Netflix praised for keeping viewers ‘on their toes’ with new murder conspiracy thriller

Ever had a suspicious and sickeningly rich new neighbour who you think could be a murderer? Yes? Well, huge coincidence, because Netflix has just dropped a new thriller with that exact setup.

The Beast in Me is a starry two-hander, with Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys as warring neighbours, in eight episodes from creatives who have also worked on TV hits including The X-Files and 24.

And while the miniseries only landed on the streamer on November 13, reviewers and fans alike are already praising its ‘fascinating’ story and even declaring it one of the ‘best’ shows they’ve watched ‘in a long time’.

Danes plays renowned memoirist Aggie Wiggs (what a name!), who has retreated from life in the public eye to grieve the loss of her young son. That is, until Matthew Rhys’ robustly wealthy real estate mogul Nile Jarvis (the names on this show!) moves into her small town in upstate New York.

If you’ve ever watched Desperate Housewives, you’ll know that the rumour mill always gets going when there’s a new person on the block. In this instance, the whispers are far more nefarious. (Although, in fairness, there was always a dodgy character pitching up on Wisteria Lane, too).

For Nile, questions linger over the disappearance of his wife. He was once the prime suspect, and her case remains unsolved.

Struggling with writer’s block, Aggie soon realises the obvious subject for her to sink her pen into next is living a wall away. She then finds herself sucked into a ‘twisted’ mind game with him.

Other people are soon dragged in – Nile’s new gallerist wife, played by Brittany Snow, takes an interest in Aggie’s painter ex-wife (Natalie Morales).

The Netflix synopsis promises: ‘At once horrified and fascinated by this man, Aggie finds herself compulsively hunting for the truth – chasing his demons while fleeing her own – in a game of cat and mouse that might turn deadly.’

So where does this all lead? The stars have already teased during a joint interview with Vanity Fair that it might be hard for viewers to guess. The cast themselves had only received three of the scripts when filming kicked off, so they were acting the parts without knowing the outcome as well.

Danes said to Rhys: ‘You kept turning to me like I was hoarding some answers and just being sneaky. You didn’t believe me when I said, “No, we have no f**king clue”.’

And now that Netflix subscribers and critics have had a chance to binge, feedback is super positive.

The Guardian’s five-star write-up said of the show: ‘This clever, taut eight-part psychological thriller moves seamlessly into top-tier television.’

Meanwhile, The Financial Times described the show as ‘deliciously vicious’, writing: ‘The series is shot with more than a nod to Hitchcock, and gets creepier as each episode goes on.’

The Vanity Fair write-up described The Beast Within Me as a ‘brainy, stylish cat-and-mouse thriller’, adding of Danes and Rhys: ‘Two slithery performances – each impossible to pin down, but vividly compelling from start to finish.’

As for audiences, over on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, The Beast in Me’s leads have been lauded for their chemistry.

Arabella S writes alongside a five-star rating: ‘One of the best series I’ve watched on Netflix in a very long time, The acting was superb, the opulence of the setting and the storyline was never without a pulse. Claire dishes and Matthew Rhys had an incredible chemistry and the dynamic was incredible throughout. Supporting actors were superb and furnished the show with their performances.’

Elena N has also already demanded a second season, while Craig K said just two episodes had him ‘hooked’.

‘A good binge watch. Really good to see Claire Danes back on the screen. The whole cast is excellent and keeps you engaged and enthralled right to the end. Must watch of 2025 for me,’ wrote Asif I.

Bob M echoed: ‘WOW. THIS is a FANTASTIC limited series. Highly recommend. The acting was fantastic all around. The story is so compelling. Rarely do I feel on edge or nervous watching something, but this really had me on my toes. A very very smart thriller.’

However, the show hasn’t been met with resounding acclaim, with The Hollywood Reporter labelling it ‘monotonous’ and ‘overextended.’

Meanwhile, despite users such as Diane S admittingly having ‘no complaints’, Debbie G reckons the whole thing was ‘cliché.’

‘Parts of the story are just plain stupid’, she blasted.

Similarly, Greg G felt the twists and turns were ‘obvious’, and Nick J said it was a ‘painfully slow burn’.

So, is The Beast in Me the work of a genius? Or is its so-called predictable plot eye-roll-inducing? You be the judge!

The Beast in Me is available to stream on Netflix.

A version of this article was first published on November 12, 2025.

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