Paradise Episode 1 recap: Xavier Collins investigates the President's murder

Hulu's Paradise, Sterling K. Brown's science-fiction political drama series, opens boldly, with the President of the US, Cal Bradford's murder.

We learn that the president lives in a mansion with his trusted special agent by his side, Xavier Collins, the head of the security service for the President. As Collins readies his children for the day and leaves for the President's house, he discovers his dead body, setting the gritty tone of the series.

Paradise Episode 1 was big on many reveals, highlighted by the various flashbacks Collins had in the premiere. By the end of the episode, we learned that Collins and the others are living in an underground dome-shaped community, after a mysterious event wiped out humanity from Earth.

Here is the complete Paradise Episode 1 recap.

Paradise Episode 1 recap: Xavier Collins discovers the President's dead body

Hulu's Paradise is surely not playing games as it begins with the President's dead body, right in Episode 1. After Xavier arrives at the President's home at 8 AM, he discovers that he is still not out of bed, which seems suspicious to him.

When he goes to investigate the cause of Cal's delay in waking up, he finds him dead by his bed, lying in a pool of his own blood. After a careful sweep of the room, he finds an open balcony, two wine glasses, slashes of blood, and a pair of earrings, suggesting that Cal had (female) company the previous night.

Collins sets up an immediate interrogation and calls Jane to lock the residence and question every suspect. With the help of Billy, Collins tries to piece together the last hours of Cal's life, which included an argument with Sinatra, drinks with his father, a visit from his girlfriend, and a last conversation with Collins.

Amidst all this chaos, the premiere also had the shocking reveal that Agent Robinson, the investigation and interrogation head, was having an affair with the President and was present with him the night before his murder.

Paradise Episode 1 recap: Key flashbacks reveal an important detail about Collins and the others

Throughout Collins' investigation in Paradise Episode 1, we also get flashbacks to his first meeting with the President, which also suggests that he had an amicable relationship with his boss.

During his interview for the Secret Service at the White House, we learn that Cal hired Collins over other qualified candidates because he created an impression on him, and Cal wanted to have a 'black' man by his side for political reasons.

Another flashback in Paradise Episode 1 reveals that during a press conference, Collins took a bullet meant for Cal, which was the beginning of their friendship. This sacrifice also earned Collins the President's trust. He was let in on a top-secret mission, tasked with the responsibility of creating an underground community in Colorado, which would serve as a shelter after a mass extinction event.

The last flashback of episode 1 takes us to the night before Cal's murder, where his relationship with Collins has completely changed. As Cal asks for Collins' forgiveness, we learn that the President is responsible for Collins' wife's death in some way.

The final moments of the premiere episode reveal that Collins and the others are living inside the underground community in Colorado.

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