
As a passionate cinephile, I must admit that it’s quite rare these days for actors to take a break from our screens. Stars like Nicole Kidman are constantly gracing us with new shows and films every few months. Samuel L. Jackson, on the other hand, has been incredibly prolific this year, with five film roles under his belt, not to mention his role in the latest Peacock docudrama “Fight Night”. However, it’s the restraint of a performer like Billy Crystal that feels surprisingly refreshing. With the exception of voice acting and guest appearances, Crystal has been absent from our small screens since 2015, when FX decided to cancel his and Josh Gad’s showbiz sendup “The Comedians” after just one lackluster season. (It’s been nine years now, and the unstreamable comedy has essentially vanished from memory.) So, you can imagine my excitement at Crystal’s return to television, as executive producer and star of the Apple TV+ thriller “Before”. It truly feels like a special event!