To Do More With Its Present-Day Characters Close Paradise can fix its flashback problem by giving the audience more reasons to care about the characters and storylines in the present-day timeline. Other than the mystery of who killed President Bradford, there is currently not as much to get invested in beyond the flashbacks. This can change by better developing other characters, including Dr. Gabriela Torabi (Sarah Shahi), Agent Nicole Robinson (Krys Marshall), Agent Billy Page (Jon Beavers), and the relationships that Xavier has with them. Xavier's relationship with his children, Presley (Aliyah Mastin) and James (Percy Daggs IV) could use more focus as well. The names of Xavier's children are inspired by Elvis Presley and James and the Giant Peach. The series should also spend more time digging into the dystopian nature of the setting in order to take full advantage of Paradise's episode 1 twist. Dr
Paradise Hulu Dan Fogelman Sterling K. Brown James Marsden Flashbacks Sci-Fi Thriller Dystopian Television Review
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Suits’ star Gabriel Macht fled the US — won't 'tell anybody' his new location‘Suits’ star Gabriel Macht posts flashback video of himself skateboarding while filming show
Read more »
Macross Flashback: The Influence of the VF-4This article delves into the history and design of the VF-4 variable fighter from the Macross franchise, highlighting its origins in video games and its lasting impact on the series. It also reviews a recent Hi-Metal R toy of the VF-4, praising its quality and articulation.
Read more »
Oscars flashback: Animation — and Pixar — have an 'Incredibles' nightIn 2005, the animated feature Oscar was still relatively new. 20 years later, it remains controversial.
Read more »
Oscars flashback: 20 years ago the director race was fierceWith Martin Scorsese, Mike Leigh, Clint Eastwood and Taylor Hackford in the race, it could have gone a number of ways
Read more »
Flashback: Murkowski voted to confirm 19 Biden Cabinet picks in defiance of GOPSen. Lisa Murkowski is opposing the nomination of Pete Hegseth to be President Donald Trump's Defense secretary.
Read more »
Flashback: Meta’s ‘history of censorship,’ fact-checking woes under the Trump, Biden administrationsFollowing censorship of elected officials and pandemic opinions, experts are cautiously optimistic that Mark Zuckerberg will foster free speech within Meta.
Read more »