Entertainment
Prime Video’s Divisive Sci-Fi With This ‘Game of Thrones’ Star Is Better Than Its Rotten Tomatoes Score Suggests
Throughout eight seasons of Game of Thrones, some characters went from being fan favorites to all-around TV icons. Among them, of course, was Lena Headey‘s Cersei Lannister, a cutthroat leader who’s hungry for power and fiercely protective of her family. Headey played Cersei with precision, making viewers scream in their seats at some of her most narcissistic moments, yet also feel for her in her most vulnerable ones (“Shame! Shame!”).
And, ever since Game of Thrones wrapped back in 2019, Headey has continued to be a part of some memorable projects, many of which are far from her power-grabbing shenanigans in Westeros. Among her projects is Beacon 23, a psychological sci-fi thriller series on MGM+ that first released in 2023. The series, which was canceled after Season 2, received a lukewarm reception from viewers and critics alike, but is definitely still a worthwhile watch for fans of Headey’s work.
What Is ‘Beacon 23’ About?
Set in the 23rd century, Beacon 23 sees Headey as Aster, a government agent of some kind whose ship has crashed, and she finds herself trapped in one of many Beacons that serve as a lighthouse for intergalactic travelers. There, she meets stoic veteran Halan (Stephan James), and while there are suspicions and animosity between them at first, the two soon realize that they might benefit more from being friends than foes. With only the structure’s artificial intelligence to serve as company, Aster and Halan need to work together to understand each other, rely on one another and together defend themselves against “The Artifact,” a strange cosmic object that affects people psychologically and physically.
By Season 2 of the series, which premiered in April 2024, Aster and Halan’s Beacon has been turned into a prison. “Without a clear path forward, the inhabitants of Beacon 23 must rely on each other, but their conflicting agendas may get in the way,” the official synopsis teased. The series, which was based on the 2016 novel by the same name by Hugh Howey, was created by Zak Penn, and also stars Natasha Mumba, Eric Lange, Ellen Wong, Wade Bogert-O’Brien, and Bo Martynowska.
‘Beacon 23’ Received Mixed Reviews
Ever since its release, Beacon 23 has received mixed reviews from critics and viewers alike. On Rotten Tomatoes, for instance, some critics point out the show’s slow pacing and “empty lore,” while others praise the series for having a more cerebral approach to the sci-fi genre. “Those with enough curiosity and patience to wait out its rough patches — and those with a taste for cerebral sci-fi — may find themselves falling under its plaintive spell,” wrote one review. “While the show is slower in its storytelling, each episode layers on the complications, culminating in an urgent and tense finale, that’s only hampered by its lack of answers,” asserted another.
In Collider’s very own review by Chase Hutchinson in 2023, the series received an underwhelming score of C. “Rather than reveling in the simplicity of two people trying to figure out what is going on while in the company of someone they may not trust, there is a repeated sense that narrative filler is being forced into the season to pad it out into eight episodes,” Hutchinson outlined. “Though a confined setting could become more thrilling if the characters in it were given more to work with, like with the other strong MGM+ series From, both Headey and James are saddled with a story that consistently drags them down until there is little to hold it together in the final stretch.”
With all that said, while the divisive reception and early cancelation might be enough to sway viewers away from the series, Beacon 23 is undoubtedly an interesting and intriguing addition to the sci-fi genre. With a cerebral tone and a focus on two characters learning whether they can trust each other, the series becomes much more than the dangers of space and intergalactic travel.
- Release Date
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2023 – 2024-00-00
- Showrunner
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Zak Penn
- Directors
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Daniel Percival, Lewin Webb, Erskine Forde, Oz Scott
- Writers
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Zak Penn
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