Entertainment
After That Unexpected Finale, Is Netflix’s Latest Thriller ‘The Beast in Me’ Returning for Season 2?
Netflix’s newest psychological thriller, The Beast in Me, debuted on November 13 and immediately became the streamer’s latest word-of-mouth obsession. The limited series, which features Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys in their first on-screen collaboration since Homeland, rapidly became the No. 1 series in the world with nearly 7 million views in its first week. It is no wonder, with the great cast, precision mystery, and a finale that leaves just enough question marks for the audience, that everyone is already asking the obvious question: Is The Beast in Me coming back for Season 2?
What ‘The Beast in Me’ Is Actually About
Created by Gabe Rotter and produced by heavyweights like Jodie Foster and Conan O’Brien, The Beast in Me centers on author Aggie Wiggs (Danes), who’s still reeling from the death of her son and struggling to write again. Aggie’s muted, grief-shrunk life in Oyster Bay is disrupted when new neighbors show up next door: Nile Jarvis (Rhys), the son of a cutthroat real estate developer, and his younger wife Nina (Brittany Snow).
There are rumors that Nile killed his first wife, Madison Ingram, who is still missing and presumed dead. Aggie, desperate for purpose and drawn deeper into the fractures in the Jarvises’ narrative, begins investigating Madison’s murder — and Nile. Before long, she’s entangled in a spiraling web that involves family secrets, business power plays, FBI investigations, and the still-raw wound of her own loss.
The result is less a standard “missing woman” thriller and more a psychological duel. The show leans heavily on its performers — Danes’ slow-burning unraveling, Rhys’ magnetic ambiguity, and Jonathan Banks’ icy patriarch — and critics have responded. The series currently holds an 84% Rotten Tomatoes score, with many calling it a standout among Netflix’s recent thrillers.
Is ‘The Beast in Me’ Renewed for Season 2?
Not yet — but there’s reason to stay hopeful. Showrunner Howard Gordon addressed the renewal question head-on, saying there is “always” potential for more. He also admitted he hasn’t begun shaping a new storyline, at least not officially. But his framing is clear: if the demand is there and a worthy continuation emerges, the team is open to expanding beyond the initial eight-episode run.
Although Netflix has not confirmed anything, initial viewership numbers suggest Season 2 has decent prospects. The series even ranked No. 1 in the world in its first week, a common outcome for Netflix thrillers that generally lead to greenlit renewals. Even though the show is labeled a miniseries, the conclusion contains emotional and structural openings that could certainly lend themselves to Chapter Two.
There is enough ambiguity about the characters’ futures, about the fate of Nile’s fractured family, and about Aggie’s next steps that it would be easy to craft a sequel without negating the closure of Season 1.
All indications suggest Netflix is taking a wait-and-see approach to a star-driven, prestige-talent-driven series. If that viewership track holds, Season 2 becomes very possible.
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The series stars ‘Homeland’ and ‘The Americans’ alums.
What a Season 2 Could Explore
Gordon has played coy about specifics, but the world of The Beast in Me leaves plenty to mine.
For Aggie, the question is where her investigative instincts pull her next—and how she rebuilds her life after the discoveries she makes in Season 1. The finale leaves her changed, but not finished.
For the Jarvis family, the fallout from Nile’s actions, the unresolved trauma surrounding Madison Ingram, and the precarious family empire led by Martin Jarvis (Banks) all create natural pressure points. Even the surrounding community of Oyster Bay, from local politics to lingering scandals, provides fertile ground for another mystery.
And given the show’s emphasis on psychology over puzzle-box plotting, a second season wouldn’t need to repeat its central premise. It could simply follow Aggie into a new, equally unsettling chapter—something closer to a character-driven anthology than a traditional continuation.
Why The Beast in Me Is Worth Watching
Even if a second season never comes together, the first season stands solidly on its own. It excels by fusing slow-burn intensity with a grounded emotional center; one episode sees Aggie’s grief never become a trope, and Nile is never just a diabolical cipher. It is also indicative of a cast operating at the highest level of their powers — Danes balances fragility with sharp instinct, Rhys balances between charm and menace, and Snow gives one of the more subtle performances of her career.
Visually, the series leans into its coastal location to heighten tension. The kind of polished, adult-driven thriller Netflix used to churn out more regularly. And because it runs over only 8 episodes, it’s a rare binge that feels equally digestible and substantive.
Regardless of whether The Beast in Me gets a new season, it is the kind of smart, character-forward thriller that bubbles up in the cultural conversation. And if you are either into suburban secrets, unreliable narrators, or a Danes spiral with a magnificent precision, this is definitely one to cue up.
