How Hulu's 'Paradise' explores the idea of a perfect society

BOSTON -- Meet Jonathan Mijs, an assistant professor of Sociology at Boston University who served as a technical consultant on Hulu's newest show, "Paradise."

Starring Sterling K. Brown as Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins and James Marsden as US President Cal Bradford, "Paradise" follows Collins as he attempts to solve Bradford's sudden murder that has rattled his seemingly perfect and peaceful community.

"What's really powerful about the show is how it visualizes a lot of these themes that social scientists have been thinking and writing about, and makes it so visceral," Mijs said about "Paradise."

As a technical consultant for the show, Mijs served as a resource to the creators of the show to help them substantiate their writing in research.

"Paradise" creator Dan Fogelman discovered Mijs after watching the latter's TEDx talk on the topic of inequality in society from 2019.

"He reached out to me and was curious about having a conversation not just about inequality but to try to kind of think of what a truly egalitarian, kind of a perfect society, would look like," Mijs explained.

"I do think it's really powerful when a show like this engages with subject matter experts to ground what were seeing happening and unfolding in the show in reality. I think every good television series, and this one in particular, holds up a mirror to our society."

As for what Mijs wants viewers to take away from the series, he said he hopes it goes beyond just pure entertainment.

"I hope the viewers just enjoy watching this really powerful story, but I also hope that it makes then reflect maybe a little bit about what a perfect community would look like, and what about this community 'Paradise' might look perfect but turns out to be quite the opposite from it."

All episodes of "Paradise" are now streaming on Hulu.

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