"Paradise" Is Leaving The Internet Questioning Everything, And Now, I Think Life Is A Simulation
Warning: This article contains spoilers from Paradise.
In an utopian and simulated society, Sterling K. Brown takes the lead as Xavier Collins — head agent in the President's Secret Service.
But after the sudden murder of his boss (James Marsden), he's left questioning the architects of this 'ideal' community and everything around him.
The combination of Sterling K Brown's badass aura, Julianne Nicholson's puppeteering character, Sinatra — and the flicks between time — make the show a puzzle that desperately needs solving.
And I will say, James Marsden as President Cal Bradford is the most serious I've ever seen him. He's still silly, despite his character being a certified racist. But without a hyperrealistic, animated rabbit or Sonic by his side, Marsden as President is one of his more solemn performances.
Everyone's a suspect, the president's dead, national secrets have fallen into someone else's hands and there's something unsettling going on with the President's therapist.
So naturally, the internet is lapping it up like it's Jacob Elordi's bathwater in Saltburn, coming up with theories and questions that now have me wondering what's coming next.
the way paradise leaves me gagged every episode like wow what just happened and what is going to happen next !!!! #paradisehulu pic.twitter.com/TtXZ0gsg9C
— kudus pr manager 🇬🇭 (@kimkimdaya) February 20, 2025
Twitter: @kimkimdaya
1. Someone's playing the "ignorance is bliss" game, while the world goes down around them.
Me every episode trying to figure out if Cal daddy is just pretending to not know what's going on #ParadiseHulu pic.twitter.com/G3mFlQA1HM
— ♡Danimals❤ (@Dani_19_93) February 19, 2025
Twitter: @Dani_19_93
#ParadiseHulu really keeps me guessing because the way I thought Cal's father couldn't tell Black people apart but it turns he really did see Presley at the house that night and she has the tablet under her bed. pic.twitter.com/Yii9T1zM8O
— Still I Rise (@dreamandthehope) February 13, 2025
Twitter: @dreamandthehope
2. For some reason, moments before his death, the President's security detail was doing everything BUT making sure he was safe and secure.
So everybody just playing Wii instead of guarding the president #ParadiseHulu pic.twitter.com/8W6kJ2x05K
— KUWK ❤️ (@Snackaveli_) February 18, 2025
Twitter: @Snackaveli_
3. The master puppeteer, Sinatra pulled a trump card on Xavier Collins, saying his believed-to-be-dead wife is actually alive. But people aren't buying it.
Sinatra is a liar. She has no idea where that woman is at #ParadiseHulu pic.twitter.com/IvIpuI5ZeO
— TellyMonster 😈💍🔺🐘 (@TellyBaby22) February 19, 2025
Twitter: @TellyBaby22
First of all, the soundtrack on this show is immaculate. Second, I knew Sinatra would pull the "your wife is alive card" on X. Now i gotta wait another week. 😩 #paradise • #paradiseonhulu • #paradisehulu pic.twitter.com/NRIzVDWyOK
— 🇨🇩 Zande✊🏾 (@KongoZande) February 18, 2025
Twitter: @KongoZande
4. Apparently, the "end of the world" scenario that kicked off the entire chain of events was planned by a multi-billionaire control freak.
I need to know what the hell happened! My theory is crazy ass sinatra planned the whole world ending disaster through grief and insanity to build a world she can control. Anyway, I NEED TO KNOW NOW! #ParadiseHulu pic.twitter.com/9CpKd2WAyW
— sel (@selbel007) February 12, 2025
Twitter: @selbel007
5. And finally, speaking of Xavier's wife, there's a hot little suspicion that she's involved in the plot for world domination. Wouldn't that be a trip?
And when we find out Xavier's wife is helping Sinatra pull the strings THEN WHAT #ParadiseHulu pic.twitter.com/4GN5TWoCEz
— megan (@ciaomegan_) February 20, 2025
Twitter: @ciaomegan_
Paradise has just been renewed for Season 2. So, maybe you should get on the bandwagon before it drops, hm? Stream the series on Disney+.
Need more TV show, movie, anime, and gaming recommendations? Check out Press Play, a column dedicated to reviewing the latest releases, uncovering hidden gems and solving the age-old question of "What do I stream?" (before your food gets cold).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Boston Globe
In the Trump era, where have all the protest songs gone?
