Beyond - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Discuss Here!

[wayne67]

With great power comes great stupidity... and frustration for the audience. 

[blugirlami21]

Agreed.  Older Holden was so disappointing to me as a viewer.  He never thought for himself or ever really got a handle on what he wanted to do or was supposed to do.  Way too much time spent reacting to things rather than doing things.  Way too much time spent on romances with Willa, Charlie and the other child whose name I can't remember.  The younger Holden seemed like a far better actor than the older one and I wish that they had done the show chronologically by having us be in the realm with the younger Holden.  

[CooperTV]

Dylan Schmid was so much better in the role of Holden than Burkely Duffield. I couldn't get into this show at all after they changed the main character. Burkely Duffield is dull and can't rise above very mediocre material at all.

[wayne67]

4 hours ago, blugirlami21 said:

Agreed.  Older Holden was so disappointing to me as a viewer.  He never thought for himself or ever really got a handle on what he wanted to do or was supposed to do.  Way too much time spent reacting to things rather than doing things.  Way too much time spent on romances with Willa, Charlie and the other child whose name I can't remember.  The younger Holden seemed like a far better actor than the older one and I wish that they had done the show chronologically by having us be in the realm with the younger Holden.  

I think you're thinking of Jamie. I guess it's better than the main character pining over one girl, possibly, but bouncing between 3 women in a 10 episode season seems to come across as emotionally shallow. Charlie was a disappointment, she helped a little with a bit of training and exposition then just kind of faded back into the background. I kept waiting for Holden to display some of the intelligence in day to day activities that he displayed when talking about space/scientists and yet all he did was follow meekly with everyone else's plans and whine A LOT. 

[Bishop]

I actually think Holden was played well.  I agree that when we first meet him, he's technically still 14 years old emotionally.  I mean think about it.  The last thing he remembers was riding his motorbike.  He has never dated, never been with a girl, never held a job, never driven a car.  He wakes up in an adult body but with the emotions of a 14 year old.  Watching him with his younger brother, Luke, you instantly see that young Luke is "older" than Holden, emotionally.  He's confident, worldly, etc.  Holden is struggling.  He has no idea how to approach a girl, how to drive, and then when you throw in his nightmares, he has no way to process what is happening.  Then when he goes to see his friend Kevin, the guy is married with a baby on the way!  The last time Holden and Kevin saw each other, they were in the 7th grade sneaking beers talking about how they were even going to just approach a girl.  Yet in the later episodes, you can clearly see Holden asserting himself and taking charge, and by the end, Holden is clearly the older brother with Luke the younger.  So I think it was all done pretty well.

If anyone remembers the tv show Roswell, I swear the actor playing Holden could be a double for the actor who played Max.  Correct me if I'm wrong for those who watched it, but wasn't his name on that show Max Holden?  

So far, I'm really enjoying Beyond, and I like all the characters, which is not always the case with shows.  There should be a thread for those of us who binge-watched this show.  So we can discuss all the episodes.

Edited January 8, 2017 by Bishop

[formerlyfreedom]

1 hour ago, Bishop said:

So far, I'm really enjoying Beyond, and I like all the characters, which is not always the case with shows.  There should be a thread for those of us who binge-watched this show.  So we can discuss all the episodes.

You can actually use the episode 10 topic as a spot to discuss the season as a whole. This will help keep those watching the broadcasts over traditional means unspoiled in the individual episodes, and folks who have seen the entire season can talk about it all there.

[Writing Wrongs]

6 hours ago, Bishop said:

If anyone remembers the tv show Roswell, I swear the actor playing Holden could be a double for the actor who played Max.  Correct me if I'm wrong for those who watched it, but wasn't his name on that show Max Holden?  

Max Evans and Jason Behr was so much better than this guy.

[LocimusPrime]

Can't wait for season two.....I wonder if the bridge really leads to the afterlife 

[paulvdb]

‘Beyond’ gets a quick Season 2 pickup from Freeform

Quote

The cable channel announced the show’s renewal for a second season Tuesday during its time at the winter TV press tour. The pickup for “Beyond” comes on the heels of decent ratings for its premiere last week and what Freeform says was a successful digital strategy.

[zxy556575]

Thanks, @paulvdb.

