The Beast in Me Recap: Plan B

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I’m starting to think the obvious answer isn’t right. Even though everything in “Bacchanal” suggests Nile was involved in Madison’s disappearance, I don’t believe he’s the one who killed her. After so many surprises, it feels too simple, and the situation is actually far more complicated than we realized. The episode clearly shows Nile is capable of murder, but Benitez’s pursuit of Jarvis Yards is fueled by the fact that they always seem to get away with everything. What if Nile is actually protecting someone else? The biggest clue in this episode is that Nile owes a debt to the Ingrams. The fate of Jarvis Yards affects a lot of powerful people who might be willing to let Nile take the fall. Throughout the series, Nile has insisted everyone has a weakness, and it seems he has one too.

Aggie needs to regain her composure and think clearly if she wants to solve this case. Getting too friendly with the suspect while drinking isn’t helping. She needs to remain objective! The scene shows Aggie and Nile sharing a drink at her home. Nile notices Aggie said she doesn’t drink, and Aggie brushes it off, saying she had a difficult day. When Nile asks about his injured hands – injuries from killing Abbott – he lies and says he was attacked near his office. They briefly discuss Madison’s parents, but Nile is really interested in Abbott, revealing he’d been suspended from the Bureau in the past for drug use. Nile senses Aggie is upset because the evidence seems to suggest Abbott was innocent.

This realization makes him feel incredibly secure around Aggie, and he puts on Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” to show it. When Aggie laughs at his suggestion that she’ll convince everyone he didn’t kill his wife, his confidence increases. He attempts to get Aggie to open up about her failed marriage, even noticing she still wears her wedding ring as a necklace, but she simply says she and her wife “grew apart.” Seemingly unable to grasp the idea of same-sex attraction, he openly wonders if Aggie isn’t at least a little attracted to him, convinced of his own charm and questioning why she isn’t fascinated. Aggie, having had enough to drink, finds his behavior amusing rather than unsettling.

Nina is at home, worried about where her husband, Nile, is. She’s trying to reach him by phone, but he’s distracted, searching Cooper’s room. Aggie goes upstairs to tell Nile about the calls, and finds him there. She initially asks him to come out, but then agrees to sit and talk with him. They begin discussing Aggie’s father, who was arrested when she was twelve. He’s described as a dishonest person – a con man and a fraud – but the details of his crimes and how often he committed them remain unclear. Aggie explains that she bought the house to provide stability for Cooper, using the money she earned from her successful book and a multi-book deal. Now, after Cooper’s death, she’s left with the financial burden of the house but none of the benefits. Struggling financially, Aggie feels like an outsider in Oyster Bay.

The Hamptons are a haven for the incredibly wealthy, a place where they blend into the surroundings. The Jarvises chose to live there hoping Nile and Nina could have a quiet wedding, but things aren’t going smoothly. Nile frequently comes home late, ignoring Nina’s calls and texts, which understandably makes her angry. He still treats her like a secret lover instead of a wife, a pattern that began after Madison vanished. Nina points out they only moved to Long Island because of Martin’s influence, subtly revealing that Nile isn’t as independent as he pretends to be. His claims that his father can’t control him sound just as childish as a teenager’s defiance. He accuses Nina of missing being the ‘other woman’ in relation to Madison, and she responds by slapping him. Surprisingly, he enjoys it, leading to more slaps and ultimately, sex. It’s a familiar trope on television: a man who asserts control elsewhere enjoys being submissive in the bedroom.

Nina spotted a large, fresh bruise on Nile’s side, but he quickly drove away, claiming he had a busy day ahead. Frustrated, Nina turned to Rick for answers about Nile’s whereabouts the night before. When Rick proved unhelpful, she tried appealing to his emotions, pointing out how unfair it was that he made Nile live in the garage despite being family. However, Rick didn’t seem fazed by anything except the well-being of the dogs. Nina then mentioned the bruise, making it clear she didn’t think it came from Aggie.

Honestly, seeing Aggie after that night was rough. She was so out of it, she wouldn’t have been able to defend herself if she tried. Waking up in Cooper’s room, after Nile had carefully put her to bed, she immediately got sick. She tried to clean up the mess, even threw out her cigarettes – though honestly, that was the least of her worries! As for Rick, he wasn’t with Nile the night before, he was busy with his dad, Martin, counting money and plotting how to get the Jarvis Yards deal approved. Rick did mention he was worried about Nile – said he was getting too confident and taking too many risks – but Martin just didn’t care. He basically told Rick that once Jarvis Yards is approved, he’s done with Nile and his ‘reckless’ behavior for good.

