Paradise: Agent Billy Pace
February 7, 2025 11:02 AM - Season 1, Episode 4 - Subscribe
The citizens of Paradise celebrate at the annual carnival; Xavier and Billy delve deeper into their investigation.
He did shoot his uncle, yes. At the last second he raised the gun from ground-level (at the dog) to standing-person-level (his uncle).
posted by cooker girl at 11:32 AM on February 7 [1 favorite]
posted by cooker girl at 11:32 AM on February 7 [1 favorite]
So the outside world is at least theoretically survivable, although maybe just a nuclear winter or just regular winter. I'd assume nukes would've done more to flatten the couldn't-be-Denver that Billy saw off in the distance, but they've tiptoed around what the calamity was that drove everybody into the shelter and I assume they're going to continue to be non-specific.
I gotta wonder what the carnies do the rest of the year, and whether rides that are used (and re-inspected, at least somewhat) every weekend would be safer than rides that are only pulled out of storage forCAROUSEL wait no the annual carnival! With caramel apples!
Aside from the psych, is anyone else still on Xav's side? I mean I don't think Robinson is against him, but she knows who signs her paycheck (as it were) so it probably doesn't matter if it was Samantha/Sinatra who stove in Cal's skull. And can this be possibly come to a satisfactory seasonal conclusion in 4 more episodes?
I'll give the director of photography credit, there are shots that are just breathtaking several times per episode, like far better than really necessary, y'know?
posted by Kyol at 11:54 AM on February 7 [1 favorite]
I gotta wonder what the carnies do the rest of the year, and whether rides that are used (and re-inspected, at least somewhat) every weekend would be safer than rides that are only pulled out of storage for
Aside from the psych, is anyone else still on Xav's side? I mean I don't think Robinson is against him, but she knows who signs her paycheck (as it were) so it probably doesn't matter if it was Samantha/Sinatra who stove in Cal's skull. And can this be possibly come to a satisfactory seasonal conclusion in 4 more episodes?
I'll give the director of photography credit, there are shots that are just breathtaking several times per episode, like far better than really necessary, y'know?
posted by Kyol at 11:54 AM on February 7 [1 favorite]
If any parent is looking at Agent Pilly Pace and can't remember where you have seen him before, he was Twist on the Fresh Beat Band.
posted by eckeric at 12:31 PM on February 7
posted by eckeric at 12:31 PM on February 7
And I mean aside from sleeping with him and telling him to tell the truth about Cal's death during the polygraph sequence because she knew he'd normally have said no (out of any sense of being "normal") which would have set off all the liar liar viz re: pants on fire alarms, I'm merely assuming she's on his side. God only knows.
posted by Kyol at 2:37 PM on February 7
posted by Kyol at 2:37 PM on February 7
I guess I saw that mid-series ending coming. Sad for Billy of course as he was only in the middle of his redemption arc and it was finally going OK, but dramatically it fit very neatly into the milieu. One of the curious things about this inner world is that it is very small and so you have bartenders (sorry, mixologists) married to key scientists, and all the other essential relationships are extremely insular.
That said, I'm pretty sure X's wife is going to be a thing going forward, a survivor on the outside, maybe trying to get in?
I think the carnival must be a monthly or even weekly thing, given they've only been down there 2 months and its already something they get excited/nostalgic about.
Speaking of excited/nostalgic, loved the Poison/poison bit. Chef's kiss; don't hesitate, take your shot.
posted by chavenet at 3:57 PM on February 7 [1 favorite]
That said, I'm pretty sure X's wife is going to be a thing going forward, a survivor on the outside, maybe trying to get in?
I think the carnival must be a monthly or even weekly thing, given they've only been down there 2 months and its already something they get excited/nostalgic about.
