Netflix’s The Beast in Me Is a Must-Watch for Matthew Rhys and The Americans Fans

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Netflix has consistently delivered excellent crime-thriller TV shows, and the genre is arguably one of its strongest suits. Popular series like Narcos, Ozark, Mindhunter, and You prove this point. The latest addition to this lineup is no different – it quickly became the most-watched English-language TV show on Netflix, attracting 6.9 million viewers in its first four days.

Beyond a gripping and unexpected storyline and strong lead performances, The Beast in Me benefits from great supporting actors like Brittany Snow, Natalie Morales, and Jonathan Banks (from Breaking Bad). But it’s Matthew Rhys – best known for his Emmy-winning role in the spy series The Americans – who truly shines. If you loved the suspense and twists of The Americans, you won’t want to miss The Beast in Me.

The Beast in Me Feels Like a Cozy Mystery Classic

Though the show has exciting and suspenseful moments, it still feels like a cozy mystery you won’t want to stop watching. The pacing is nearly flawless, expertly revealing information while keeping you hooked and eager to find out what happens next.

I was surprised to find out that Gabe Rotter, previously known for writing just one episode of The X-Files, was the author of this story. It had a similar feel to popular thrillers like The Girl on the Train and The Housemaid. It made more sense when I discovered Rotter also writes novels.

Claire Danes’ incredible acting is a major reason the story works so well. While she starred in several popular films in the 1990s, including The Hours, she truly excelled on television, earning three Emmy Awards for her performances in Homeland and Temple Grandin.

Claire Danes delivers a groundbreaking performance as Aggie Wiggs in The Beast of Me, showcasing a depth and vulnerability audiences haven’t seen from her before. The role, depicting a woman consumed by grief and isolation, is a significant departure from her previous work, and she handles it with remarkable skill. It’s arguably her best performance yet.

The story centers around a successful but isolated writer investigating whether her wealthy neighbor is a killer, which evokes a vibe similar to Murder, She Wrote, though far more intense. The Beast in Me doesn’t shy away from graphic and brutal details, a characteristic it shares with .

Matthew Rhys Taps into a Persona That Wasn’t Even Seen in The Americans

Although the actor delivered numerous distinct performances within The Americans, playing a spy who constantly adopted new identities, none of those roles matched the impact of his portrayal of Nile Jarvis in The Beast in Me.

Rhys brilliantly portrays Jarvis as someone with a chillingly smooth and arrogant sense of humor. He effortlessly shifts between calm control and explosive anger. What’s truly remarkable is his ability to convincingly show both genuine care and terrifying malice, often switching between the two without warning.

Rhys’s grounded performance contrasts with Danes’s more unusual style, and this contrast is key to the show’s suspense. We consistently suspect his character, Jarvis, is capable of murder, but subtle clues create ambiguity and prevent a simple good-versus-evil interpretation.

The dynamic between Matthias Schoenaerts and Rhys is incredibly strong, even surpassing the captivating chemistry Rhys shared with Keri Russell in The Americans, though it’s a very different kind of connection. In The Beast in Me, Rhys plays a character who is more open about his intentions, less withdrawn, and remarkably cunning. It’s surprisingly refreshing to see Rhys portray such a manipulative and unsettling character, especially considering his many complex roles in The Americans.

To fully appreciate Rhys’s range as an actor, you really should watch both of his shows. All six seasons of The Americans are available on Hulu.

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2025-11-29 04:06