'Beyond' Recap: 'Pilot'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

It's no secret that Freeform's new show Beyond is one that's been on my radar for a little while now and with good reason. It's promised us an intriguing and original storyline revolving around a character named Holden Matthews who slips into a coma and awakens 12 years later with special abilities that quickly draw him into quite the mysterious conspiracy and my curiosity only grew further after speaking with the show's star; Burkely Duffield.

Thankfully though the veil surrounding this show was lifted at last since Beyond premiered its first two episodes on Freeform last night and well...let's be honest, the one question burning on all of our minds is whether or not this show is worth watching and I'm happy to say that the answer to that question is a resounding yes, but for reasons I never quite expected. My personal expectation going into this series was that the conspiracy was going to be the focal point here, and as it turns out, said conspiracy took a backseat to a story that allowed for us to get to know Holden up close and personal since the pilot episode set the tone for a powerful character drama. 

Because Holden's plight is downright fascinating and credit is due to Burkely Duffield for turning in one incredible performance because the pilot episode is heartbreaking on so many levels. I say that simply because of the fact that Holden is more or less robbed of a normal life thanks to his mysterious coma. Sure he's a medical miracle and gets to return home without any lingering issues from said coma, but it's up to him to pick up the pieces now and put together a new life after all this time and it's simply incredible to watch Holden try and hold everything together internally as he tries to fit into a new world he doesn't understand and process the natural progression of time and all the changes that come with it.  

But while Holden's struggle alone will draw you in, there is that conspiracy I made mention of and the show handles that in epic fashion as well, because by the end of this episode, you're dying to know more about why Holden is on someone's radar and what exactly this person and their lackeys want with him and well...if it wasn't for the mysterious man in the Yellow Jacket, our intrepid hero would never know what kinds of incredible powers he happens to harbor. But it's not all gloom and doom for Holden, he appears to have an ally in Willa since she was there to save the day, but she also adds another wrinkle of mystery to the story since she appears to be the key to answering another big question...what happened to Holden during his twelve year slumber. 

All of this sets the stage for what should be an incredible first season of Beyond and well, thanks to the top notch writing, outstanding performances and overall world building from this pilot episode, I'm hooked. I have to know more about these characters and this world and all the mysteries that inhabit this story and my thanks go out to Freeform for bringing to life a show this fascinating and this original and for allowing all of us to binge it so there's no waiting in unraveling the mystery surrounding Holden Matthews and the incredible powers now in his possession, and on that note...it's time to start the next episode and see where the story takes us next. Until next time.

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