# Before (2024)

> A grieving child psychiatrist is drawn into a haunting mystery when a troubled boy seems connected to his buried past.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/157342

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 10
- Episode runtime: 32 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, mystery, horror
- Created by: Sarah Thorp
- Network: Apple TV
- Cast: Billy Crystal, Judith Light, Rosie Perez, Jacobi Jupe, Maria Dizzia, Ava Lalezarzadeh, Julia Chan, Sakina Jaffrey
- TMDB rating: 6.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13332622/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: mild
- Tone: eerie, melancholic, tense, intimate

## What critics say

Reviews are mixed: critics appreciate Billy Crystal's restrained lead performance and the eerie, melancholic atmosphere, but find the mystery's twists familiar and its supernatural payoff underwhelming.

## Synopsis

Before is an American supernatural psychological thriller limited series created by Sarah Thorp for Apple TV. Billy Crystal plays Dr. Eli Adler, a child psychiatrist whose life is shattered by the death of his wife. He begins treating Noah, a troubled young boy who seems to know unsettling things connected to Eli's own buried past. As Eli pursues the truth behind the child's knowledge, his memories and clinical instincts start to fracture, and the line between grief, trauma and something uncanny blurs. Told across ten short episodes, the story unfolds as one continuous mystery, with each chapter peeling back another layer of the past. The tone is eerie, melancholic and intimate, carrying a steady undercurrent of dread that keeps viewers unsure what is real. Supporting performances from Judith Light, Rosie Perez and Maria Dizzia ground the emotional stakes. Fans of The Sixth Sense and quiet, unsettling stories about grief, guilt and memory will find much to sink into. Its handling of heavy material is sober and humane rather than sensational, making it a patient, reflective watch for viewers who enjoy slow-burning puzzles with an emotional core.

## Shows like Before

- [The Watchful Eye (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/128112)
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- [Requiem (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/66496)
- [Harlan Coben's Shelter (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/132296)
- [My Sad Dead (2026)](https://ember.film/tv/1105157)
- [The Institute (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/168354)
- [The Clearing (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/125403)
- [Sebastian Fitzek's Therapy (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/129888)
- [End of Summer (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/154306)
- [Equinox (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/94666)

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