After a thrilling opening act, the second episode of Paradise deals with the aftermath of a murder. The question is, can the story continue to build on solid foundations, or will it become the architect of its own destruction?

Discovering the president murdered, the wheels have been set in motion by Paradise’s upper echelons. In the series’ second episode, we meet the architect of Paradise, Sinatra, and her suspicious plans for its future.

Compared with the numerous twists and turns brought by the previous episode, “Sinatra” sees the story take the foot off the gas, at least on the mysteries. In its place, the perspective switches to look at Paradise as a whole and how its shadowy bureaucratic cabal and its leader maintain a town after an extinction event.

Chief among this cabal is Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson), the powerful and potentially dangerous creator of Paradise. She’s a commanding figure that demands the respect of everyone in Paradise, including former presidents. From the outset, it’s clear that she’ll be a thorn in Xavier’s side, though it’s unclear whether it’s because she had any involvement in his death.

This is a role that Nicholson portrays successfully, and her well-rounded performance continues as the story reveals more about Sinatra’s life.

Her introduction mirrors Xavier’s in many ways. Just like Xavier, the loss of a loved one has shaped her role within Paradise and has taught her the hard way that money has its limits. Moreover, much like Xavier, she’s also had her fair share of formative experiences with President Cal Bradford.

He’s the connective tissue bringing everyone together on this case, and Sinatra is no different. Their connection goes back further than Xavier’s, and their scenes together suggest that they concluded an extinction theory after reuniting at an economic conference.

Alongside Sinatra, this episode also seeks to properly introduce the underground salvation of Paradise. After revealing the truth of the town in the last episode, this one gives us a good look at how it works.

For all intents and purposes, Paradise replicates the all-American town. It’s self-sufficient and runs on high-grade technology. Its population all lead normal lives, or at least as normal as possible, and even the gerontocracy has managed to survive the apocalypse. The only trace of their former lives lives in an unused warehouse housing the planes they took to get there.

Finally, the last aspect of this episode focuses on Xavier’s investigation. Called up for questioning and Paradise’s own version of interrogation, he fails to get much further in his search for truth. Undoubtedly weaker as a result, its main highlight instead focuses on Xavier figuring out who his potential allies and enemies are. Needless to say, he’ll have to be very careful about which hornet nests he decides to shake up.

While Paradise’s second episode is a step down from the mystery thrill ride put in place during the premiere, “Sinatra” succeeds in providing much-needed context. By focusing on Paradise and its creator, the show grounds its wilder science fiction concepts while setting up a conflict that’ll pay off further down the road.

I Give Sinatra: 7/10