Paradise Season-Premiere Recap: Elvis Has Left the Bunker

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Get ready for more drama! Paradise is returning with a continuation of the story. To recap, the show left off with a supervolcano erupting under the Antarctic ice, causing massive tsunamis – unfortunately wiping out Australia – and a huge ash cloud that blocked the sun. As if that wasn’t enough, governments started launching missiles, threatening a nuclear war. Just when things seemed hopeless, President Cal Bradford intervened.

In a surprising turn of events, Cal activates a hidden emergency system that disables all electrical devices worldwide. This stops the nuclear warheads from exploding, but also cuts off power to anyone not sheltering in bunkers. And there are survivors outside the Colorado bunker! Samantha Redmond, the villainous billionaire, reveals to Agent Xavier Collins that his wife, who he thought perished in the Atlanta attack, is alive and has been trying to reach him by radio. After Xavier and his colleague, Robinson (who is secretly dating Cal), uncover the truth behind the president’s murder – a disgruntled librarian seeking revenge for a lost love who died during bunker construction – Xavier escapes the bunker and sets off to find his wife.

Okay, so jumping into this new season, there’s a ton of stuff happening, but honestly, you don’t need to obsess over every detail right away. The first episode mostly focuses on completely new characters – we leave our favorites in the bunker for a while. And get this: instead of hiding out in Colorado, they’re holed up in Graceland! I immediately wondered about the soundtrack, and let me tell you, it delivers. Think emo covers of Elvis songs. Seriously, so many emo Elvis covers. It’s a surprisingly perfect fit!

Rather than continuing directly after the events of Paradise, the episode “Graceland” is a prequel, introducing us to Annie Clay (Shailene Woodley) and detailing her life before, during, and after the apocalyptic event. While some viewers might be disappointed that the story doesn’t immediately return to the main plot, I quickly became engrossed in Annie’s journey – within about five minutes, actually. Having watched the creators’ previous show, This Is Us, I’m used to storylines that initially focus on seemingly unrelated characters who eventually connect to the bigger picture. However, the real strength of “Graceland” lies in Woodley’s captivating performance.

We first meet Annie as a teenage girl caring for her sick mother, a former doctor struggling with mental health. Her mother finds comfort in Elvis Presley, whose portrait hangs in their home, and Annie repeatedly visits Graceland to share details with her. After her mother’s death, Annie is alone and excels in medical school, showing great promise as a future doctor. However, she suffers from severe panic attacks that force her to drop out. Heartbroken, she breaks down in her car outside Graceland. A security guard named Gayle discovers her story and, feeling sympathetic, offers her a job as a tour guide. Graceland, once Elvis’s sanctuary, now becomes Annie’s safe haven. Eventually, she transforms it into a fortified living space, preparing for a potential apocalypse.

Annie was leading a tour when she noticed everyone becoming panicked, glued to their phones – it seemed like a major disaster was unfolding. Snippets of news reports from the first season appeared, and Cal’s important speech played again. Instead of panicking, Annie quickly gathered supplies with Gayle. They collected food from the Visitor Center, blankets from the Presley’s private rooms, and Annie even took a gun from one of Elvis’s display cases, just in case. They planned to wait out the crisis in the TV room, but their plan hit a snag when Gayle fell down the stairs and broke her leg.

The first 45 days in their makeshift TV room shelter pass quickly for Annie and Gayle. Gayle’s leg injury is severe – Annie managed to set it, but an infection sets in, and Annie has limited medical supplies. A massive ash cloud has descended, bringing freezing temperatures, but Annie avoids using the fireplace, fearing the smoke might reveal their presence in Graceland. Observing the chaos outside – looting, fires, and violence – confirms this was a wise decision. Annie attempts to cheer Gayle up with an Elvis impression. On day 45, Gayle passes away, and Annie mourns the loss of her only friend, burying her in the Presley family plot before finally releasing all her pent-up emotions in a heartbreaking scream. Annie is left completely alone as the world ends.

