Netflix has released the eight-episode psychological thriller The Beast in Me, starring Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys in a tense cat-and-mouse drama. The series follows grieving author Aggie Wiggs as she becomes entangled with her suspicious new neighbor, real estate tycoon Nile Jarvis. Early reviews praise the show as top-tier television with award-worthy performances.
Plot Overview
The Beast in Me centers on Aggie Wiggs, a writer struggling with the grief of losing her eight-year-old son to a drunk driver named Teddy four years earlier. Divorced from her ex-wife Shelley, Aggie lives alone and is blocked on her next book about the friendship between Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia. When Nile Jarvis, a multimillionaire suspected in his wife's six-year-old disappearance, moves into the affluent New Jersey neighborhood with his new wife Nina, tensions rise. Aggie clashes with Nile over a jogging trail but later agrees to write a book about him after Teddy vanishes, uncovering dark secrets involving murder suspicions, infidelity, political protests, and family ties.
Cast and Crew
Claire Danes stars as Aggie, delivering an astonishing performance alongside Matthew Rhys as the enigmatic Nile. Supporting roles include Brittany Snow as Nina, Natalie Morales as Shelley, David Lyons as FBI agent Brian Abbott, Jonathan Banks as Nile's father Martin, Deirdre O’Connell as Aggie's agent Carol McGiddish, Hettienne Park as FBI agent Erika Breton, and Aleyse Shannon as councilwoman Olivia Benitez. The series is created, written, and executive produced by Gabe Rotter in his major screen debut, with Jodie Foster also serving as an executive producer.
Filming Locations
Production occurred in New Jersey from September 2024 to January 2025. Key sites include Red Bank for luxury homes and downtown scenes, Jersey City's downtown for protests, Branch Brook Park in Newark for its cherry trees, and other Newark spots like 33 Washington Street and the National Newark Building. Tamaques Park in Westfield also features.
Release and Reception
All eight episodes streamed on Netflix starting November 13, 2025. Critics, including The Guardian, hail it as a taut two-hander with immersive writing and chemistry, predicting awards for Danes and Rhys. The show explores themes of grief, acceptance, and moral ambiguity in a gripping narrative.