‘Paradise’ Season 2 Review: It’s No Paradise Above Ground

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The first season of Paradise ended with a shocking revelation: Xavier’s wife, Teri, could still be alive. Season 2 moves the story forward with Xavier now living above ground, and the show embraces a more classic post-apocalyptic setting. Luckily, this new direction is successful. The season builds on the world we already know, introduces compelling new characters, and offers fresh viewpoints, all while showcasing a more emotionally open, but still strong, Xavier.

We already knew Xavier headed to Atlanta looking for Teri, and the start of Season 2 shows his trip wasn’t easy. But right now, his story takes a backseat. Before we check in with Xavier, Annie (Shailene Woodley) establishes the overall feel of the new season, and the reasons behind her actions become clear as the story unfolds.

Annie’s story is central to the show, unfolding against the unique setting of Graceland. It visually demonstrates the disasters Dr. Louge foresaw – tsunamis, harsh winters, persistent ash, and periods of quiet. More importantly, Annie embodies the strength and determination of anyone who managed to survive such a catastrophe. Her journey mirrors Samantha’s in a compelling way, giving a human face to the people the billionaire considered expendable. And with the news of her pregnancy, Annie also becomes a symbol of hope for the future.


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Thomas Doherty’s character, Link, is introduced in a way that connects well with Annie’s storyline and will probably become important to the overall plot of Season 2. It’s surprising to learn he was working with the professor Samantha had Billy killed for—suggesting a significant role for Link. He’s not just a self-described nerd; he’s a very intelligent scientist, which will likely be a key part of the story. Now that Link is searching for the rumored bunker and is established as a resistance leader, he’s becoming the central figure for that group, much like Rick Grimes was in another series.

The story takes its time developing supporting characters, which is a good thing, as it allows the narrative to unfold naturally. However, this also means we only get brief glimpses into Xavier’s situation. When we finally learn what happened to him, it’s clear he’s in trouble—he’s unconscious after a crash. We then see, through flashbacks, the series of events that led to this point: a bad knee injury, an encounter with a clever group of kids and their leader, Daniel, having to defend himself, and memories of how he and Teri first connected.

I always loved learning about how Xavier learned to fix his knee – it turns out he met Teri in the hospital while they were both recovering from surgery! But even more than that, it really highlights how much he loves her. Those early memories are what get him through everything, you can just feel it. It’s such a classic, instant connection story, and it’s amazing to see where it all began.


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It’s great that Paradise, a show pushing the boundaries of political thrillers, is now switching between scenes inside the bunker and the outside world. Spending too much time confined to the bunker could have become monotonous for viewers. Other shows, like Silo and Fallout, have successfully used this technique, so it’s a smart way to develop the story and explore the world beyond the bunker.

The latest episodes feel more like classic post-apocalyptic stories, similar to shows like The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, and Fallout. The series is now focusing on the harsh realities of survival, where characters are forced to fight to live. This is a big change from earlier episodes, where the characters in the bunker didn’t have to worry about basic needs like food, shelter, or water. It’s refreshing to see this gritty, survival-focused storyline instead of the previously idyllic underground setting.

The bunker isn’t completely forgotten in the first few episodes, despite everyone being preoccupied with Samantha’s coma. We later find out she’s secretly drawing power from it, though her reasons remain a mystery. Through flashbacks, we see a stark contrast between Billy – portrayed as a cold-blooded killer – and Samantha, who appears gentler. This is particularly striking considering how Billy became more virtuous later in life, while Samantha has become increasingly ruthless. I suspect she’s hiding a larger scheme and might see the people on the surface as expendable in order to achieve her goals. However, I believe she still intends to save the world, or at least she’s invested too much to turn back now.


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Jane (Nicole Brydon Bloom) is still subtly maneuvering through the city, gaining favor with the new, somewhat clumsy president while secretly being a ruthless killer. Thankfully, Nicole Robinson (Krys Marshall) begins to suspect something isn’t right, trusts her instincts, and discovers she’s correct. However, Jane always seems to be one step ahead. She murdered President Henry Baines (Matt Malloy) and cleverly manipulated events to make it look like Nicole did it. I believe this is all part of a plan that will ultimately lead to Jane’s exposure and defeat.

The children are attempting to rebel, but they’re not quite sure how to go about it. Jeremy Bradford, always the most defiant, ends up in jail where he encounters the scientist who originally built the bunker. This scientist was also imprisoned for a previous act of disobedience. Jeremy asks for his help in escaping – he wants to blast their way out. It’s a clever plan to seek out the one person who knows how the bunker works and could disable it, and it’s something Cal would have admired.

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The first three episodes lay the groundwork for the season’s main storyline with a quiet flashback between Samantha and Dr. Louge. He unknowingly started Samantha on the path to building the bunker. During their conversation ten years ago, he accurately predicted the current events, warning that rising greenhouse gases would eventually make the surface world uninhabitable. He described a future where extreme heat would cause a terrifying and agonizing death for anyone remaining outside. That future is now here.


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As a huge fan, I’ve been thinking about everything that happened in Season 1, and it hit me: could Samantha be secretly using the bunker’s power for something related to this new threat, this ‘second act’ from Mother Nature? And everyone wondered if Dr. Louge made it through the first season… well, after overhearing that conversation, I’m starting to wonder if he’s not just alive, but actually inside the bunker somewhere. It’s a crazy thought, but it makes a lot of sense when you put the pieces together!

We still don’t know what Annie did with Xavier after finding him badly injured, but she’s likely using her medical skills to nurse him back to health. It’s unclear what will happen to them next in Paradise, but the story is gradually unfolding. This season feels very different from the first, with interesting new characters and a plot that’s heading in a thrilling direction.

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2026-02-23 08:03