‘Paradise’ Boss Dissects the Pilot Scene That Sets up the Show’s Central Mysteries

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Dan Fogelman developed an intense interest in creating a narrative about influential global figures following a conversation with a billionaire and an unusual noise on his commute home years ago, which he likens to Secret Service agents and presidents. Later, we find ourselves in ‘Paradise’, a post-apocalyptic settlement built within a Colorado mountain, constructed as a refuge for catastrophic events. The President of the United States (James Marsden) inexplicably perishes, leaving Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown), a Secret Service agent, to unravel the circumstances. As the pilot concludes, Collins races through the streets, with flashbacks providing the foundation for the show’s central enigmas.

Fogelman chose this specific sequence due to the stark contrast between the scripted scenes and what actually transpired on screen. As he puts it, “A lot of the writing takes place during pre-production, production, and editing.” In the televised episode, Brown’s monologue concluded with the line, “I’ll forgive you when I can sleep again, and I’ll sleep again when you’re dead,” which differs from what was initially written. During filming, several takes of Brown’s monologue were shot, and when Sterling delivered that particular one for the first time, the crew exclaimed, “Cut!”, to which Sterling responded, “Wow! That feels powerful differently.

As a devoted fan, I’d like to share a fascinating tidbit I discovered about “James and the Giant Peach.” During my research on Wikipedia, I stumbled upon Brown’s intriguing account of how the story’s central element, the peach, was initially intended to be a cherry. Fogelman mused, “Sometimes I wish there was more rhyme or reason to it.” He had named the character James and was engrossed in a book when inspiration struck: “I wondered if there could possibly be an amusing backstory about ‘James and the Giant Peach’ that I could weave into the narrative.

In Fogelman’s initial plan for the episode, viewers were meant to watch Collins sprint past ordinary items, with the finale revealing a reversed run showing the strange aspects of these locations. For instance, a gardener seen watering a lawn would later be discovered to actually be painting the grass. However, due to practical limitations during production, these scenes depicting the artificiality of the environment were altered. Instead, the episode opens with realistic-looking ducks, which are subsequently revealed to be mechanical.

Although this kitchen scene was filmed, it wasn’t included in the final version of the movie. While the children performed exceptionally well, the production team was working towards a climax, and they discovered that keeping our outstanding actor, Brown, delivering his powerful monologue instead of cutting to the actual scene itself, carried more impact.

Originally included in the episode, but later removed, were these closing dialogue lines. During trial screenings, Fogelman observed some viewers suspecting character Carl (Richard Robichaux). However, this was not intended to imply suspicion, rather it reflected the monotonous nature of the world portrayed and served as a concluding remark that this was an underground bunker, where every day is repetitive.

Screenwriter Fogelman has discovered that network executives, actors, and readers often rush through stage directions, potentially overlooking crucial details. To ensure these vital elements are noticed, he occasionally uses italics, bold, or underlining to draw attention. Another method Fogelman uses to improve readability is by generously spacing out stage directions. This approach adds extra page length, a concern for many writers, but Fogelman has found that if all the stage direction was written in prose, it would disrupt the flow. Breaking up stage direction into individual lines at a time can help the reader focus on it more effectively.

In the final cut of the episode, there are numbers and a peculiar symbol visible on the cigarette. The choice to include this inscription was a practical one for production purposes. According to Fogelman, “I can’t say I knew exactly what would be written on the cigarette [initially]. Once I had the entire season planned out, I could insert what should be there. However, during execution, we needed to consider how to make the audience aware of the inscription if all we see is a character looking at a cigarette. Would it simply read as though he’s contemplating smoking?

This tale was initially published in a special June edition of The Hollywood Reporter’s magazine. If you want to get the magazine, click here to subscribe.

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2025-06-07 22:54