Movistar+ bring back Paradisethe series with which they entered the fantastic genre following in the wake of successes such as stranger things. At its premiere in 2021, it was undeniable that the fiction formula of Netflix surrounded his universe, both in the way he played with nostalgic references and in the way he weaved his plot. And this, far from playing in his favor, hindered an entertaining story with multiple possibilities behind it to the point of being very fake. However, in its second season, which opens this Thursday, June 16, things have been done differently.
For those who do not remember or have not seen the series, Paradise revolved around the mystery of the disappearance of three girls in a Spanish coastal town, a story with fantastic overtones, supernatural beings and multiple dimensions that was set in the 90s and built its universe with references from the popular culture of that time. It was played with very recognizable details within the Spanish imaginary, such as the passion that groups like Mecano or OBK generated at that time, but mostly I felt that it was based on everything that we love about American culture at that time.
This did not fit me within the Spain of the 90s that it was intended to represent, feeling that more patriotic roots were needed and that Paradise did not go beyond being a carbon copy of stranger things. And just like that one, this Movistar+ production also It left me with the impression that much more effort was put into the construction of its atmosphere, universe and references than in the plot.. And in the end the disappointment was undeniable, because the series gave much more of itself. Luckily, these possibilities have come to light in the new batch of episodes.
The second season picks up where the first ended, focusing on the new purposes of the group of villains responsible for the mystery of the previous chapters, only now giving them a much larger and darker dimension. But the plot itself is not what makes the return of Paradisebut the fact that she puts 100% focus on her, focus on developing your own concepts and personality and put aside the conjunction of references that weighed down the beginning of this fantastic fiction.
GUIDE | The steps you have to follow to be able to watch a YouTube video that is not available due to your privacy preferences
I think this has been easier to develop in this sequel than in the beginning of the series. By now having its characters and universe presented, it was easy to ignore the recurrence of the nineties aesthetic, because the public already has it in mind from the previous so many episodes. Scenes designed to make us admire the splendor of the settings and references are no longer used excessively, but instead they become something merely secondary and only enter the plot at specific and well-introduced moments. Now what really matters is the plot development and taking the series to a final climax that impresses, marks and excites. What I think it gets.
We see a clear case in the first episode, when with ingenuity and playing with the infinite possibilities offered by the fantastic genre, the return of the protagonists to the real world is explained to us, since they ended the previous season by going to the afterlife. He is also notorious in character development and building. For example, the Civil Guard agent who interprets macarena garcia was limited to being a puppet character in the service of the investigation, but now takes on a much greater dramatic dimensionseeing how everyone around her questions her, facing tough emotional situations and leading her actress to show off her full potential on screen.
The same with the character of Javi, the great protagonist of the series, who is much closer to the figure of the great hero typical of fantastic productions. Even the new additions are also appreciated, such as those of begona vargas (The laws of the border) Y Alvaro Mel (The Fortune), who build enigmatic and dark villains as well as charming who are pure charisma on screen and give a lot of play to the plot.
It no longer feels like the Spanish attempt to replicate Stranger Things, but as the fantastic, entertaining series with its own personality that it should have been from the beginning. The pity is that he has not managed to fly until this second season, which also marks the final closure of his story. And it is that all those who did not feel attracted in their day by Paradise maybe now they refuse to give it a second chance, although they should. And despite the fact that its first episodes are far from perfect, I can’t deny that its plot hooked me, I lived it with great intrigue and it made me watch the season in a few days. Therefore, if you like the fantastic genre, adventures and mystery, you should consider giving this a chance. Paradise.
The second season of Paraíso is available on Movistar+ from Thursday, June 16.