Paradise – Exodus review S2 E8

Exodus is a pretty ominous title for a show based on a city in an underground bunker. True to form, Paradise didn’t mess around with fake outs and false promises delivering exactly what Exodus implied.

Nine years ago, Professor Miller was teaching his Caltech class about quantum theories when Dylan interrupts to ask why does it need to be just a theory? Why can’t it be done? He’s already made a miniature scale AI controlled quantum device on his own. Class dismissed! Professor Miller and Dylan have some history to make!

Miller takes Dylan to his home and introduces him to his wife, Alex, in a better state with her Huntington’s disease than when Billy saw her. Dylan was almost a little too quick to say he knew about the disease. In the first of what will likely be several theories about Exodus: young Dylan had Huntington’s disease and possibly left a means for Sinatra to cure it. Older Dylan wouldn’t recognize her since he is an anomaly.

Or theory No.2: Dylan and Miller got their AI quantum device to create a cure for Huntington’s to save Miller’s Alex, which also benefitted young Dylan in this new timeline since the disease was never an issue. It’s like Dylan created the time loop that saved him.

Sam meets Miller, but as usual has no time for small talk, handing him a blank check to “build me a fast computer.” Good luck trying that at McDonalds, Sinatra. It’s four minutes on fries for everyone, lady.

Later, Miller tells Sam that Alex is trying to do something dangerous — it’s trying to manipulate time. Worse, Alex is answering questions he hadn’t asked yet… Miller thinks Alex is too unpredictable and dangerous to be left to its own devices. Hogwash. There’s never been a case of an AI going rogue and working against the intentions of its creators. That’s crazy talk, doc!

Back to the…future and Sinatra greets Alex along with Dr. Chase (Simon Templeman), who echoes Miller’s concerns. Alex is making predictions that are indeed coming true. Chase hands Sinatra a special key card for user X. Sinatra definitely wouldn’t fit in the user name space. One final note, Chase says Alex predicts this will be the last time Sinatra will come down as she’s going to die today. If that isn’t the worst way to preserve job security….

The train is making its way to the bunker as Xavier has another more detailed memory where Dylan tries to tell him something. Dylan’s crew is ready to get into the bunker rolling out a squad of tanks armed with uranium shells to ensure they get in.

Paradise’s market value is crashing as the power is fading. Gabriela gets the call to head to the main tower. Just for good measure she really needed to treat Jane like a zombie and stick the knife between her ears. As Cpl. Hicks (in Aliens. See it on 4K at Amazon) would say — it’s the only way to be sure.

Tower control tells Gabriela that a meltdown seems imminent and the only logical course of action is to execute the exodus protocol. Gabriela doesn’t want to launch another massive panic and opts to let Dylan and crew in first, but it’s already too late.

At the cooling tower, Anders gets killed in an explosion that also badly injures Robinson. That’s enough for Gabriela to order the exodus protocol. As she assumed, the panic is widespread though understandable. These people thought they won the life lottery only for their sanctuary to have a meltdown.

Robinson wants Jeremy to leave her, but that’s not in the DNA of the son of the president who saved the country from a nuclear meltdown. He returns with some help to safely get them both out.

While the city is evacuating Paradise, Hadley and Presley are just trying to get out of the elevator midway down to the prison section. Who is releasing those citizens, BTW?

Xavier and Teri leave Annie’s baby with Dakota, the train conductor and head into paradise. Teri is a bit too enamored by the amenities and far less focused on finding her children. Despite the citywide evacuation, Xavier leads Teri to their house, the absolute last place they’d be in this circumstance. That was almost Robinson texting in the group chat about Jane’s whereabouts. While it looked nice and dramatic it also was silly that they weren’t actively looking for the kids in the sea of evacuating citizens. Finally, Teri does spot James, who needs to finish all of his scenes for Season 3 ASAP or find Alex’s time machine because he’s aging rapidly. Xavier is going to find Presley while Teri gets James out,

Sinatra returns to the tower and supports Gabriela calling exodus. There was a very awkward moment when Gabriela explains the blood on her shirt was Jane’s since she tried to kill her. Does Paradise’s Hallmark have a “I’m sorry my assassin tried to kill you” card? Sinatra does do a noble deed and tells the control center crew to join the evacuation. She’ll take it from here.