Their scheme to sway the vote involved a lot of money and Rick meeting someone in a shady alley. He introduced a young man named Johnny to NYPD Officer Eddie, giving them each a share of $30,000 – split between six people – and a T-shirt promoting affordable housing. The next day, while protesters gathered at Jarvis Yards to hear Benitez speak, Johnny – wearing the new shirt – spotted Eddie in the crowd. During Benitez’s speech, Johnny publicly called Eddie a fascist, leading to a physical altercation. Four other people they’d hired joined the fight with the police, quickly escalating the situation into what the media labeled a “riot.” Watching the news at home, Martin was satisfied with the outcome. Benitez could only watch in frustration as things spiraled out of control, desperately trying to explain that wasn’t their intention, but it was too late to stop it.

Nile likely upset his father by focusing on cleaning up his own mess instead of following orders. He ditched Abbott’s body in the trunk of Abbott’s car, leaving it at one of MHJ’s parking lots. Nile quickly swapped the license plates and then drove the car to a junkyard, taking Abbott’s belongings – including the phone used to contact Aggie – with him. He paid extra to have the car crushed immediately, watching as blood leaked from the trunk. While most at the Bureau believe Abbott is still on sick leave, Erika is growing concerned, as he hasn’t responded to any of her messages.

By the episode’s end, Aggie will also be searching for him. Meanwhile, Nile disposes of Abbott’s body while Aggie attempts to repair things with Shelley. Feeling remorseful and clear-headed after a night of drinking, she goes to Bushwick to apologize face-to-face. Though Shelley only leaves the door slightly open, Aggie is forced to plead her case through the crack. Aggie tells Shelley everything she thinks she wants to hear, admitting Shelley was right and that she is indeed selfish. However, she insists she’s not a monster, echoing Nile’s words. She confesses she always needs someone to oppose, but never intended it to be Shelley, whom she cares about deeply. Aggie desperately asks for forgiveness and a chance to change. She breaks down crying, and while Shelley is touched – she cries on the other side of the door – the damage is already done. Shelley ultimately closes the door, rejecting Aggie’s plea.

When Aggie receives a call from Madison’s brother, Christopher Ingram, she’s already feeling unwell. He wants to share information his parents didn’t reveal about Nile, but he immediately distrusts Aggie. He senses she’s fallen for Nile’s charm, noticing how quickly she admits she may have misjudged him. Aggie’s honesty about changing her opinion of Nile, combined with her obvious dislike of him, isn’t her best work as a journalist. However, Christopher eventually reveals a crucial detail: the Ingrams have a significant financial stake in Jarvis Yards. They covered half of the Jarvises’ $200 million debt in exchange for 5% ownership of the development. Madison disappeared shortly after this deal, which was handled through the Ingram family trust. Christopher believes his parents genuinely believe Nile is innocent, but their investment likely plays a role. He also reveals that Madison was afraid of Nile. A month before she vanished, she called Christopher to tell him she loved him, “no matter what.” Christopher then gives Aggie a box of Madison’s belongings he took from her house, items he didn’t want Nile to see.

Aggie discovers an old birdwatching journal and notices a page has been torn out. Remembering conversations about Madison’s past suicide attempt and Nile intervening to save her, she quickly finds a copy of Madison’s suicide note. The note is the exact size and shape of the missing page. She immediately calls Abbott with this information, but Nile answers the call while busy throwing Abbott’s possessions into the Hudson River. Nile ignores the call, and Aggie’s stubbornness causes another problem. She sends a text message saying, “He killed Madison. I have proof.” Nile responds, pretending to be Abbott, with a threatening message – “Wait till I see you. Tell no one” – and then throws the phone into the river.

Intrusive Thoughts

This episode gives us a glimpse into Erika’s personal life. She leaves her children with Frank, who wants to discuss their divorce before finalizing the papers. He reveals he knows about her relationship with Abbott and asks if she’s in love with him. Erika denies it, which upsets Frank even more, leading to a tearful conversation. I enjoy Erika as a character, but her storyline feels underdeveloped. It’s hinted at being important, yet we don’t see enough of it to fully invest. With Abbott now missing, will Frank play a role in what happens next? Could he be blamed for Abbott’s disappearance?

Honestly, I think Nile made a really bad decision by killing Abbott. He’ll immediately be the prime suspect, although he’s managed to wriggle out of similar situations before. Martin will likely be furious, and Rick too, for that matter!

I have a feeling Madison might still be alive. Could she be hidden in the same place where Teddy Fenig is being held? We should definitely look into that and check on Teddy while we’re at it.

I’ve been thinking about that jogging path from the show – it feels like we haven’t heard about it in ages. I’m really curious if Nile ever actually got around to building it. Honestly, it felt a little like the writers just introduced it to throw Aggie and Nile together, but I’m hoping it’ll become relevant again somehow. I’d love to see that plot thread picked up!

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2025-11-14 01:00