User reviews

An easy watch for the family that provides some good light entertainment. The plots are fairly predictable and provide a nice balance of comedy and action. I look forward to watching the next season and really enjoyed the unusual landscapes and scenery of the Philippines.

Set in the Philippine island of Cebu, the series follows Alex Walker (Christian Kane) a former DEA agent who's forced into retirement after a botched mission. Now collecting minuscule disability checks from the military, Walker tries to manage his elevated blood pressure by avoiding stressful situations and managing a gift shop. But when Walker accidentally stumbles into one of the Cebu police operations, he finds himself infrequently called back as a consultant and challenging his doctor ordered stress management.

Created produced by Dean Devlin through his company Electric Entertainment (The Librarians, Leverage, The Outpost), the series reunites Devlin with Christian Kane from Leverage. The show touts itself on being the first major TV production set and filmed in the Philippines, and while the setting may be new, the format is familiar but well done.

Almost Paradise is a light hearted PI type show that harkens back to TV staples such as The Rockford Files and Magnum P. I., it's definitely well trodden ground in the TV space, but while the show is made from familiar parts it uses them to good effect. Despite being a very "American" show in terms of format and production value, the show does incorporate its unfamiliar locale to great effect with some nice establishment of Cebu and a predominantly Filipino cast who give good performances and have good chemistry with lead Christian Kane.

In terms of character, Alex Walker makes for a fun hardscrabble protagonist who just wants to run his seaside gift shop in peace, but has to deal with trouble either finding him or his friends and having no choice but to deal with it. Samantha Richelle as Detective Kai Mendoza is quite good as one of Walker's confidants and associates and the two have some great back and forth in the show. Arthur Acuña as Ernesto Almares, Kai's partner, is certainly a good physical presence in the show, but he can come off kind of stiff in certain scenes. Granted the character is supposed to be sort of a "strong silent type" but when he does speak it can sometime come off a little stilted.

The format of the show will be very familiar to people who are fans of this type of show, particularly those familiar with Matt Nix shows like Burn Notice or The Good Guys where old TV formats are refurbish by adding in more overarching character stories. While Almost Paradise doesn't have all the espionage elements from Burn Notice, it does adhere very closely to the established framework and doesn't break the mold. With that said it uses the established framework quite well, but your overall enjoyment of this show will depend on your forgiveness for familiarity.

Almost Paradise is a fun but familiar action/adventure private investigator series. With a charismatic lead, unique locales, and a (mostly) strong supporting cast, Almost Paradise takes familiar elements and still manages to create a fun if not particularly substantive escapist show.

I didn't think it was possible for this great show to get even better, but I was proven wrong. Season 2 was so much better and more fun and nail biting than before. The critics might draw similarities to other shows, but quite frankly, I don't think the fans care. The fact that it has an awesome cast, and is filmed in the Phillipines is what makes this show so much fun and reminds me of the the shows like "Rockford Files"! I refuse to give out spoilers, because each person should decide for themselves. It would be a total mistake to not film a Season 3. It's time to listen to your fans, guys! We love it!

As a fan of Christian Kane since the days of Angel, I find this show to be both funny and thrilling at the same time. The cast works extremely well together, the writing is spot on, and the scenery is beautiful.

I can see so many possibilities for a new season, and I think it would be great if his "daughter" is included in new episodes.

I don't want to give anything away so if for some reason you missed it the first time, give it a try, watch reruns, if you can get them where you are, or find someone who recorded them. I really think you will enjoy it. And with the networks pulling shows without letting them get up some steam, I would hate to see this one get cancelled. I myself had seen no commercials for this show and caught it by chance. I'm glad I did!

I never understand people who rate movies based on reality versus expected. No, this show isn't realistic (the American airbase closed 10 years ago and guns aren't played with in PI like they are in the USA)

But it's fun and the lead character Christian Kane is extraordinary. And the detective chick is hot (mama the bikini scene!), the sidekick is a martial arts guru, and the scenery is beautiful. It's a silly little show but succeeds wildly as enjoyable, even if completely unbelievable.

I'm a fan of many Dean Devlin shows and Almost Paradise is no exception. Are there plot holes? Yes. Is it predictable? Often. Do I still deeply enjoy this show? Absolutely!! The cast is fantastic; the setting beautiful; the story is the perfect blend of action, comedy and heart. This is a great show and I REALLY REALLY hope Almost Paradise gets many more seasons!

I've been a fan of Christian Kane since Leverage and Second Hand Lions. This series is very refreshing. I wish I could see in person those scenery. The action is not bad. Recommended.

