The Beast in Me Recap: Fatal Mistakes

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One of the best things about The Beast in Me is the mystery surrounding Nile’s actions. While he clearly has violent tendencies, it’s possible he isn’t the one responsible for the murders. As the season progresses, it’s becoming increasingly likely that his wife’s death wasn’t his fault. However, even if she did take her own life, that doesn’t excuse his violent behavior – he still brutally attacks Teddy Fenig. And it definitely doesn’t mean he’s incapable of killing, as Special Agent Brian Abbott tragically falls victim to him before the episode ends. This twist is particularly effective because the episode leads us to believe in Nile’s innocence before revealing his capacity for violence.

The latest episode of “Thanatos” finds Aggie researching the concept of Thanatos – in Greek mythology, the god of peaceful death, and in Freudian psychology, the drive towards death. This exploration happens as Abbott meets with a group of shady hackers, led by Simone, to unlock files he took from Nile’s computer. Simone isn’t interested in money; she wants a future favor, with no strings attached. This feels like a bad deal, especially considering what happens to Abbott – accepting Bitcoin would have been simpler, and this favor will likely cause problems for him even after he’s gone. It also seems odd that Abbott couldn’t have just hired some younger, financially motivated hackers to do the job.

While the hackers hold Abbott captive as they work on the thumb drive, Nile calls Aggie with some shocking news: Nina has agreed to cancel Shelley’s art show. Nina happens to be in the car and overhears the conversation, leaving her furious. Nile’s casual response – “That’s what friends are for” – is particularly unsettling considering he’s the subject of Aggie’s true-crime book. Nina is then stuck with the difficult task of telling Shelley the show is off. True to her character, Nina refuses to blame Aggie when Shelley suspects her involvement, instead claiming Nile asked her to postpone the event. She offers Shelley a contact for another art gallery and suggests revisiting the show after Aggie’s book is released.

Shelley isn’t naive, and she and Aggie were married for ten years. She calls Aggie, demanding to know what’s going on and telling her to leave her alone, then ends the call. Aggie rushes to Shelley’s studio to explain. They have a typical fight common in artist couples: throughout their marriage, Shelley often prioritized Aggie’s career, and even after the divorce, she feels she still has to put her own ambitions aside. Aggie tries to explain that she was supporting them both, but she comes across as defensive and claims she was trying to protect Shelley from the dangerous Jarvis family. She insists she’s writing the book because she believes Nile killed Teddy Fenig and that it’s the only way to uncover the truth. Shelley doesn’t believe a word of it. “If anyone killed Teddy, it was you,” she accuses. Aggie relentlessly reminded Teddy of his mistake, ultimately driving him to despair. Then, Shelley delivers a devastating blow that will stick with Aggie: “It’s easier for you to blame someone else than to face your own flaws.”

There’s been a lot of visible emotion on TV lately. If Shelley’s observation is correct, it raises serious questions about Aggie’s book proposal – and even how Aggie has been coping with the loss of her son. This point feels especially pointed considering the interview Aggie conducted with Madison’s parents, James and Mariah Ingram. She was shocked when their lawyer called saying they’d agree to talk, and even more surprised to learn, over coffee in their elegant Upper West Side home, that they only agreed because Nile spoke up for her. Aggie had expected tension between Nile and the Ingrams, but James and Mariah are absolutely convinced of his innocence and are upset by the media’s portrayal of him as a bad guy.

I was really struck by how open the Ingrams were about their daughter, Madison. They shared that she loved birdwatching, something her therapist actually suggested to her. It came out that Madison lived with bipolar disorder, and wasn’t always consistent with her medication. Listening to Mariah talk about her, it was clear their relationship was complicated – there was love, but also a hint of frustration, like she felt Madison couldn’t always control what was happening. James seemed a little less hurt, but both parents agreed that Nile truly made Madison happy and cared about her. They even told Aggie about a time Nile found Madison after a suicide attempt and got her to the hospital – he saved her life. They firmly believe Madison doesn’t want to be found, which is heartbreaking. Ultimately, they’re hoping Aggie’s book will finally prove Nile’s innocence, so they can finally have some peace and truly grieve their daughter.

