Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

maybe I should check that one

A newly released show I'm currently watching is Paradise (Hulu). Even though it's pulling from a few already well used Sci-Fi scenarios, it is so well executed as to be a thoroughly fascinating and satisfying watch. Currently Paradise is intended as a limited series - 8 total episodes. And without getting ahead of expectations, I can already sense a potential season 2 will feel forced.

I'll have to check it out.  I like Sterling K. Brown and usually enjoy the shows he does. Totally get what you're saying about the single-season format.  One of the best things Hulu has done in the last few years (imo) is Dopesick, and can you imagine trying to do a second season of that?  (I feel like I shouldn't even type that, because somebody out there is dumb enough to try.)

Finished watching Paradise on Hulu last night. Created by Dan Fogelman whose best work is most likely as producer of Only Murders In The Building.

As mentioned earlier, none of the SciFi concepts in Paradise are original. But that isn't the point. There's such a pessimism toward film and television misfires these days, it's a winning hand when a show executes well, which Paradise meticulously does. To reference Lost from earlier, the best summation I've heard of Paradise from a critic named Robert Meyer Burnett who said "Paradise succeeds where Lost tried, and pulls it off in only eight episodes."

Yes, Paradise opens with a great big mystery that's solved in the last episode, all while we're left with a cliffhanger to set up Season 2. Hint, it involves a character not dying when they should've. This coincided with Hulu confirming a season 2. Which leaves me wondering whether if in case a season 2 had not been confirmed by the finale, was there a backup ending ready to go where the character did in fact die? Which would've made for a clean ending.

This is the advantage of Disney+/Hulu releasing episodes by the week rather than doing the Netflix whole-season dump. The success of a series can be gauged earlier, and adjusted with minor edits to either end the series for good or keep going.

Disagree.  Severance s1 was the best season of TV I've seen in years, and s2 continued that as well as a show can, I think.  It's usually very hard for a show which puts out a stellar first season to match the quality and keep it as interesting in subsequent seasons.  Most of them fail at it....even if they stay good, there's a drop-off. 

I was very pleased with how Severance s2 went.  It starts to answer some of the questions, moves the plot along, and we get a lot more information about the "outties."  The cliffhanger was not quite what season 1's was, but I'm okay with that.  I don't need another three years of waiting with that level of intrigue. 

But it still left plenty of room for the show to expand and there are still questions to answer.  It's on a great pace, imo. 

Silly Aggie.  

For comparison, I'm trying to think of some other recent-ish breakaway hits that people couldn't get enough of. 

Stranger Things--s2 was okay, but it didn't come close to s1
Lost--one of the best comparisons to Severance in that there's a lot of mystery-box plot devices....s2 was a noticeable drop.  It wasn't quite the point where the audience abandoned the show, but it began the downhill slide. 
Mr. Robot--s2-4 actually stayed very well done, but as normal, it never could quite recapture the magic of s1.  
Breaking Bad--never dropped, imo.  Hooked people in s1 and kept it there for the duration. 

Looking at that short list, I think there might be something to the idea that shows built on mysteries or crazy premises are so hard to keep up because s1 introduces the mystery and the weird world you've never thought about before.  Once your brain has processed the concept, that element is no longer novel in the subsequent seasons, and therefore it struggles to keep the same level of interest.  Whereas a show like Breaking Bad is completely plot and character driven.  No mystery or strange new world to think about.  

For comparison, I'm trying to think of some other recent-ish breakaway hits that people couldn't get enough of. 

Stranger Things--s2 was okay, but it didn't come close to s1
Lost--one of the best comparisons to Severance in that there's a lot of mystery-box plot devices....s2 was a noticeable drop.  It wasn't quite the point where the audience abandoned the show, but it began the downhill slide. 
Mr. Robot--s2-4 actually stayed very well done, but as normal, it never could quite recapture the magic of s1. 
Breaking Bad--never dropped, imo.  Hooked people in s1 and kept it there for the duration. 

Looking at that short list, I think there might be something to the idea that shows built on mysteries or crazy premises are so hard to keep up because s1 introduces the mystery and the weird world you've never thought about before.  Once your brain has processed the concept, that element is no longer novel in the subsequent seasons, and therefore it struggles to keep the same level of interest.  Whereas a show like Breaking Bad is completely plot and character driven.  No mystery or strange new world to think about. 

Yeah I'd tend to agree with that.  I got bored with both Lost and Mr. Robot after Season 1.

Stranger Things is a little different to me, because I feel like it's more relatable and more character-driven than the others mentioned.  And of course the entire show is a love letter to GenX, so I'm going to stay engaged regardless.  And I think the change in venue which drives the storyline in each season has been a lot of fun.  But I'm also willing to admit that nostalgia plays a large part in why I love the series so much.  Can't wait for S5.

Silly Tiger

"Ozark" roped me in, and held me throughout.

It's the best series I've seen in a long time.

I was also a fan of "Boardwalk Empire", though I didn't watch it until last year --- many years after it's debut.