Television Review | Apple TV

Before (2024) — spooky miniseries compromises itself before an uninspired climax

After tragically losing his wife to suicide, a child psychiatrist encounters a troubled young boy who seems to have a haunting connection to his past.

Dr Eli Adler (Billy Crystal) bolts awake from a nightmare: a shrouded figure plunging to their death at the bottom of an empty swimming pool. Shaking off the dream, Eli shuffles through his apartment, grumpily searching for caffeine, only to stumble into something much darker than morning lethargy.

Initially, he’s confronted by strange occurrences: an interaction with his dead wife Lynn (Judith Light), visions of blood dripping from a bathtub, and the ominous sound of scratching coming from his front door. Opening it, he finds a young boy standing on his doorstep with blood-stained fingers. Asking questions provides no answers from this mysterious visitor, as the boy dashes across the street without explanation.