I guess "successful digital strategy" means I was interested enough to idly binge online although I probably would not have bothered to watch week to week.

I hope the season 2 premiere includes a generous helping of "previously on" because I guarantee I will have forgotten most of the plot.

[Jenniferbug]

Lordonia, I was the same way! I enjoyed binging it as background noise while I worked and will probably tune in for a second season binge watch, but wouldn't have remembered to watch week to week. 

[Jenniferbug]

The actor who plays Holden reminds me of a young Wil Wheaton. I didn't think he was too bad, especially once he started regaining his memories of his time during the coma and matured a bit. 

[Bishop]

On 1/8/2017 at 0:49 PM, saoirse said:

You can actually use the episode 10 topic as a spot to discuss the season as a whole. This will help keep those watching the broadcasts over traditional means unspoiled in the individual episodes, and folks who have seen the entire season can talk about it all there.

Thanks

On 1/8/2017 at 5:59 PM, Writing Wrongs said:

Max Evans and Jason Behr was so much better than this guy.

That's it!  Max Evans.  I couldn't remember.  I think they are actually very similar, and I think Holden matured alot towards the end of the season as would be expected.

[Writing Wrongs]

It was a pretty good show. Will there be a Season 2?

[Bishop]

I thought the first season was very good.  The first two episodes or so were a bit slow, but once Kevin was killed and Holden met up with Charlie, events really took off.  I think the character of Holden was well done.  I agree with those that said his character was a bit immature in the first few episodes, and I was wondering if he was going to remain that way throughout the season, but he didn't.  It makes sense to me that he would be immature and confused and even a bit awed at how much had changed since he was in his coma, but the minute Kevin died, and he started to hook up with Jeff and Charlie, his demeanor changed.  He was being forced to grow up quickly, being pursued by killers and crazy people.  By the end of the season, in the last few episodes, Holden was clearly taking charge and protecting his younger brother, Luke.  The roles had completely reversed by the end  - which is what I wanted to see.

I thought his scenes with Frost in the last two episode was good, and I liked that he wasn't manipulated into helping Frost who tried to use "What about all the people I promised could see their loved ones?" argument.  "That's your problem" was a great response.  Essentially, Frost became obsessed with his dead wife, completely renouncing his own daughter in the process and wanting to use Holden as a means of transporting to the Realm to see those that have departed.  The black woman (sorry, can't remember her name) is solely in it for the profits.  I'm not sure she even believes Holden's abilities, but she sees the money they can make by getting others to believe it.   I thought that final scene with Holden, Jeff, Willa, and Luke escaping the compound and with Frost's men chasing them in SUVs was great.  Holden's confidence in his abilities had really grown by that point, and he told Jeff to just keep speeding towards the oncoming SUV, and Jeff put his faith in Holden's abilities as well.  The stunt work for that car just flipping over their pickup truck was great.  Holden didn't even break a sweat.

I like Beyond because I have to say that I like every character.  That's highly unusual.  I really don't have a dislike for any character.  Even the two women vying for Holden - Willa and Charlie - are equally likable.  Writers tend to like to write catty fights between women.  I love the addition of Jeff, and I like that Luke isn't written as a jealous, whiny little brother.  Yellow Jacket is creepy enough to be the villain, and even Holden's parents work for me.  So kudos all the way around.

I just heard Beyond got picked up for a Season Two.  So that's great news because I have a bunch of questions:

• Is the threat against Holden gone now that Frost is in a coma?
• What were those Beings in the Realm that was crossing over the bridge and did any of them cross over into our world?
• Is Frost stuck in the Realm?
• What was the younger Holden talking about regarding the destruction of "this world?" when older Holden was in the Realm?  Does Holden have to change the future in the Realm or protect his own world from a similar destruction?  
• Are we going to see how Holden survived 12 years in the Realm?  (I may want to see more of that)
• What does Yellow Jacket have on Charlie?  Is he still a threat to Holden?
• Will that woman in cahoots with Frost be the new big bad in town?
• The Department of Justice was getting involved in the death of Kevin following a visit from Holden's parents.  So will government agents become part of the story too?
• Will the parents ever find out about Holden?

