Before Review: So Very Odd

In this Apple TV+ atmospheric psychological thriller series, child psychiatrist Eli is stunned when he comes across a young troubled boy who has an eerie connection to his past. Still grappling with the loss of his wife, Eli tries to help Noah which has surprising consequences that he couldn’t have foreseen.

The series has 10 episodes, each with a runtime of around 35 minutes.

Before Review

In Apple TV+’s newest psychological thriller series, Eli and Noah’s odd and mysterious bond keeps viewers invested for most of the runtime. The storyline is grim and confusing and Noah’s sudden presence in Eli’s life not only catapults his life into chaos but brings forth a chaotic mystery for viewers which gives promise. The complicated relationship between Eli and Noah forms the crux of the story and understanding how they are connected turns out to be a big chase.

The series is an odd cookie, one that feels fantastical and a distant concept once you reach the mid-point of the runtime. Sure, one can say that fiction can get a little weird, but considering we are watching a series that seemingly follows science and everyone involved is apparently a big believer in it, you kind of lose your sanity after a while as you wonder when these things would ever happen. Before is odd and confusing, with the series jumping from one reincarnation story to another and, for some reason, taking us to a “before” where a child’s accidental action ends up taking some very unnecessary routes.

The problem isn’t that the story is fantastical, that’s totally fine. The problem is that the fantasy is unbelievable, to the point that you can’t help but ask yourself what is going on in the show. Eli and Noah apparently share a profound connection from a past life whose trauma has carried through their lives over several lifetimes. However, the payoff of trying to understand what has happened to them and how they are connected is far-fetched and underwhelming, completely opposite to what the series will have to believe at first.

I also found the characters’ decisions to be absolutely unbelievable and frustrating sometimes and the series also drops the ball on breaking some decisions and situations down, so much so that they feel like they come out of nowhere and create a big stink over nothing. The characters themselves are otherwise fine and this is a character-driven show, so audiences might find themselves interested in the intricacies of their minds and motivations but there always seems to be something missing, and coupled with the rather odd story, it feels weird.

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One might, however, be left with the question in the end as to whether or not it was just a trick of the mind or whether it truly happened. The implications are delicious and the possibilities endless and I felt that a different avenue probably would’ve made a better impact than whatever childhood friendship trauma this was. I must mention that I didn’t hate the show and found myself interested during several moments, but overall, once the series comes to an end, it feels half-baked and over-the-top but the series doesn’t seem to lean into it more.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Before leaves you thinking about what the mind can conquer but sometimes seems like it’s introducing anything and everything that it can to leave us shocked. There are moments where the series will grip you and move you all at once but overall, this one was a miss for me, although the performances do steal the show in every frame.

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