Networks large and small have to get creative nowadays to grab audiences, and cable channel Freeform is trying something new with its upcoming series from the mind of Heroes creator Tim Kring. The new show will be called Beyond and follow the strange stories of a young man after he wakes up from a coma. Episodes will air regularly on Freeform, but they'll also be available for streaming all at once simultaneous to the weekly airings.
Freeform currently offers some shows streaming, but it has never before made entire seasons available on digital platforms before all the episodes air live on TV. The entire first season of ten episodes will be available on Freeform.com, the Freeform app, On Demand, and Hulu starting on Monday, January 2. Viewers will be able to check out Beyond at their own pace, and binge-watching will be an option for any who just can't wait to find out what happens next.
Beyond stars Burkely Duffield as Holden Matthews, who wakes up from a coma after 12 years and discovers that life is very different from what he remembered. Doctors are befuddled by his unlikely awakening, but his parents and brother Luke are glad to have him back in the family again. Before long, however, Holden discovers that there are more differences than can be explained by the passage of time. New memories and impossible abilities begin to manifest in Holden, and he encounters people who warn him not to trust those around him. His new life is a mystery, and he'll have to survive long enough to endure a seemingly vast conspiracy and figure out what happened to him.
All in all, the premise for Beyond seems like one ideal for binge-watching. The supernatural drama Stranger Things on Netflix proved that many nowadays are more than willing to suspend their disbelief to enjoy the impossible, and plenty of people watched the first season of Stranger Things as quickly as possible. Maybe Beyond could be for Freeform what Stranger Things was for Netflix. Take a look at the Beyond trailer and see for yourself if it looks like a winner:
Freeform has been having problems with its lineup of originals lately. The network cancelled new series Dead of Summer and Guilt after only one season due to low ratings, and its hit shows Pretty Little Liars and Switched at Birth are coming to an end after their next seasons. Freeform needs new hits in its lineup sooner rather than later. In addition to Beyond, Freeform will debut the mystery series Famous in Love, the angry mermaid thriller (yes, really) The Deep, and a show based on the Marvel Comics characters Cloak and Dagger. If the network finds success with the full-season streaming option for Beyond, we may find more of its series released in a similar way in the coming months.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news. If you want to catch Beyond live rather than streaming, tune in to Freeform (formerly known as ABC Family) on Monday, January 2 at 9 p.m. ET for a two-hour series premiere.
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