📺 Billy Crystal steps into the shadows in Before. Apple TV+’s new psychological thriller is a fascinating shift for the iconic comedian, with Crystal embracing a much darker role that brings together psychology and the supernatural.

Eli (Billy Crystal), a child psychiatrist, is haunted by visions of his late wife, Lynn (Judith Light), after her tragic death. Just when he’s barely coping, a young boy named Noah (Jacobi Jupe) begins appearing at his home, scratching at the door in the dead of night, silent and strange. Eli is drawn to the boy, only to learn that Noah is deeply troubled and has a history of behavioral problems that have left him nearly unadoptable.

As Eli begins working with Noah, an eerie connection between the two is revealed; Noah knows things about Eli’s past that he couldn’t possibly have learned on his own. The visions intensify, and the line between Eli’s grief and the supernatural blur as secrets about his wife’s death and the boy’s traumatic past come to light.

In terms of pacing, the show is a slow burn that offers atmosphere and emotional depth but doesn’t rely on traditional horror scares. Though the series leans into horror tropes, it focuses more on grief and unresolved trauma, making it feel as much like a psychological drama as it does a thriller.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch the series on Apple TV+ or catch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:19)

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