Hulu’s Near-Perfect Sci-Fi Thriller Surges Just as Season 2 Promises a Darker Turn

3 days ago 9

Published Feb 24, 2026, 12:33 PM EST

Giovana Gelhoren is a High-Trending Topics Writer at Collider, covering the most-talked-about stars, movies, and TV shows. Before joining Collider, she was a Digital News Writer at People Magazine and served as Associate Editor at SheKnows, where she honed her expertise in celebrity coverage and entertainment journalism.

A proud Latina from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Giovana graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism and International Studies. She has interviewed countless celebrities, including Anne Hathaway, Halle Berry, Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Brenda Song, and is known for her encyclopedic knowledge of film, TV, and pop culture.

When the first season of Paradise aired on January 26, 2025, the Hulu series broke new ground. With major twists and aha moments, and riveting performances to carry them through, the series became one of the most gripping and unpredictable sci-fi shows ever. Initially described as a series about the security team safeguarding a president when he's murdered, Paradise quickly unraveled into much, much more.

But while Season 1 of the series didn't shy away from pulling out all the stops, it set up Season 2 to be quite different. By completely changing the scenery and the central mission, Season 2 of Paradise, which aired its first three episodes on February 23, 2026, follows a whole new chapter for Sterling K. Brown's character, Secret Service agent Xavier Collins. Luckily for Hulu and the show's viewers, it seems the risk is certainly paying off.

What Is Season 2 of 'Paradise' About?

At the end of Season 1, Collins learned that his wife Teri (Enuka Okuma) might still be alive on the surface after a major doomsday event decimated much of the world. As a result, in the final scene of the series, Collins sneaks his way into an airplane and takes off into uncharted territory to find Teri in Atlanta and bring her back to Colorado. So, while Season 1 was all about life in the bunker, and the political unrest and murder mystery left behind by the president's (James Marsden) death, Season 2 leans more into a post-apocalyptic series in the vein of The Last of Us or The Walking Dead.

Throughout the series, in addition to Collins' own physical struggles and heartfelt flashback with Teri, Collins' arc resembles a road movie in which he encounters survivors who shape his understanding of the world that remains. Among them are powerful new characters like Annie (Shailene Woodley), Link (Thomas Doherty), and Gary (Cameron Britton). They're introduced early on in the season, and together help to build a tapestry of the world that was left behind and how people have found ways to endure all these years.

Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) with President Bradford (James Marsden) and Samantha Redmond (Julianne Nicholson) standing behind him in Paradise

Season 2 of 'Paradise' Has Become Another Hit

Currently at #2 in the Hulu streaming charts in the US, per FlixPatrol, the second season of Paradise is gearing up to become another major hit. On Rotten Tomatoes, the sophomore series has already scored an 88%, higher than Season 1's 86%. From the reviews, it's clear that while Paradise changes its pace in Season 2 and covers completely new ground, the character-driven storylines and unexpected turns still drive the story forward. "Human storytelling hits harder, character deep dives are richer, dystopian world is still compelling above & below ground," wrote one review. "Even with a heavier emphasis on life after the apocalypse, the show's political thriller themes remain as timely as ever, and the stakes are elevated with twists that connect the season's characters in surprising ways," echoed another.

According to Collider's very own Meredith Loftus in her review, the positive reception is well-deserved. Among her highlights are the new characters on the show and the riveting actors who portray them. "Woodley's Annie is a reclusive yet resourceful survivor, and her emotionally devastating performance is a reminder of how talented the Big Little Lies star is," she wrote. "Hulu’s post-apocalyptic Paradise exceeds expectations with a surprising, emotionally exciting, and robustly suspenseful new chapter," she concludes.

With all that said, while Season 2 of Paradise is certainly a change of pace from Season 1, and perhaps even shifts TV genres altogether, the series still excels in building a post-apocalyptic world and the complicated, hardened characters who inhabit it. Brown's Collins remains as the anchor of the show, and his performance continues to be as captivating as ever, especially with the new challenges the outside world now presents. So, if Season 1 of Paradise was a must-watch, Season 2 of the series is even more.