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	Masolino da Panicale, detail of Temptation of Adam and Eve
Created by	Johnny Milton;
Based on	Paradise Lost; by John Milton Book of Genesis; by Moses
Written by	Johnny Milton
Starring	Anthony Hopkins; Emily Watson; Thomas Lennon; Paul Mescal; Maya Erskine; Simon Pegg; Winston Duke; Domhnall Gleeson; Karan Soni; Cecily Strong; Tom Hollander; Greta Lee; Harry Melling; Larry Hankin; John Turturro; Jon Bernthal;
Music by	Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of episodes	10
Production
Executive producers	William Horberg; Allan Scott; Scott Frank;
Producers	Marcus Loges; Mick Aniceto;
Cinematography	William Blake
Editor	Michelle Tesoro
Running time	23–67 minutes
Production companies	Areopagitica Ltd; Delirium Studios; Samson Agonistes Films;
Original release
Network	HBO
Release	December 9, 2024

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Paradise, LLC is a 2024 American satirical black comedy-drama limited series based on Ben-Amram Moses's first novel Genesis and the 1674 edition of Paradise Lost. The series was written and created by Johnny Milton. The story follows founder and patriarch Joshua Adonai (Anthony Hopkins) and former COO Lucy Serpens (Emily Watson) fight for control over the fast food chain "HeavenlyChicken."

HBO released the 8 episode series on their streaming platform Max on December 9th, 2024. A re-edit was released Christmas the same year, expanding the series to 10 episodes, with minor edits and deleted scenes added throughout. The series received critical acclaim, with particular praise for Watson's performance, dialogue, cinematography, and examination of power and humanity. The series' focus on long uncut conversation garnered favorable comparison to other media like My Dinner with Andre and Waiting for Godot. Paradise, LLC received 6 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.

A sequel film titled Regained, focusing on events 34 years after the series conclusion, is in development with a fall 2026 scheduled release.

Premise

Lucy Serpens, disgraced former COO of HeavenlyChicken, confronts the controlling Adonai family's power in the courtroom and beyond. Two Wharton MBA graduates, Adam and Eve, secure fellowships from HeavenlyChicken and face existential struggles as they navigate the corporate world and their personal relationship. The series follows Serpens as she and her confidants attempt to manipulate the up and coming graduate students and undermine the Adonai's from within. Amidst manipulation and corporate intrigue, alliances form and loyalties are tested, setting the stage for a clash between ambition and justice.

Cast and Characters

Main

Anthony Hopkins as Joshua Adonai Sr., the grassroots billionaire founder and aging CEO of HeavenlyChicken. A leader unwilling to relinquish any control, his business moves are surgical and ruthless. His decision to abdicate his power to his son instead of his right-hand Lucy Serpens, is the exigence of the narrative.
Emily Watson as Lucy Serpens, the disgraced former COO of HeavenlyChicken who releases an exposé on the company after she is overlooked as a successor for Joshua Adonai Sr. Serpens manipulates graduate student Eve Kim to internally attack the Adonai family.
Thomas Lennon as Joshua Adonai Jr., an outsider of HeavenlyChicken tapped to take over his aging father's position. A figurehead of sorts, Adonai Jr acts on his father's bidding: for instance, slandering Serpens and her "demons," and recruiting Adam and Eve to the executive training program.
Paul Mescal as Adam Gibbons, a decorated Wharton MBA graduate recruited to replace executive members who were fired during the Serpens' exposé scandal. Adam is close friends and eventual romantic partners with Eve Kim.
Maya Erskine as Eve Kim, an even more highly decorated Wharton MBA graduate also recruited to replace executive members who were fired during the Serpens' exposé scandal. Eve is jaded by favoritism shown towards Adam and the corporate structure in general. Her discontent leads to an unexpected collaboration with Lucy Serpens.

Recurring

Simon Pegg as Zeke "Bubba" Beal, Serpens second in command and closest friend.
Winston Duke as Ralph Sanz, one of Adonai's executives who gives Adam and Eve a propaganda-filled narrative of HeavenlyChicken's history.
Domhnall Gleeson as Michael Archer, Adonai's most important lawyer who gives Adam and Eve the prospects of their future at the end of the series.

Guest

Karan Soni as Gunnar Abdullah, a vocal opponent of Serpens and whistleblower.
Cecily Strong as Bella Lial, associate of Serpens who advocates for "ignoble ease."
Tom Hollander as Mark Mondale, associate of Serpens who advocates for founding an opponent to HeavenlyChicken.
Greta Lee as Molly Chan, associate of Serpens who advocates for countersuit measures against the Adonai's.
Harry Melling as Stewart Mulchy, chief architect of Pandemonium Heights.
Larry Hankin as Christopher Chaso, founder of TheCrazyHen who was backstabbed by Adonai Sr.
John Turturro as Erin Eel, maître d' of Noch's Kitchen and retired food developer at HeavenlyChicken.
Jon Bernthal as Gabe Lemon, Adonai Sr's personal enforcer.