[Bishop]

I was hoping Kevin wasn't going to die.  Now I hope Yellow Jacket gets his at some point.  I enjoyed how Willa was trying to get Holden to remember, and I found it interesting that Holden's body temperature drops drastically when she drugged him to get him to remember.  When I first watched, I thought she was trying to cool him down by putting him in the tub, but it was the opposite.  She was trying to warm him up.  I am intrigued by the Realm and what happened to Holden there during his 12 years.  Who was hunting him?  I get they were hunting him because he didn't belong, but to have to go through that for 12 years would make anyone afraid to go back.  So his "I never want to go through that again" response was realistic and understandable.  I like Willa, and I like her with Holden.  I liked Holden's snark when she mentioned that she could inject him with a combination of drugs to get him to go into a deep sleep and remember his time in the Realm, and Holden's response was "Funny, I thought I heard you say "inject me" . . . "  Just the way he said it made me laugh.  

Edited January 11, 2017 by Bishop

[paulvdb]

Yes, it was announced earlier this week that there will be a season 2.

[zxy556575]

I thought the actor playing Holden did fine, but his face is so bland and lacking in character. He can't help his face, but he's just not someone who was interesting for me to watch.

[wayne67]

30 minutes ago, lordonia said:

I thought the actor playing Holden did fine, but his face is so bland and lacking in character. He can't help his face, but he's just not someone who was interesting for me to watch.

Personally I thought he looked much better with coma stubble then he did bare faced. 

[juno]

My favorite episode was this one. Holden getting control of his powers and his relationship with Charlie.

The moment when Holden uses his full powers is one of the most amazing I have seen on TV. With the addition of the song "Where is my mind" (performed by Nada Surf; original by the Pixies), the slow motion and the awesome powers it has become a must watch moment of the series.

[zxy556575]

8 hours ago, Bishop said:

The first two episodes or so were a bit slow, but once Kevin was killed and Holden met up with Charlie, events really took off.

I liked Charlie a lot. What happened to her, again? I may have missed an episode.

[LocimusPrime]

Charlie was very likeable. 

[Bishop]

On 1/11/2017 at 9:23 PM, lordonia said:

I liked Charlie a lot. What happened to her, again? I may have missed an episode.

When Yellow Jacket came to get Holden, and during the attempt, Holden got shot.  Charlie scrambled out the back of the cabin during the shooting and went on the run while Jeff got Holden into his car to get medical help for his gunshot wound.

[paulvdb]

At the end of the finale Charlie gets together with Yellow Jacket. He says that he'll give her Arthur's location but he needs something from her first. We don't find out what it is that Yellow Jacket wants. We'll probably hear more about that in season 2.

[Bishop]

On 1/11/2017 at 6:43 PM, juno said:

My favorite episode was this one. Holden getting control of his powers and his relationship with Charlie.

The moment when Holden uses his full powers is one of the most amazing I have seen on TV. With the addition of the song "Where is my mind" (performed by Nada Surf; original by the Pixies), the slow motion and the awesome powers it has become a must watch moment of the series.

This was definitely one of my favorites as well, and it was a turning point for Holden.  This is when he really started to mature and feel more comfortable in his skin as a 25 year old.  Getting off on his own, being independent, exploring a relationship, etc., was a growth arc for him.  He was a different character, emotionally, after this episode.

[Adira]

I liked this episode.  Kind of shocked that the Man in the Yellow Jacket survived the beating by Holden though, given that dent in the pavement under his head!  I was also sad that Kevin really was dead.  And what did Willa do to help her grandfather???

[Cigale]

On 2017-01-05 at 1:11 PM, CooperTV said:

Dylan Schmid was so much better in the role of Holden than Burkely Duffield. I couldn't get into this show at all after they changed the main character. Burkely Duffield is dull and can't rise above very mediocre material at all.

I don't know Dylan Schmid but I am sure you are right.  Duffield is bland and soporific.  Terrible...

[Cigale]

On 2017-01-11 at 1:07 PM, Bishop said:

She was trying to warm him up.  

Oh yes she was...  she even poured boiling water on him with only a couple of bath towels to protect him.  I was like WTF???

[Texasmom1970]

I too enjoyed this one, I am watching them one at a time not on Demand so I am not spoiled. I realized the problem I have is Willa. I realized it in this episode she is so monotone, dull and bores me when she is onscreen. Charlie might be hot-headed but I think her and Holden work well together on screen.

