Let me spare you the overnight panic: Steven the dog makes it. Yes, really. Now that The Beast in Me is out and everyone is spiraling over the psychological chess match between Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys, the only sane question has been whether the goodest boy survives. He does. Deep breaths.
The short version: Does Steven make it?
Yep. In the finale, Agatha Wiggs (Danes) outmaneuvers neighbor-from-hell Nile Jarvis (Rhys) and gets home in one piece. We do not see Steven in those closing beats, but there is zero suggestion anything happened to him. If the show wanted to break our hearts, it would have made a meal of it. It does not.
What exactly is this show?
The Beast in Me is an eight-episode psychological thriller created by Gabe Rotter and run by Howard Gordon. Danes plays Agatha, a Pulitzer-winning author drowning in grief after losing her son. When a suspected murderer, Nile Jarvis, moves in next door, she gets pulled into a dangerous game that blurs the line between hunter and hunted. It is tense, twisty, and all about who you choose to trust when your world is already cracked.
Why Steven matters
Steven is not just a pet here. He is Agatha's last living tether to her late son, Cooper, and a neat mirror of her own vulnerability. Every scene with him softens the edges of the show and quietly raises the stakes. You are not just worried about Agatha making it out of this mess. You are worried about Steven, because if anything happens to him, that is basically the universe confirming Agatha has nothing left.
A telling moment in episode 4
The show even uses the dogs to underline who these people are. While Steven responds to care and calm, Nile's property has guard dogs that Detective Brian Abbott (David Lyons) has to flat-out drug during a stealth visit in episode 4. It is a stark little character note that says plenty without a lecture.
Quick facts
- Episodes and runtime: 8 installments, roughly 41 to 54 minutes each
- Creators and leadership: Created by Gabe Rotter, showrun by Howard Gordon
- Main cast: Claire Danes as Agatha Wiggs and Matthew Rhys as Nile Jarvis, with Brittany Snow, Natalie Morales, David Lyons, Jonathan Banks, and Bill Irwin backing them up
- Executive producers: Jodie Foster and Conan O'Brien, which tells you the pedigree here is not casual
- Reception as of Nov 14, 2025: IMDb 7.4/10; Rotten Tomatoes at 84% from critics and 69% from audiences
The bottom line on Steven
Steven lives. The show flirts with making him a symbol or a plot device, sure, but it never tips into cruelty. Agatha wins the endgame, and the dog is fine. We love that for all of us.
Where to watch
The Beast in Me is streaming now on Netflix.