Paradise Season 1’s Jaw-Dropping Misstep

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There are spoilers in this article, so beware!

I am quite fond of “Paradise“, created by Dan Fogelman (known for “This Is Us”). It’s filled with unexpected plots like a winding mountain road, most of which keep the story engaging. However, it loses its charm towards the end. The series opener lays the groundwork for a murder mystery when President Cal Bradford (James Marsden) is found dead by his head of security, Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown). Sadly, the conclusion in the final episode, accessible with a Hulu subscription, didn’t meet my expectations and left me feeling let down and annoyed.

Making A Murder Mystery

Great mysteries often provide clues for the viewers to trace, much like breadcrumbs leading through a forest. In this case, Paradise seems to have scattered red herrings and subtle hints for the would-be murderer. There are two Secret Service agents who, as they claim, turn off the cameras to play video games; yet, there’s a possibility that they might be hiding something more sinister. Moreover, we have a sociopathic villain leading an underground town in secret. To complicate matters further, the head of the Secret Service is rumored to have been having a clandestine affair with the president. Even Xavier himself could potentially be the murderer.

As I eagerly anticipated the climactic confrontation between the antagonist, Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson), and Xavier, the stage was set for an intriguing showdown. However, as the dust settled, it turned out that the actual murderer was a minor character who had gone unnoticed by all, having no connection to the broader narrative.

I was looking forward to the big confrontation between Sinatra and Xavier, but in the end, we got our showdown alright, but it was a secondary character who had been overlooked who turned out to be the killer, with no ties to the main storyline.

The mystery remained unsolved for the entire series, with numerous false leads and misdirections, until the very last episode when the true culprit was finally unveiled – a person whom none of us had suspected due to there being no hints or clues pointing towards them until just before the revelation.

It Was The Librarian? What?

In the final episode, we delve deeper into the backstory of the man who tried to assassinate President Bradford prior to the catastrophe, reminiscent of a flashback from the first episode. The town librarian, Trent (played by Ian Merrigan), managed to escape prison during the turmoil leading up to the disaster, and deceitfully gained entry into the bunker after cold-bloodedly killing two individuals caught in a traffic jam to facilitate his entrance.

Additionally, it’s revealed later on that he had been a construction foreman responsible for building the bunker. He was dismayed when those in power exposed his team to harmful arsenopyrite, leading him to act impulsively by trying to assassinate the president. As a result, he ended up serving time in prison.

Initially, we discover that Trent was responsible for Bradford’s murder, which served as his revenge for the loss of his crew. Frankly, I wasn’t aggravated by finding out who did it; instead, what infuriated me was how there were no hints at all throughout the series suggesting Trent was the culprit. The plotline seemed to be ignored and the final revelation came across as a random twist, lacking substance and feeling more like an unnecessary “OMG” moment that fell short for me.

It Doesn’t Ruin The Future Of The Show

It’s evident that the paradise, or the overall storyline, dwarfs the murder mystery in size. The season finale has intriguingly set up a multitude of plot threads for Season 2, which can be accessed through a Disney+/Hulu package. Xavier is now on a quest to find his wife, while Sinatra, the antagonist, finds himself hospitalized. Agent Jane Driscoll (Nicole Brydon Bloom) could potentially become a new villain. There’s plenty left to delve into, and I’m genuinely looking forward to it. Unfortunately, the unraveling of the mystery wasn’t as engaging as I had hoped.

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2025-03-14 23:09