Hulu’s newest drama, This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman switches gears tonally but retains the talent of Oscar nominee Sterling K. Brown.

Paradise has a great pace and can be entertaining, but aside from Brown, the series feels more like a network production than the prestige TV it's trying to be. Perhaps future seasons will elevate the material, but if Paradise was an FX instead of just a Hulu show, it might be great instead of just good.

Paradise Works For What It's Trying To Be

Even Though We See The Plot Beats Coming

Fogelman is no stranger to compelling TV. Both the ratings and critical reception of This Is Us gave him a seat at the big league table and he has used that cache on Paradise. The tone of the show is very reminiscent of early 2010s TV in the sense that we can read all the plot beats with hindsight. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. Fogelman knows how to engage us on an episodic basis but that becomes more difficult the higher the stakes rise.

It’s every work of art's responsibility to be the exact version of itself that that creator set out to make. And by that measure, Paradise is an abject success.

The premise of Paradise reads like a winning log line. With the collapse of society, the world has built a new underground but there's a problem that shakes up this new idyllic community. Broadly speaking, if you put Brown on the poster of anything, it's a bonafide hit. It’s every work of art's responsibility to be the exact version of itself that that creator set out to make. And by that measure, Paradise is an abject success.

Sterling K. Brown's Performance Is Undeniable In Paradise

On the heels of his Oscar nomination for American Fiction, Brown still finds himself searching for that career-defining big-screen role. But with Paradise, his TV stardom continues its winning streak. The likability of James Marsden (Jury Duty) as a president you’d either vote for or have a drink with is also a plus. But the twists become more obvious once you are truly stuck inside the show's worldbuilding. And if Marsden and Brown aren’t onscreen, the cracks start to show. Both actors have electric chemistry with one another and when they share the screen the show is at its best.

Paradise Will Work As Long As Your Expectations Are In Check

The production design, and particularly the cinematography, make valiant efforts to boost Paradise. The lighting is intentionally bad in the outdoor scenes to remind us where the characters are. Many wide shots are excellently blocked and the use of handheld camera movement is always effective in scenes where Brown is out of sorts. The production is cleverly put together on a sound stage, which gives the perfect set for the show we are watching. Parts of Paradise leave a lot to be desired but those issues lie on the page, not the screen.

Paradise will find its audience quickly on a platform like Hulu, where it can make a splash and have no direct competition. Brown’s performance is undeniable and it's clear Fogelman wrote the role with him in mind. The way he portrays intensity and care in the same look is one of a kind.

While Fogelman enters the sci-fi space with Paradise and the magic is not entirely there, unfortunately. However, with an eight-episode first season, there is plenty of time for the show to find its footing. Cheesy lines and predictable turns will not be the death of the show. It looks great and has a lot to offer, and as long as your expectations aren’t too high, it will get the job done.

The first three episodes of Paradise are streaming on Hulu on January 28. The remaining episodes will air weekly each Tuesday thereafter.