"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
Miami Herald
18 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
American Black Film Festival is in Miami. Here are some films to check out
As the pandemic forced a global shutdown halting businesses, communities and touching every aspect of how society functioned in 2020, a pivotal election was brewing across the U.S. — one that would have a major effect on southern states. And as that chaos brewed, Black Voters Matter decided to meet the moment. Their efforts to energize and register voters is chronicled in a new documentary, 'Love, Joy & Power: Tools For Liberation.' That story is one of several films screening at the American Black Film Festival when it rolls into town this week highlighting Black storytellers and providing resources for those in the filmmaking industry. Black Voters Matter co-founder Cliff Albright said the film is a story about overcoming, pointing out the significance of the film's debut close to Juneteenth. 'It's not just the story of 2020 or the story of Black Voters Matters, it's really a story of how we have historically overcome, including going back to just Juneteenth,' he told the Herald. 'It shows the work that we're doing, but it also shows what movement is really like.' The film's timing is not lost on Albright, who said the story is essential at a time when Black stories and how they are shared is either being banned or altered in schools and libraries. 'Liberation' is just one of the films ABFF attendees can see when it kicks of Wednesday. We've put together a few more for you all to check out: 'Love, Joy & Power: Tools For Liberation' In this documentary, readers are taken on a journey through the efforts of Black Voters Matter to turn Georgia 'purple' in the 2020 election through grassroots voting efforts across the South, including Florida. The film, directed by Daresha Kyi, will screen at 1:10 p.m. Thursday at O Cinema. 'The ReWrite.' What is an authentic Black voice? That's what screenwriter Elliot (Stephen Barrington) obsesses over after he is told by white executives how Black people should sound and act. He wrestles with this as he tries to find the balance between being authentic and making money. 'I just want to sell without selling out,' he says. The film, directed by Terry Dawson, debuts at ABFF at 2:15 p.m. Thursday at Miami Beach Convention Center in Screening Room #2. 'Wait Until Tomorrow' The intersection of race, wealth and opportunity take center stage in this documentary that follows the lives of various Black families in the United States. The stories drive home the realities behind data examining the search for economic mobility. Directed by Osato Dixon will show at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at O Cinema. 'Carnival: They Can't Steal Our Joy' The colors. The beads. The feathers. The sounds. These are some of the things that make up Caribbean Carnival. But Ian Mark Kimanje's film, 'Carnival: They Can't Steal Our Joy,' pulls back the layers of the festival's significance culturally and historically in Toronto and beyond. Making its U.S. premier, the film will screen at O Cinema at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
Miami Herald
18 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Black Film Festival spotlights Black storytelling with a made-in-Miami film
Kionne McGhee is a lot of things: The son of a South Dade bean picker. A former 5000 Role Models mentee. Howard University alum. Liberty City native. An attorney and a Miami-Dade commissioner. But in his film 'The Reject,' based on his two books 'A mer[e] I Can is American' and 'Conquering Hope,' we meet a child with dyslexia and ADHD, who struggled academically and dealt with chronic absenteeism, and confronts the deaths of his father and brother. And he's not ashamed of any of it, describing his film as one that tells the story of neurodiversity and how Black children can overcome those challenges to achieve success. 'The film tells the story of how those gifts, if taken in the right light and nurtured, can be beneficial to the person that God has given those gifts to and that person then can turn around and be of benefit to the community as a whole,' he told the Herald. McGhee's story is one of several powerful narratives that highlight Black South Florida stories to emerge in the past few years. 