Beyond: Season 1/ Episode 8 "The Last Action Hero" – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Despite Charlie’s absence, we get a nice, though likely to be short-lived, addition in Lydia. Who with Holden going into another coma/ flashback, helps balance out what we are well used to bring the show down.

Trigger Warning(s):

Blood | Open Wound

Topic 1: Family Trouble (Luke & Willa)

Willia confronts the now awake Arthur is terms of not telling her who her mother is all this time as well as Dr. Frost being her dad. Luke, on the other hand, is dealing with his mom not cutting him the same break she has given to Holden and trying to find work. What ends up happening though is him finding a cute girl and Tess finding him.

Commentary

It’s almost sad, at this point, to see Willa. In the beginning, it seemed like it was Holden, the actor playing him, and maybe the writing which was the issue. However, post-Charlie, it turns out it is actually just Willa. She is a generic love interest who, even with the recent reveals, barely has seemed to evolve. Thus putting her on the level of Tom and Diane where you just hope they only get enough screen time to help develop Holden’s past but not interfere with his future.

As for Luke, with us learning he made an app in high school, and listening to him just get pounced on, it is hard to not feel bad for him. On one hand, his dad seemingly ignored him and didn’t connect with him while Holden was in a coma and then his mom, I guess his mom checked out in her own way as well. But rather than by leaving, drinking, or what have you, she found religion to run to and to help soothe her troubles. All the while, Luke got what he needed as a child but not necessarily what he wanted. Making it so now, with Holden back, I guess he was hoping for some of that love and affection he got during his childhood. After all, the thing which affected his mom so terribly is over. Yet, slowly but surely, I think Luke is coming to understand the time to be babied and fawned over has long left and he has to come to terms with that.

With that said, it is noted Hollow Sky is some sort of support group for people who lost their loved ones. Could it be for those who lost their loved ones thanks to Arthur?

Topic 2: Inside The Realm (Arthur & Holden)

Most of Arthur’s screentime deals with him training Holden in the Realm. There we learn the main reason Holden is important, and some many died on Arthur’s watch, is because he is trying to find a protector of the realm. Dr. Frost is trying to push what should be possible and Arthur is trying to find someone capable of bending the realm to his whim to stop him. Though with the realm seeming like some kind of limbo, it is hard to tell if the beings in there are Dr. Frost’s minions or otherworldly being trying to force out the unwelcomed humans who still technically belong with the living.

Commentary

As of now, neither Arthur nor Dr. Frost seem evil, just perhaps overly ambitious and not having the most morally upright methods to reach their goals. With that said, the more and more we see of the realm the less mystique it has. It seems less of an interesting place which seemingly is the land between the living and dead and has become as scary or spooky as Mike and Sully in Monsters Inc. Though with this show so focused on Holden’s romantic pursuits that it made The Realm and Arthur barely pressing topics, I feel this indifference is the result of that.

Topic 3: Bait & Switch (Jeff, Lydia, Holden and Mustard Jacket)

Mustard Jacket is still on the hunt but Jeff isn’t going to give up easily. He couldn’t save his brother from MJ but he will Holden. Thankfully, in Lydia, a movie geek who loves herself a strong action hero, probably because it reminds her of her dad, he finds a worthy partner. One who helps gets the bullet out of Holden and patch him up, alongside taking down one of MJ’s henchman. However, with Holden waking up and going through the back door, while Jeff and Lydia, a pharmacist, by the way, are in the front of the shop, he comes face to face with MJ who shoots him with a tranquilizer and seemingly will get to bring home the big kill.

Commentary

Though not in this episode, I remain of the mindset that Charlie was the best thing to happen to this show. Things started to get good once she came in and I honestly believe her spiritual substitute was Lydia. For Lydia is an odd girl, especially since she likes quoting movies and lives firmly in loving their predictability. Yet, again, we are presented a character who quickly grows on you. This time without sarcasm and sass, yet still coming off very human. Which perhaps is why Charlie and Lydia are so likable. Even with Charlie having powers, she has the ability to ground the show. Jeff, while I love him playing guardian angel, he is an ex-military guy so normalcy can’t come from him. Willa is your usual skinny love interest who you see on every show so she maybe familiar but isn’t a grounding force. Then with Luke, Tom, and Diane, while normal they are plain. So plain that they can’t anchor the show. Making characters like Lydia and Charlie excellent for they sort of go against the grain. Lydia more than Charlie, since Charlie seems like Juno with predictability powers, but hopefully you get what I’m trying to say.

Anyway, with all that said, I’m hoping with MJ bringing Holden to Dr. Frost, maybe he might be able to bring some real intrigue back to this Hollow Sky vs. Arthur thing.

Collected Quote(s)

Don’t confuse assumptions with facts.

—           “The Last Action Hero.” Beyond