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If you haven’t heard, the latest series from Netflix and A24, BEEF is now available to stream, and it is becoming the biggest new series of 2023 that everyone is talking about. The 10-episode series stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong as Danny Cho and Amy Lau, two people whose lives become interconnected after a road incident occurs between them. This only causes both of their lives to suddenly spiral out of control when they both snap and begin to sabotage each other in the worst possible ways.
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BEEF is not your typical show as it braids in drama and comedy throughout each episode. There are several moments that are laugh-out-loud hilarious and definitely make you wonder, how could anyone let one single moment go so far? But that becomes answered with every episode as they each carry a lengthy and deepened conversation about mental health. Much of the show focuses on the relationships we have with the people in our lives, whether they are temporary or forever, but it also discusses the way we as people process anger, depression, and all other negative emotions.
Through the eyes of both Danny and Amy, we get to see the ways in which we might snap and resort to choices that not only result in the worst consequences for ourselves, but also negatively affect those around us. But furthermore, the exploration of the Asian American experience is what ties the entire series together. It’s not just a single conversation that is one and done. Instead, it takes all 10 episodes to unfold the nuanced and multifaceted experience that many, if not all, Asian Americans face as we grow up into adulthood.
Despite this, at its core, there is something universal not just amongst Asian Americans, but people in general. It’s not about having one bad day or one bad experience with a random stranger. It’s about the way the main characters and we as people in our daily lives let one incident control and dictate how we behave going forward.
With BEEF being declared one of, if not the best new series of 2023, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it be pushed for multiple Emmys. Not only the performances of Yeun and Wong spectacular, but the talent of Young Mazino, Joseph Lee, and David Choe amplify the drama and comedy of each episode. Not only do they manage to make you laugh through the most bizarre situations, but they each bring out feelings of disgust, heartbreak, and relief. It certainly is one of the most well-written and developed stories that we’ve seen come out from Netflix, and one that everyone should take the time to watch.
