Stephen King Raves About “Short and scary” New Streaming Series with Billy Crystal
If you’re devastated now that Stephen King has left Twitter—who else is going to recommend Night Swim—I have some positive news. The master of horror is now on Threads, and while his account is young, he’s already demonstrated the continuation of his horror recs. From books to television to movies, it’s the place to be if you’re curious what he’s been enjoying as of late. His most recent recommendation is something you may not have heard of. A brooding, mysterious, psychological thriller starring Billy Crystal in an unconventionally dramatic role, you say? Check out more about the Apple TV+ series Before below.
Per Apple TV+: After tragically losing his wife, child psychiatrist Dr. Eli Adler (Billy Crystal) encounters a troubled young boy who seems to have a haunting connection to Eli’s past.
What’s most fascinating about Before, beyond the merging of Crystal and horror, is the pretty huge disconnect between audiences and critics. Critically, Before isn’t just one of the worst-reviewed shows of the season—it’s one of the worst-reviewed shows of the past few years, period. The Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus reads, “Starring Billy Crystal playing against type, Before initially intrigues but doesn’t bring enough ideas or variety to sustain what comes after,” and the series is sitting at a dismal 32% overall. But not for Stephen King.
The audience reception is stronger, with the series at a pretty healthy 69%. Sure, it’s not acclaimed territory, but audiences are clearly finding more to love than critics are. Audiences online are calling the series “suspenseful,” and they’re desperate to talk about it with someone. Check out some choice reactions below:
Yall need to watch Before on Apple TV. This shit is so suspenseful.
— Eb? (@2ueenbeauty) November 9, 2024
Is anyone watching “Before” on Apple TV+ ?
— ⭕️ ishka (@ishkabubbles) November 15, 2024
I’m tired of not having anyone to talk to about it!
Still, the general impression seems to be that Before is dead on arrival. That hasn’t stopped Stephen King from singing the series’ praises, however. On Threads, King remarked how the show has “Exorcist vibes” while praising Billy Crystal’s performance in particular. Check out his post below:
View on Threads
What went wrong? It’s hard to say. Critics have pointed out repetition, lackluster scares, and a frustrating inability to answer any questions as cardinal sins, though audiences don’t seem to mind quite as much. The finale certainly sets up a second season, though given that Before premiered back in October (a crowded month for new horror), the odds don’t seem great that the show will get the coveted green light for a second go-round.
I want to hear what you think, though. Have you had a chance to check out Before? Do you agree with Stephen King? Any other shows worth checking out on Apple TV? Let me know your thoughts on Before over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
Categorized:News
