The wait for Paradise Season 2 is finally over, and the hit Hulu thriller has returned with a bangโor rather, with three bangs. The post-apocalyptic drama starring Sterling K. Brown dropped its first three episodes on February 23, 2026, and fans who were left hanging after last season’s cliffhanger finally got answers about Xavier Collins’ fate. But here’s the thing that has everyone talking: did creator Dan Fogelman try so hard to shock us that the premiere becameโฆ well, kind of predictable? The answer depends on who you ask.
The show that became one of 2025’s biggest surprises with its “it’s a bunker” twist is now facing mixed reactions. Some critics say the new season is thrilling and expands the world in exciting ways. Others argue it’s messy, slow, and relies on storytelling tricks we’ve seen too many times before. Let’s break down what actually happens in those first three episodes and why opinions are so divided right now.
The Three-Episode Premiere Takes Viewers Outside the Bunker
Season 2 picks up right where we left offโwith Xavier flying a stolen plane out of the Colorado bunker to find his wife Teri in Atlanta. But instead of immediately showing us what happens to him, the premiere does something that caught many viewers off guard. The first episode, titled “Graceland,” introduces a completely new character named Annie, played by Shailene Woodley .
Annie is a medical school dropout who survived “The Day”โthe global catastrophe that ended the world as we knew itโby hiding out at Elvis Presley’s famous Graceland mansion in Memphis . The nearly hour-long episode follows her journey from the chaos of doomsday through three years of isolation, her encounter with a group of survivors led by Link (Thomas Doherty), and eventually her pregnancy and decision to stay behind .
The episode ends with Annie discovering Xavier unconscious next to his crashed plane. It’s a dramatic moment, but here’s where the predictability questions come in. As one critic pointed out, there was never any real doubt about whether Sterling K. Brown’s character would surviveโhe’s the show’s Emmy-nominated star and executive producer . The show goes through the motions of making us wait for confirmation, but most viewers probably saw that coming from a mile away .
The second episode, “Mayday,” continues this pattern. It weaves together Xavier’s journey from Colorado to Memphis with flashbacks to his courtship with Teri back in 2004 . We watch him charm her in a hospital after her scoliosis surgery leaves her temporarily blind. The message is clear: Xavier truly loves his wife. But again, critics question whether we needed this much backstory to understand something we already knew from Season 1 .
Finally, Episode 3, “Another Day in Paradise,” brings us back to the bunker. We catch up with Xavier’s kids, see Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson) recovering from her shooting, and watch Jane (Nicole Brydon Bloom) continue her psycho behavior . We also learn more about Sinatra’s past and discover there might be a second climate disaster coming .
Critical Reception: The Big Split Explained
So, is Season 2 good or not? The reviews are all over the place, and that’s actually kind of interesting.
On one hand, the season currently sits at a solid 88% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, which is actually slightly higher than Season 1’s 86% . Some reviewers are absolutely loving it. Matt Roush from TV Insider calls it a “second-year sensation” that exceeds expectations with “surprising, emotionally exciting, and robustly suspenseful” storytelling . He compares it to Lost in the way it builds world and character depth .
The Wrap’s Michael Ghanem says the show “proves it has plenty of gas left in the tank, and its writers smash on the plot gas pedal this season for nonstop delight” . CBR’s Martin Carr describes it as “one of the most satisfying slices of dystopian drama to hit Hulu since 2023” .
But then you have the other side. The Hollywood Reporter’s Angie Han argues the second season “gets bigger but not better” and describes it as “frustrating” and “exasperating” to watch due to “little plot holes” and “storylines that fizzled out into dead ends” . Polygon’s Jake Kleinman also compares it to Lost, but not in a good way. He says the show falls into the same trap of “piling on ever more unanswered questions” instead of satisfyingly answering the ones we already have .
The Independent reports that critics are “disappointed” and that the new installment falls short of its acclaimed debut season, with some calling it “messy” and “disjointed” . AV Club’s Brian Tallerico feels that new characters like Annie feel “generally wasted by the time their arc is complete” .
One particularly blunt review from Inbox.lv argues that the premiere is “trying so hard to confound, it’s utterly predictable” . The critic points out that the show’s tricksโlike delaying cliffhanger resolutions by shifting focus elsewhereโare “worn tropes” that make the show not just predictable but “kind of dull” .
