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:

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.

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:

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?

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…

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 rule…they 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 “Full Circle” on Max: A Riveting Crime Thriller!

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

“It never begins…and thus it never ends…”

Full Circle premiered on Max on July 13th 2023 with the first two episodes available to stream now. There will be six episodes in total. Two episodes will release each week. The crime thriller mini-series stars Claire Danes, Timothy Olyphant, Zazie Beetz, and Dennis Quaid. Each episode runs for approximately 40-48 minutes.

A kidnapping in New York City connects several strangers, revealing long-held secrets along the way.

Here is the trailer:

Full Circle has a talented cast, an addicting premise, and plenty of layers to keep the audience coming back for more. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

All-star cast!

I’ve been waiting for Claire Danes to dominate the television screen again and she’s paired with Timothy Olyphant…talk about a dream come true! But that’s not all. We also have the charming Zazie Beetz and a number of other fantastic actors. There is a lot of talent here and I’m just hoping each character gets enough time to shine in six episodes. So far they are doing a great job and I’m waiting for Claire Danes to channel her inner Carrie Mathison already!

A solid hook.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about this series at first, but by the time I got to the end of episode one, I was completely hooked and I was immediately pressing play on the next episode. I wish I didn’t have to wait for more episodes because this series is really addicting and I already have a lot of working theories.

This series doesn’t follow your typical crime thriller formula, but it is still doing enough to captivate our attention completely and I can’t wait for the rest of the puzzle pieces to come together. This is a consuming watch already and I can’t wait to see more!

The Cons:

A lot to keep track of…

At one point I thought I was watching two different shows. Be prepared for a lot of sub-plots. I am confident that everything will connect by the end of each episode, but you do need to pay attention to this one. This style may not be for everyone, but so far it isn’t getting in the way of the crime mystery at the center.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Full Circle is an engrossing watch filled with plenty of secrets and thrills to keep you tuning in each week.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking your Favorite Female Performances on Television for 2020

We had so many incredible female performances on television in 2020, as these strong, courageous, and slightly quirky women lit up the screen. Whether it was a moment of empowerment, the unexpected transformation of a character, or a breakout role, these women captured our undivided attention throughout the year.

Again, it was difficult for me to narrow down my favorite female performances for 2020 because there were honestly so many and I didn’t think it was possible for me to choose my absolute favorite one, which is where you came in!

I ran a three round poll (randomized tournament style) on Twitter and asked for fans to cast their votes so that we can all decide who our favorite female performances are for the year. Thank you so much for your participation and support, as the tournament was so much fun and actually really competitive!

Round One featured the following Female Performances on TV from 2020:

Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper from Riverdale
Kaley Cuoco as Cassie Bowden from The Flight Attendant
Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon from The Queen’s Gambit
Cynthia Erivo as Holly Gibney from The Outsider
Nicole Kidman as Grace Fraser from The Undoing
Kerry Washington as Mia Warren from Little Fires Everywhere
Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison from Homeland
Jodie Comer as Villanelle from Killing Eve
Marie Avgeropoulos as Octavia Blake from The 100
Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina Spellman from Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler from Better Call Saul
Danai Gurira as Michonne from The Walking Dead

After your votes, the following female actresses moved on to Round Two:

Danai Gurira
Jodie Comer
Nicole Kidman
Claire Danes
Anya Taylor-Joy
Kaley Cuoco

After your votes in Round Two, the following female actresses moved on to the FINALS:

Jodie Comer
Danai Gurira
Claire Danes
Kaley Cuoco

Honorable Mention: Anya Taylor-Joy came up short, but I think she should honestly get an Emmy for her performance!!!!! Perfection!

After your votes in Round Three, the FINAL results are:

4th place: Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison from Homeland

Claire has always been so intense and emotional in her portrayal of Carrie, but I thought that she also channeled a lot of maturity and strength in the final season. Well deserved!

3rd place: Kaley Cuoco as Cassie Bowden from The Flight Attendant

Kaley Cuoco really showed off a completely different side of her by delighting us in one of my favorite shows of the year. Her quirky portrayal of Cassie was spot on and it really made the show that much more enjoyable. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

2nd place: Danai Gurira as Michonne from The Walking Dead

It wasn’t easy knowing it would be Michonne’s final season, but wow did Danai deliver some incredible performances along the way. She brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion and really reminded us that she has been the heart and soul of this show for so long! Thank you Danai!

Drum roll please…

I am so beyond excited to announce your WINNER for Favorite Female Performance of 2020: Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve!

Jodie has been such a joy to watch. Villanelle is a complex character and Jodie has really brought her to life. In the third season, we finally got to peel back some layers and witness what truly makes Villanelle tick. Her humanity has really been showing more and more, which makes her an even more remarkable character in my mind. Jodie will always be one of my favorite actresses and I am so pleased with the results! Congrats Jodie!

Thanks to all the fans who voted! I wish you all the best for the New Year!

View Final Poll Results Here!

I hope you enjoyed the list and please feel free to post your thoughts and comments below on some of your favorite female performances on TV from 2020. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing for 2021!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

My performance of the week ending 3/7/20 on TV goes to…

Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison on Showtime’s Homeland season 8.

As I continue to watch the final season of Homeland, it’s important to recognize and celebrate Claire Danes for her brilliant performances week after week. She has done so much more than merely becoming Carrie Mathison…she IS Carrie Mathison and she will forever be a legend because of it.

**Please note some spoilers are ahead if you are not caught up on the series.**

Homeland is always jam-packed with quite a lot each episode and you really have to be in the right frame of mind to watch the show, but it continues to captivate my undivided attention and if I start to drift off for even a moment, Carrie Mathison brings me right back.

Homeland Showtime 2 — Images courtesy of Showtime

While Carrie has displayed a million emotions over the seasons, I really prefer the Carrie who wants to get to the truth. Her board of theories and her drive to analyze every angle is beyond inspiring. She risks it all for her country, but she also has quite a few layers and blocks in her memory that make her even more of a dynamic character.

Sometimes Carrie is unsure if she can trust herself, but we know that her intentions are typically good. Does she get carried away sometimes? Absolutely, but I think it is a constant struggle for her to balance all of her intense emotions. She uses that intensity to be a major asset at her job, but it also takes a toll on her, as the rest of her emotions spiral out of control…especially when she is off her meds.

Each episode in season 8 has been absolutely fantastic so far. In season 8, episode 4, Carrie risks it all to help a woman in trouble. She doesn’t stress about following protocol or getting approval. She simply makes a decision based on her gut, understanding that doing the right thing doesn’t always follow the rule book.

What’s next for Carrie? Well, I imagine quite a lot after that major cliffhanger at the end of episode 4. It looks like she is going to have to put her theories to work to find out what is really happening and I’m assuming we will also start piecing together her missing memories to unlock those secrets.

Homeland Showtime 1 — Images courtesy of Showtime

I’m intrigued to find out how it all ends. As much as I want a happy ending for Carrie so that she can be reunited with Franny, it’s somewhat unlikely that both she and Saul will make it out of this alive. A sacrifice will most likely be made and I’m not sure that I am prepared for it just yet, but I’m confident that Claire Danes will continue to deliver extraordinary performances for the remainder of the season.

I can’t wait to find out how it all ends!

What are some of YOUR theories?

Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!

Have a performance on TV that you think is simply outstanding? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural? Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery? Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon! Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well. I really hope you enjoy!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

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