The Beast in Me

I enjoyed this and thought Matthew Rhys was excellent as the cocky, mega-rich and possibly murderous Niall Jarvis, who moves in next to the successful author Agatha, played by Clare Danes.

Deciding to write a book about him, with his strong support, they develop a friendship which always has undertones of him being sinister and her gradually realising it. Brittany Murphy is very good as Niall's wife, Nina, and it's always good to see the great Jonathan Banks.

My only issue with this is that - after seeing her in Homeland over several seasons - I just cannot take another minute of Danes' constantly stressed and tense face, complete with ridiculous quivering lip. It actually started to make me feel stressed just looking at close-ups of her expressions! It just became annoying after a while, which is why I only gave this a 7 despite the interesting story and good performances.

The music is very good - Matthew dancing to The Talking Heads' Psycho Killer is a highlight!

It'll be a while before I can bring myself to watch Clare Danes in anything else though.

Claire Danes plays the super caffeinated neurotic better than anyone. Eyebrows jumping up and down, eyes darting left and right, and the famous lip wobble. All going on at the same time. It's tough to watch. They dial her part back at episode 7 and it's a welcome relief. The show is entertaining for sure and worth the watch but too much of the jittery Danes almost had me turning it off more than a few times.

The Beast in Me is a gripping, atmospheric series that blends psychological tension with raw emotional depth. The performances are sharp, and the slow-burn mystery unfolds with satisfying intensity. Each episode peels back another layer, keeping you hooked without cheap twists. Stylish, unsettling, and genuinely compelling, it's a standout thriller that lingers long after the credits roll. Danes delivers yet again.

It appears that quite a few raters and reviewers take serious issue with Claire Danes character in this mini series. I understand it. During the first half of the first episode I couldn't help but notice that she was playing almost the same personality as her tortured agent in Homeland. But I pressed on and started to really enjoy the tense and blunt interactions between her character and the slick sociopath/psychopath played so well by Matthew Rhys. I really loved the locations as well.

I have only watched the first episode but by the end I wanted to keep watching into the early hours. I just wanted to leave a quick review because there are so many very poor reviews and some very praising reviews. The praising ones aren't fake. I personally look forward to the rest of this show. Try it. You will know by the end of the first episode if it's for you.

... with the promise of a sharp psychological thriller, building intrigue around a potentially explosive plot twist. Yet it ultimately settles into familiar territory, devolving into a conventional cat-and-mouse game.

Suspense is effectively sustained early on through the electric performances of Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys, whose layered portrayals add depth and tension. However, as the story progresses, it loses momentum, relying on predictable tropes rather than fully capitalizing on its nuanced character dynamics or bolder risks.

Solid acting elevates it above average, but it falls short of memorable.

Still a strong 7.