Angela B. Culture 04.17.2023 20:Apr PM EDT

‘Beef’ on Netflix: Should You Watch It?

Another Netflix original was released on April 6th, 2023, and so far, people have loved it. In fact, "Beef" has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The comedy-drama is Lee Sung Jin and has gotten mostly positive reviews on social media, so here are reasons why you should watch it for yourself.

1. It Goes Beyond TV Show Tropes

You'll always find yourself encountering TV tropes on shows, and while others are so cliché that you can smell the outcome from a mile away, "Beef" actually uses the tropes in a way that would surprise you.

For instance, instead of using Asian stereotypes as comedic relief, the show passively shows how culture can affect a person's daily life. It's also easy to appreciate how it did not lay it on way too thick that it has become the focal point of the series.

2. It Shows the Violent Effects of Stress

No one would've guessed that simple road rage would get way out of hand that it will lead to what happened in the last episode of the show. The unraveling of events teaches us that pent-up emotions and stress can lead to bad decisions.

It just so happens that Danny (Steven Yeun) and Amy (Ali Wong) decided to act on their worst impulses and get back at each other in the most creative way possible. Yes, their antics eventually got way out of hand, but it makes for good TV.

3. A Closer Look at What Life is Like for Others

It's a TV show and everything is fictional, but it can easily apply to someone in real life. Amy, a successful self-made millionaire with a picture-perfect family, might have the life that others would dream of, but they don't really know her, do they?

She did strive for greatness and achieved it, but she had also hidden many unresolved issues that have affected her mentally. Danny, on the other hand, struggled with getting more to life than what he had, resulting in him making poor and ethically questionable decisions out of desperation to earn better.

4. 'Beef' Exhibits How Decisions Can Affect Loved Ones

In Amy and Danny's constant retaliation against each other, the people in their lives are starting to be pulled in as well. You will also appreciate how their feud managed to branch out and creatively intertwine with one another, eventually making an entire tangled mess of everything, all because of an altercation on the road.

5. The Actors Performed Spectacularly

You might've already seen Steven Yeun in other shows like "The Walking Dead" or Ali Wong in her comedy shows and movies, but they have exceeded expectations with their performance on the show, both in the comedic and dramatic aspects.

It takes talent to make your viewers feel how vulnerable a character is and how a person's inner battles can eventually make them break down. Still, Steven Yeun managed to do that in a scene, highlighting his breaking point in the show.

Ali Wong also displayed what the emotions of a defeated person would look like convincingly. On top of the family problems that arose as she crossed so many lines, she is also haunted by her past's lack of emotional openness.