[paulvdb]

BREAKING NEWS FROM FREEFORM'S NEW YORK COMIC CON PANELS

Quote

"Beyond" kicked off the Freeform Super Sci-Fi panel by announcing that season 2 of the series will premiere on THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2018, at 8 p.m. EST, with a two-hour premiere. Additionally, in anticipation of the season premiere, the network will air a 30-minute extended sneak peek of the upcoming season on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, at 10:30 p.m. EST, presenting viewers with behind-the-scenes secrets and a special look at what's to come.

The linked article also has clips with the opening scene of season 2 and a trailer for season 2.

Edited October 8, 2017 by paulvdb

[HunterHunted]

Office bully, Steve, is a completely ridiculous character. He's complaining that Holden is unfairly getting ahead in the company because he's the boss' son. Welcome to the way of the world. In the normal world, his comments and actions to Holden would only make Steve's position at the company worse. He's lucky Holden is a dummy. Seriously, who tries to assault the boss' kid? Secondly, what's with all of the cracks about Holden being in a coma? I can tell what they're trying to do, which is replicating the type of high school bullying that Holden missed out on while in the coma, but it doesn't work. That's typically not how office harassment works. Furthermore, a much more subtle way to humiliate Holden is to reference common cultural milestones that don't mean anything to him.

I don't know why his relationship with Willa is suddenly weird. He's known that Arthur had her stalk Holden. He's knows that she has to lie about what she does. Yeah, Willa is overeager to impress his family, but he's being a weirdo by not addressing what they would tell his parents about their relationship

I don't know why I assumed that they would tell Arthur about the monsters in the other place.

[Free]

3 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

Office bully, Steve, is a completely ridiculous character. He's complaining that Holden is unfairly getting ahead in the company because he's the boss' son. Welcome to the way of the world. In the normal world, his comments and actions to Holden would only make Steve's position at the company worse. He's lucky Holden is a dummy. Seriously, who tries to assault the boss' kid? Secondly, what's with all of the cracks about Holden being in a coma? I can tell what they're trying to do, which is replicating the type of high school bullying that Holden missed out on while in the coma, but it doesn't work. That's typically not how office harassment works. Furthermore, a much more subtle way to humiliate Holden is to reference common cultural milestones that don't mean anything to him.

I don't know why his relationship with Willa is suddenly weird. He's known that Arthur had her stalk Holden. He's knows that she has to lie about what she does. Yeah, Willa is overeager to impress his family, but he's being a weirdo by not addressing what they would tell his parents about their relationship

I don't know why I assumed that they would tell Arthur about the monsters in the other place.

He's a 1 dimensional bully character and this show definitely did not need that with all that Holden is already going though and it didn't help that it's been nothing but boring, slow set up episodes so far.

[paulvdb]

Holden at work is in my opinion the most boring part of the season so far, and that's saying something because very little in the three episodes so far has been interesting.

[Free]

1 minute ago, paulvdb said:

Holden at work is in my opinion the most boring part of the season so far, and that's saying something because very little in the three episodes so far has been interesting.

Agreed, probably because it adds nothing to his character or the plot, it's just a drag until the plot finally kicks in.

[Terrafamilia]

I missed most of last season so I have to ask, did Holden ever even get his GED?

[paulvdb]

Good question. It's been so long that I don't remember.

[HunterHunted]

Guess what show, I'm cool with Holden quitting his job at his dad's small plane factory. I don't give a shit about Luke and his sketchy on again off again. I have NEVER cared about the man in the yellow jacket. I'd be happy if he never showed up again. And Charlie is a big old who gives a crap. In hindsight, this really calls into question why I'm watching this mess.

[Free]

28 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

Guess what show, I'm cool with Holden quitting his job at his dad's small plane factory. I don't give a shit about Luke and his sketchy on again off again. I have NEVER cared about the man in the yellow jacket. I'd be happy if he never showed up again. And Charlie is a big old who gives a crap. In hindsight, this really calls into question why I'm watching this mess.

Yeah and it certainly doesn't help that it's been very slow and boring thus far, not much else to talk about given the lack of buzz.

