Paradise is finally back.
The show took me by surprise when it first premiered, because of, of course, its major plot twist at the very first episode, and, truth be told, I didn't expect it to be as good as it is.
But good it was and I am so glad to see it return for a second season, of which the first three episodes are out now, February 23, on Hulu.
Here is what you need to know about the thrilling dystopian series' second installment, from its release schedule, new cast members, and even Sterling K. Brown's reduced screen time.
© DisneyHow many episodes will Paradise season 2 have?
Like season one, Paradise season two will have eight episodes, with the first three episodes out February 23.
After that, new episodes will be rolled out weekly, with the season two finale streaming on Hulu March 30. Episodes come out at 3am EST / 12am PT.
© DisneyThe season two plot
Creator and showrunner Dan Fogelman has said that he views Paradise as a trilogy, so season two is "The Empire Strikes Back," he told Entertainment Weekly in March 2025.
In season two, we will finally get to see a glimpse into the real world that the characters we met in season one left behind in favor of their high-tech underground bunker, and Dan also told The Hollywood Reporter last March: "The second season is going to do the same thing to the first season. It expands upon itself," adding: "We have a plan and, hopefully, by the end of all three seasons, people will feel like they’ve been served a complete meal and that it’s all one piece, even though they went through a lot of different journeys to get to the end."
Sterling, speaking with Deadline last April, also teased of the new season: "There will be an exploration of the world outside of the bunker and what's transpired over the past three years, so you'll get a chance to see some things up close and personal."
Season one ended with him deciding to exit the bunker out to what everyone has been told is an apocalypse, in the search for his wife he thought to be dead, who is played by Enuka Okuma.
© HuluNew cast members
Season two welcomes quite a few new faces; the leading new cast members include Shailene Woodley as Annie, a tour guide, and Thomas Doherty as Link, a biker gang leader, but also, none other than Sterling's wife Ryan Michelle Bathé also makes an appearance as a guest star.
However, speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Sterling revealed he set it up so they "wouldn't be on set at the same time," because "somebody" has to watch their kids.
© GettySterling's reduced screen time
Though Paradise also stars James Marsden, Sarah Shahi, Julianne Nicholson, and Nicole Brydon Bloom, among others, it centers largely on Sterling, however this season, his screen time is quite reduced.
Speaking with Us Weekly, Sterling explained that the creators wanted to give viewers a chance to see what the outside world looked like, meaning there would be less focus on him. "There were a lot of conversations about it," he said, adding: "Do we invert [episode] 1 and 2? Do we start with him coming out of the bunker or do we start with the world outside of the bunker?"
"Because I think Dan Fogelman has gained enough credibility and capital with his audience to know when to introduce people and you don't know who they are — but eventually they're going to become a fabric of the show," he added. "Seeing the plane land or him crashing at the very end [of the premiere] was a nice little surprise."
