On January 28, 2025, Paradise, a new thriller series, premiered on Disney+, starring Sterling K. Brown in the lead role. The show provides insight into the operations of a security agency. Both critics and audiences have responded positively to the production, which currently ranks second in the streaming charts.
In Paradise, we follow Xavier Collins, the lead secret agent of U.S. President Cal Bradford (James Marsden). When the President of the United States is found murdered in his bedroom, chaos erupts within the Secret Service, and suspicion falls on none other than Collins himself.
Paradise was developed by Dan Fogelman (This is Us), who also co-wrote the scripts alongside Katie French (Homecoming), Stephen Markley (Only Murders in the Building), and several other writers. The directing team includes Hanelle M. Culpepper (Star Trek: Picard), Glenn Ficarra (Focus), Stephen Williams (Watchmen), and John Requa (Jungle Cruise).
You can get a first impression of the series here:
Reactions to Paradise
On Rotten Tomatoes, Paradise has received above-average ratings. While the audience gave it a 77% score, critics were slightly more satisfied, rating it at 79%. Here are some excerpts from reviews:
Kelly Nestruck from Globe and Mail writes:
“Paradise aims to make you cry while keeping you intrigued. And Fogelman, the master of tears, has absolutely succeeded.”
Ross McIndoe from Slant Magazine writes:
“A crime thriller and sci-fi mystery that aspires to be a political drama.”
Ben Travers from IndieWire writes:
“Paradise is neither a brilliant puzzle nor a breathtaking sci-fi story—far from it—but Fogelman’s latest series is a solid mix on multiple levels: It’s a satisfying mystery (most of the time) and an emotional melodrama.”
Amy Amatangelo from Paste Magazine writes:
“The casting is perfect, and the show is carried by some incredibly nuanced performances. No one can portray a stoic character with a subconscious, simmering rage quite like Brown.”
If you want to watch Paradise, all you need is a Disney+ subscription.