'The Reject' is showing at the American Black Film Festival, a showcase of Black talent, networking event for indie filmmakers and a who's who of Black actors, directors and producers that takes place this week in Miami. This year's festival, now in its 29th year, features an array of panels dedicated to Black storytelling, full-length films, documentaries and shorts films. Saturday's premier event, 'Remembering Love Jones' highlights the significance of the '90s film 'Love Jones' and features a conversation with co-stars and ABFF ambassadors Nia Long and Larenz Tate. There is also ABFF Community Day on Sunday which will include a screening of 'The Reject.' While McGhee's film is the only one set in South Florida featured in this year's lineup, it is the latest in a string of films set in the Miami area that center on Black stories to be produced in the last several years. Other films include 'Mountains' by Monica Sorelle, the Regina King-directed 'One Night in Miami,' the now-canceled HBO series 'Rap Sh!t,' and of course Academy-award winning movie 'Moonlight.' Creating films that focus on Black Miami comes at a crucial moment: Efforts to suppress Black history and literature in classrooms and libraries have been at a fever pitch in Florida and nationally, even as local activists, educators and historians push back against those attempts. Tate said it's important to normalize telling Black stories with an authentic, truthful voice and in unapologetic ways. 'We have a history of other groups telling our stories, shaping up the narrative from the prism of non- Blacks and that being the standard, and it was normalized,' Tate told the Herald. 'That's what needed to change. And when we are able to tell our stories in the most truthful, honest way, the most creative way, you know, the impact is everlasting, and that's what we need.' Tate said Black people need transition from being consumers of entertainment to being producers. 'We as a group, we support entertainment, we consume it,' he said. 'So it's important for us to balance the things out by not only being consumers, but also producers, and that's why I think it's really important for us to tell our stories.' The 'Moonlight' effect Tate said ABFF plays a crucial role in ensuring the success of Black artists such as Ryan Coogler and Liberty City native Barry Jenkins, whose first film, 'Medicine for Melancholy,' debuted at the festival. 'It is a place where we all can come in, have that synergy, to network and whatever experiences that we have over that week, we take that with us.' South Florida-based filmmaker Rachelle Salnave credits South Florida and ABFF with the start of her filmmaking career, even after having her first film, 'Harlem's Mart 125: The American Dream,' rejected for a screening at the festival years ago. At the time, Salnave had just received a hefty severance package after being laid off from a job. 'I got a pass to come to ABFF, and I was like, you know what? I'm not going to let their rejection stop me. I'm going to make everybody in this festival think that my film is in that festival,' she told the Herald. 'I did and it worked.' Salnave said she took a trip to the 2010 ABFF where she connected with a film professor and pitched Robert Townsend a short. 'I raised my hand real quick, and I got up there, and I was able to pitch to him live in front of 500 people,' she recalled. Salnave said the growth in Black Miami films is in part due to the success of 'Moonlight.' University of Miami film professor Terri Francis echoed that sentiment, noting that those who worked on that set, such as director Faren Humes, have gone on to have thriving careers in film. This year her friend's daughter, Ruby Rose Collins, has a short film about her late grandmother and filmmaker Kathleen Collins called, 'all the love i could handle' screening at the festival. 'The expertise that we're seeing in current independent films in the city, and also the legibility of their films does come from the work experience, and, of course, the accolades from that film,' Francis said, who has had Jenkins speak to one of her previous classes. 'Their films are all super different. People are not making 'Moonlight' over and over.' 'It's encouraging' Apart from the success of 'Moonlight,' South Florida documentary filmmaker Cathleen Dean, noted there are grants that have helped fuel the influx of Black films set or based in Miami. Still, she noted that even with that filmmakers aren't simply waiting for the funds to trickle in before they pick up a camera. 