'Paradise' Season 2 Review: Fear, Power Shifts, & Jaw-Dropping Twists
The stakes are higher and the secrets run much deeper than you can imagine
Season 2 of Paradise opens with the world outside of the White House, taking you back in time to see how ‘The Event’ impacted those who were not under Secret Service protection nor the protection of extreme wealth. And as much as Season 1 was blanketed in unsettling sterile law and order as well as unnerving stillness, Season 2 ushers in the realities of fear and lawlessness and how they erode the behavior of the average citizen.
Just when you ask yourself, “how can Paradise follow its tremendous debut?,” Episode 201 blows it out of the water—taking the point of view of an outsider, which is in direct contrast to the militant introduction of Season 1 inside the bunker. This direction makes Season 2 feel like a completely new show, amplifying Dan Fogelman’s statements in previous interviews where he said he wants to keep each season related yet vastly different in the feelings they evoke from viewers.
Though Season 2 leans slightly more into the sci-fi side of the post-apocalyptic world, by the end of the first episode you will find the feelings of familiar panic—that have come to be synonymous with Paradise—settling in like an old friend.
Dan Fogelman’s Talent for Emotional Precision
In the world-building outside of the bunker, we learn more about the volcanic eruption that created a myriad of unnatural atmospheric disasters that wiped out most of the population. However, contrary to the lies fed to the citizens of the bunker, there is still life on the outside.
Season 2 exposes just how cut off the mega-rich are from the poor in terms of communication, access, and resources, but both groups are bound by control. The powers that be determined who received what information based on worthiness, wealth, and survivability.
In each case, neither side ever had the full picture.
And in pure Dan Fogelman fashion, the tears will flow. You can’t escape that. His ability to fuse intense drama and heightened suspense to create this other, new thing in his writing is a gift. Shows rarely deliver a follow-up season in this manner (The Walking Dead is a shining example of this fusion done right), and Dan does it with precision and ease.
Episode Guide
Episode 201 “Graceland” - February 23
Episode 202 “Mayday” - February 23
Episode 203 “Another Day in Paradise” - February 23
Episode 204 “A Holy Charge” - March 2
Episode 205 “The Mailman” - March 9
Episode 206 “Jane” - March 16
Episode 207 “The Final Countdown” - March 23
Episode 208 [
REDACTED] - March 30
The Cast & Characters of Paradise Season 2
Returning cast:
Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown)
Samantha ‘Sinatra’ Redmond (Julianne Nicholson)
President Cal Bradford (James Marsden, guest star)
Dr. Gabriela Torabi (Sarah Shahi)
Agent Nicole Robinson (Krys Marshall)
Presley Collins (Aliyah Mastin)
James Collins (Percy Daggs IV)
Agent Jane Driscoll (Nicole Brydon Bloom)
Jeremy Bradford (Charlie Evans)
Teri Collins (Enuka Okuma)
Agent Billy Pace (Jon Beavers)
New cast/guest stars:
Annie (Shailene Woodley)
Link (Thomas Doherty)
Interactive Marketing and Social Media Engagement
Confidential messages have been transmitted through Instagram channels and Paradise’s interactive radio website. Intercept transmissions (clues) to find out what the people inside and outside the bunker are up to at:
A Change is Gonna Come
We not only see the world outside the bunker, but we also get a look inside now that a new regime has taken over. Powers shifted, ranks restructured, and the undercurrent of resistance now exists in a place that thrives on blind obedience.
The connections between characters like Sinatra, Jane, Billy, and the new characters Annie and Link take this season even further, posing new questions and even more jaw-dropping reveals. With this, Season 2 of Paradise cements itself as not only one of the best follow-up seasons, but also one of the best shows ever created.
Humanity in a Pressure Cooker
In the face of impending doom, Paradise continues to peel back the dark layers of humanity, showcasing just how far people will go for their own bottom line—even if it means the destruction of everyone around them.
Season 2 continues to expose just how disconnected the wealthy are from the rest of the world, but in its quieter moments, it highlights those who choose compassion and kindness even in the face of violence and tragedy. But one thing remains constant above all else:
Everyone is not who they seem.
By the end of the three-episode premiere, you will be left on pins and needles. By the penultimate episode, you will be left in utter disbelief.
Final Review
If Season 1 was about control, Season 2 is about consequence.
By shifting its lens to those outside the bunker—while restructuring the power dynamics within it—this season feels both familiar and entirely new. The emotional weight, the layered suspense, and the widening scope of morality and survival elevate Paradise into rare territory.
Season 2 doesn’t just match its debut. It exceeds every expectation.
Paradise premieres its first three episodes on Monday, February 23, on Hulu and Disney+. Each new episode will air weekly. Check out the ‘Special Look’ trailer below.