The wait is finally over for fans of Hulu’s gripping political thriller, Paradise. The second season made its grand return on February 23, 2026, dropping its first three episodes all at once . After a season premiere that introduced us to the world above ground through new survivor Annie, and a second episode that caught up with Xavier Collins on his mission, the third chapter, titled “Another Day in Paradise,” pulls viewers back into the heart of the Colorado bunker . This episode is packed with intense political maneuvering, a shocking assassination, and the deepening mystery surrounding a character named “Alex.” For viewers trying to keep track of everyone in this complex world, here is a detailed look at the cast and characters who brought Episode 3 to life.
The Power Players and Key Cast of “Another Day in Paradise”
Episode 3 focuses heavily on the deteriorating political situation inside the bunker and the secret projects that are straining its resources. The cast in this episode is a mix of returning series regulars and new faces whose stories are starting to collide.
Returning Cast in the Bunker
The episode brings back the core members of the bunker’s elite, whose conflicts drive the plot forward.
- Sterling K. Brown as Xavier Collins: While much of Episode 2 followed Xavier’s journey above ground, his presence is still felt in the bunker through his children and his colleagues. His investigation into the conspiracy that started in Season 1 continues to have major repercussions for those he left behind .
- Julianne Nicholson as Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond: Sinatra is at her manipulative best in this episode. Recovering from the shooting at the end of Season 1, she is shown pulling the strings from her bed . Nicholson delivers a chilling performance as her character orchestrates the murder of President Baines to protect her secret, energy-siphoning project .
- Krys Marshall as Agent Nicole Robinson: Nicole has been taking care of Xavier’s kids and is deeply suspicious of her new partner, Jane. Her investigation into her boyfriend Billy Pace’s death puts her directly in the line of fire. Marshall’s performance grounds the political thriller with a personal, emotional core .
- Nicole Brydon Bloom as Agent Jane Driscoll: Bloom’s character cements her role as Sinatra’s most ruthless and sociopathic asset this season. In Episode 3, she carries out the hit on President Baines in cold blood and then frames Nicole for the murder, showing just how far she will go .
- Sarah Shahi as Dr. Gabriela Torabi: Torabi has a powerful arc in this episode. She confronts Sinatra about the years of lies and manipulation, realizing that her friend and client has been deceiving her. Shahi delivers what critics are calling her best work in the series so far as she decides to walk away from Sinatra .
- Charlie Evans as Jeremy Bradford: The son of the late President Cal Bradford is becoming a political activist. In this episode, he is arrested for protesting and thrown into a secret detention center deep below the bunker. There, he meets the man who designed the city and tries to recruit him to help fight back .
- Percy Daggs IV as James Collins and Aliyah Mastin as Presley Collins: Xavier’s children continue to adapt to life in the bunker without their father, with Presley getting more involved in Jeremy’s resistance movement .
- Jon Beavers as Billy Pace: Although Billy was killed off in Season 1, he appears in crucial flashbacks in Episode 3. These scenes show him carrying out Sinatra’s orders to kill a scientist named Henry Miller, providing key background to the current mystery .
New and Recurring Cast in Episode 3
This episode also features several actors in pivotal roles that are essential to the new season’s mysteries.
- Matt Malloy as President Henry Baines: Malloy plays the insecure and delusional new president who tries to consolidate power by putting up propaganda posters and arresting dissenters. His attempt to challenge Sinatra proves fatal when he is assassinated on her orders .
- Patrick Fischler as Henry Miller: Fischler appears in flashback as the owner of Vestige Quantum, a tech company that created a device Sinatra desperately needs for her secret project. His refusal to sign it over leads to his murder, but not before he asks Billy to spare his protégé, a young man named Link .
- Gwen Holloway as Alex: In a small but critical role, Holloway plays the bed-ridden wife of Henry Miller. Her name is Alex, and she suffers from Huntington’s disease. In a heartbreaking scene, Henry euthanizes her just before Billy kills him. This reveals that the “Alex” the surface survivors want to kill is already dead, throwing the entire mission into doubt .
- Maria-Elena Laas as Carmen: Laas plays Sinatra’s housekeeper and apparent co-conspirator. In a cryptic post-credit style scene, Carmen updates Sinatra on the secret project, referring to “Alex” and stating, “she is getting closer,” suggesting that Alex might not be a person, but something else entirely .
- Erik Svedberg-Zelman as Anders: He plays the scientist who designed the bunker. He is arrested by Baines’ forces and taken to the detention center, where he meets Jeremy Bradford .
- Geoffrey Arend as Dr. Louge: Arend appears in flashbacks as the scientist who first warned the world about the supervolcano that would cause the apocalypse, and who also predicted the deadly heat spike that would follow, giving context to Sinatra’s secret project .
The Mystery of Alex and the Surface Survivors
While Episode 3 is set in the bunker, its storyline is directly connected to the new characters introduced in the first two episodes. The episode finally provides context for the mysterious mission of the surface survivors.
- Thomas Doherty as Link: The young leader of the surface survivor group. Episode 3 reveals through flashbacks that Link was the protégé of the murdered scientist Henry Miller. Henry begged Billy to spare Link, saying “the fate of the world may depend on it” . This positions Link as a key figure in the larger conspiracy.
- Michael McGrady as Geiger: He is the older, more hardened member of Link’s group who first mentions their mission to “kill Alex” .
- Shailene Woodley as Annie: While Annie’s story was the focus of the premiere, her connection to the bunker’s politics grows as she forms a bond with Link’s group in Memphis .
The revelation that Henry Miller’s wife was named Alex, and that she is dead, suggests the target of Link’s mission might not be a person at all, but possibly the technology her husband developed. Sinatra’s secret project, which requires immense amounts of power, is likely tied to this same technology. The confirmation that she is siphoning power for this project, at the cost of the bunker’s comfort and even the life of the president, shows how high the stakes have become .
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Where to Watch Paradise Season 2
The first three episodes of Paradise Season 2 are currently streaming. New episodes will be released weekly, every Monday.
- Streaming Platform: Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ .
- Global Availability: Viewers in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and India can watch the series on Hulu or through the Disney+ platform where Hulu content is integrated.
- Release Schedule: The show follows a weekly release pattern after the initial three-episode debut. Episode 4 is scheduled to release on March 2, 2026 .
The cast of Paradise continues to deliver powerful performances, blending the tension of a political thriller with the emotional weight of personal loss and discovery. With President Baines dead, Jane framing Nicole for the murder, and the mystery of “Alex” deepening, Episode 3 sets the stage for an explosive confrontation between the bunker’s residents and the survivors fighting to get inside.
