‘Paradise’ Season 2 finale review: Post-apocalyptic drama takes a messy turn into sci-fi territory

As all the action converges in and around the bunker, the show commences its final episode of the second season with a flashback. Dan Fogelman has almost carved a niche for himself when it comes to jumping between timelines, also making it a defining feature of this show.

A quick sequence at the beginning explains the existence of ‘Alex’, an AI-driven supercomputer, commissioned by Bunker chief Samantha Redmond (Julianne Nicholson), which is terrifyingly good at predicting outcomes. Back at the bunker, the carefully curated structure threatens to collapse on itself under the weight of an imminent siege by the outside survivors and an ongoing jailbreak by the Bunker rebels. Titled ‘Exodus’, the final episode’s events don’t come as a surprise. Fogelman has been meticulous in laying down breadcrumbs for the audience to follow to this point, but his pacing becomes uneven towards the end. Paradise’s strength lies in its deceptive patience, and Fogelman is good at picking out the slower moments that can move the story along quickly, but seems to run out of time when it matters the most.

The seven episodes leading up to the finale drop agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) in a survivalist trek across several States in post-apocalyptic America in search of his wife. They insert Redmond into a political espionage thriller of her own making, and in the remaining time, paint a picture of those who survived outside the bunker. Paradise manages to maintain its deftness through this, but then stumbles through the finale. It seeks to resolve the Collins’ family reunion, play out two different armed rebellions, and introduce a nuclear catastrophe on top of it all. The result is an audience left catching its breath as the camera runs around catching up to it all.

A still from ‘Paradise’ Season 2
| Photo Credit:
HULU

The show has been powered along by a solid acting cast led by Sterling K. Brown, who is joined by Shailene Woodley and Cameron Britton for some nifty guest appearances this time around. The cast has managed to be on top of a script that has been equally adept at switching the gears of its genre. But even they seem to be clueless on how to execute an episode that has its eyes set on the next season already.

Paradise’s second season ends on a cliffhanger. This is also a Fogelman favourite, as he looks to pull the rug from under his audience constantly. The show has been a fine example of taking risks with the number of genres one is willing to tackle. It takes time to paint a narrative canvas that is both diverse and cohesive. A more patient finale would have been a welcome addition, but Paradise seems to be all set for a thrilling final season.

Paradise Season 1 and 2 are available for streaming on JioHotstar