Speaking of excited/nostalgic, loved the Poison/poison bit. Chef's kiss; don't hesitate, take your shot.
posted by chavenet at 3:57 PM on February 7 [1 favorite]
Oh, I'm pretty sure it's been three years, when the VP was announcing it in the arena in the 2nd episode:
"My fellow Americans, I'm afraid I have terrible news. President Cal Bradford passed away early yesterday morning. I asked that everyone learn this awful news together so that we could be comforted by our friends and our community. Those who've helped us grieve and heal over the past three years."
And the 3rd episode, when the psych was talking to Xav:
"It's still amazing to me how resilient human beings can be. It's been three years, and this place has become our normal. And trust me, it took a lot of work to get it to feel this way."
I couldn't find anything about how often they hold the carnival, though, so maybe it's still something they do semi-regularly since they're not slaving away keeping society going, they're mostly showing it as Pleasantville, KS. Who knows, maybe that's just the above ground billionaire class, and there's a half a million poor SOBs barely squeaking by in the mines, eating cave fungus and stray rats, keeping the pretty "surface" world going.
posted by Kyol at 7:01 PM on February 7 [2 favorites]
"My fellow Americans, I'm afraid I have terrible news. President Cal Bradford passed away early yesterday morning. I asked that everyone learn this awful news together so that we could be comforted by our friends and our community. Those who've helped us grieve and heal over the past three years."
And the 3rd episode, when the psych was talking to Xav:
"It's still amazing to me how resilient human beings can be. It's been three years, and this place has become our normal. And trust me, it took a lot of work to get it to feel this way."
I couldn't find anything about how often they hold the carnival, though, so maybe it's still something they do semi-regularly since they're not slaving away keeping society going, they're mostly showing it as Pleasantville, KS. Who knows, maybe that's just the above ground billionaire class, and there's a half a million poor SOBs barely squeaking by in the mines, eating cave fungus and stray rats, keeping the pretty "surface" world going.
posted by Kyol at 7:01 PM on February 7 [2 favorites]
What Happened on This Week's 'Paradise' Was Just Mean
So it's just a ....carnival? Generic carnival? No theme or holiday to it? That seemed weird.
Billy is/was a mixed bag. Ends up with an upbringing to make you a violent thug, but if you let him have a life where he doesn't have to kill or be killed, he can be kind and "Uncle Billy." Aw.
Hey Billy, why don't you just kill Sinatra, right there and now? Hm?
Also, Sinatra's her code name, right? Not her actual name?
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:55 AM on February 8 [1 favorite]
So it's just a ....carnival? Generic carnival? No theme or holiday to it? That seemed weird.
Billy is/was a mixed bag. Ends up with an upbringing to make you a violent thug, but if you let him have a life where he doesn't have to kill or be killed, he can be kind and "Uncle Billy." Aw.
Hey Billy, why don't you just kill Sinatra, right there and now? Hm?
Also, Sinatra's her code name, right? Not her actual name?
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:55 AM on February 8 [1 favorite]
Oh, I forgot I wrote down funny lines from this:
"Hey, you're making music for people who live in a cave, giving 'em joy n' shit."
"Joy n' shit?"
"Hey, joy n'shit ain't nuffin."
"Oh fuck, they're smaller than I thought they would be."
"Meet Billy. He's never met children before."
"You can call me Uncle Billy. Or not."
"I kinda regret dropping down to one knee, but here we are."
"We need to talk, Pace. Just you. Not your...video game partner."
"What, here?" "No. On the moon."
"The fuck are you wearing?"
Presley is ALSO being invited to Wii Game Night. So yes, some nights are actual Wii and some are sex.
Billy has a great pick up line.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:28 AM on February 8 [2 favorites]
"Hey, you're making music for people who live in a cave, giving 'em joy n' shit."
"Joy n' shit?"
"Hey, joy n'shit ain't nuffin."
"Oh fuck, they're smaller than I thought they would be."
"Meet Billy. He's never met children before."
"You can call me Uncle Billy. Or not."
"I kinda regret dropping down to one knee, but here we are."
"We need to talk, Pace. Just you. Not your...video game partner."
"What, here?" "No. On the moon."