This show is great! Christian Kane lays down his acting chops easily switching between comedy drama and action. It's easy to get lost in the scenery beautiful location. Dean Devlin is a master at bringing shows that just suck you in from the start. The commraderie between the characters just shows through in everything they do. Definitely give this show a chance. Forget the world around you and get lost in Paradise.

Almost Paradise sneaked in with Christian Kane as strangely over heated ex DEA agent trying to retire and relax in Philippines, but called back to action by local law enforcement. Nothing new, the formula works. It's fun, no brainer, which is what a TV action series supposed to be.

For action fans, good series to recommend. For those searching for serious storylines and deep thoughts, don't watch this. It's a Dean Devlin produced series, it's fun, period.

1st episode was 40 minutes long and sure introduces all main persons. I must say I am quite impressed as its better than I hoped for. The plot is simple but to my surprise it's way better and not as shallow as most telenovelas we usually know from the philippines.

It was fun watching and its also fun to point out places I recognized in Cebu. Easy to explain who the bad guys and good guys were, and having the female lead in a bikini the first episode didn't hurt either.

Some actors act a bit stiff but hey it is not a Netflix or Hollywood production. Much better it has a good story that doesnt get boring and not too much of this Ninja style I fight them all bad guys action szenes. Action when needed is short and to the poin so no waste of other time.

Looking forward for the rest of this series and I hope it will be shown in the Philippines one day too.

This is a FUN SHOW!! It's a cop show, but with a fun twist - the location. There is quite a bit of humor thrown in-much of it cultural, which is quite hilarious. It's refreshing to see a show that is NOT based in New York or LA. Give this title a chance, you'll enjoy it! It's really too bad it didn't get renewed. I would have like to have seen where they would take it.

It seems to me that there is an increasing tendency to dilute procedurals with heavy doses of slapstick comedy played out by the protagonists. The reboot of Hawaii Five-0 would be a prime example of this. Can you possibly imagine wise cracking Detective Lennie Briscoe and any of his various partners on Law and Order engaging in any of the silly banter and stunts that we see in some modern day procedurals?

Attempting to balance comedic and dramatic elements is a difficult tightrope to walk. Few are successful. Alfred Hitchcock was one of the masters at achieving that balance. Amidst the most horrible of events Hitchcock could drop in a nugget of comedy tastefully and without distracting from the dramatic tension. If you don't believe me watch Frenzy.

Unfortunately, Almost Paradise doesn't achieve that kind of balance. While I thoroughly enjoyed Leverage and have enjoyed the acting work of Christian Kane, I can't give Almost Paradise a ringing endorsement.

The first episode was a little too dramatic but by episode 3 it settles in and has some really good episodes.

Dean Devlin and Christian Kane do it again. Amazing show and can't wait for the next episode. Hoping it is around for many seasons.

Excellent show Christian Kane showing his talent action n comedy. Beautiful scenery well written script, another hit for Dean Devlin

Compared to much of the schlock that is often passed off for scripted shows like Tommy or FBI Most Wanted. Almost Paradise was breath of fresh air as there was no hidden message trying to be force fed on the viewer. It was just a crime, drama, comedy show. While there is nothing new in this show, all the characters are fun to watch and have good interactions with each other. No it is not Law and Order, or the original Hawaii Five O but the good guys win in the end and it is pleasant way to spend an hour with some good action and some comedy mixed together.

I was a big fan of Leverage, Spencer was one of my fav characters. In Almost Paradise, the writing is about a 4 by comparison, the actors are also around that same number with an occasional 5 or 6 brought in. Kane really carries this show against all odds, to be honest. But on an apparently tiny budget the producer managed to put a decent frame around Christian, who probably picked up a whole new set of fans -- PI women are suckers for good looking American's, according to my aunt from Manilla, and watch pretty much any show or movie with a Filipino actor. If you can get past the inexperience of Samantha Richelle as a lead and the out-in-left-field aggression she mysteriously has for Alex -- who has saved her butt and the day numerous times and yet still doesn't have her respect-- you can enjoy the show for what it is: An action comedy that brings back fond memories of shows like Magnum PI and A Team, who also had mostly unknowns in lead roles. The show doesn't try to insert personal drama and milk it for an entire episode the way some modern shows do; there is point A, point B, and then the wrap up -- perfect timing. I think this show should have opted for at least one other American lead. If Filipinos had a foot in the door on TV and film, we would know about it. They don't. So although it's a beautiful setting and our cute DEA trying to relax is a good story line, I feel the whole cast being Filipino is just unbelievable and makes it a show that only the PI and Kane fans can appreciate. I also feel they should add more kick butting and let Acuna dazzle us more with his martial arts (maybe that's later in the series). I'm still giving it 8 stars but more realistically it's probably a solid 6.

