J.B.
REVIEW
IMPLICIT IN EVERY VIRAL ROAD-RAGE video is the same question: What is wrong with these people? BEEF, a wild black comedy from first-time creator Lee Sung Jin, delves deep into the sources and fallout of two L.A. motorists’ fury. Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) is a struggling contractor wracked with guilt over his immigrant parents’ involuntary return to Korea. Amy Lau (Ali Wong) longs to sell her thriving houseplant business and stay home with her husband George (Joseph Lee) and daughter June (Remy Holt). Their parking-lot showdown leads to a ridiculous chase through suburbia—and then months of ever escalating attempts to ruin each other’s lives.
At first, this premise seems better suited to a feature than a 10-episode Netflix series. But Lee is doing more than just a live-action Looney Tunes bit. The pranks yield insights into both characters’ unhappiness. Desperate to maintain the serene front that’s vital to her brand, Amy quietly seethes over a meddling mother-in-law (Patti Yasutake), the manipulations of a billionaire (Maria Bello) who might acquire the business, and George’s insistence on following in his artist father’s footsteps despite his lack of talent. Danny is in debt to a scary cousin (played by the artist David Choe) and feels responsible for his slacker younger brother Paul (Young Mazino).
The show fleshes out not just its leads but al
