The Beast
A&E | Release Date: January 15, 2009
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
51
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews
Positive:
6
Mixed:
14
Negative:
5
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
70
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteRob Owen
Season 1 Review: The Beast, named after Barker's reference to his FBI job, seems like a pretty plain cop drama with added "Road House"-style grit until the end of the first hour, when a new wrinkle adds more intrigue. Read full review
70
Philadelphia InquirerJonathan Storm
Season 1 Review: The show, with a strange and hard-to-believe conspiracy underpinning, requires a leap of faith, but Swayze himself, gaunt and intensely energetic, is magnificent. Read full review
70
The New York TimesGinia Bellafante
Season 1 Review: Patrick Swayze’s performance as an ungoverned F.B.I. man in The Beast, a new crime drama beginning on Thursday on A&E, is impressive for its resistance to cliche and remarkable for the mere fact of its execution. Read full review
63
Chicago Sun-TimesAndrew Herrmann
Season 1 Review: While he could use some better support, Swayze turns in a subtle and strong performance. Read full review
63
New York PostLinda Stasi
Season 1 Review: The Beast is weighted down by a concept that was already tired when Moses was a teenager -wizened, jaded rogue cop teaches rookie the ways of the streets and blah, blah, blah. But Swayze brings to the role, as Rourke did in "The Wrestler," the kind of seriousness that only real-life suffering can impart. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMaureen Ryan
Season 1 Review: Swayze’s performance is almost reason enough to tune in--if you don’t mind the show’s more derivative elements--the actor’s co-star, Fimmel, is often the least interesting thing about The Beast. Read full review
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