Paradise: everything to know about Sterling K. Brown’s ‘excellent’ thriller series

The show that everyone is talking about right now is Sterling K. Brown’s plot twisting thriller series Paradise, which has premiered on Disney+. The show sees a protection agency fall under scrutiny following the murder of the US President – but is there more than what meets the eye? Find out everything to know about the show here…

What is Paradise about? 

Set in a serene community inhabted by some of the world’s most prominent figures, their world is shaken forever when a shocking murder occurs – leading to a high-stakes investigation where nothing is as it seems. 

Speaking about the series on X, one person wrote: “Dan Fogelman’s #Paradise is a well-crafted drama with such complex characters. It’s Fogelman’s darkest project yet, & Sterling K. Brown steps into his role with ease. Each ep will make you question who to trust as the mystery brilliantly unfolds. You don’t want to miss it.” 

Another person added: “Dan Fogelman has done it again. The pilot of #ParadiseHulu is stellar!! Full of mystery and intrigue. I can’t wait to see where the rest of the season goes. The pilot has such table-turning end twist. Never would I have guessed it. Watch before you’re spoiled!” 

When will the episodes be released – and how many are there? 

The show premiered on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 with three episodes at launch, then weekly on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK and Ireland. There are eight episodes in total. 

Who is in the cast? 

This is Us star Sterling K. Brown plays Special Agent Xavier Collins, while Jury Duty actor James Marsden plays President Cal ‘Wildcat’ Bradford, Mare of Easttown star Julianne Nicholson plays Samantha ‘Sinatra’ Redmond, The L Ward actress Sarah Shahi plays Dr. Gabriela Torabi, The Guilded Age actress Nicole Brydon Bloom plays Special Agent Jane Driscoll, while Aliyah Mastin and Percy Daggs IV play Sterling’s children, Presley and James.

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The show was created by Dan Fogelman, who penned Tangled, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Galavant as well as the hit show This is Us. 

Will there be a second season? 

Although the show hasn’t received a renewal confirmation yet, Dan has opened up about plans for a three-season arc. He told The Hollywood Reporter: “I get frustrated by television shows that titillate and keep you guessing and have twists and turns but then don’t give you the answers at the end of your first break going off the air. 

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“I want to provide a complete meal by the end of the episode for the audience that’s invested. Any question that people have after the first couple of episodes should be answered at the end of the eighth episode. Then a new question and journey will start that takes us into the second season.” 

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What has Sterling said about it?

Speaking about the new thriller series on Friday night’s The Graham Norton Show , Sterling said: “There are a few curve balls – you think we are going to zig, and we often zag so the death of the president is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s a very edge of your seat thriller and constantly has you asking questions about everything you see. The less I tell you the more enjoyable your experience will be.” 

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He also revealed that creator Dan Fogelman wrote the role for him, adding: “He came up with the idea 10 years ago and as he started writing it said he had my voice in his head, so I suppose it was written for me, but it didn’t start off that way. When I read it, I immediately said, ‘I’m in, let’s make it happen’. With the same writer and crew as This is Us, it felt like a homecoming.”

Paradise is streaming weekly on Disney+