Here is a complete, clear guide to the first season of the hit show Paradise, to prepare you for its return. The series comes from Dan Fogelman, known for This Is Us, and launched as one of Hulu’s most popular new shows. Its first season is a mix of family drama, murder mystery, and sci-fi thriller, all set after the world ends.
Season 1 follows Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins, played by Sterling K. Brown. He lives in “Paradise,” a huge underground city built to save humanity from a global disaster. His job is to protect President Cal Bradford, played by James Marsden. When Bradford is killed, Xavier’s investigation uncovers huge secrets about the supposedly perfect society they live in. The second season will start on February 23 on Hulu.
Key Characters and Relationships in Season 1
The story revolves around a few central characters, whose pasts and motivations are key to understanding the plot.
The main character is Sterling K. Brown as Xavier Collins, a devoted Secret Service agent and family man. His actions in both the past and present are driven by a strong desire to protect his wife and daughter. The investigation into the President’s death forces him to question everything he knows about Paradise.
James Marsden plays President Cal Bradford. Flashbacks show him as a more complex and tragic figure than he first appears. He struggles under the weight of his father’s expectations and is manipulated by the city’s powerful leaders. However, in the final days of the old world, he showed a conscience that others did not.
The most powerful person in Paradise is Julianne Nicholson as Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond. She is the billionaire architect who designed and now controls the underground city. She presents herself as a visionary leader but is shown to be ruthless, using constant surveillance and lies to maintain her perfect society at any cost.
Other important characters include Sarah Shahi as Dr. Satrapi, Sinatra’s therapist who is also under surveillance, and Glynn Turman as Xavier’s father. The season also follows Xavier’s daughter, Presley, whose actions provide a sense of hope for the future.
What Happened to End the World?
The seventh episode, titled “The Day,” is a full flashback showing how civilization fell. The disaster began when a massive glacier collapsed, creating a 300-foot tsunami that wiped out coastlines.
However, the true failure was human. Sinatra, the Bradford family, and other elites knew the disaster was coming. They ran simulations but kept the information secret from the public and the rest of the world. They spent their resources not on warning people or preparing a wider rescue, but on building their private sanctuary and covering up the truth until the last possible moment.
President Cal Bradford had a change of heart in the final hours. He broke from the plan and went on live television to warn America, even though it was too late for most people. This act of defiance set him at odds with Sinatra, who was willing to let the rest of humanity die without a chance.
The Murder Mystery and the Truth About Paradise
The main plot of Season 1 is Xavier’s hunt for President Bradford’s killer. This investigation acts as a tool to expose the dark reality of the “perfect” city.
Xavier discovers that Sinatra has been lying. She told everyone that no one survived on the surface, but that was false. There are other survivors outside the bunker, a fact she has covered up for ten years to maintain control.
The show reveals that Paradise is not the equal society it claims to be. While there is no official money, a clear hierarchy exists, controlled by a council of white, older elites. Minority characters are often in roles that serve as protection for this group. The elite have access to better technology and perks, like guns and video games, that are denied to the general population.
The final twist of the season reveals the killer’s identity, which the show presents as a satirical point about who gets noticed in society.
“Just as in the real world, no one looks at the working class in Paradise either.”
The murder was not part of a grand conspiracy by the powerful, but an act by someone who had been overlooked and invisible within the system.
How Season 1 Ends and What Season 2 Is About
The season finale brings Xavier’s investigation to a head. He pieces together the killer’s motive and attempts to bring them to justice, leading to a final confrontation. He also learns the full extent of Sinatra’s deception about the outside world.
The season ends with a major shift. Xavier Collins leaves the underground city of Paradise. He ventures out into the unknown, devastated world to search for his wife, whose fate is still a mystery.
Sterling K. Brown explained the plot for the new season:
“Xavier’s out in the world. He’s looking for his wife, trying to find her. Is she alive? Is she not alive? Will he find her? Will he not find her? We see how people have been surviving that didn’t have the means and the planning that the people inside the bunker did.”
The story for Season 2 will be split into two parts. One part will follow Xavier’s journey on the outside, meeting other survivors, some friendly and some dangerous. The other part will continue the drama inside Paradise after the chaos caused by Sinatra and other characters.
New Cast and Release Information for Season 2
The second season will introduce several new actors to the story.
Shailene Woodley joins the cast in a major recurring role. She will play a prominent survivor connected to Xavier’s mission. In a sneak peek shown at San Diego Comic-Con, her character was seen working at Graceland before the disaster.
Thomas Doherty will also appear in a major recurring role as Link, the leader of a biker gang that Xavier encounters. Other new cast members include Michael McGrady, Timothy Omundson, and Patrick Fischler. Ryan Michelle Bathé, who is Sterling K. Brown’s real-life wife, will guest star.
While James Marsden’s character died in Season 1, the actor will still appear in Season 2 through flashback scenes set in different time periods.
The show’s creator, Dan Fogelman, confirmed that production for the new season started in the spring. A teaser trailer released in December 2025 shows Xavier waking up from a plane crash, ready to begin his search in the outside world.
You can watch all eight episodes of Paradise Season 1 now on Hulu. Season 2 premieres with new episodes on February 23.
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