The Beast in Me (2025) is an eight-episode crime thriller series starring Claire Danes as author Aggie Wiggs and Matthew Rhys as Nile Jarvis, a wealthy New York City real estate mogul.
Premise: Author Aggie Wiggs, grieving the loss of her son, finds new purpose unraveling the mystery behind neighbor Nile Jarvis’ vanished wife and his suspicious dealings. (IMDb)
I’d heard The Beast in Me was a captivating crime drama, filled with suspense. Since it was about an author suffering from writer’s block and struggling to complete her next book, I knew it was the perfect film for me. (Haha!)
To my surprise, I discovered two FBI agents were featured in the series. Wow! Bonus subplot! Actor David Lyons plays FBI agent Brian Abbot, and Hettienne Park plays Special Agent Erika Breton, Abbot’s supervisor and lover.
Warning: these FBI characters have major flaws.
SA Abbot was initially investigating Nile Jarvis for a money laundering scheme where a drug cartel was financing his construction projects. When Abbot was unable to prove his case, Niles walked away free of charges. Abbott turns to alcohol to cope with his disappointment and takes on a personal vendetta to find out the truth behind the disappearance of Niles’s wife. The married SA Breton finds herself in a compromising position fueled by a family crisis and starts an affair with SA Abbott to monitor and sabotage his investigation.
The script attempts to justify the agents’ destructive behavior by portraying them as being dedicated to their jobs and families, but that does little to rehabilitate their deplorable actions.
Of course, the central plot of The Beast In Me focuses on the relationship between author Aggie Wiggs and her demented neighbor Nile Jarvis, the subject of her next book. It is a riveting drama that will keep you guessing until the very end.
However, I review movies and TV shows to highlight teachable moments about FBI policies, procedures, and programs. So, since both FBI agents in the series were obviously in need of mental health intervention, I thought I would report on the Bureau’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
As outlined in the EAU brochure linked below that the purpose of the FBI’s EAP is to provide free, short-term counseling, professional assistance, and referral services to all Bureau employees with personal problems that adversely affect their work performance. These issues cover a broad range of medical and behavioral problems as well as financial, marital, and other family difficulties. The EAP’s objective is to reaffirm the FBI’s commitment to the welfare of its employees while maintaining its standards of conduct and dedication to the achievement of its mission.
In the EAP statement of policy, the FBI views drug abuse and alcohol abuse as treatable health problems that will receive the same help as any other health problem. When illegal drug use is involved, an employee’s participation in the EAP will not preclude the FBI from taking appropriate disciplinary/administrative action. (Credit – Employee Assistance Unit Brochure)
Unfortunately, SAs Abbott and Breton failed to take advantage of the EAP program. The consequences are disastrous. The Beast in Me is streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer here.
In case you missed it, check out my chart of the Top FBI TV Shows and Series. The Beast in Me is not listed because this show wasn’t actually focused the FBI investigation.