Sinatra tells Chase to put Alex on an island to make sure it remains safe. Clearly Alex is the most important aspect of Paradise as it will/should ensure a viable future for everyone — maybe even those who are no longer alive?

Add another name to that ledger as Geiger valiantly works to stabilize the water cooler, but a geyser spray unleashes a slew of shrapnel that kills him.

Xavier gets to the tower to see Sinatra and she tracks Presley and Hadley in the elevator. Since her access is needed she’s going with him. Sinatra is on a bit of an apology tour as it’s obvious she believes Alex’s message about her fate.

Ease of shooting this conversation aside, why on Earth would Sinatra and Xavier be taking another elevator to rescue their daughters who are trapped in a (checks notes) stuck elevator??? Were the steps just entirely not an option?

Dylan and his crew arrive in time to help Xavier and Sinatra get the girls. The wacky mind meld zaps Xavier, who recognizes Dylan from his visions. Dylan doesn’t have time for Sinatra’s claims that he’s her son, he wants to know where she hid Alex.

When Xavier steps in front of Sinatra, Dylan gets the memory trigger feedback too. Both of their noses are bleeding. Xavier defuses the situation by saying he knew Annie, who died giving birth to his daughter. Sinatra seems tickled that she’s a grandmother.

It’s a momentary bit of happiness as she knows someone has to stay behind to stop the radiation fallout to reach the surface and can’t join the others in the exodus. She tells Dylan everything is going to be Ok. As Dylan calls for Xavier, or X per Presley’s prompting, Sinatra realizes the card is for him.

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While they came off like an outlaw gang with tanks and trains, Dylan’s crew proves invaluable with the exodus effort getting people on various modes of transportation. Gabriela has to stop some of the less thoughtful folks from packing valuable items instead of carpooling their neighbors out of the city.

Sinatra hands Xavier the card and tells him it’s been a pleasure. Xavier sprints out of a now deserted paradise with the exodus complete. Who knew his running routine was going to prove so invaluable?

Jane was not in the shower… because Jane is an actual zombie. And also, because Alex’s warning that Jane has to make a choice hasn’t been fulfilled yet.

Sinatra strolls through paradise as it tumbles down around her in a tremendously shot segment. She stands by the horse she placed in Dylan’s honor just as the blast unleashes. She imagines seeing Dylan. Gee, it’s too bad the sympathy levels for the lady who ordered the hits on Miller, the poor bartender’s wife and the rest of the surface explores and President Baines are so low…

It’s nighttime at the caravan and Xavier finally catches up with his family. Teri does not let his reunion with Gabriela go on too long. Wait till they all find out he got her pregnant during that shower hookup. Speaking of families, where is Jeremy’s mother? It’s like she left the bunker right after Cal’a funeral.

Dylan is with Annie’s baby, who he decides to call Annie. Booo. Besides being so boring, Hope was right there!

In the aftermath of the exodus, Xavier reflects on his final conversation with Sinatra, who tells him about the card and Alex. When he asks what makes her so sure he’s going to do it, Sinatra says she thinks he already has as the camera pans to Alex 94 A-L3X’s location, which has 0.2 next to it.

The biggest question with Exodus is how many times will Xavier need to save the world before it stays fixed? Or will it be like Windows and AL3X ver. 891 before there’s noticeable change? Hopefully it won’t be like iOS and crash the whole system with the update.

On its own, Exodus might not have been the most satisfying season finale, but as the mid-chapter closeout of this three-season epic it will likely serve as a key turning point for the entire series.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Photo Credit: Hulu

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