[HunterHunted]

To recap, Blah (Holden) is sleepwalking. Luke decides to follow him. They find a rope in the woods!!!! They decide to dig it up. Blah is a boring jerk. Luke leaves. The rope leads to a refrigerator buried in the woods, which gives Blah visions of the other realm.

Charlie decides to kill Arthur, but gives up and climbs into bed with Blah.

Willa beats up the drug dealer who is threatening Luke. Willa and Luke are now friends. This is the most interesting part of the episode.

The Man in the Yellow Jacket discovers the dangers/boringness of management, which calls to mind a much better depiction of this on season 2 of Fargo with Bokeem Woodbine as Mike Milligan. Seriously, go watch it. It's much better than this dreck. Also Hal Cooper from Riverdale is so over Alice and Chick that he checks into Hollow Sky to become a Hal-cicle. The Man in the Yellow Jacket suddenly becomes a consumer rights advocate and thinks it's terrible that people are being duped by Hollow Sky and wants them to fix the machine. Whut?!?! Where did this sense of justice come from a character who has basically been antisocial and amoral for a season and a half?

The guy hijacked by a monster from the other realm meets a nice old lady, kills her, steals her car, and is coming for Blah.

This show is really doing so much wrong when you have a kid with supernatural powers, another dimension with strange monsters where fantastical things happen, a large organization intent on controlling the kid with powers and what happens in the other dimension, clueless parents, clued in kids, conspiracies, and a monster that has crossed over from the other dimension and it all ends up boring. Even if you don't like Stranger Things, Beyond is like Stranger Things if Stranger Things was terrible, boring, and glacial.

[Terrafamilia]

Plus a developing love trapezoid that I have negative interest in. And I have to ask, did Diego drive all the way from Argentina? At least the vision thing was cool.

[Free]

2 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

To recap, Blah (Holden) is sleepwalking. Luke decides to follow him. They find a rope in the woods!!!! They decide to dig it up. Blah is a boring jerk. Luke leaves. The rope leads to a refrigerator buried in the woods, which gives Blah visions of the other realm.

Charlie decides to kill Arthur, but gives up and climbs into bed with Blah.

Willa beats up the drug dealer who is threatening Luke. Willa and Luke are now friends. This is the most interesting part of the episode.

The Man in the Yellow Jacket discovers the dangers/boringness of management, which calls to mind a much better depiction of this on season 2 of Fargo with Bokeem Woodbine as Mike Milligan. Seriously, go watch it. It's much better than this dreck. Also Hal Cooper from Riverdale is so over Alice and Chick that he checks into Hollow Sky to become a Hal-cicle. The Man in the Yellow Jacket suddenly becomes a consumer rights advocate and thinks it's terrible that people are being duped by Hollow Sky and wants them to fix the machine. Whut?!?! Where did this sense of justice come from a character who has basically been antisocial and amoral for a season and a half?

The guy hijacked by a monster from the other realm meets a nice old lady, kills her, steals her car, and is coming for Blah.

This show is really doing so much wrong when you have a kid with supernatural powers, another dimension with strange monsters where fantastical things happen, a large organization intent on controlling the kid with powers and what happens in the other dimension, clueless parents, clued in kids, conspiracies, and a monster that has crossed over from the other dimension and it all ends up boring. Even if you don't like Stranger Things, Beyond is like Stranger Things if Stranger Things was terrible, boring, and glacial.

It's focusing on all the wrong things and your show should definitely not be this slow and boring and we're halfway into the season.

It took 4 freaking episodes just for Holden to meet Charlie.

Edited February 10, 2018 by Free

[HunterHunted]

This week on Holden is an asshole, Holden is an asshole. I had forgotten how much shit he was withholding from Willa for...umm...reasons. However, you've got to give up to sketchy shady Charlie for getting huffy with Holden and Willa considering how questionable her own actions have been. She and Holden are feeling like a match made in the other realm--perfect for each other and horrible. I'm here for Willa and Luke. They have an easy chemistry.

I'm surprised that Holden's parents are surprised that Hollow Sky had bugged their home. Now if only the kids and parents would talk to each other so that each group would stop being 2 steps behind the bad guys. Jeff is the only person that the two groups have in common. Spill the beans!!!

In bad guy news, Diego is here to murder people and hopefully force the plot to move forward.

