Toward the end of the year, Netflix dropped a psychological thriller that became an instant obsession of mine. I ate it up in three days, and once I finished the show, it became one of my faves of 2025.
If you can’t tell from the above image, the show I’m talking about is The Beast in Me, the drama starring Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys. When the show dropped, I noticed the title art rolling across my TV screen, but paid it no mind. Then, I heard Danes talk about the show on a recent episode of the Smartless podcast, and I decided to give it a try. Well, I’m sure glad I did.
I’m not alone in the fandom. On Tuesday, Netflix shared its viewer engagement report for the second half of 2025, and this series ranked high on the streamer’s list of the year’s most-watched series (in the top 20). That’s saying a lot, considering it premiered in November.
In The Beast in Me, Danes plays Aggie Wiggs, an author struggling with a debilitating case of writer’s block. This is mostly due to a family-shattering accident that has left her buried in grief. Her focus at the show’s beginning is on a book about the relationship between Supreme Court justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia. However, as she quickly realizes, that topic is simply boring.
Everything changes when Nile Jarvis (Rhys), a polarizing figure in the real estate development world, moves in next door. He’s arrogant and wealthy, and someone who thrives on stirring the pot, a behavioral trait that throws Aggie off her axis. What’s more is that Nile is the prime suspect in the death of his first wife, Madison, who went missing six years prior. To get away from the stress of the big city — and the media spotlight regarding his potential guilt in the matter — Nile moves in right down the street from Aggie.
Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys star in The Beast in Me.
What makes his performance even more noteworthy is Rhys’s ability to make you empathize with him, as the show alludes to abuse and trauma from his childhood. I must admit, it really takes some acting chops and top-notch writing to convey this emotional component in a character without it coming off as eyeroll-worthy or ham-fisted. This is a Howard Gordon joint, so I’m not surprised it all works so well.
Gordon, who was the executive producer on Homeland, is the showrunner here. His creative reunion with Danes is nothing less than exciting.
In fact, there were multiple instances while watching the series where I noticed similarities between Aggie and Nile’s relationship and that of Carrie and Brody in Homeland. Before you ask, the dynamic between Aggie and Nile never gets romantic. However, an unhealthy obsession and bloodlust bind the two.
While The Beast in Me is a showcase of Danes and Rhys, the supporting cast is nothing to scoff at.