The Ingrams aren’t the only ones who believe Madison died by suicide. Erika shares with Rick, during a secret meeting in a rainy alley, that the entire FBI agrees there was no crime involved. Everyone, Rick notes, except for Abbott. Erika relays Abbott’s account – he only met with Aggie once, and it was an informal conversation. She believes him because they’re friends and she’s his boss. Still, Rick orders her to continue watching Abbott “until I say so.” It makes me wonder what Rick has over Erika that allows him to give her orders. She’s a police officer, after all!

Nile and Martin are trying to secure the final vote needed to move forward with the second phase of the Jarvis Yards construction project. They bring in a crisis management firm, Montgomery Group, led by Esme Noor, known for almost getting a candidate elected despite a major scandal revealed just before the election – as Martin delicately puts it. Esme’s team suggests winning over Councilman Lionel Haas, but Nile, confident in his own judgment, has a different plan. He barely pays attention to their presentation, insisting they should focus on influencing Councilman Benitez instead, whom he sees as simply seeking attention. The Jarvises aren’t interested in ethics; they believe everything can be solved with money. The immediate question is whether Nile is correct in assuming Benitez can be bought. But a more puzzling question arises: why did they spend so much money – hiring a team of eight people at $3,000 per hour – only to disregard their advice?

While all this unfolds, Abbott remains stuck in a room with no windows or bathroom, waiting for Simone to finish her search. He’s pretty sure he’ll have to use a can as a toilet before she tells him the files he downloaded weren’t related to Nile’s fitness app. However, she did discover a heavily encrypted link to a private network, revealing a live video of Teddy Fenig – alive, but tied up and seemingly held captive in a basement or torture chamber. Though the video’s source is untraceable, Simone provides Abbott with a decrypted link to share with the Bureau, if he chooses to. Throughout the day, Aggie repeatedly calls Abbott about the computer, and rather unwisely, leaves detailed messages about her illegal phone snooping. Abbott finally returns her call, but lies to her. He tells her Nile was asleep by 10 p.m. the night Teddy disappeared, apologizes for involving her, and urges her to drop the matter. In reality, Abbott is waiting outside the MHJ office building, hoping to confront Nile.

This development so distresses Aggie that she has a drink. Both Aggie and Abbott fall victim to their demons: Aggie has to face Shelley’s accusation that she’d rather invent a murder than look in the mirror, and Abbott pursues a thread he knows will lead nowhere good. In this case, it leads him to a dark, warehouselike building, which Nile enters after picking up a strewn pipe. Abbott takes out his gun: Maybe this is where Teddy is. But Nile is meeting with only Benitez and her chief of staff. He picked this drab building to make a point: He’s willing to donate the space to the city if Benitez will flip her vote. He makes several appeals to Benitez’s ambition, saying that if she wants to prove her chops and one day be mayor, or even governor, she needs to show the Establishment that she can make big moves. Benitez maintains that her vote is not for sale, but it does seem like Nile struck a chord. She leaves without committing one way or the other and, after flipping a table in frustration, Nile calls his dad to relate the news. “I’ll find another way for her to change her mind,” Martin reassures. “You don’t take the carrot, you use the stick.” Super normal thing to say!

As Nile leaves, Abbott points a gun at him and orders him to put his hands up. Nile then offers information about Madison’s location. This momentarily distracts Abbott, giving Nile the opening he needs to attack. Nile overpowers Abbott, strangling him before repeatedly hitting his head with the butt of Abbott’s own gun. Blood sprays onto Nile’s face, and he appears almost pleased. The violence is disturbing, and it’s made even more unsettling when Nile casually goes to visit Aggie afterward. He simply says he’s had a difficult day and wants a drink with a friend, leaving Aggie completely unaware of the extent of what he’s done.

Intrusive Thoughts

During her conversation with the Ingrams, Aggie learns that Madison had a close brother named Christopher. He’s still deeply affected by her death and unable to be present during Aggie’s interview. He might become a significant person in the investigation, and Aggie wonders if he doubts Nile’s innocence.

James Ingram shares a copy of Madison’s suicide note with Aggie, confirming that three forensic experts have verified its authenticity. He points out that the handwriting is clear and steady, unlike Teddy’s, which tends to be shaky.

Abbott’s death adds to Aggie’s already heavy burden of guilt, bringing the total number of deaths she feels responsible for to three. She’s struggling with how she’ll cope with such a weight on her conscience.

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2025-11-13 22:56