By Janet Grant

It’s disappointing when a once-flawless series returns for a second season and loses its spark. Unfortunately, that’s the case with Paradise. After a gripping and tightly woven first chapter, the sophomore outing feels surprisingly uneven, especially given creator Dan Fogelman’s track record with character-focused storytelling in This Is Us.

Season Two picks up after Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) leaves the Colorado bunker to search for his wife, Terry, who may still be alive in a world formerly believed uninhabitable. Yet in a bold storytelling choice, the premiere largely sidelines Xavier in favour of a new character: Annie Clay, played by Shailene Woodley.

That gamble initially pays off. The premiere episode, titled “Graceland,” is among the most powerful hours the series has delivered. With the emotionally layered writing and a quietly authoritative performance from Woodley, viewers are taken back decades to Annie’s life before the collapse. Stranded inside Graceland when disaster strikes, Annie transforms Elvis Presley’s former home into a makeshift sanctuary alongside fellow survivor Gayle (Angela Laketa Moore). The episode is suspenseful, intimate, and intensely human, even if minor logistical issues linger.

Unfortunately, that momentum doesn’t last. The season’s strongest new character is Annie. It can be so disappointing when a series with a near-flawless debut returns for a second season and struggles to recapture that magic. Unfortunately, that’s the case with Paradise 2. After a gripping, tightly woven first chapter, there is a feeling of a surprisingly uneven story, especially given creator Dan Fogelman’s track record with character-driven storytelling in This Is Us.

Season Two picks up after Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) leaves the Colorado bunker to search for his wife, Terry, who may still be alive in a world once believed uninhabitable. Yet in a bold narrative choice, the premiere largely sidelines Xavier in favour of a new character: Annie Clay, played by Shailene Woodley.

That gamble initially pays off. The premiere episode, titled “Graceland,” is among the most compelling hours the series has delivered. With strong, emotionally layered writing and a quietly commanding performance from Woodley, viewers are taken back decades to Annie’s life before collapse. Stranded inside Graceland when disaster strikes, Annie transforms Elvis Presley’s former home into a makeshift sanctuary alongside fellow survivor Gayle (Angela Laketa Moore). The episode is suspenseful, intimate, and deeply human, even if minor logistical questions linger.

Unfortunately, that momentum doesn’t hold. Arguably, the season’s strongest new character is Annie.

The layered political tension and claustrophobic intrigue that defined the bunker storyline have thinned considerably. Powerhouse performers like Julianne Nicholson and Nicole Brydon Bloom return; however, their characters lack the sharp complexity that once made them formidable and a fan favourite.

More frustrating is the show’s depiction of a rapidly recovering Earth, which undermines much of the apocalyptic dread that fueled Season One. Meanwhile, Xavier’s emotional journey feels oddly detached, stripping the series of its former anchor.

With a planned three-season arc, there’s still time for Paradise to regain its footing. But based on these first few episodes, the once-promising thriller is struggling to regain the intensity and precision that made it so compelling.