Some of the most prominent and popular 21st-century songs with sharp political critiques are from the Black community, including Beyonce's 'Freedom,' Kendrick Lamar's 'Alright,' and Childish Gambino's 'This Is America.' They're all at least seven years old. No recent music has captured the current political climate, at least not in the way that civil rights anthems of the 1960s, rap hits of the '80s, or even the anti-Bush wave of the '90s and 2000s were able to. Some of those songs dominated the charts and set the cultural tone of social movements. Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' in the Wind,' the Temptations's 'War,' and Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' were explicit in their purpose, and all were in the US Billboard Hot 100 Hits. But protest music has been on an inexorable decline since the highs of the '60s and '70s. Advertisement President Trump has taken office amid silence, centralizing power and influence while blaring 'YMCA' by Village People. There's plenty to protest: the detainment, without due process, of immigrants nationwide; the blatant self-enriching crypto schemes launched by the Trump family; the struggles of everyday Americans with inflation; even the COVID-19 pandemic (remember the disastrous 'The explanation is simple. You can't make much money off these songs,' Ted Gioia, a prominent music historian, Protest songs are now often met with indifference from a cautious music industry, while social media have opened up new opportunities to scrutinize even mildly controversial viewpoints. As mainstream audiences have become generally less receptive to musicians promoting causes, many listeners now shrug off entertainers who dabble in activism as performative, or, even worse, preachy. 'It is not just that people have lost faith in any performer to help bring about change, it is that they resent anyone who attempts to do so,' Dorian Lynskey But as Gioia points out, protest music hasn't totally disappeared — it's just flourishing outside the United States. Beyond the confines of American music charts, movements filled with music are still alive and continue championing global causes. Today, Palestinian rappers like Advertisement In Hong Kong, 'Glory to Hong Kong' became the soundtrack of the 2019 pro-democracy protests and was later This is the kind of music America needs, especially now that the Trump administration has actively targeted musicians. On May 19, Trump called for a Some protest music is still being made, such as Nemahsis's 2023 album 'Verbathim' and Macklemore's 2024 single 'Hind's Hall,' both independently released pro-Palestinian projects. But their impact and reach is limited. As Lynskey writes, 'The right question is not, 'Where have all the protest songs gone?' but 'Is anybody listening?'' In the age of filtered algorithms and tailor-made playlists, the only stars with enough cultural cachet to break through audiences' information siloes are juggernauts like Taylor Swift, Lamar, Beyoncé, Post Malone, Charli XCX, and Ariana Grande. They have little financial incentive to protest. Advertisement Now Swift and Grande stick to writing about their love lives. Post Malone is playing low-stakes pop country on tour with Jelly Roll. And despite a link with the Harris campaign, Charli XCX's 'Brat' is made for clubbing, not marching. In this era, if artists are globally popular, they're not singing protest songs. And if they're singing them, they don't reach the mass audiences they might have commanded in previous decades. The levers of mass media influence for political music don't seem to exist anymore, and if listeners want to tune out politics, they can. 'I began this book intending to write a history of a still vital form of music,' Lynskey concludes in an epilogue. 'I finished it wondering if I had instead composed a eulogy.' Rebecca Spiess can be reached at
San Francisco Chronicle
9 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Alert: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' ‘Purpose,' about pressures within a prominent Black family, wins the best new play Tony Award
NEW YORK (AP) — Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' 'Purpose,' about pressures within a prominent Black family, wins the best new play Tony Award.
USA Today
17 hours ago
- USA Today
Beyoncé fans react to dance captain's absence during London concert: 'Where is Amari?'
AI-assisted summary Beyoncé's dance captain, Amari "Monster" Marshall, was absent from her June 7 London concert. Fans questioned Marshall's absence on social media, as she has been a key figure in the "Renaissance" and "Cowboy Carter" tours. Marshall notably mentored Blue Ivy Carter during her stage debut and performed alongside Beyoncé at the 2024 NFL halftime show. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter lit up the stage for the second night of her "Cowboy Carter" tour in London, and while fans were thrilled to see Les Twins dancing once again, many pointed out one familiar face was missing. The Grammy-winning singer took the stage June 7 for her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. During the electric performance many fans noticed that Amari "Monster" Marshall, dubbed Beyoncé's dance captain, was not among the performers onstage. One fan wrote, "What happened to Amari," and many others cosigned. Marshall began working with Beyoncé during her iconic 2018 Coachella "Beychella" performances. She eventually assumed the role of dance co-captain on the "Renaissance World Tour," where she played a key part in mentoring Beyoncé's then 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy during her stage debut. Beyoncé publicly praised Marshall for her guidance with the family dubbing her Blue's 'dance stage momma." She also took the stage with Bey during her 2024 Christmas Day NFL halftime show during the Texans-Ravens game. Marshall has continued performing with Beyoncé as dance captain on the "Cowboy Carter" tour, often sharing photos from various tour stops. However, she appeared to be absent from the stage in London, and fans especially noticed during Saturday night's show. It's not yet clear why Marshall didn't appear onstage or if she'll be making a return soon. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. The USA TODAY Network reached out to Beyoncé's team for further information. The concert marked Beyoncé's second of six shows at the stadium. She is set to hit the stage again June 10, 12, 14 and 16, before heading to Paris for three fans know, Beyoncé first debuted her "Cowboy Carter" tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28 with 39 songs on the set list. Her shows have been filled with family, fashion, different music genres, and most notably country music and cultural commentary. Of course, Beyoncé first released the 27-track project in March 2024. It has since made history and broken multiple records. As Beyoncé's first country album, she deliberately featured country legends and emerging Black country artists alike. She became the first Black woman to win best country album at the 2025 Grammys and also took home album of the year. The nine-city tour will span the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale taking place in Las Vegas on July 26. Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.
