It’s almost winter. The leaves are bare, the cold winds are blowing – in other words, it’s the perfect time to sit on the sofa and watch some chilling Scandi-themed crime shows.
Fortunately, Netflix have us sorted. Their new show, The Beast In Me, has just dropped, and it’s already receiving rave reviews. For good reason: with a killer cast, a compelling plot and a very convoluted cat and mouse dynamic between the two main characters, this is about as good as television gets.
It’s all the more impressive given that its creator, Gabe Rotter, hasn’t written anything big for the small screen before. Hats off: it’s a pretty immaculate psychological thriller.
With plaudits for the show growing, it’s time to tune in – here’s what you need to know.
What’s it about?
The action is set in a wealthy enclave of Long Island in New York state. Claire Danes plays the oddly named Aggie Wiggs, who is an author primarily famous for writing a book about her relationship with her father. It was troubled, obviously.
Since then, she’s had writers’ block, with a new book (centred around the friendship between Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and her political opposite Antonin Scalia) in the works for several years.
She’s also had personal tragedy to contend with – her eight year old son died four years ago after a drunk driver hit him. Her relationship with wife Shelley (Natalie Morales) broke down as a result, and now Aggie is essentially a recluse. Teddy, the person who killed him, managed to evade justice by avoiding a breathalyser test; she still sees him around town.
Into that festering murk steps Nile (Matthew Rhys, who won an Emmy for his work in The Americans), a rich nepo baby who has moved to the neighbourhood with new wife Nina (Brittany Snow). His last wife, Maddie, went mysteriously missing six years ago, and while he’s never been pinned for the crime, plenty of people suspect he did it.
Initially, Aggie doesn’t care. But then she lets slip to Nile the name of the person who killed her son: Teddy. Soon she’s visited by one of the detectives who worked on Nile’s wife’s disappearance, Brian Abbott (David Lyons). He warns her not to trust Niles.
The next day, Teddy seemingly takes his own life, leaving his clothes and a note on the beach. Naturally, Aggie finds this suspicious, and the bulk of the series follows her push-pull relationship with Nile, as she tries to get to the bottom of Teddy’s disappearance and who is actually responsible.
Who’s in it?
I mean, how can you argue with any show that puts Claire Danes in the driving seat? Danes plays Aggie, while Welsh actor Matthew Rhys plays Nile.
They’re backed up by Brittany Snow as his wife Nina (best known for her work in Pitch Perfect), Natalie Morales as Aggie’s ex-wife Shelley, and Jonathan Banks as Nile’s father Martin Jarvis – he appeared in Breaking Bad, and its spinoff Better Call Saul, as Mike Ehrmantraut.
They’re joined by David Lyons as FBI agent Brian Abbott, Tim Guinee as Wrecking Ball, and Deirdre O’Connell as Aggie’s literary agent Carol.
How can I watch?
The show’s currently streaming on Netflix.
