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Must Watch reviews: Paradise

Every week, the Must Watch podcasters review the biggest TV and streaming shows.

This week, Hayley Campbell and Scott Bryan Naga Munchetty to review Paradise.

It's just another day in Paradise until Xavier Collins, a former Presidential bodyguard (Sterling K. Brown) discovers one of the world's most powerful individuals has been murdered.

We follow Xavier as he analyses the crime scene, and analyses key players to work out his complex relationship with the victim.

Alongside Sterling K. Brown, the show also features James Marsden and Julianne Nicholson.

What do the Must Watch Reviewers think of Paradise?

Scott Bryan and Hayley Campbell give their views on Paradise.

Naga: “Now, Hayley - Must Watch?”

Hayley: “I think it is and I think part of the reason why the trailer is so baffling is because if I was putting a trailer together for this show, I'd go, "I don't know where to start."

Scott: “Yeah, I mean, same!”

Hayley: “I thought the mystery was going to be, who killed the guy? But the mystery is actually what is generally going on with everything…”

Naga: “Don't spoil anything!”

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Hayley: “I'm not going to spoil it. I can't predict where this is going and I love that in a TV show.

It's not the show you think it's going to be"

“At the end of the first episode, you'll see what I mean. It's not the show you think it's going to be. It hints in the first episode that everything is a bit odd. But in a way, it's more of an eerie feeling.

“It just feels a bit weird and it's unfolding at a pace that isn't patronising or annoying. They cover a lot of ground. It doesn’t feel like one of those elite shows from the golden age of TV like Mad Men or The Sopranos.

“This feels to me like one of those slightly weird kind of cable shows from the early 2000s that you might see, like Lost or something.

“You know, there's like a weirdness to it that you can't figure out - so I'm liking it.

“I also think the cast is great. James Marsden is great, he always is. Julianne Nicholson is great. You'll recognise her from Mare of Easttown and Sterling K. Brown. He was in one of my favourite shows of all time.

“Do you I wouldn't shut up about it? It was The People vs O.J. Simpson."

Disney+

Scott: “I think our entire first year on the air was just literally that show.”

Hayley: “He plays Christopher Darden, who's the co -prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson trial, aka the one who made O.J. put the gloves on and he's great in that. So if you've never seen The People vs O.J. Simpson, it's on Disney+.”

Naga: “I've got no time… stop that.”

Hayley: “Stick it on your list.”

Disney+

Naga: “Scott, Must Watch?”

It’s purposefully a quiet and unassuming start"

Scott: “I also think this is a Must Watch. Again, it's so hard to review this because much of the reason why it is a Must Watch is based on the twist at the end of the first episode. It is a show that has an initial premise and then by the end of the episode, it twists the genre and adds a completely new layer to the show that makes it all the more compelling.

“It’s purposefully a quiet and unassuming start. I mean, the first five minutes of the show is literally a Secret Service Agent, played by Sterling K. Brown, getting out of bed, going for a run, heading to work, and you see him running through this idyllic town that could be any town in America. I’m trying to not give any spoilers, but this scene is more crucial to the plot than you first realise.

“I think if it was any other the twist wouldn’t work so much. You think it is going to jump the shark but then it doesn’t.”

Hayley: “It's so outrageous, it works.”

Scott: “It's so ridiculous, it's so outrageous and then it actually sets it up for a really original thriller where it feels very different to anything else that's on TV at the moment.”

Hayley: “I had to watch the second episode immediately because I went, 'what?', we went in knowing nothing.”

Naga: “Which is wonderful, actually. I'm so bored of reviews spoiling things... I never read them.

Hayley: “Same…”

Scott: “But all of the pre -publicity material that you've seen about the show doesn't indicate what happens either.”

Disney+

Scott: “But also that original premise about the Secret Service agent…looking after and trying to protect the president. I find that premise really quite interesting because you're in this really protective bubble where you hear the president's inner conversations and essentially the shield from the outside world and you can't reveal anything to anybody.

“So I was hooked by that and then of course, when, yeah, again, no spoilers, about ten minutes in when you would expect him to react to the death of James Marsden's character - the President - in the way you would expect him to, he doesn't.”

Hayley: “It's weird and wonderful and sort of hard to describe.”

The first three episodes of Paradise are available to watch on Disney+ now, with a new episode available every week.

But before all that, why not Scott and Hayley with the shows you’ve been loving, loathing or both on [email protected].

This week, the team reviewed Amandaland and Boyzone: No Matter What.

Must Watch is released as a podcast every Monday evening on BBC Sounds.

As always, we like to include your reviews - on shows you love, loathe or lament.

Message @bbc5live on social media using the hashtag #bbcmustwatch or email [email protected].

Paradise

Lucy loved the show as well…

Can I agree with you all? It is brilliant. I was sucked in so fast!! But I hate waiting a week.

Yellowstone

Peter wrote in to suggest this on Netflix…

Nearing the end of the first season of Yellowstone on Netflix and it is a Must Watch. Modern day cowboys and Indians, where the native Americans are attempting to recover their land, to build more casinos and hotels.

Kevin Costner stars and is great. Gripping story, engaging characters, that they're not afraid to get rid of, and scenery to die for.

High Potential

Louis has been in touch with his thoughts on a new Disney+ series:

I wanted to give a shout out to High Potential on Disney+ a new police procedural, murder of the week, comedy drama. It’s nothing revolutionary but it’s a lot of fun, really well made.

There’s an overarching plot thread that keeps you watching and it’s already been renewed for a second season, which is always a plus.

Severance

Ruth is not a big fan of one of the hottest shows at the moment...

We need to talk about Severance... I am fascinated by the hype it has generated as I just don’t get it at all. Upon recommendations from you and many others, I endured the nine episodes of season one and genuinely found the experience painful.

I have a serious aversion to the minimalist white aesthetics and it’s made me realise how much I appreciate colour and visual variety in a TV show. I like the idea of ‘severance’ as a plot and appreciate the themes it explores, everything about the production lets it down for me.

Sometimes shows that are critically acclaimed like Severance are less well received amongst the masses but I am just stunned by the universally positive responses this show has elicited. I don’t understand what I’m missing.