Note: This story contains spoilers from “Paradise” Season 2, Episode 8.
The “Paradise” Season 2 finale left viewers with more questions than answers after introducing the mysterious Alex as an AI quantum computer that can manipulate time, leaving fans scratching their head about the existence of Thomas Doherty’s Link/Dylan, who was revealed to be Sinatra’s thought-to-be-dead son.
Doherty is confident that Link has thought about his existence, in and of itself, noting, “I don’t think that he’s in denial about anything really, especially when it comes to advanced knowledge and quantum mechanics,” but, rather than dwell on it, he is focused on saving the world. Like his character, Doherty tries not to linger on the time travel implications suggested by the finale.
“I didn’t really want to get caught up in the weeds with thinking that way, because … a lot of times as well when you get caught up in the weeds as an actor, I find you end up just silencing yourself, and that’s not useful if you’re trying to tell a story,” Doherty told TheWrap, noting that he and Julianne Nicholson would laugh about their lack of knowledge surrounding quantum mechanics.
“I’m not remotely smart enough to even begin to understand, conceptually, what it is, never mind the practical element of it,” Doherty continued. “[There] definitely came a point where I was trying to understand that the most basic, fundamental, rudimentary level that a six-year-old could understand was enough for me, then I just have to trust the writing, and I have to trust myself that Dylan, or Link, knows what he’s talking about here.”
Below, Doherty unpacks that whirlwind finale and what it all means for next season, which creator Dan Fogelman has previously confirmed would be the last installment in the Hulu series.
TheWrap: What’s it been like joining the show this season? It was a hell of a way to start out with that first episode.
Doherty: I’ve joined casts before, and I think the key is you’re a guest in someone else’s house for the first while, and so you have to act accordingly, and you got to have respect for what’s been developed and what’s been established and you got to integrate yourself into that world and that culture. But you can’t have asked better one to integrate into — people like Dan Fogelman and Sterling K. Brown at the helm. Showrunners and executives have really set the tone for the experience —I’ve worked with some showrunners, and it’s a different energy that’s been created.
We had an amazing anomaly where we’re joining a second season, but none of the original cast are in the first episode, so we’re almost shooting this short movie, almost to get into the space. I felt very fortunate to be able to do that. It’s so easy to be offered the opportunity to work with Sterling and with Julianne and with Shailene — I was the biggest Shailene fan. I have been for a long time, and just to work with her and see how she works, and to listen to all of what she has to say on set and the questions … it was a joy.
We know Dylan’s goal has been to kill Alex but by the finale, we find out he created Alex. Why does he want to end something he’s created? What are the dangers its created?
I think he knows what Alex is capable of, and you can see that it’s being used
very nefariously by Sinatra. I think he believes that she doesn’t quite comprehend the power of Alex, and that she won’t be able to hone that power of time travel — I can’t even run my head around it. But equally, there is a hope that he can utilize Alex and try and use her for his creative goal, which is restarting the world and helping other people. [It’s] this very noble pursuit, and Alex could help with that.
He seems to want to kill Samantha for what she’s done, but she tells him she’s his mother. Does he believe her? What does he make of that?
I think that there’s all of these possibilities across Dylan’s brain. I do think that one might have taken him out a little bit though. Sinatra’s evil to him — she’s the worst. She killed his friend, his mentor. She’s been so exclusive with who lives and who dies, and I understand that from her point of view as well, and I think Link does as well to some extent, but that justice and that injustice is so much more powerful than what ifs at the moment for him, but when she does tell him that [he’s like] “I can’t hear this right now” … but I do think some [in] small part of his back of his brain that’s come up.
What did you think when you first found out that Dylan is Sinatra’s son?
I’m like you guys. I’m reading it like, “what the f—k,” calling Dan.
[It’s] such an honor for me to be where I am right now in my career, to be entrusted with so much responsibility to play this character around actors that I aspire to be like. It’s a real honor.
It’s in that moment that Xavier interrupts the confrontation and tells him about Annie. How does this discovery impact him?
He gets overloaded with information. One of those things, in and of itself, is a lot to process and handle. Link’s been hit with a women that he’s trying to kill could be his mother. Also you have a child, and the woman that you fell in love with, who’s your baby mama, is also dead, and also the bunker’s about to explode … it’s more like a “f–king what?” and testament to Link and who he is — He doesn’t kill her, and he tries to get everyone out, and he tries to do the right thing. And I think when you’re in intense situations like that, and still choosing to do the right thing, or the thing that you deem good is a testament to someone and to their character. It makes me happier to play someone like that.
What are Dylan’s thoughts on Xavier? They also have that weird shared flashback/forward when they meet for the first time?
He’s not thinking about s–t. Now add that into the mix — could be his mom, lover’s dead, has a baby, bunker’s about to explode, also this guy that’s constantly in his dreams, that has nosebleeds at the same time, is here telling him all this information. It’s just a lot. I think when we pick it up in Season 3, I think we’re going to see Link just processing all that information.
What was it like to shoot that camp scene with Link’s baby?
We were shooting that for hours outside, and that was definitely an amazing opportunity for me to be sitting there with baby Annie, and start to try and work all that out. What I find was it was definitely like a defeatists-ness to it, but also just this confusion. He’s tired as well … he’s done this thing, and one thing’s been answered and five more questions are asked.
It was really special. It was really beautiful. And they were real babies as well. And there’s two, and I was always like, “Please don’t cry. Please don’t cry, please don’t cry,” as if it was a direct reflection on me, which arguably it’s true. They did cry a couple of times, but we managed to get some shots. Dan leaves nothing to the imagination — the attention to detail in this whole show, be it costume, makeup, set design, writing, everything is down to the very last detail, even holding the baby. You’re there, you’re holding this baby, and all you have to do is pretend it’s yours, and then that just opens up a whole thing for you. It made me want one.
Congrats on the Season 3 renewal! What have you heard so far about scripts or when production might start up again?
I’ve read two scripts.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
“Paradise” Seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming on Hulu.
'Paradise' Renewed for Season 3 at Hulu