There’s something about the iconography of lighthouses that continues to stoke the imagination of storytellers and audiences alike, whether they be looming destinations like in VanderMeer’s Annihilation or places of overbearing isolation as in Robert Eggers’ aptly named horror flick. Perhaps it’s the mental image of their keeper’s solitary existence that captivates, specifically the idea of living alone with a machine that must be endlessly maintained to avert disaster. Maybe we can’t stop thinking about them because of their obvious symbolism as a torch in the dark that warns against imminent peril. Or, in all honesty, it could just be that they’re neat pieces of architecture.
Many of these facets are present in Beacon 23, a sci-fi TV show based on the novel of the same name by Hugh Howey, author of the books that inspired Apple TV+’s Silo. It’s another tale about lighthouses; in this case, centering on a technologically advanced variant meant to guide ships through the stars instead of seas. Unfortunately, while its initial episodes successfully tease out the tensions of being trapped on this remote installation, it becomes increasingly difficult to buy into this series’ stakes, eventually causing it to stray off-course and calamitously dash against the rocks.
The story begins as the keeper of Beacon 23, Halan (Stephan James), fails to warn an incoming spaceship of hazards, leading to a devastating crash. The sole survivor is Aster (Lena Headey), who explains that she’s been sent to this remote corner of the Milky Way by the ISA (Interstellar Space Authority) so she can collect important data. However, distrust quickly settles in between the pair, as Aster surmises that the lighthouse keeper isn’t who he says he is, and Halan calls her visit into question. As they try to get a handle on things, they find that a mysterious power may have drawn them here and that this secluded place potentially holds monumental secrets.
Through its initial stretch, the series makes great use of its premise. There is a crackling sense of danger as Aster and Halan size each other up, and paranoid cinematography conveys that they are both trapped in an exceptionally remote location with a potentially malicious stranger. Halan is irritable, but it’s unclear if this is from being alone for so long or due to a past incident, while Aster’s platitudes seem to hide thinly-veiled guile. Lena Headey gives an excellent performance as she strains against the pressures of her surroundings, and early on, there is an interesting tension between her readily espoused lies and inner doubts. The set design of this beacon pulls us further into both of their anxious headspaces, as its maddening spiral staircases and surrounding black void establish a sense of claustrophobia.
And although we’re trapped on this metal contraption throughout the story, we get plenty of tidbits about the state of the surrounding cosmos. It’s evident that this tale is based on a novel from the jump, as we’re hit with a barrage of worldbuilding that hints at tantalizing details. This space station’s inhabitants never stop and explain the rules, but the geopolitical circumstances of this far-flung 23rd century slide into place through implications, setting up sprawling corporations, interstellar wars, debates over colonial expansion into the stars, and struggles with artificial intelligence. These first few episodes set up engaging questions about our protagonists’ goals and the nature of this universe that left me eager to learn more.
However, despite its promising setup, my investment in this story flagged as it became increasingly difficult to buy into Aster and Halen’s decisions. After establishing interesting internal frictions for these two, their motivations were cast aside as they did things that left me either shocked or confused. While we eventually received an explanation for their extreme actions, these answers were not satisfying and stemmed from influences that would have fit better in a psychological horror story. There was a similar dynamic with its secondary cast, and its characters became progressively more one-dimensional as the root cause of their decisions proved underwhelming.
Another issue is that the show’s initial taut pacing became increasingly bogged down in a near-constant procession of flashbacks. Although some of these provided important tidbits about the beacon and those who lived there, many of these asides felt roundabout and tedious. These jaunts into the past revealed new elements of worldbuilding and philosophical debates, but none of the questions set up here were given particularly satisfying answers. We simply don’t learn enough about what is happening and why to glean much meaning from these events, making the time spent learning about these political circumstances and factions come across as a waste. At a certain point, this single-location setup stopped being a vehicle for arresting intrigue and became a limiting factor that made me wish we saw more of this constantly alluded-to universe.
In the end, these elements culminated in a lackluster season finale that elicited little emotion besides bewilderment. By this point, nearly any investment I had in these characters or their fates had dissipated as they continued to behave in alienating ways. Another problem is that the story’s wider mysteries stalled out completely, as evidenced by its confounding cliffhanger ending. There’s an art to consistently doling out just enough information to ensure that viewers remain invested, but this finale wrapped up in such an awkward spot that I have little interest in finding out what’s fully going on in the already green-lit second season.
Following a promising first few episodes that demonstrated compelling tensions between its cast and was elevated by a great performance from Lena Headey, Beacon 23 fell apart at the seams. Its discursions into its sci-fi backdrop increasingly came across like empty lore dumps rather than meaningful additions to its narrative, and worse, it was unable to effectively communicate its characters’ motivations, resulting in stilted drama. It all ended in a meandering conclusion that made it feel like this ship had been rudderless all along.
Beacon 23 premieres November 12th on MGM+.
Elijah Gonzalez is an assistant TV Editor for Paste Magazine. In addition to watching the latest on the small screen, he also loves videogames, film, and creating large lists of media he’ll probably never actually get to. You can follow him on Twitter @eli_gonzalez11.
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