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Based on Books
1	"A Son Appears"	Hiro Murai	Johnny Milton	1 and 5
One morning December 2026, Lucy Serpens awakens from an intense nightmare where she is chained down into a lake of fire and brimstone. Two years earlier, Serpens, the then COO of HeavenlyChicken, anticipates becoming CEO after founder Joshua Adonai prepares to announce his retirement at an upcoming shareholders meeting. Adonai shocks Serpens and the entire HeavenlyChicken community by announcing the nomination of his son Joshua Adonai Jr, a recluse and company outsider, as CEO. Serpens who was the company's second employee and Adonai's personal right-hand for 30 years is infuriated. In a drug-addled state, she leaves the meeting for her office where she grabs a hidden file and begins composing an email to the The New York Times. The next day, in a meeting with close confidant and HeavenlyChicken CFO, Zeke "Bubba" Beal, and their circle of advisors, Serpens discusses her plan to tell the Times detailing decades of the company's scandals. These include unethical product sourcing, managerial and executive assault cover-ups, rampant union busting, and unsavory work conditions. The group excitedly plan to publish the piece the night before Adonai Jr's appointment. Vocal detractor Gunner Abdullah secretly informs Adonai of the plan.
2	"Serpens Day in Court"	Johan Renck	Johnny Milton	6
6 months after the release of Serpens’ exposé, Adonai's closest counsel frantically burn hundreds of boxes of documents. Serpens, Beal, and their collaborators have all been terminated. Serpens and HeavenlyChicken are embroiled in three separate court battles. Adonai is suing Serpens for defamation in her article, Serpens is suing Adonai for negligent misrepresentation in breaking the gentlemen’s agreement of her appointment to CEO, and the state of Georgia is investigating HeavenlyChicken for unethical practices. Adonai Jr, now CEO, has planted op-eds painting HeavenlyChicken as a righteous Christian company being attacked by vile ungrateful members whose careers were made by Adonai and are now only driven by greed. Serpens and her media-labeled "Demons," seem to be on the verge of winning in each of their cases as Adonai's counsel have weak testimony. The Demons' documentation proving the child labor involved in HeavenlyChicken's meat processing seems sure to shut down the defamation case as well as start a suit from the state of Georgia. As the state of Georgia prepares their case against HeavenlyChicken, Adonai Jr blackmails the governor and the case is dropped prior to going to a grand jury. Planting evidence of rampant drug usage and falsifying mental illness records, Adonai Jr successfully turns the tides in the other two cases, and the court awarded Adonai $50 million total from Serpens.
3	"Interlude for the Devil"	Johan Renck	Johnny Milton	2
Now in financial ruin, Serpens lives with Beal and a few of the Demons in a Pandemonium Heights, a small suburb in North Carolina owned by former head of real estate Stewart Mulchy. One night, around a fire, they discuss how to move forward after such a humiliating defeat. Bella Lial, scarred from the media frenzy of the previous 6 months, advocates for them to let go and just try to move on with their lives. Mark Mondale proposes they start their own competing fast food chain. Intoxicated, Molly Chan screams about starting thousands of new lawsuits with new evidence. Solemn, Serpens describes the Adonai Jr's new graduate student executive training program and her plan to bring him down internally. Hesitating, as it is unclear if Serpens is serious, the group offers her support. Grabbing a drink and car keys, Serpens speeds out of the community.
4	"In God’s Image"	Donald Glover	Johnny Milton	8
Adam Gibbons and Eve Kim, two Wharton MBA students, both receive the Academic Excellence Fellowship. The two have been close friends since their undergraduate years at Cornell. Joshua Adonai, working now from the background, and Joshua Adonai Jr discuss how to fill the gaps in their executive structure. They devise a graduate student scholarship program where they can easily groom successors. Close to graduation, Adam and Eve both get interviews for the Adonai’s new program. Cleaning out her apartment, Eve finds outlines and 10 year plans of a cheese and flower business Adam and Eve had planned together in their senior year of undergrad. Eve, markedly more intelligent and thoughtful than Adam, faces some internal doubt about the corporate rat race and her place in 21st century business. Eve bombs her interview, but is unphased; she encourages Adam as he prepares. Adam’s interview goes so well that he is offered the scholarship before leaving. Adam, desperate to stick with Eve, inquires about her. She was not received well, but Adam convinces the committee she is a perfect candidate, and that they exclusively work together. They both receive the scholarship. As they pack their UHaul together and happily discuss prospects in New York City, Eve’s face slowly reveals to the camera a tinge of disappointment.
5	"Chaos"	Johnny Milton	Johnny Milton	2
Serpens dangerously weaves through traffic along a freeway towards New York. With her phone dead, she needs to get directions. She hastily pulls into a rundown trucker stop in Pennsylvania. The only open facility is a disheveled chicken stand called TheCrazyHen. A faltering octogenarian mans the register, shadowy decrepit employees idle around. The man seems familiar to Serpens, but she cannot place from where. After being forced to order a sandwich, Serpens gets the directions she needs. The man seems eager that she travels quickly. As Serpens exits, she bites into the sandwich, her eyes widen slightly, perhaps in recognition. She tosses the sandwich out of her window.
