Stephen King is famous for horror, but he’s also written quite a bit of science fiction throughout his career. Beyond well-known books that mix genres like Carrie, The Dead Zone, and Firestarter, he’s created fully-fledged sci-fi and dystopian novels such as The Long Walk, Under the Dome, and 11/22/63. That’s why it’s worth paying attention when King recommends sci-fi TV shows, as he has with . The show recently finished its second season and has generally been well-received, matching King’s positive opinion.
Created by Dan Fogelman and featuring Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden, Sarah Shahi, and Julianne Nicholson, Paradise blends post-apocalyptic science fiction with a political crime story. It’s become incredibly popular on Hulu, ranking among the service’s most-watched shows. The first season was a huge hit, attracting over seven million viewers in its first week alone, which led to an immediate renewal. Since its release earlier this year, the second season has consistently been the top show on Hulu.
Paradise’s Brilliance Starts with its Writing
Paradise isn’t just praised for its unique and unsettling setting – a massive underground bunker. Beyond the show’s intense and action-packed nature, it excels at developing its characters. Throughout the series, we gradually learn more about each person, with their histories and individual stories unfolding in a way that feels like reading a novel, which will likely appeal to fans of literature.
Dan Fogelman, the Emmy-nominated creator and writer of the show, is known for his exceptional storytelling. He previously worked with Sterling K. Brown on the hit series This Is Us, which helped launch Brown’s career, and has a long history of collaborating with Disney and Pixar on beloved films like Bolt, Cars, and Tangled.
While the main character shines in Paradise, it’s the show’s deep dives into the backstories of even minor characters – exploring their lives before the world ended and the bunker became their home – that truly makes the series special.
According to one of the show’s writers, John Hoberg, Paradise is fundamentally a Western story hidden within a science fiction setting. Hoberg explained to SlashFilm that the main character, Xavier, embodies the classic Western hero – driven by strong values and an unwavering goal. The show consistently tests Xavier’s morals and principles, pushing him to his limits, and he serves as the central force holding the narrative together, even as the genre shifts and evolves.
Stephen King Has Publicly Praised Paradise Throughout its Two Seasons
Stephen King was an early fan of the show, and frequently complimented Lost during its original run, noting its clear inspiration from his novels and stories. While he praised the first season, he became even more vocal about his enjoyment on social media during the show’s second season.
King recently shared his thoughts on the Hulu series Paradise on Threads, praising its impressive second season. He noted it’s rare for a show to improve after its first season, and highlighted the strong acting, cohesive storyline, and particularly sharp dialogue. He even suggested the late author Elmore Leonard—known for his crime and Western novels, and the creator of stories behind shows like Justified and films like Jackie Brown and 3:10 to Yuma—would have enjoyed it, which he considers high praise.
Critics and audiences alike seem to love the show, with consistently high scores on Rotten Tomatoes – 86% for Season 1 and 90% for Season 2. Hulu has already renewed it for a third season and production is underway. Created as a planned three-season story, the show’s creator, Dan Fogelman, intends for the series to conclude with the final episodes of Season 3, ensuring a concise and satisfying story that doesn’t drag on.
All episodes of Paradise are available to stream on Hulu.
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2026-04-23 02:51