The Beast In Me (Netflix)
By: Dave Hughes
From its opening scene, Netflix’s The Beast in Me grabs the audience and establishes a tense atmosphere by twisting the uncertainty that often lies beneath quiet suburban neighborhoods. This spin on the nosy neighbor cautionary tale is immediately elevated by its captivating cast, headlined by two powerhouse television veterans. Claire Danes, a staple of television for over thirty years (from My So Called Life to Homeland), returns to television with Matthew Rhys (The Americans), and their dual star power immediately commands attention. Danes is never one to shy away from a role outside of her comfort zone. Rhys also embraces the challenges of new characters. Together, they engage in a carefully plotted psychological game of chess, each determined to uncover the other's weakness.
Claire Danes plays author Aggie Wiggs, who is haunted by the death of her child. Danes plays an author with a keen eye for research, a role she embodies expertly. However, this time, she deliberately denies the audience the easy empathy often found in her past roles, making her character frequently frustrate viewers with her questionable choices. This absence of straightforward sympathy is a compelling artistic decision, ensuring the audience remains as uncertain about Aggie's reliability as they are about the secrets next door.
Rhys’ enigmatic character, Nile Jarvis, takes up residence next door, bringing with him a dark past that is notoriously public in the neighborhood. He is the subject of a highly publicized investigation into his former wife's death, but instead of shunning the infamy, he almost embraces his reputation as the villain. Rhys’ performance is a masterful departure from his past roles; he is consistently rude and incredibly unpleasant, possessing a palpable, tangible darkness that immediately unsettles both audiences and others in the neighborhood.. While the community shuns him, his provocative presence is the perfect catalyst for pulling the struggling Aggie out of her self-imposed isolation.
Rhys and Danes are the singular force that hoist the series into excellence; their magnetic chemistry and dynamic are immediately captivating. From the moment they meet, the twin leads engage in a carefully plotted psychological game of chess, each determined to uncover the other's weakness. Together, their volatile relationship creates a riveting and deeply unsettling dynamic that drives the entire thriller and demands the audience's full attention.
The Beast in Me also gets its strength from the quality of its writing. Many shows with similar premises fall into the traps of cliched dialogue and one-dimensional character stereotypes. This series avoids those pitfalls, instead taking familiar narrative concepts and twisting them into something genuinely fresh. Creator Gabe Rotter (The X-Files) pens each episode with masterful efficiency, ensuring not a moment is wasted. This tight, controlled pacing leaves viewers desperately longing to see what comes next for these volatile characters.
While the performances of Danes and Rhys are riveting, the supporting cast regrettably fades into the background, a direct consequence of the series' narrow focus. Brittany Snow (The Hunting Wives), who plays Rhys’ wife, delivers an entertaining performance that hints at a larger mystery. However, her character's intrigue is often swallowed by the powerful, central dynamic of Danes and Rhys. Natalie Morris (Parks and Recreation) also gives audiences a more complete picture of Danes’ character, playing her ex-wife whose shared experience of personal tragedy creates crucial emotional stakes for Aggie Wiggs. Ultimately, this narrative constraint is the trade-off for focusing so intently on the volatile relationship between the two leads.
Target Score 8/10 - With two leads whose names are sure to be mentioned come awards season, The Beast in Me demands an audiences’ full attention. The show’s success hinges entirely on the volatile psychological warfare waged between Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys; their deeply unsettling dynamic is the engine that drives every tense moment. Viewers are sure to binge this limited series, eagerly holding on until the very last episode.