In the sixth episode of Paradise season 2, we finally got a return to the bunker. But what’s happening in the bunker is only part of the focus. Right at the center of it all is Jane (Nicole Brydon Bloom).
The episode provided some backstory and context for Jane. In fact, the episode, “Jane,” even bears her name.
In the cold open, we travel back to 1997, when Jane was born. She comes into the world on June 6 at 12:01 a.m., and like a scene out of The Omen, someone is there to warn her mother (Laura Campbell) that Jane is a killer. That becomes something of a self-fulfilling prophecy as her mother treats Jane with coldness and contempt.
Not that Jane was a normal child. Even as a youngster, she seemed to hear voices and to follow those voices. And the things it prompted her to do weren’t great. That even holds true when, as a young adult, she’s in training for spy work.
Jane finally finds someone to believe in her, with her mentor (Ryan Michelle Bathe). But even in that circumstance, she takes it too far. When her mentor is passed over for a promotion and expresses frustration that it’s a man’s world, Jane responds by stripping the manhood from the other agent—literally. In short, Jane’s always been something of a problem and a wild card.
Back to the bunker
Meanwhile, back in the bunker, Jane’s plans have worked out. Robinson (Krys Marshall) is now in jail, accused of murdering the President. Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson) is back in charge. Jane is now her personal agent and seems to be in a position of power in the bunker. But, is everything all right between the two?
After running a successful meeting that established her authority over everyone but Gabi (Sarah Shahi), Sinatra has a one-on-one with Jane. In that meeting, she makes clear that she remembers the shooting. She questions Jane and Jane’s motives. Sinatra might still not fully trust Jane and is scared of her, but she recognizes Jane is a tool. So, she’s going to use Jane.
With the armed hoard at the gates, literally, Sinatra sends Jane up to negotiate. Jane takes the assignment with relish and finds Link (Thomas Doherty). After some back-and-forth, he agrees to her terms. He and five of his men, unarmed, will be granted an audience with Sinatra.
While Jane is working her magic, Gabi is doing some investigating. She’s trying to find out who Alex is and what the plan might be. She turns to Robinson, but it’s something of a dead end, save for learning that Jane is really the force behind the dark deeds in the bunker. Armed with that, Gabi pivots.
As Jane is back in the bunker celebrating, Gabi finds her. Jane got not only a video game system but some praise from Sinatra. That leads her to believe she might have found a mentor who sees the real her, accepts her, and even believes in her. And she won’t part with it easily. When Gabi insinuates that she’s coming for Sinatra, Jane makes it clear that the road to Sinatra runs through her, and she’s not easily trifled with.
Some kind of showdown is coming. That leaves the bunker a dangerous place, especially as Robinson helps Jeremy Bradford (Charlie Evans) escape. Between the forces within and the militia outside, Jane will face no shortage of targets.
Xavier sees Teri for the first time in season 2
Meanwhile, we get a couple of quick sequences with Xavier (Sterling K. Brown) and the train. He is counting on Gary (Cameron Britton) for help, unaware that Gary is the real problem. So, Xavier makes his bomb and lays out his plan. He leaves it to Gary to serve as the lookout. But that turns out to be a bad idea.
As Xavier weaves his way through the crowd, he plants the bomb. Before he enacts his plan, he asks Gary to convey a message in case he doesn’t make it. He asks Gary to look out for Teri (Enuka Okuma) if things don’t go well. It’s in that moment that Xavier realizes Gary might not be who he thinks, and Gary tries to make his move.
Gary detonates the bomb prematurely. Xavier is able to move, avoiding death. But he is now in the crosshairs of the guards at the camp. As he looks up, trying to collect himself, he sees a familiar face in the crowd—his wife, Teri.
Overall, I enjoyed the flashbacks for Jane. I am somewhat intrigued by the references to classic horror films and the idea that she might be some kind of supernatural villain. Whether it’s how the character is written or the chilling performance, Jane is always fun to watch. Now, she seems poised to be at the center of things as we drive hard toward all our characters and storylines coming together again.
Paradise streams Mondays on Hulu. Check back next week as we recap all the action of season 2 right here.