Paradise (2025-2026)

In a seemingly friendly but slightly mysterious community, a former president is found dead. Murdered? A conspiracy? The Orwellian eight-part Paradise starts off quietly and the first five episodes can safely be called slow; just another day in paradise. With a soundtrack of 80s rock and continuous flashbacks - clear and easy to follow - the series focuses in the first half on the circumstances of the president's death.
Paradise slowly reveals its secrets and really gets going from episode six. Cyberthriller, conspiracy thriller, whodunit, dystopian drama; creator Dan Fogelman (This is Us) knows his classics and has delivered a good but not entirely convincing series with excellent actors and a fine script. The question remains: who watches these series when dystopia is slowly but surely becoming a reality in our own lives?

Translated from Dutch · View original

Okay, so we've finished season 1. What do we think?
I always find shows and movies that focus on "human thought and action in a given situation" quite annoying. I always want to know the big picture. How did everything come about? Who conceived of it? And this show provides answers. So many, in fact, that it even comes at the expense of most of the characters, except for the main character, Collins, President Bradford, and billionaire Robinson. The rest are made of cardboard. But it doesn't bother me.
Paradiseis a pleasure to watch, has the right pace, and doesn't keep you on the edge for hours thinking, "Come on, tell me what happened."

The question now is: season 2, to do or not to do? The story is essentially finished here. Not just about the town of Paradise, but also about the personal journey of everyone who lives there. Any sequel will have to introduce many new plotlines and characters, and it will also deviate significantly from the story concept of season 1.
I don't need it, but I'll watch anyway.

4 stars for this season.
Some great modern covers of 80s rock songs btw.

Translated from Dutch · View original