Season 2 of Paradise is reminiscent of Season 2 of 24. Both series were so tightly plotted in their first seasons that they feel impossible to beat. And like the FOX drama, the Hulu series sometimes falls shy of its own benchmark, but that’s only because it continues to aim so high. Dan Fogelman and company are actively working against all the hype that Season 1 earned. Paradise Season 2 is as delightfully, dramatically subversive as Season 1—cementing its status as the best drama on television.

That starts with the first two episodes, which do not begin in the place that the audience expects. They are essentially standalone stories, with limited connection to the plot that viewers have been waiting to pick up again. This is a huge risk—especially since one of them is devoted entirely to a character audiences have never met before. Annie Clay is portrayed by Emmy Award nominee Shailene Woodley, and it’s a gamble to put Annie at the top of Season 2 given that fans have no emotional investment in her character and a ton of emotional anxiety over the existing characters. But Woodley fits right into the world of Paradise, and it doesn’t take long to understand why the creative team feel that the audience needs to know her first. Just as with Season 1, they have a surprise up their sleeve, albeit not as jaw-dropping as the reveal of everything being in an underground bunker.

Fans’ patience will be rewarded in Episode 3, and from that point on, Paradise Season 2 is off to the races. The smartest decision that the writers made in the second season is to bring back several key players from Season 1, regardless of how their stories ended. Their characters were too layered and the performances too great to ignore, and these familiar faces slide neatly back into the narrative. It’s already been revealed that James Marsden and Jon Beavers are reprising their roles as President Cal Bradford and Agent Billy Pace—the two most underated characters from Season 1. It’s particularly great to see Cal back, given the current real-world political climate, because there’s an unfocused idealism to his character that resonates more now. And these aren’t just returns for nostalgia’s sake; there are specific reasons to see them again.

Paradise continues to feel like a show in which every choice is painstakingly deliberate. Detours like a glimpse into Annie’s childhood or small details seem random at the time but are critical later, and there’s a narrative cohesion lacking from most TV series. There are also incredible performances by actors in smaller roles; look out early on for Patrick Fischler doing something beautiful. This is not a story that can be watched passively. The care that the creative team and the cast and the crew take with this show consistently shines through, and people who are not paying attention will miss out on a lot.

Of course, the core of the project continues to be Sterling K. Brown as Xavier Collins, and how he contrasts with Julianne Nicholson as his one-time rival Samantha Redmond AKA Sinatra. Paradise Season 2 has preserved that polarizing dynamic, even when the characters aren’t on screen together. It’s a shame that Brown didn’t win the Emmy Award for his work as Xavier and he picks up exactly where he left off: with such heart, genuine desperation, and that desperation turning into solid determination. On the flip side, Nicholson plays Samantha as someone who is slowly realizing she’s out of control; viewers’ opinions on her may change as the season goes on. Sarah Shahi, Krys Marshall and Nicole Brydon Bloom are also back, and none of their characters feel the same. But that’s the fun of Season 2: it’s not just going forward with the story, it’s finding ways to make the audience once again reconsider what’s in front of their face. The characters are back on their heels, but so are the fans.

With Season 1 focused so heavily on the bunker, Season 2 is telling the same story from the outside perspective—literally. People get to see and hear and feel what they only got snippets of before. This does at times prompt the suggestion of if Paradise will get stuck in place, but it’s the most natural extension of the plot. This myth of the outside world got created and so it has to be proven or disproven. Plus, the perspective of outsiders like Annie further challenges the status quo. Turn the picture 180 degrees and what does it look like then? It’s still great art, just as satisfying, but you can’t look at it the same.

Hulu is capitalizing on the popularity of Paradise by launching a companion podcast, as is in vogue for so many hit TV shows, and in general there’s a lot more attention around the series now that everyone knows how great it is. But Paradise is still best enjoyed away from anything extraneous, as something that viewers can simply lose themselves in, and find explanations for themselves. The emotional journey remains as important as the logistical twists and turns, and Fogelman and company have kept most of the story fresh. Paradise is hands-down the best drama on television, and Season 2 reaffirms it.

Paradise Season 2 premieres Monday, Feb. 23 on Hulu. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Hulu.

Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.