Ambitious. This is the best way to describe Nic Collins and Sean Godsey’s episodic series Beached. In these first three, seven-minute episodes, there’s very little time for exposition. Audiences are immediately immersed in a world where the mystical isn’t so fantastical. As with ours, there is a material amount of suffering in this universe. It acts as a beacon for The Wail, who has made it his sacred duty to help those on the surface.

It’s understandable how one might be scared of The Wail upon first glance. After all, he’s a humanoid whale who talks. He crawls around like a seal stuck on dry land, and he sprays water from his blowhole when he’s stressed out. Yet, his presence promptly soothes those who come in contact with him. This is the case for the individuals seen in the first two episodes. From a pair of squabbling sisters, to a man in desperate need of help, The Wail brings inner peace. It’s not instant nor is it done in a consistent manner. Sometimes, The Wail has to go to great lengths to alleviate one’s suffering, or he simply talks someone through their pain. It’s an act of compassion that we can all learn from.

“Beached is an eager endeavor and a welcome variation on the classic superhero story.”

Under the guise of dim lights and isolated areas, Beached shows the underbelly of existence. Characters tormented for whatever reasons are given a second chance, all thanks to The Wail. Of course, someone like him isn’t going to go undetected. His presence has signaled the attention of an equally enigmatic Wail hunter whose deviltry could be mistaken as cartoonish. Then, there’s a journalist who only wants to learn the secret of The Wail and whether or not he’s more than just an urban legend.

There’s a lot of unanswered questions here. Even more of them in the third episode’s epilogue that previews what’s to come. Notably, Collins and Godsey hint at big things happening in the ocean’s depths. All in all, Beached is an eager endeavor and a welcome variation on the classic superhero story. Keep an eye out as this series is certain to make ripples.

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