We’re jumping back and forth from the bunker to post-apocalyptic America. Paradise Season 2 has a lot of stories to tell. Backstories, origin stories, and introductions to new characters headline the first three episodes (streaming on Hulu Feb 23). Questions get answered only to send you spiraling down new rabbit holes. That’s the Paradise way. Why resist? This season, we’re focusing on those rabbit holes: the big questions each episode leaves us with and why. This new series, THE MAIN QUESTIONS, is somewhat a first reaction, partially an explainer, and not really a recap—but there will be spoilers sprinkled in.
A lot is going on in Paradise S2. I’ve seen seven episodes, and I still need to watch it from the beginning again. Here’s what you need to know. Season 2 adds three new themes to the post-apocalyptic murder thriller mix: safe places, trust, and loneliness. Remember that—you’re going to need it.
The main story—sort of—is Xavier’s search for Teri (Sterling K. Brown and Enuka Okuma). Through Xavier and a trio of new characters: Annie (Shailene Woodley), Link (Thomas Doherty), and Gary (Cameron Britton), we start to see the larger jigsaw puzzle. It’s a world only a few of the players want to put back together. The problem is, people like Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson) and maybe Link, too, only want to see it in their own image.
Series creator Dan Fogelman and the creatives lead us to the brink of a broken world we recognize from series like Station Eleven, Silo, and parts of The Last of Us. Yes, there is a touch of paranormal, or maybe it’s fringe sci-fi. Paradise never gets as bonkers as Fallout. That’s a good thing because there’s room for both. And right now, these world-ending series are feeling more and more like survival guides.
Episode 201: “Graceland”
Remember what I said about the themes for this season? We’re starting with safe places and loneliness. When we meet Annie (Woodley), the protagonist of 201. Annie spends her childhood taking guided tours of Graceland, the Elvis museum. It’s her haven at every turning point in her life: the death of her mother, dropping out of medical school, and becoming a tour guide. Graceland is also her saving grace when the super volcano erupts. The death of a second mother figure (Angel Laketa Moore) leaves Annie alone until years later, when her haven gets invaded by some scary men.
This is our first glimpse into what people are like outside the bunker, and it’s not what we expect. These guys are more shadowy than scary, at least for now. That’s how Annie meets Link (Doherty), the love of her life, who’s basically Robin Hood with his own band of Merry Men. Only Link can’t stay. Guess where he’s headed? Yup, para–para–Paradise. Uh-uh oh, uh-uh-uh oh. The verses from that Coldplay song make so much sense now. Annie has to decide between loneliness and trust, but loneliness is her oldest friend. Link goes, but Xavier drops into her life along with another unexpected guest.
Looking for THE MAIN QUESTIONS from “Mayday” – Paradise Episode 202? We have so many thoughts.
Looking for THE MAIN QUESTIONS for “Another Day in Paradise” – Paradise Episode 203? Things get complicated and we’re all about the sci-fi.
THE MAIN QUESTIONS:
Who is Alex, and why does Link want to kill her?
I wish I could tell you, but I can’t. You’re going to get more clues to the Alex riddle in every episode, like breadcrumbs.
Why is Link taking potassium iodine? Because we know it’s not for hyperthyroidism.
That boy’s a liar, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be trusted. We just have to figure out who can trust him and when. At this point, all we know about Alex is her name (unless I missed something in S1). We’ll get more answers in Episode 203: “Another Day in Paradise” and luckily, you don’t have to wait.
Paradise – Episode 201: “Graceland”
Streaming: February 23
Directors: Glen Ficarra & John Requa
Writers: Dan Fogelman & Eric Wen
