Hulu's new series "Paradise" has captivated audiences with its thrilling blend of political intrigue and apocalyptic chaos, akin to the hit shows of the 2000s and 2010s. At the heart of this drama, we find ourselves zooming back and forth between the stark reality of survival and the intense emotions of its characters.
Recent episodes have peeled back layers of the catastrophe enveloping the world outside the hollowed-out mountain, where the remaining segments of humanity are taking refuge. Through cleverly crafted flashbacks and relentless tension, the series, starring James Marsden as the President and Sterling K. Brown as Xavier, confronts the viewer with existential questions and the fragility of human existence.
Episode 7, titled "The Day," was particularly impactful, pulling the curtain back on the calamity faced by our main characters. It was revealed to the viewers, for the first time, what actually transpired to force people underground. A supervolcano erupted beneath the ice of Antarctica, sending shockwaves through the planet. This cataclysm triggered massive tsunamis, annihilated coastlines, and led to the rise of nuclear tensions as countries scrambled to hoard what remained of Earth's dwindling resources. With Australia marked as no longer existing, the stakes have never been higher.
For those who appreciate the show’s narrative depth, the probing questions posed by characters add to the vicious spectacle of doom. One standout moment occurs when the series hones in on the past with the recollection of the Cuban Missile Crisis. A colonel's haunting question—"What if the wrong person is at the controls next time?"—haunts viewers as we watch the unthinkable unravel time and again.
Character dynamics also take center stage, especially for Xavier. The emotional heft of his struggles is masterfully conveyed through Brown's performance as he grapples with the impending doom of losing family. Amid the chaos, he learns of the potential survival of his wife, Teri, who speaks out as they let hope intertwine with despair, providing urgency to his character’s arc.
The episode expertly juxtaposes the darkness of its premise with glimmers of humanity and connection. Xavier confronts adversary Samantha, smoothly portrayed by Julianne Nicholson, who escalates the tension as her hidden agendas surface. Disturbingly, she reveals the existence of perilous choices made for the sake of survival and positions herself as the potential villain, ready to thwart any who threaten her well-being.
Critics have praised the show for not only its spectacular depiction of disaster but also its deeply emotional core. One review termed it as "wildly effective" and remarked on how it triggered widespread anxiety through its portrayal of quotidian life collapsing under extraordinary circumstances. The embodiment of fear felt by the audience is juxtaposed with the puppet strings of fate control, offering gripping twists throughout the episodes.
Dan Fogelman, the show's creator, is adept at crafting these emotional narratives, reminiscent of his work on "This Is Us.": taking the simple truths of life and amplifying them through dire circumstances. Here, the final choices made by those at the helm of power—a decision to send humanity backwards 500 years—echoes through to the viewers, reminding them of how quickly everything can spiral out of control.
With the season finale on the horizon, questions loom larger than life. Is Teri truly alive, and what does her potential survival mean for Xavier? Why was there DNA found on Cal’s dead body at the bunker? The tangled web of conspiracy and personal relationships promises to deliver intense cliffhangers as subsequent seasons loom on the horizon.
Hulu's "Paradise" emerges as more than just another disaster narrative. It tangibly connects the heart-wrenching drama of familial bonds against the grave backdrop of apocalypse, engaging viewers' emotions and simmering anxieties. It's this blend of drama and thrilling storytelling that's keeping audiences barking at the screen, eagerly awaiting each episode, as they navigate the sanctity of survival threaded with the precarious nature of human life itself.