IR TV Review: THE BEAST IN ME [Netflix]
The progression of "The Beast In Me" reflects in the ideas of perspective and perception. The concept of two people in Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys) and Allie Wiggs (Claire Danes), however separated by class and lifestyle, creates an indicator of intrigue has to be based on character. Both actors because of their previous work ("The Americans" and "Homeland" respectively) have an uncanniness at times for misdirection. While this is slightly on display here, the pathology of their characters is only slightly guised (which makes for interesting viewing but gives a slight more foreshadowing from the get go). Danes' Wiggs is ego-centric in her own right but tries to mask it through certain feelings and actions that her ex-wife (Natalie Morales) says led to the undeniable aftermath of someone close to them. Jarvis has his own demons as a corporate magnate when his wife goes missing under mysterious circumstances that are never proven.
The first few episodes work in the tit for tat. There is a respect and yet a game of why. The intro has to do with something simple like Jarvis wanting an easement to build a running trail which Wiggs vehemently is against. Jarvis' new wife (Brittany Snow) is in the mix and her reality is mixed up in the relationship she had with his former wife. The key element is that Rhys is intrigued by Wiggs' background as a best selling novelist who wrote about her relationship with her father but whom hasn't written in years due to writer's block. Thus begins an almost tit-for-tat beating around the bush. With Jarvis, he sees Wiggs as playing with his food just to see what they will do but he doesn't want to attack per se...he almost wants to help. An initial lunch meeting actually sets the stage pretty well. For the first couple episodes, it plays up the character and not so much the plot. It is not necessarily that the audience needs to like, believe or even understand Wiggs, it is simply making the ascertation of what really separates the two of them.
Jonathan Banks (best known from "Breaking Bad") plays Rhys' father who is the real head of the corporation that is making tricky moves behind the scenes. He is a shark but he also has started a life with a new trophy wife and seems to be more of a dad to his young daughter than he really ever was to Nile. It is an interesting diametric that actually plays out quite well especially with the imbalance of a supposed uncle/fixer Rick (Tim Guinee) who actually is the real heart of what we are seeing. He knows both sides but, in all matter of texture and redemption, is unable to fix it. Rhys has a steeliness here that is unbelievably cold which was always there with "The Americans"...a cunning that filters through even when he is trying to play nice. Showrunner Howard Gordon ("24", "Homeland") knows how to optimize this. The only setback or relativity is the fact that with the new standard of limited series at 8 episodes if it is a closed season, is that the final few episodes almost rush to close the loop too quickly. However the first couple episodes set it up nicely. The key is that it is less improbable that certain magnates would allow their strategy or intention to unfurl that quickly in perpetuity. Granted the arch of a show needs to play to that.
Granted when shows do year jumps or a decade jump inside the show it can give a context but that kind of storytelling needs to start at the beginning. The fun thing about "The Beast In Me" is that the stars do get a chance to shine but at times fall back on certain tells. Danes plays distraught really well but it sometimes is too much as the lower lip starts to quiver too often to signal an impending crisis. Her emotions as the character lie barely below the surface but contrasting it with Rhys' strutting scavenger per se actually balances it out for the most part. She wants to bolt but stands her ground while he is just pawing the food waiting for the moment to pull the rug out. It is a nice two hander and actually would work as a stage play but the point reflects in the close-ups at times on Rhys where he has time stand still until the moments bleed away. "The Beast In Me" is an interesting character study of two satellites bound to crash and while it doesn't slink into melodrama or lose its way, it almost wraps up too quickly because of the concept of its story. B
By Tim Wassberg
