Sci-fi fanatics and fantasy geeks would do well to check out Freeform’s Beyond, if they haven’t already. This show, which first came out last year and was renewed on January 18th of this year, follows the story of a coma survivor who wakes up with strange powers. Holden Matthews was in a coma for 12 years before waking up, finding himself and his newfound powers in the middle of a conspiracy. Beyond follows his journey to find out what happened to him, and why.
He also must learn to live in a world that has changed drastically since he first fell unconscious. Luckily, he has the help of a mysterious woman named Willa. We won’t give you more than just a brief rundown of the show, as it could spoil the story. Overall, however, it is a well-written and engaging serial from Freeform. Its recent renewal was certainly well-deserved. If you want to learn a little more about the show itself, read on to find out about Five Things You Didn’t Know about Freeform’s Beyond.
It Was Nominated for a Saturn Award
The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films hosts an annual award ceremony where they give out awards in a variety of categories. The awards are shaped like a ringed planet — and thus are called Saturns. In 2017 — the year that Beyond debuted — it was nominated for a Saturn award for Best Fantasy Television Series. Though the show didn’t end up receiving the award, it was still a great start and honor for a show that had been playing for less than a year. It was likely a contributing factor to the show’s renewal as well.
Young Holden and Luke Were Both Baelfire
The younger versions of Holden and Luke were played by Dylan Schmid and Dean Petriw respectively. The interesting thing about these actors is that they both played a younger version of Baelfire — Rumpelstiltskin’s son from Once Upon a Time. It’s a pretty cool connection, and their work on Once Upon a Time is probably what got them the job on Beyond anyhow.
Jordan Calloway Used to Have a Starring Role
In the pilot of Beyond, Jordan Calloway (who plays Kevin McArdle, Holden Matthews’ childhood friend) was original listed as a star in the show. However, from the second episode onwards he was demoted to a “guest” role. This may have been a bit detrimental to his career, but a credit is a credit and his acting should speak for itself.
The First Season Was Available Earlier in the United Kingdom
Though US viewers had to wait for the first season’s episodes to come out weekly, viewers in the United Kingdom were able to watch all ten episodes right away. This is because Netflix UK acquired Beyond (alongside some other titles). Therefore, the show got a good jumpstart in the United Kingdom and became quickly popular there. Netflix UK did not repeat this move for the second season of Beyond.
Pre-Debut Ads for Beyond Reached Millions
According to an advertisement analytics brief, the original ads for Beyond reached over 160 million viewers throughout the course of the campaign. 86% of these views were national tune-ins. Plus, when someone started watching Beyond, they tended to continue watching until the episode was over. These things combined secured the show’s firm hold on their corner of the niche sci-fi serial market.
Follow Us
