We are living in a golden age of “end of the world” shows.  Shows such as Silo, Fallout, and the Last of Us deliver rich world-building, compelling characters, and captivating narratives. Not wanting to be left out in the wasteland, Hulu has submitted their end-of-the-world show, and it is a deliciously overprocessed slice of American cheese.

Paradise is — spoiler alerts incoming — about the end of the world. However, that is not immediately obvious.  In the first episode, we are dropped into a well-manicured estate where affable, man-of-honor secret service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) protects a slurred, drunken, white privilege president Cal Bradford (James Marsden.) Their story feels trite, but Brown and Madsen make the most of it. Then we meet perky billionaire with the code-name Sinatra, played to delicious shlockiness by the criminally underrated actor Julianne Nicholson.  Orbiting Agent Collins are some exceptionally well-adjusted kids, a “thousand-yard-stare” best bro, a tough-as-nails agent/mistress, and a psychiatrist with a deep love for cheesy fries.

When President Bradford gets murdered, loyal Agent Collins is on the hunt to find the killer. Fortunately, he has some convenient clues, a whole gaggle of suspicious people, and, oh yeah, forgot to mention everybody is living in an idyllic underground bunker that looks like it was ripped right from the California bedroom community where it was filmed.

Riiiiight.

Superficially, Paradise is a low-rent Silo knock off.  Like Silo, the show is about a huge underground bunker, where injustice and secrets run amok. However, where Silo is precisely plotted and meticulously designed, Paradise is sloppy and cheap. The sets are soap-opera quality, with walls that wiggle and artwork that is as fresh as the color printer it was ripped from. The “outdoor” scenes were clearly filmed in a tidy California suburb that does not charge much for blocking roads. Even the music is cheap. The show is jammed with 1980s and ‘90s songs; however, they are all low-cost covers. And the characters are Temu-quality close outs from the Hollywood trope parts bin.

Despite all its cheapness, Paradise is supremely entertaining. The silly dialogue, ludicrous premise, and cheap sets give it charm. However, the tastiest parts of this concoction are Jullianne Nicholson, Sterling K. Brown, and James Marsden. These three actors pour their craft into this bunker cocktail and the result goes down like a fine Zima.

Nicholson is what brought me to Paradise. She is a massively underrated actor on par with the likes of Marisa Tomei or Kristen Stewart. She was an inspired choice for a sinister billionaire, ala Elon Musk. Similarly, Brown (who also co-produces the show) and Marsden are remarkably watchable. Without these three actors, Paradise would be just another stupid end-of-the-world soap opera.

The first few episodes are a bit slow and meandering. However, as the series rolls along, it accelerates and focuses. The penultimate episode takes us through the big day when a global apocalypse is unfolding. It is an intense, fast-moving 58 minutes, and it gives our main actors plenty of room to act their hearts out. The final episode is a tidy wrap with ample twists and turns.

The brain behind Paradise is accomplished director/producer/screenwriter Dan Fogleman. You may remember him from such shows as This Is Us, Cars, and Only Murders in the Building. Fogleman exercises his well-tuned instincts with Paradise. He spent his meager budget in the right places, with talent, rather than sets or music.  One of those instincts, which Fogleman perfected producing This is Us, is jumping around in time to unravel the story slowly. This gives the 8-episode series a solid pacing that keeps you wanting more.

And more you shall receive, as Paradise was recently renewed for a second season. The next season will likely spend more time outside of the bunker. While I look forward to that, I also fear that with a larger budget Paradise will lose sight of what makes it charming. I also fear Nicholson will become sidelined. She is the brightest star in the show.

Paradise is like that pizza they served us grade school. You know the one. A giant rectangle of dough, slathered with tomato sauce and covered with cheese. It was objectively terrible pizza, but it was delicious, and we loved it. Like that pizza, Paradise is a bunch of mediocre elements brought together in a masterfully delicious way.