Spoiler-Free Review of “The Beast in Me” on Netflix: Carrie Mathison is Back…Kind of!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Sometimes bad things just happen…”

The Beast in Me premiered on Netflix on November 13th 2025 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The crime thriller mini-series stars Claire Danes, Matthew Rhys, Brittany Snow, Jonathan Banks, David Lyons, and Natalie Morales. Each episode runs for approximately 48-52 minutes.

After a family tragedy, Author Aggie Wiggs has trouble writing her next book until her new neighbor, Nile Jarvis moves in. After his wife went missing, he was blamed for her murder, but it was never proven, but Aggie begins to discover some connections of her own leading to a dangerous new friendship.

Here is the trailer:

The Beast in Me has a talented cast, an addicting premise, and quite a few entertaining reveals along the way to keep you invested until the end. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Claire Danes is back!

I’ve missed watching Claire as Carrie Mathison on Homeland and have been waiting for her to appear in a series like this. She was in Max’s series, Full Circle a few years back, but I thought this one was much more suited to her.

If you missed the over-the-top emotional crying and yelling…it’s back! But seriously, Claire Danes is absolutely terrific in this series and Matthew Rhys was charming in such an eerie way. The rest of the cast is stacked as well and there were quite a few familiar faces in this one.

Images courtesy of Netflix

A consuming watch!

I was hooked right from the opening episode. I loved the setting (I’m very familiar with it) and I thought it worked well against the chaos and turmoil going on between these characters. Each episode did just enough to pull me in for more and I found this series very easy to binge-watch. I finished all eight episodes in two days.

There were a few side-plots to deal with, but everything connected enough in the end so I didn’t mind this. Episode 7 was incredible!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Predictable at times…

Even though I enjoyed it, you can pretty much guess what’s going on in this one. None of the reveals were that surprising, but they were still satisfying enough. I really enjoyed my watch, but I would have appreciated at least one shocking twist here to keep me guessing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!

The Beast in Me is an engrossing watch enhanced by two powerhouse performances by Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys. 

This was such a nice surprise. I haven’t been able to get into a show in a while, but this one really hooked me and never slowed down for one second. Loved it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Beast in Me in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Blood Rose Island Ad

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rulethey can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Hunting Wives” on Netflix: Your Next Guilty Pleasure Binge-Watch is Here!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I’m not good with Texas people…”

The Hunting Wives premiered on Netflix on July 21st 2025 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The drama crime thriller series (based on the novel of the same name) stars Brittany Snow, Malin Akerman, Jaime Ray Newman, Katie Lowes, Evan Jonigkeit, and Dermot Mulroney Each episode is approximately 45-50 minutes.

Sophie moves from Massachusetts to Texas, where she is introduced to a group of housewives with deadly secrets.

Here is the trailer:

The Hunting Wives is a soapy and insane thriller that channels Desperate Housewives and Big Little Lies, but does it do enough to be worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Stacked cast!

As soon as I saw the cast for this one, I knew I was in. There were so many familiar faces and I loved the dynamic between all of the characters. The chemistry between Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman was off the charts!

I haven’t been this excited about about a cast in a long time! I’d love to see a crossover between these ladies and the women of Desperate Housewives. Now that would be something!

Images courtesy of Netflix

So addicting!

OK, so it started out really cheesy and soapy, but by the time I got to episode 3, I was completely hooked. There were some insane reveals in this one that kept me guessing. This show definitely gave off some Desperate Housewives vibes with a darker mystery. I loved it!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Sluggish start.

The first two episodes dragged a little for me and there were a few times when I asked myself what I was really watching. Luckily, things turned around in the best way possible by the time I got to episode 3 and it was a crazy ride after that.

Be prepared for some excess fluff and over-the-top sex scenes that seemed to happen almost every other scene at one point. However, I think it added to the guilty pleasure factor, but if that’s not your thing, be warned.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!!!

The Hunting Wives is an addicting and crazy watch that will keep you guessing until the end!

If you’re looking for a guilty pleasure watch, I’d recommend moving this to the top of your list.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Hunting Wives in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “X” in Theaters: Sex and Gore Galore with a Killer Soundtrack

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“You know what they say about too much of a good thing…”

X  released in theaters on March 18th 2022. The slasher horror film stars Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi, Martin Henderson, and Owen Campbell. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

Set in 1979, a group of actors head out to rural Texas to shoot an adult film. However, when their hosts catch them in the act, they find themselves fighting for their lives.

Here is the trailer:

pays homage to classic films like Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Jaws while creating something wild, entertaining, and delightfully disturbing on its own. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

Visually stunning with an amazing soundtrack!

This film really transported me back in time and the musical soundtrack complimented it so well. I also loved the camera effects and the use of lighting. There were so many shocking and horrifying moments during this film and everything was elevated that much more by the visual and sound effects.

This film took my breath away in the best way possible!

Images courtesy of A24

Creepy AF!

This movie was so creepy and disturbing. There was plenty of gore, but the horror went well beyond that. My skin was crawling during certain scenes and I was genuinely freaked out by what I was watching. This film did a great job of embracing the slasher genre while pushing the envelope that much more with its uncensored content.

So much fun!

There’s already such a close and wonderful relationship between sex and horror films and X took it one step further. I loved the film within a film and the actors did a fantastic job with every aspect of their portrayal. Don’t think about things too much. Just enjoy the film and you’ll love it that much more!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

Takes a little while to get going…

I wouldn’t say that this was a major con, but the pacing was a little sluggish in the beginning. Once things took a turn for the disturbing, I was all in but it did take a little while to get there.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m in 100 percent!!!!!

Creepy AF and so much fun! I was so excited to watch this movie and I can happily say that it lived up to the hype and then some! If you enjoy slasher and horror films, you will feel right at home with this one. Enjoy it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on X in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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