[Free]

4 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

This week on Holden is an asshole, Holden is an asshole. I had forgotten how much shit he was withholding from Willa for...umm...reasons. However, you've got to give up to sketchy shady Charlie for getting huffy with Holden and Willa considering how questionable her own actions have been. She and Holden are feeling like a match made in the other realm--perfect for each other and horrible. I'm here for Willa and Luke. They have an easy chemistry.

I'm surprised that Holden's parents are surprised that Hollow Sky had bugged their home. Now if only the kids and parents would talk to each other so that each group would stop being 2 steps behind the bad guys. Jeff is the only person that the two groups have in common. Spill the beans!!!

In bad guy news, Diego is here to murder people and hopefully force the plot to move forward.

Considering the writers dragged it out this long, probably not, but it's finally moving forward (like half the season).  It's really something to make a show with super powers, an alternate world, etc. boring and dull, that's quite a feat.

[HunterHunted]

Freeform has made a colossal mistake with this show. Last season was only tolerable because they dumped the whole season online so it was easy to miss how ponderous it was. Doling this out week after week really highlights how slow and boring this story is.

[Free]

1 hour ago, HunterHunted said:

Freeform has made a colossal mistake with this show. Last season was only tolerable because they dumped the whole season online so it was easy to miss how ponderous it was. Doling this out week after week really highlights how slow and boring this story is.

Oh definitely, but this season's pacing has definitely been a lot slower than S1 even on a weekly basis.

[HunterHunted]

This week on Be-yawned, Diego and Holden get into a death match until the police break it up.  Diego mwahahahas about his evil other realm plan. Luke and Willa become a thing. Jeff and Holden go undercover. The man in the yellow jacket learns more about the awful organization he works for. Charlie whinges about things. Luke learns about the FBI's half-assed investigation of Hollow Sky. 

In other news, Holden is just there.

This is episode 7. There are only 3 more episodes and what we've seen is almost too boring for words.

[Free]

10 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

This week on Be-yawned, Diego and Holden get into a death match until the police break it up.  Diego mwahahahas about his evil other realm plan. Luke and Willa become a thing. Jeff and Holden go undercover. The man in the yellow jacket learns more about the awful organization he works for. Charlie whinges about things. Luke learns about the FBI's half-assed investigation of Hollow Sky. 

In other news, Holden is just there.

This is episode 7. There are only 3 more episodes and what we've seen is almost too boring for words.

Beyond is yet another example of why the shady organization trope usually doesn't work, it's not interesting and more often than not usually becomes a convoluted mess.

Diego is just a boring, 1 dimensional evil villain with no discernable trait whatsoever.

Holden has literally been useless, all he's done is have visions and bitch everyone else out.

It's very boring, you would think having the protagonist confront the villain would bring something, but no, Diego just gets arrested and Holden just goes on like nothing ever happened.

[HunterHunted]

This is incompetent storytelling the likes of which have probably never been seen on television. This was the season finale?!?!?!? I feel for the actors and the crew, but I literally want the showrunner(s) publicly shamed--put in stocks, tomatoes thrown at them, their names uttered like curses. In 10 episodes, the only things that have really changed are that Luke and Willa are together and Holden's parents know about his powers. Hollow Sky is blown up, but not really. Diego who was a threat is safely locked away again. I don't really understand how this show spun its wheels for 10 episodes.

[Free]

13 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

This is incompetent storytelling the likes of which have probably never been seen on television. This was the season finale?!?!?!? I feel for the actors and the crew, but I literally want the showrunner(s) publicly shamed--put in stocks, tomatoes thrown at them, their names uttered like curses. In 10 episodes, the only things that have really changed are that Luke and Willa are together and Holden's parents know about his powers. Hollow Sky is blown up, but not really. Diego who was a threat is safely locked away again. I don't really understand how this show spun its wheels for 10 episodes.

Really nothing happened, most of it was Holden bitching people out and having visions that ended up being completely useless in the end and that was still 10 episodes too long including the awfully sluggish pacing.

Diego was also a bland 1 dimensional villain who lacked any real threat whatsoever and it didn't help that his character had no depth whatsoever, which has been the case with all the shady 1 dimensional villains in this series, a lot of posturing and then nothing happened in the end.

Edited March 23, 2018 by Free