"The fuck are you wearing?"
Presley is ALSO being invited to Wii Game Night. So yes, some nights are actual Wii and some are sex.
Billy has a great pick up line.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:28 AM on February 8 [2 favorites]
Also, Sinatra's her code name, right? Not her actual name?
Yeah, I think it's really Samantha. I'm not sure if her nickname is Sinatra (because of the hats?) or if that's her secret service code name and it just stuck - ep 3:
Xav: You were hired by Sinatra?
Torabi: Ah. Samantha. Sinatra to you. We met, um, when she was utterly broken. I was an expert in grief. She thought I could help her, and she gave me an opportunity.
posted by Kyol at 6:21 PM on February 8 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I think it's really Samantha. I'm not sure if her nickname is Sinatra (because of the hats?) or if that's her secret service code name and it just stuck - ep 3:
Xav: You were hired by Sinatra?
Torabi: Ah. Samantha. Sinatra to you. We met, um, when she was utterly broken. I was an expert in grief. She thought I could help her, and she gave me an opportunity.
posted by Kyol at 6:21 PM on February 8 [1 favorite]
Torabi: Ah. Samantha. Sinatra to you. We met, um, when she was utterly broken. I was an expert in grief. She thought I could help her, and she gave me an opportunity.
She's Sinatra because she likes to have things 'her way' - I think is what they said in episode #2.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:43 AM on February 10
She's Sinatra because she likes to have things 'her way' - I think is what they said in episode #2.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:43 AM on February 10
Hmmm. Poor Uncle Billy. I liked him. I enjoyed his apathetic (if foolish) response to Sinatra's attempt to engender sympathy by bringing up her dead family. That alone says a lot about how sheltered Sinatra has been! It's the end of the world, so everyone has lost...most of the people they know. It's interesting that that's still her first card to play.
I'm not ready to give up on this series, but this episode was particularly predictable. Obviously Billy was doomed when he promised to tell Xavier everything he knew "tomorrow," but I knew his tiny gf would do the deed when he told the secret dictator who runs the world that she'd better send "the biggest motherfucker" she had after him. I'm the most spoiler-blasé girl you will meet, so calling twists is not a dealbreaker, but I think this is happening more and more with streaming TV shows, and I know why. It's the flashbacks. The fucking flashbacks. Every show that aspires to some level of prestige now clogs 30-70% of every episode with flashbacks. It absolutely grinds narrative momentum to a halt. It's not that shows are more predictable; it's that I'm given way more time to predict them!
I would give the first episode a break on this, since the flashbacks set up the neat reveal about the end of the world. Otherwise, they need to cool it. Do you want to know more about the plot of the show? Cool, first lets watch two flashbacks from the main character. Then we'll see a couple of flashbacks from a side character, one of which will duplicate a flashback we've already seen (without revealing much new information). And in between, everyone will talk about the past a lot. The flashbacks will in some way illustrate something that another character has already said verbatim. You know you won't have to wonder what they're all referring to, because we'll get to see a flashback of whatever it is in the next episode! Insufferable.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:41 AM on February 13
I'm not ready to give up on this series, but this episode was particularly predictable. Obviously Billy was doomed when he promised to tell Xavier everything he knew "tomorrow," but I knew his tiny gf would do the deed when he told the secret dictator who runs the world that she'd better send "the biggest motherfucker" she had after him. I'm the most spoiler-blasé girl you will meet, so calling twists is not a dealbreaker, but I think this is happening more and more with streaming TV shows, and I know why. It's the flashbacks. The fucking flashbacks. Every show that aspires to some level of prestige now clogs 30-70% of every episode with flashbacks. It absolutely grinds narrative momentum to a halt. It's not that shows are more predictable; it's that I'm given way more time to predict them!
