Beacon 23

As an ardent admirer of Lena Headey's work, I embarked on the journey of watching this new show with a heart full of anticipation and high expectations. Lena's previous performances had set a benchmark, and I was eager to see her magic unfold once again on the screen. However, after dedicating my time to three full episodes, I find myself in a state of confusion and disappointment.

The plot seems to be wandering aimlessly, with no clear direction or purpose. It's like being lost in a maze with no exit in sight. The storyline, which should ideally be a roadmap guiding the viewers, appears to be a tangled web with no discernible path. I am left questioning the ultimate goal of the narrative and the message it intends to convey.

The crux of the problem, I believe, lies in the emotional disconnect I am experiencing with the storyline. A truly engaging narrative has the power to draw in its audience, making them feel a part of the unfolding drama. It should be able to evoke a spectrum of emotions, from joy and excitement to suspense and intrigue. This emotional investment acts as the glue that binds the viewers to the characters and their journey.

Unfortunately, this show seems to lack that vital hook. The storyline fails to captivate, leaving me as a viewer feeling detached and uninterested. The narrative lacks the compelling factor that makes one eagerly await the next episode. It's like reading a book where the characters fail to come alive, and the plot fails to stir any emotion.

In conclusion, while I started watching the show as a fan of Lena Headey, the lack of a captivating narrative and emotional engagement has left me quite disappointed. I hope the forthcoming episodes bring about a positive change and manage to reignite the spark that seems to be missing currently.

The first season was pretty good. It followed along with the book enough that it held my attention. Just tried watching the second episode of the second season and I gave up about three quarters of the way through. I have no clue what is going on anymore. It is as if the writers are on drugs. The long plot is gone. There may be a secondary plot going on but it is not realistic and little to do with the long term plot.

The acting is ok. I could not see any problems with the CGI. Sound and background music is good. None of that matters though without a decent plot.

Watch the first season and think of it as a mini-series. Skip anything after that.

I'm writing this review after having watched the entire first season, and just finished watching the 6th out of 8 episodes in the second season. The only thing I can say is: the show Writers must really HATE the viewers. And, I'm surprised anyone would put his name on the script: I believe the Writers' Guild uses "Alan B. Smithee" for writing credits that the writer wants to disavow. "Smithee" name should be all over S2 scripts.

There is no other explanation for a show so full of half-starts, unresolved episodes, and unfulfilled promises. It's like an anthology series with episodes that don't give the viewer an ending for each episode.

I understand that the writers, in online interviews, have asked the viewers to "hold on" and wait for the payoff--but, with just two episodes left in S2, I can't imagine any satisfying way to tie together the various threads that have been floated throughout this season.

I began watching this series based on the pedigree of Hugh Howey, who provided the source material--and who wrote the very excellent books the "Silo" series is based on.

But "Beacon 23" is no "Silo." I have to agree with other reviews that point out that Stephan James is not the Leading Man this series needs. In fact, I'm not sure if anyone could rise above and save such poor plotting and writing.

That said, there are some flashes of interesting performances--like Ellen Wong in the recent two-parter; but I have no idea if we'll see her character, "Iris" again. Which is emblematic of the show itself: it's like the actors/characters are running away from an unfulfilling experience. The disappearance of Lena Headey in S2 is also a slap in the face, since many viewers (me included) decided to watch "Beacon 23" because we expected to see her always watchable acting; and see what new character she would bring to life. But, it appears Ms. Headey has taken the money, and run.

I'll hang-on for the final two episodes, but it's very doubtful that I'll return for more punishment in the future. Assuming MGM+ decides the series gets a third time at bat.

UPDATE: I have now watched the final two episodes, and as I expected they are terrible. Unsatisfying on both an intellectual and emotional level.

The individual character storylines mostly went unresolved, and the overall thematic narrative, of the artifact, is just as mysterious as in the first episode of the first season.

Why did we spend 16 episodes watching this mess? I don't know...but I will NOT be watching any more; assuming someone is foolish enough to greenlight a third season of...The Worst Sci-Fi Series in the past 50 years!

Never witnessed such horrible pacing. Visceral anger rages in me because on one hand the story appears intriguing, but the nonsense just stupefies me. Plot holes the size of Texas, sheer incontinuity, half of what one sees leads literally nowhere. Good acting, great production values, great aesthetics, slightly above brain dead scripting. What a combination. I want to like it I really do. At this point I am no longer convinced there is any story at all, just spectacle, psuedo-depth, and great cgi. Heres a thought script writers: try thinking just one thought coherently from beginning to end, just one. Bombarding the audience with a litany of half-thought thoughts is akin to mental torture, do you really have such disdain for your own ideas? Or rather the audience?

I've watched both seasons of Beacon 23. The first season was reasonably decent.... I would give it a 7. Not great, but decent.... I was looking forward to season 2 since there were so many unanswered questions in season 1.... But all I can say is.... WHAT???

No episode from season 2 seemed to go together. Nothing seemed to make sense...even when you get to the last show in S2, you really don't know what is going on. It's almost like the core of the story was lost, and never seemed to get back on track. I've watched a LOT of sci-fi and season 2 is a hot mess.

I'm not sure based on what I saw on S2 there is enough understanding of what has happened to make me come back for a Season 3...and that is a shame since Season 1 showed promise.