Nearly two years after the volcanic eruption—day 689—sunlight finally breaks through. Annie can finally breathe easier and even start a garden, which is a welcome change after eating so many canned beans! She’s on her own, but things could be much worse. She’s safe and comfortable, spending her days reading and enjoying her favorite canned beans in peace.

Someone disturbs Annie’s peace, and one day she discovers six armed men at her gate. She quickly arms herself and hides near a two-way mirror, but the men, led by a young man named Link, don’t seem interested in harming her. Instead, they’re searching for Elvis’s collection of vintage cars. Link attempts to reason with Annie, and for a moment, it seems like he might succeed, until Annie unexpectedly attacks him and escapes to the TV room, where she barricades herself for three days. On the third day, she smells something delicious coming from the kitchen and cautiously emerges. She realizes the men aren’t dangerous at all—they’re just a group of enthusiastic, slightly odd, hobbyists. Link explains they were in Louisville when the volcano erupted, and they cleverly stocked up on supplies. They’ve since embarked on a mission to shut down nuclear power plants to prevent a meltdown. One of the group, nicknamed Urkel, believes the volcanic ash has caused a significant drop in temperature and theorizes a device caused the power outage. His friends dismiss his idea, but the narrator secretly hopes he’s right and anticipates a moment where he can triumphantly ask, “Did I do that?”—a moment of levity that is desperately needed.

We already knew the environment had been devastated and many people had died—Link believes about two-thirds of the U.S. population is gone. However, the biggest new detail is that when the group reaches Graceland, three years have passed since the volcanic eruption. This means the events happening to Annie are now happening at the same time as the beginning of season one of Paradise.

Link and his crew promise Annie they won’t be staying long, and she gradually starts to trust them. She mends Link’s broken wrist, and the team salvages parts from Elvis’s old cars. Annie and Link share easy conversation – about stars, satellites, and even Link’s unfortunate beard, which he jokingly shows off in an old college ID (revealing he actually went to Caltech, suggesting he’s more than just a salesman). Before leaving, they enjoy a nice dinner together, and Annie playfully dresses in one of the Presley’s gowns while Link trims his beard. There’s a clear attraction between them. During dinner, they play a revealing game of sharing one thing they miss and one thing they don’t, and Annie realizes she misses giving tours of Graceland. The team happily accepts her offer to give them one. Later, Annie and Link become intimate in the Jungle Room – a decidedly new addition to the usual Graceland experience, at least based on my own visit.

The scene is beautiful, moving from a heartfelt conversation where Annie begins to share her feelings, to an incredibly emotional breakdown as he comforts her, and ultimately to a moment of intimacy. The connection between Shailene Woodley and Thomas Doherty is undeniable – their chemistry feels completely genuine. I especially can’t forget the powerful image of Annie crying into his shoulder. She’s suppressed her emotions for years, and finally feeling seen and touched after so long is what allows her to finally let go. He responds with complete understanding and doesn’t shy away from her vulnerability. While this season isn’t the suspenseful thriller of the first, I’m happy to spend an hour immersed in this story about human connection.

This episode isn’t just about looking back on events; things are moving forward. Link and his team are leaving for Colorado, avoiding a dangerous area in Arkansas, to find a hidden bunker. They believe this bunker holds enough power to restore the world, but Link warns there’s also something dangerous inside. He wants Annie to join him in restarting the world, but she’s terrified and has locked herself in the TV room. Despite Link’s pleas – he’s been getting nosebleeds and headaches – she refuses to come out, and he doesn’t have time to wait. Geiger arrives and rushes Link to leave, reminding him of the urgent mission: to reach the bunker and eliminate someone named Alex. The narrative briefly questions who Alex is and if they’re even connected to the bunker. After Link leaves, Annie emerges from the room to find he’s left her supplies, a map, and a note promising he’ll return for her.

Annie finds comfort in a hopeful thought as she’s left alone at Graceland yet again, and discovers she’s expecting a baby. This hope fuels her reaction when she hears about a plane crash in the Arkansas wilderness – she immediately believes it’s Link returning for her and rushes to the rescue on horseback. However, when she reaches the wreckage and the unconscious pilot, she’s surprised to find it’s not Link, but Xavier instead.

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2026-02-23 09:56