6	"My Dinner with Lucy"	Bill Hader	Johnny Milton	4
In the morning, Serpens arrives in New York City. She collapses in her apartment. Waking up at 7 pm, she does a few lines of a mystery substance and heads to a restaurant. The wait staff are clearly aware of who she is and seat her without having to take her order. Serpens eavesdrops around. There are whispers between families about who she is, many eyes wander her direction, she tries to ignore it, but flees to the bathroom to re-up. Erin Eel, the maître d' of the restaurant and retired food developer at HeavenlyChicken, calls Gabe Lemon, Adonai’s personal enforcer. On her return from the bathroom, Serpens notices a young couple at the table next to her own discussing living arrangements. The girl’s body language reminds Serpens of herself. She sits down and listens. The couple is Adam and Eve. Eve expresses her misgivings about the program and the future. Adam is adamant about needing to just be grateful for the opportunity granted to them by HeavenlyChicken. He casually mentions advocating for Eve in the interview. Eve falls silent as Adam confesses his love for her. She discusses her mutual love for him, but her voice strains occasionally indicating a mind in turmoil. Serpens goes to the restroom once more and calls Beal. She begins discussing a vague plan involving manipulating Eve as Eve walks in. Eve recognizes Serpens and unassumingly asks for her autograph. Serpens obliges on the back of a business card and walks out of the restaurant. Gabe confronts Serpens on the street, she flees.
7	"Author of History"	Christopher Storer	Johnny Milton	7
Adam and Eve are given a tour of corporate headquarters by an executive named Ralph Sanz. They work their way through a museum detailing Joshua Adonai’s journey founding HeavenlyChicken. They go through six main events. At each event, Ralph gives the corporate biography, the scene then shifts to the actual moment in history revealing a far more corrupt narrative. Ralph explains that Adonai Sr, a prominent printer businessman, opened the first HeavenlyChicken in Philadelphia after an airline food manufacturer approached him with an offer of monthly excess of chicken breast. In reality, Adonai was a poor employee of a local chicken joint called TheCrazyHen owned by a kind entrepreneur named Christopher Chaso. Adonai exploited Chaso’s kindness, scamming him for most of his wealth and stealing his popular chicken formula. Adonai fled to Georgia and set up his first HeavenlyChicken store. Adonai’s subsequent expansion is presented as opportunity meeting preparation. Instead, Adonai ruthlessly brought down his local competitors by means of arson and staging fraudulent investigations. Ralph also mentions Adonai Jr as a classically trained businessman who made his own fortune via entrepreneurship. In reality, Adonai Jr was embroiled in a deluge of racketeering and drug charges that Adonai Sr managed to get dropped. Adam is impressed by the tour; Eve struggles to feign interest.
8	"Temptation"	Ramy Youssef	Johnny Milton	9
6 months into their work, mutual resentment has grown between Adam and Eve, even as they move in together. Eve has been meeting with Serpens on a regular basis at a local roller skating rink. Serpens and her corporate memoir were an inspiration to a young Eve. Despite her doubts, Eve works hard in her position, pioneering a foster care scholarship system. Adam on the other hand falls for the corporate hedonism, ingratiating himself with executives like Ralph and Michael Archer, while doing little work. He earns a promotion. Eve is supportive of Adam, but the lack of respect shown towards her work, the lack of overtime pay, and the lack of clarity regarding her future at the company push her to a breaking point. While mutually intoxicated, Eve vents to Serpens about her desire for respect. Serpens advises Eve to form a union. There are brief flashes to Serpens and Adonai union-busting. Eve agrees, and Serpens offers that she now works as a union organizer. Canvassing her co-workers, Eve garners support for her plan. Eve sets up a vote, unsure if she should talk to Adam about her plan. Adam, so caught up in the corporate schmoozing, learns of the vote the day of. Caught between both parties, Adam reluctantly votes “yes” out of his love of Eve. As the union passes, Adonai and Adonai Jr discuss how to crush them.
9	"Fallen"	Johnny Milton	Johnny Milton	9
Adam and Eve are both fired, and blackballed by the Adonai’s. They get into an intense argument on the subway. Adam continually blames Eve. That night, Eve sneaks out and drives to her parents’ house. Adam goes to the Adonai Jr directly to beg for his job back.
10	"Tomorrow"	Harry Bradbeer	Johnny Milton	11 and 12
Adam is given a 10-year plan to get back to the executive suite of HeavenlyChicken. He accepts. Saddened by the loss of Eve, Adam takes some ‘shrooms and stumbles around New York to meet the Adonai’s lawyer Michael Archer. Archer details what Adam must do for the next decade. Adam flashes into visions of the book of Genesis. He sees Cain and Abel, Tower of Babel, and The Flood in flashes. The episode ends on a long shot of Adam’s face as Archer goes on, a brief flash shows Eve happy, unclear if reality or in Adam’s mind.