The first two episodes of Beacon 23 get the series off to a strong start. Featuring Lena Headey (Aster) and Stephan James (Halan) as the leads, their two characters find themselves stranded in a remote space lighthouse. Each has secrets they'd like to keep from the other, but they find themselves forced to work together when other enemies soon become apparent.
Adapted from Hugh Howey's novel of the same name, (also the mastermind behind recent hit Silo) the show captures a gritty portrayal of life in space. Within its narrative, the series navigates intricate character development, delves into captivating AI concepts, and unveils surprising plot twists.
Aster and Halan first meet when Halan grapples with an approaching ship named Crest. A malfunction in his Gravity Wave Board (GWB) leaves him unable to warn Crest about entering their sector, despite the peril posed by the presence of dark matter — a fact unbeknownst to Crest.
In a harrowing spectacle, Halan witnesses Crest colliding with the dark matter, resulting in its complete obliteration. With eight occupants on board, only one survives the crash. Halan deploys a PKR to retrieve the floating pod, revealing Aster as its occupant. Upon her abrupt awakening, Halan assists her in returning to normalcy. Despite Aster's curiosity, Halan remains reticent and reclusive, offering little engagement.
Identifying himself as Solomon at first adds a layer of suspicion regarding Halan's true intentions and nature. Aster, a scientist, discloses that she boarded Crest in response to reports sent by Solomon a year ago, indicating groundbreaking mineral deposits in the supplies it carried. Halan, naturally puzzled, feigns recollection of sending these reports.
After some back and forth, Aster and Halan are soon forced to work together when a crew of Wreckers force their way into Beacon 23.
Battle, the authoritative figure, leads the group, alongside the formidable warrior Bigface, a tech expert responsible for hacking systems, a former Minister of Equity named Rojan Kannedy, and her son Chick. Despite being instructed to stay with the debris, Battle brought them on board without proper authorization.
Facing the imminent threat, Bart (the AI of Beacon 23, formerly controlled by the real Solomon) proposes cutting off life support in the well area to stall their entry. However, Aster dismisses the idea, concerned that it would endanger Halan, who is not suited up. The tech specialist successfully hacks into the ship's system, compromising Bart's control. Bart reluctantly relinquishes command to the techie, who issues a warning to Harmony (Aster's personal AI) to stay out of their way. With access to every corner of the ship, the Wreckers proceed to breach the defenses.
Neither Aster and Halan are who they say they are, that much is apparent. But they fight together to stay alive, and manage to out-manouever the Wreckers crew. For now. I'm excited to see where this series will go. Why is Aster really on Beacon 23? What purpose do the strange rocks she's so interested in serve? Will Aster and Halan work together to get off Beacon 23, or will one betray the other? We'll find out in the coming weeks.
Beacon 23 is now available on MGM+.
