Pop Culture Happy Hour: "The Beast In Me" (Nov 18, 2025)

Podcast: Pop Culture Happy Hour
Host: Linda Holmes (NPR)
Panelists: Gene Demby (NPR Code Switch), Kristen Meinzer (The Nightly on Hatch Plus)

Episode Overview

The episode centers on the new Netflix series The Beast in Me, which melds elements of psychological thriller and prestige drama, starring Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys. The hosts examine the show's strengths and weaknesses, discussing its performances, narrative tropes, genre influences, and how it fits within the “prestige TV” landscape. The conversation is candid and warm, navigating both sharp critiques and moments of admiration.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Premise and Cast (03:08)

• Linda Holmes introduces The Beast In Me:
  • Claire Danes stars as Aggie Wiggs, a Pulitzer-winning author struggling with tragedy and writer’s block.
  • Matthew Rhys as Niall Jarvis, a notorious real estate mogul suspected of murdering his first wife.
  • The central drama: Aggie, seeking material for her next book, tries to ascertain Niall’s guilt or innocence, forming a wary alliance with him.
  • Supporting cast includes Brittany Snow as Niall's current wife and Jonathan Banks as Niall’s father; the show incorporates FBI intrigue.

2. First Impressions and Tone (04:53)

• Kristen Meinzer:
  • Immediately hooked, binge-watched the series. Found Aggie and Niall both deeply unlikable, but compelling ("which I think is the point.").
  • Criticized the last two episodes for relying too much on flashbacks and confessions:

    “They did kind of feel like cheating... but to me, the show was more about the cat and mouse game than it was about the big reveal.” (05:17)

• Gene Demby:
  • Disappointed by lack of tension; expected more given the talent involved.
  • Felt suspicions about characters were confirmed too early, draining suspense.
  • Praised the actors but wished for a show that elevated their abilities:

    “I just felt very much like, oh, man, I wish this was better. I wish this was better. And my big issue was the lack of tension.” (06:04)

• Linda Holmes:
  • Noted the familiar territory for Danes—troubled, obsessive protagonist.
  • Felt the show’s structure (flashback episode late in the series) undermined momentum.

3. Character Performances & Dynamics

• Claire Danes as Aggie Wiggs
  • Widely recognized for her “quivering chin,” destabilized protagonist act; some found it repetitive, others saw it as her signature strength.
    • Kristen Meinzer:

      “Am I gonna stop watching George Clooney play debonair roles? This is just what he does. This is his thing.” (09:27)

• Matthew Rhys as Niall Jarvis
  • Cast as an obviously sinister figure, eliminating ambiguity early.
  • Linda Holmes:

    "They don't really drag out the idea of, like, is he a creepy weirdo? Because pretty quickly, he's a creepy weirdo." (06:42)

• Brittany Snow as Niall’s Wife
  • Consensus highlight; subverts expectations as a “mall blonde” and brings depth and uncertainty.
    • Meinzer: “People underestimate her... and that serves her character well.” (09:29)
    • Demby: “Most of the mystery to me in the show was around her. It's like, what is her deal?” (10:28)
• Jonathan Banks as Niall’s Father
  • Enjoyable in a predictable "tough guy" role.

4. Plot Structure & Pacing

• Critique of redundant or underdeveloped storylines:
  • The real estate subplot felt excessive, “diluted” the central narrative.
    • Holmes:

      "Every time they started talking about it, I was like, I'm not invested in this." (11:06)

    • Meinzer:

      "I'm all into real estate... but for this show, we did not need that much real estate." (13:38)

  • FBI subplot was initially promising, but fizzled quickly.
• Questioning narrative choices:
  • The show introduces multiple threads (Aggie’s trauma, relationship with her wife, political corruption), causing the main plot’s focus to suffer.
    • Holmes:

      "There's a whole bunch of things they're trying to pursue. I just got to the point where I felt like... it maybe got a little diluted for me." (12:19)

5. Tension, Cat-and-Mouse, and Prestige TV Tropes

• Desire for more scenes between Danes and Rhys, building on potential “Clarice/Hannibal” interplay.
  • Demby:

    "If there was more of them sort of doing the, you know, Clarice Hannibal thing... That only happens a couple times." (14:55)

• Repetitiveness of prestige TV formulas:
  • Panelists felt the show borrowed too heavily from standard tropes—flashback episodes, familiar visual style, explicit narrative hand-holding.
    • Demby:

      “It felt like everything was being spelled out very, very explicitly ... all the elements of a really, really good show, but just kind of like, eh, it’s fine, it’s fine.” (17:00)

6. Visual Aesthetics (18:11)

• Praise for the show’s distinctively gritty, contrast-heavy cinematography—less like generic Netflix fare.
  • Holmes:

    “To me, it looked more like intentionally kind of gritty looking ... it’s supposed to stress... how kind of haggard [Aggie] is at the beginning.” (18:11)

  • Meinzer:

    “It didn’t look the same as Thursday Murder Club, which looks the same [as everything else on Netflix].” (19:44)

7. Overall Takeaways

• The series is eminently watchable due to its cast, even if its story feels rehashed:
  • Holmes:

    “The strength of it is these two really good actors who, even if it felt really familiar to me, the whole point is, like, they get away with it. Cause they're them and it's fine.” (15:41)

• Speculation about audience reception—might feel fresher to those less jaded by prestige TV conventions.
  • Holmes:

    "Most people don't watch all of it, so a lot of people, I think, would find it fresher maybe than I do." (16:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kristen Meinzer (on binge-watching):

  "It was one of those situations where Netflix is like, are you sure you should be watching this much tv? Are you still watching? And I of course am like, get off my back, Netflix." (04:53)

• Linda Holmes (on formulaic narrative):

  "Every time they start talking about real property in a prestige show, I don't care. You're not Chinatown. I don't care." (13:29)

• Gene Demby (on the show’s overt exposition):

  "It just felt like... just in case you weren't paying attention. So it felt like everything was being spelled out very, very explicitly." (17:00)

• Kristen Meinzer (on Claire Danes’ typecasting):

  "Am I gonna stop watching George Clooney play debonair roles? This is just what he does. This is his thing." (09:27)

• Gene Demby (summing up the show’s vibe):

  "It has all the features of prestige tv... but just kind of like, eh, it's fine, it's fine." (17:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:08 — Series summary; introduction of main cast and setup
• 04:53 — Kristen Meinzer’s first impressions and critique of final episodes
• 06:04 — Gene Demby on lack of narrative tension and early reveals
• 09:07 — Discussion on Claire Danes and Brittany Snow’s performances
• 11:06 / 13:29 — Panel’s lack of interest in real estate subplot
• 14:55 — Desire for more on-screen interplay between Danes and Rhys
• 17:00 — Gene Demby on “made TV” and heavy-handed exposition
• 18:11 — Dissecting the show's visual aesthetics
• 20:17 — Linda Holmes: speculation on wider audience reception

Final Thoughts

The Beast in Me prompts rich debate around what makes prestige TV compelling or cliché. The trio agree the acting is impressive, but the show is burdened by predictable plot beats, undercooked subplots, and a tension that dissipates too soon. For those new to the genre, it may still deliver excitement, but for seasoned viewers, its familiarity may overshadow its merits.

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