The Beast Must Die is a 2021 British thriller television series based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Blake, adapted for television by Gaby Chiappe. It centres on a mother's grief for her son who was killed in car accident. She takes matters into her own hands by posing as a novelist to ingratiate herself into the family of the man whom she believes to be responsible for her son's death.
Premise
Following the death of her son in a hit and run, all Frances Cairnes wants is to hunt down and kill the man she believes is responsible. When she finally tracks him down, she tricks her way into his house and plots his murder from within.
Cast and characters
Main
Cush Jumbo as Frances Cairnes
Billy Howle as Nigel Strangeways
Series 1
Nathaniel Parker as Blount
Maeve Dermody as Violet
Douggie McMeekin as Vincent O'Brien
Mia Tomlinson as Lena
Geraldine James as Joy
Jared Harris as George Rattery
Barney Sayburn as Phil Rattery
William Llande as Martie Cairnes
Episodes
Production
Development
Casting
Filmed on the Isle of Wight.
Release
The miniseries premiered on May 27, 2021, on BritBox. It aired on AMC+ on July 5, 2021, and on AMC on July 12, 2021.
Reception
The Beast Must Die has received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 85% based on 20 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7.48/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Cush Jumbo and Jared Harris make for thrilling combatants in The Beast Must Die, a coiled potboiler that excels with deft performances and rich atmosphere." On Metacritic, it has a score of 73 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "Generally favorable".