'It's encouraging that we have a lot of young filmmakers who are ambitious, who are not sitting around waiting for grants, and they're just getting out there, and they're doing their thing, and they're utilizing these new tools of social media and inexpensive cameras to get their stories told,' she said. Al Martin, chair of the University of Miami's Cinematic Arts department, said platforms such as Tubi have also diversified where independent filmmakers can post their movies. 'We have so many platforms on which stories can be told. For all of the discursive shade that gets thrown on Tubi, the fact is, is that it is giving a number of young Black filmmakers the opportunity to have their work shown on Tubi, and that is not unimportant,' he said. For as many Black stories that come out of South Florida, Dean hopes more are told and that the kinds of stories told are diversified. 'They need to be amplified, and not just sit in Miami-Dade at art house theaters, but show that these stories are important to the nation,' she said. She noted that McGhee's story is a step in encouraging diverse Black stories out of South Florida. 'It's inspiring, and it's encouraging to other people, to other young Black boys and girls,' she said. 'They know that they can come out of the projects and end up sitting in a seat of power up in Tallahassee.- Tate echoed those sentiments, saying ABFF is in many ways necessary to celebrate success for Black filmmakers and create opportunities for budding filmmakers. 'It's really important for us to have these types of festivals and these types of spaces [and] that we can look to each other, to celebrate each other and work with each other, and not look for permission from anyone else outside of what we're doing,' he said. 'Creatives from the entire diaspora that are coming together to celebrate and recognize one another.' If you go: What: American Black Film Festival When: June 11-15 Where: Miami Beach Convention Center, O Cinema, Lyric Theatre, New World Center - Performance Hall, Cost: Screenings range from free to $16; Remaining festival passes are as low as $680; Community Day is free Info:
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Best Performances From the 2025 BET Awards, Ranked
On Monday night (June 9), the BET Awards 2025 made its way back to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the BET Awards brought together an all-star cast of names. Extending from the worlds of Black music and entertainment, a bevy of superstar talent were all under one roof to commemorate the enduring legacy of BET and it's venerable awards show. More from Billboard Jimin & Jung Kook Complete Military Service as BTS Reunion Nears: Exclusive Photos Seth MacFarlane on Channeling Frank Sinatra for 'Lush Life' & Who Will Be His 'First Call' If He Uncovers a Lost Sinatra Duet RAYE Admits She Was 'Scared' to Work With Mark Ronson Over Amy Winehouse Comparisons Names such as Kendrick Lamar, Tyler Perry and Lil Wayne strutted their way to the festive event, making this year's ceremony arguably one of the best showings in recent years. To bring everything together, BET unified some of the biggest heroes across hip-hop, R&B, and gospel, when they enlisted Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey and Kirk Franklin for the Ultimate Icon Awards. Not only did the musical heavyweights receive their honors and flowers, but they proved why they remain one-of-a-kind showstoppers with their sizzling performances. Though Foxx didn't showcase his vocal prowess, his speech satiated the crowd's hunger, as he had everyone in a vise grip emotionally when he recalled the dark moments of his stroke recovery. 'You can't go through something like that and not testify,' Foxx said during his rousing speech. 'A career that I could only thank God for.' The icons weren't the only ones to leave it all out there; younger superstars like GloRilla and Playboi Carti left indelible marks during 'Culture's Biggest Night,' with their stage presence and innate creativity. Below, Billboard ranked the night's best performances, including highlights from Teyana Taylor, Snoop Dogg, Leon Thomas, Mariah Carey and more. Like Kendrick Lamar and SZA, Carti paused his touring schedule to attend this year's festivities. Despite taking a break from his nationwide trek with The Weeknd, Carti still had the performance bug, as he entertained the crowd with fun cuts from his chart-topping album MUSIC including 'Like Weezy' and 'Rather Lie.' Carti's youthful exuberance was tailor-made for the kids who tuned in to see King Vamp in rare form. The trio of R&B singers Daye, James and Caton honored one of music's most revered architects with a rendition of 'The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite).' Though a better song