I would give the first episode a break on this, since the flashbacks set up the neat reveal about the end of the world. Otherwise, they need to cool it. Do you want to know more about the plot of the show? Cool, first lets watch two flashbacks from the main character. Then we'll see a couple of flashbacks from a side character, one of which will duplicate a flashback we've already seen (without revealing much new information). And in between, everyone will talk about the past a lot. The flashbacks will in some way illustrate something that another character has already said verbatim. You know you won't have to wonder what they're all referring to, because we'll get to see a flashback of whatever it is in the next episode! Insufferable.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:41 AM on February 13
Yeah, and I don't know that I necessarily mind the short term flashbacks - what happened the night of Cal's murder, what happened while Billy was out in the wilderness, etc - that's ok, it's filling in what happened as Xav or whoever discovers it. But so much of it is sort of ... I dunno, here's how we know Xav is a stand up guy who will Do The Right Thing™ even if it means hurting the ones he loves, or here's how we know how important Samantha is to the project, because she started it from the grief for her lost son or ... something? I guess? It's like the flashbacks end up being all telling and not showing, and I know that that isn't a great story telling dichotomy, but it feels like they're kind of coming up on the wrong side of something like that.
But they're going to drag out stuff like what happened to Xav's wife for too long, and honestly at this point I dunno, does it still shape you? Will I still care? He's hooking up with Sarah Shahi, his kids seem to be pretty well adjusted, he can continue to mourn her loss but everybody else has losses to mourn, too, and the longer we see those other losses, the less I think I care about any particular loss?
I mean I'll still watch because it's that time of the year and the spring shows haven't quite picked up yet for me, but it'll have to have a hell of a zinger in the last handful of episodes to justify a second season.
posted by Kyol at 12:53 PM on February 13 [2 favorites]
But they're going to drag out stuff like what happened to Xav's wife for too long, and honestly at this point I dunno, does it still shape you? Will I still care? He's hooking up with Sarah Shahi, his kids seem to be pretty well adjusted, he can continue to mourn her loss but everybody else has losses to mourn, too, and the longer we see those other losses, the less I think I care about any particular loss?
I mean I'll still watch because it's that time of the year and the spring shows haven't quite picked up yet for me, but it'll have to have a hell of a zinger in the last handful of episodes to justify a second season.
posted by Kyol at 12:53 PM on February 13 [2 favorites]
The flashbacks are just so pointless. They have way too many flashbacks for characters we barely know. I think they are trying t rip off Lost, but they forgot to spend an episode or two setting everything up, so the flashbacks point to character traits that are unexplored and uninteresting, and even if Billy's were interesting, well he's dead now, so who cares?
And how would main character secret agent not notice that his fellow agent is gone for a certain amount of time off hunting scientists? Did they send them out and kill them the same afternoon?
Instead we get crappy band covers, some puppy love, and a pointless carnival setting instead of focusing on the main characters or the mystery..
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:49 PM on February 17 [1 favorite]
And how would main character secret agent not notice that his fellow agent is gone for a certain amount of time off hunting scientists? Did they send them out and kill them the same afternoon?
Instead we get crappy band covers, some puppy love, and a pointless carnival setting instead of focusing on the main characters or the mystery..
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:49 PM on February 17 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I was thinking about contrasting Paradise against Sweet Tooth, which also had a bunch of flashbacks to explain how we ended up with a world full of hybrid furry humans, but at the end of the day it was because by time Sweet Tooth started showing us how we ended up there, we were already invested in the characters and wanted to know more about them. THis? I didn't need a whole episode of flashbacks to meetings with Xav's dad to learn that character trait, and it feels weird that t hat was what they spent their time on.
posted by Kyol at 8:25 PM on February 17
posted by Kyol at 8:25 PM on February 17
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We fast-forwarded a bit over the opening sequence but we're assuming Billy shot his uncle, not his dog, and that's why he wound up in prison? At any rate, he failed to learn the most critical rule of surviving a political thriller: never hesitate to share your relevant information, unless you share your relevant information with someone who is actually a bad guy, in which case you are screwed.
posted by thecaddy at 11:05 AM on February 7