After watching part of S2, I'm taking my 8* down to 5*. I can see why the series was dropped. The lightheartedness is completely gone, the focus on Kane is gone. Suddenly it's a hodgepodge of Filipinos attempting to act and too heavy issues. Really disappointing. Cutting my loses on E4.

Actor/singer Christian Kane, a 20+ year veteran of TV and movies, finally hits his stride in this well-scripted and retro-feel crime drama which is set and filmed in the Philippines. Known more often for roles in which his emotions were kept in check, Kane displays a surprisingly raw vulnerability while delivering gut-wrenching lines that will tug at viewer heartstrings and make them reach for tissues. However, his wry humor and plenty of action/fight scenes will satisfy fans of his former works. Kane and talented co-stars Samantha Richelle and Art Acuna make Almost Paradise a destination that viewers will want to revisit again and again. I know I will.

Citizen Kane it isn't, but fun it is!

Watch it for what it is, excellent entertainment.

I should add, whilst there is a lot of fun and comedy in this series, they are also making some good points about the exploitation of these small islands, by outsiders.

This is an awesome new show that's definitely worth watching! I was definitely unprepared for the ice scene. The look and feel of the show is quite similar to Dean Devlin's other shows; however, this one has more of a suspense vibe. I can't wait to see how this season goes! I'm really excited about the setting too! I visited the area when I was in the Navy and it is even more beautiful than I remember.

Hypertension may be normal for ex-DEA agents with ice in their veins, and this series doesn't take itself too seriously either. Other reviewers have already used the most appropriate phrases, including "a fun romp" and "burn notice in the Philippines". Buddy cop comradery combined with eye-candy courtesy of the J-Lo look-a-like combine to work well for light-weight tv entertainment. Only watched the first few episodes so far but have seen enough to be able to recommend this as a Hawaii Five-O type of show which can be enjoyed stress free if not viewed with too critical of an eye or expectation of realistically challenging premises.

These 10/10 reviews gotta be fake. I admit I fell for them as I figured I'd give it a shot based on some good comments despite the lowish rating, and was quite mistaken. Immediately pretty lame with cheesy Americanized bad guys and over-eager DEA can't-help-but-be-the-hero cliche. Blah.

Finally a new show that doesn't inundate you with all the politically correct social justice nonsense that the vast majority of recent new programs throw at you. Good old bad guys vs good guys with just the right amount of action. And just enough humor injected in it to make enjoyable without crossing the border line into being silly. The most refreshing and enjoyable program I've seen come along in a good while. We need many more like it. Thumbs up to the producers on this one.

Can I give it 100 stars? Because I totally would!! I started out being a fan of Christian Kane over 10 years ago when he started in Leverage (and if you haven't seen that show yet, do yourself a favor and go binge it!) for five seasons, and then five more years in The Librarians. This show looks like it's got enough BAM! in it for another five or more years.

It's a wonderful mix of action and drama, set in the BEAUTIFUL Cebu in the Philippines (whoa, the COLOR!) and it has a touch of humor, exactly thr kind of show I love to watch. Christian Kane brings his immense talent in acting, stunts, action, humor and deep emotion. I don't know how he manages such extremes, but he had me on the edge of my seat in the action scenes, giggling at his humorous faces and one liners, and tearing up as I listened to him talking about his partner's betrayal..... and this was just in the first episode!

Also introduced is the wonderful Sam Richelle who plays Kai Mendoza in her FIRST acting role here, and you wouldn't be able to tell that. She seems comfortable in front of the camera and does well as the foil against Alex Walker, the main character.

Another great actor introduced is Arthur Acuna, a quiet, steady man who plays Kai's partner. He is supposed to stay in the background, I think, but I have a feeling he's going to be one of my favorite characters.

The third actor in this show is simply Cebu. This was filmed entirely in the Philippines (and lead actor Christian Kane started that he was the only American there during the majority of filming) and it showcases the beauty, color and culture of the country, with even more promised in the future, which I am looking forward to.

This was a blockbuster of a first episode with a second season already announced, so you can be sure that it will be a great show to watch over and over!

Loved the action, humor, drama - everything about this show from the beginning!

So excited about the new season dropping in July 2023!

10 episodes!

Soon after Almost Paradise first aired, I also became a fan of Leverage, Leverage Redemption & The Librarians.

Almost Paradise is totally different from those great shows. It's fresh and set in an amazing beautiful location.

I read that many of the actors in this show are Phillipinos. How cool is that!!

So put July 21 on your calendar. Go to IMBD and add it to your watchlist. Tell your friends to do the same.

Woo hoo!

Thanks Dean Devlin & your crew!