selection could have been chosen during the In Memoriam segment of the awards show, the R&B triad was soothing and complementary of each other's talents. Andra Day channeled the spirit of the late Roberta Flack to sing her 1973 classic 'Killing Me Softly With His Song.' The heavenly tribute was a fitting honor not only for Flack, but also for all the lost ones in the hip-hop and R&B space. Following Tyler Perry's powerful speech uplifting the Black community, Ledisi carried the torch with her soul-stirring song 'BLKWMN.' With images of legendary Black women adorning the screen, Ledisi's commanding vocals, equally moving and reassuring, appropriately shifted the room in favor of the women in attendance. In typical Weezy fashion, the Young Money commander pulled up with a Stanley bottle in hand during his performance of 'Welcome to Tha Carter.' Though Wayne is currently in Carter VI mode, that didn't stop him from venturing back to his classics. The mood shifted instantly, as his choir went from angelic to full-fledged demon time when Weezy clocked in the crowd favorite 'A Milli.' Mariah Carey's 2025 has been a busy one. Following the release of her new single 'Type Dangerous,' Carey blessed the stage with her debut performance of the song. Flanked by an army of sleek white-clad dancers, Carey had a brilliant cast to support her efforts. Anderson .Paak dazzled on the drums, while a dapper Rakim dished out a timely assist, rounding out Carey's fun-filled showing. After stepping away from music to focus on directing and acting, Teyana Taylor made a triumphant return to the stage at the BET Awards. Teasing her forthcoming album Escape Room, a re-energized Taylor glided through an electrifying R&B soundscape, flanked by a fleet of robotic dancers. Her dynamic performance signaled that her so-called retirement was anything but permanent. Leon Thomas' spellbinding performance of 'Mutt' had the crowd howling incessantly at his lyrics. With his guitar in tow, Thomas' theatrical finesse wowed the room, as the audience clung to every word from his infectious Hot 100 hit, further cementing his status as R&B's newest vanguard. After Kevin Hart saluted this current wave of female rap superstars, he set the table for Big Glo to feast and dominate the BET Awards stage. With a Michael Jackson-inspired 'fit, Glo proceeded to her GLORIOUS heater 'Let Her Cook' before tagging in Keyshia Cole for a succinct version of her new song 'Typa,' which samples the singer's 2005 classic 'Love.' Before receiving the Ultimate Icon Award, Jamie Foxx was treated to a riveting tribute led by Babyface, Ludacris, Tank and Jennifer Hudson — each honoring different chapters of his musical journey, from 'Unpredictable' to Ray Charles' 'I Got a Woman.' A visibly emotional Foxx then watched as Doug E. Fresh, Teddy Riley and T-Pain transformed 'Blame It' into a symphonic masterpiece. Riley, vocoder in hand, delivered Foxx's verse with precision before T-Pain joined in, turning the moment into a vibrant, full-circle celebration for the hall-of-fame triple threat. To honor the legacy of BET's iconic flagship show 106 & Park, a reunion of beloved former hosts — Terrence J, Free, Big Tigger, Julissa Bermudez and Keshia Chanté — lit up the stage in nostalgic fashion. Each host introduced a legendary 2000s superstar who once ruled the countdown era. Ashanti charmed the crowd with a sultry medley of classics, including 'Foolish' and 'Baby.' T.I. kept the momentum rolling with a high-powered cruise through ATL's golden era, before the set hit a fever pitch with a showstopping performance by Mr. 106 & Park himself, Bow Wow. Once The Doggfather completed his acceptance speech, he went into performance mode. He rallied his West Coast compatriots in Warren G and Kurupt and turned the Peacock Theater into a true function. Snoop hopscotched through various eras of his career, as he delivered 'Drop It Like It's Hot' and 'Nuthin' But a G Thang.' Snoop also dialed in Uncle Charlie Wilson to smoothen the ride with a drive down The Gap Band's 'Outstanding.' The best was truly saved for last, as Kirk Franklin closed out the night with a spirit-filled curtain call. As the final Ultimate Icon honoree, Franklin took the audience straight to church, unleashing a medley of gospel anthems — from the timeless 'Stomp' and 'Silver & Gold' to a modern-day revival of 'Revolution.' With DC Young Fly lending an energetic assist, Franklin rained down the Holy Spirit and delivered a finale that was both joyful and transcendent. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
