Sterling K. Brown has returned to television as Agent Xavier Collins in the new Hulu drama Paradise, and nothing is as it seems.

According to an official synopsis, “Paradise is set in an upscale community inhabited by some of the world’s most prominent individuals. But this tranquility explodes when a shocking murder occurs, and a high-stakes investigation unfolds.”

In the premiere episode titled “Wildcat is Down,” viewers meet Collins, who seems to live a pretty structured life as the head of security for who we soon discover is the nation’s leader, President Cal Bradford (James Marsden). The only problem is that Collins and those watching discover that Bradford is dead within the first 15 minutes of the show’s opening.

Why has the president been Christian Laettnered?

Immediately following the revelation that Bradford is dead, viewers get a glimpse into what they’ll soon learn: a complex relationship between Collins and Bradford that didn’t start that way.

We also get an Easter egg about the college basketball reference to Duke University basketball icon Christian Laettner that Collins uses when he calls another agent to say the president has been killed. The code name comes from the president stating that when Christian Laettner made the game-winning shot for Duke in that legendary 1992 NCAA Tournament game, he felt like it killed him.

The first blast from the past includes the first day that Bradford and Collins met, just a day after the incumbent president won his second term. The characters’ personalities are also set at this moment.

While Bradford seems direct, playful and pretty charming, to say the least, those watching can see that Collins is the complete opposite. He is more reserved and tense, never letting down his guard, and that is why he’s the perfect person to protect the president as he enters another four years in office.

Another glimpse into the past reveals the shift in the pair’s relationship when Collins took a bullet for the president, seemingly foreshadowing that someone was out to get him.

Who else stars in ‘Paradise’?

Viewers meet several other key cast members who play integral roles in the show.

Julianne Nicholson plays Samantha Redmond (or Sinatra, depending on who she interacts with), Sarah Shahi plays Dr. Gabriela Torabi, Nicole Brydon Bloom plays Agent Jane Driscoll, Krys Marshall plays Agent Robinson, and Jon Beavers plays Agent Billy Pace.

The premiere episode doesn’t give much insight into their roles in the mystery that Paradise seeks to solve, but anyone can be responsible for anything.

What took place during Agent Collins and President Bradford’s final conversation?

The reason for Bradford and Collins’ estranged relationship is disclosed in the final minutes of the premiere. During a flashback, Collins recalls his final conversation with the president, which ended with him revealing the loss of his wife.

At one point, Bradford asks Collins if he will ever be able to forgive him. After a long pause, Collins admits that he will only be able to do so once he’s “able to sleep at night again.” This moment also explains why the character was so jarred by his son reading James and the Giant Peach in one of the show’s opening scenes. He reveals that his wife read the book daily while pregnant with their son.

This final scene lays the foundation for the larger picture in Paradise, where anyone can see that the president was wrapped up in something bigger than we can imagine, serving as a catalyst for staying glued to see what will happen next.

Is Paradise a real place?

The characters in this Hulu series may have different ideas of paradise, but the place where the show is set isn’t even real. The fictional place in Paradise isn’t even accurate for the characters — it’s an underground bunker.

In the last ten minutes, viewers learn why Collins has grown to resent Bradford, and it has everything to do with losing his wife. You’ll have to keep watching the show to discover precisely how they got to where they are in the first place.

Where can I watch ‘Paradise’?

Paradise premiered on Hulu last Tuesday. Three episodes are available for streaming, and new episodes will be released weekly.

James Marsden

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