Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

From This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman, Paradise is a slow-burn thriller that unravels through dual timelines. It’s got political intrigue, the whiff of a global disaster and (naturally) a mystery at its core.

The pilot follows Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown), a secret service agent assigned to protect the President of the United Sates, Cal Bradford (James Marsden). When Collins’ finds Bradford murdered, he keeps the information under his hat, buying time to investigate. It quickly becomes clear to Collin’s and the viewer that this is more than a simple whodunnit. Something bigger lurks beneath the surface in this idyllic suburban town.

Our protagonist is Xavier Collins and we immediately sense the loss of a partner in his life. He puts on a brave and professional face as he systematically races against the clock to find out as much as he can about the Presidents final day. Collin’s is the kind of guy you’d want in your corner though we’re wondering what went down for him to no longer have the Presidents back.

It’s also worth mentioning Cal Bradford. Though in the present timeline he is deceased we get a good sense of his character through flashbacks. This formerly charismatic and cool leader, is a far sight away from the drunken mess of a man we see in the 24hours before his death.

The pilot episode sets up several possible series plot lines, including:

• Who killed Cal Bradford and why? – Cals’ murder kicks off the investigation and sets up a larger conspiracy of what’s really happening in pleasantville.
• Global Catastrophe? – The looming, unknown global event hinted at in the past timeline that will help us understand what is going on in the present.
• Who is working against Xavier? – He hints that his superiors don’t like him, what history does he have and could that have impacted what happened to Cal?

While it’s labelled as a thriller, the pilot leans more into mystery, with a steady pace and methodical reveals. With a shocking twist sure to have you lifting your jaw off the floor – will the pilot episode convince you to watch the series?

If you want to hear a full breakdown of the pilot for Paradise, check out The Pilot Principle, where I dive even deeper into the first episode’s strengths, weaknesses, and series expectations.