What Critics Are Saying About Shailene Woodley’s New Character
Shailene Woodley’s addition to the cast has generated a lot of buzz, but opinions on her storyline are mixed. Some critics appreciate the fresh perspective she brings. Others feel her character’s extensive backstory in Episode 1 distracts from what made Paradise special in the first place .
The criticism centers on the idea that we’ve seen “pregnant-at-the-end-of-the-world” stories many times before in shows like The Last of Us, Fallout, and The Walking Dead . By spending so much time on Annie’s survival story, Paradise risked becoming just another post-apocalyptic drama rather than the unique political thriller that hooked viewers in Season 1 .
That said, Woodley herself is clearly excited to be part of the show. At the Season 2 premiere, she told Entertainment Tonight that she was a big fan of Season 1 before joining the cast . She also addressed fans comparing her appearance to co-star Grace Van Patten, revealing that they’ve talked about the comparisons and now call each other “twin” .
Episode-by-Episode Breakdown: What Works and What Doesn’t
Looking at the three-episode premiere more closely, a pattern emerges. According to El-Balad.com, the episodes received different ratings: Episode 1 got 3/5 stars, Episode 2 got 2.5/5 stars, and Episode 3 got 3.5/5 stars .
Episode 1 focuses almost entirely on Annie’s backstory at Graceland. Critics note that this chapter “aligns minimally with the show’s primary narrative” . Episode 2 centers on Xavier but includes flashbacks that feel “unnecessary by this point” and resembles the melodramatic style of Fogelman’s previous show, This Is Us, rather than the thriller audience expect .
Episode 3, however, shifts focus back to the bunker and the power struggles there. It explores Sinatra’s motivations and introduces the threat of a second climate disaster. This episode “reignites the suspense that characterized Season 1” and raises expectations for the rest of the season .
One critic from The Times (UK) offered a more positive take on the overall arc: “As season two unfolds, the secrets deep below the surface grow darker, the tension ratchets to new levels at each revelation. It may begin in Graceland. But by the time things move on, you can’t help falling in love with this show all over again” .
Fan Reactions and Social Media Buzz
While professional critics are split, early fan reactions on social media show excitement mixed with some of the same concerns. On IMDb, Season 2 currently holds a solid rating, with users praising the performances even when they have questions about the plot .
Many fans are specifically highlighting Julianne Nicholson’s performance as Sinatra. One user wrote that she is “incredible” and that the scene in Episode 2 with her therapist was “a masterclass of pent up emotion of a woman who has clearly been broken by her past” . Another fan noted that as long as Nicholson gets plenty of screen time, the season will be worth watching .
Sterling K. Brown’s performance continues to draw praise, with viewers describing it as “restrained, nuanced and intense” . His ability to convey emotion through “silent facial expressions” is highlighted as one of the show’s strengths .
The Mirror reports that fans describe the series as “spectacular,” “addictive,” and “one of the best shows ever made” . One viewer commented: “From the very first episode, I was completely hooked by its gripping storyline, strong character development, and unexpected twists” . Another added: “Once you start you won’t want to stop. You think you have it figured out, but you don’t” .
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Streaming Details and What’s Next for Paradise Season 2
Paradise Season 2 premiered on Hulu on February 23, 2026, with the first three episodes dropping at once . The season consists of eight episodes total, with new episodes releasing weekly on Mondays .
The remaining episode schedule is as follows:
- Episode 4: March 2, 2026
- Episode 5: March 9, 2026
- Episode 6: March 16, 2026
- Episode 7: March 23, 2026
- Episode 8: March 30, 2026
For viewers in the UK, the show is available on Disney+ . For viewers in India, it streams on Disney+ Hotstar. Australian viewers can also catch it on Disney+. The series continues to expand its global reach as the buzz builds.
Sterling K. Brown has already hinted that creator Dan Fogelman has a three-season plan for the series. Brown told Collider in January 2026: “So, twice in a row now, we’ve done this, where with This Is Us, he knew it was going to be six seasons. [With] Paradise, he knows it’s three seasons. It means that he gets to build towards something with each episode. We’re not trying to put filler into something just to keep it going in perpetuity. We get to build towards something. I think the audience senses the momentum that each episode has serious consequences to it, and it’s building to a complete picture” .
The main cast for Season 2 includes returning stars Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, Sarah Shahi, and Nicole Brydon Bloom, with newcomers Shailene Woodley and Thomas Doherty joining the ensemble . James Marsden also appears, though his character’s fate from Season 1 adds complexity to his role this year .
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