On June 16, Movistar+ releases the final season of Paraíso, produced in collaboration with The Mediapro Studio. Going out on a high note, it has been one of the platform’s best bets with its combination of fantasy with stories based on tragic real-life events, only in the series they have better endings.
That’s because the show gives notorious cases like that of the Alcàsser Girls and Madeleine McCann a happier outcome in a parallel universe. It also lets you imagine what it would be like to be a teenager once more, living back in the 80’s with the world as your oyster, with flying bicycles, flashy clothes and the decade’s own inimitable music.
In Paraíso just about everything is implicit, without being stated outright. Be it pain or pleasure, you never really know what’s real and what’s imaginary. The thing is that the protagonists are still teenagers, they’re at that stage in life when you wonder if you’re lost or found, whether you’re truly happy or actually downright miserable. It’s only later in life that you understand why things happened the way they did. Which is the case with Paraíso and this last season, which masterfullyties up all loose ends.
The same storyline but with more mysteries to solve
One of the strengths of this second season is that it mixes storylines that viewers loved in the first batch of episodes with completely new ones.
The story takes up again three years after the previous season’s events and with another group of Undead who want to destroy Almanzora de la Vega in order to carry out their regeneration ritual. This mix of the familiar and the fresh provide a welcome new spin for the series.
This time, it will also address one of the big mysteries that had been left up in the air – the true origins of one of the characters – with important repercussions for their relationship with their parents. It’s something of a metaphor for those pivotal relationships between teenagers and their parents, where answers are constantly sought but sometimes there simply aren’t any. (Or are there?).
Another of the series’ strengths – the cast
Movistar+ takes pride in discovering new talent and Paraíso has been the launching pad for several rising stars. Various cast members are sure to be at the vanguard of the next generation of actors destined to help keep Spanish TV at its current height.
In this second season, there are new faces to surprise viewers, some clearly on a fast track to fame. Álvaro Mel, Begoña Vargas, Laura Laprida and the very young Carla Domínguez, are among such additions only further elevating the quality of the overall production. Having a young cast is usually makes shooting more challenging, but the amazing thing is that Paraíso blows that cliche out of the ballpark.
Finally, a show that provides closure
If there’s one thing you want from the finale of a show focused on mystery and fantasy, it’s that it ties up any loose ends. It’s not that big an ask and yet, too often such shows leave viewers hanging. (Don’t get me started on Lost and Game of Thrones…) But Paraíso is one show that does deliver a neat ending.
The series resolves all its mysteries and makes you realize that no part of the script was superfluous – there was a reason for everything. It’s clear the story arc had been formed from the start and everyone knew where they wanted it to go. As a result, viewers won’t be left feeling cheated, on the contrary, they’ll be grateful for the satisfying conclusion.
Consider that the spell Olivia recites actually comes from a book on spirit communication by a paranormal expert; that Quino’s brainwave for powering the cabin was inspired by Back to the Future; and that Javi wears a custom-made replica of the tag of one of the soldiers from ‘V’. Such examples illustrate how obsessed the show’s writers were with imbuing every detail with meaning.
It’s obvious painstaking care was taken in the making of Paraíso, which in turn shows profound care for its viewers. It’s also the magic formula for a fantastic finale.
