Every year, several new shows manage to stand out in the crowded television market. They go on to leave a lasting impression on both critics and viewers. Well, that’s exactly the case with Netflix’s Beef — a comedy-drama starring Steven Yen and Ali Wong. The miniseries has gone on to win several major awards such as Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
It’s a ten-episode series that focuses on two Los Angeles residents whose lives spiral out of control following a road rage incident. The entire season is available on the streaming service nows and with a strong 98% on rotten tomatoes, the Netflix show certainly lives up to the hype. Here are the five best moments of the streaming series.
The Road Rage Incident
I can’t have this list without the inciting incident that kicked off this wild series. The road rage incident is just a small fire that ignites a bigger destruction within the lives of Danny and Ali. It’s a petty thing between these two characters because sane people wouldn’t go to such great lengths that these two did, but the incident draws a nice parallel of their lives. Amy is a rich socialite with a family, whereas Danny is a struggling businessman who can barely afford his rent.
Both are dealing with great hardships and this road rage incident was somewhat of a therapeutic. However, the moment is wildly hilarious and surprisingly action packed. Yen and Wong are great throughout this scene displaying a whirlwind of emotions of their chase through the suburban neighborhood. Beef highlights the pettiness within all of us, and how it can spiral into something terrible.
Danny Breaks Down And Cries
Life is hard. What makes Beef so great is the character moments that peel back the layers of Danny and Ali’s life. This specific was a powerful one because everyone understands the struggles of life. Sometimes it gets the best of you and there’s a moment of doubt or hopelessness weighing on his mind. Danny’s religious experience is a big reason why he changes throughout the season. Granted, it’s not an integral piece of the plot, but Danny has new prospective on life thanks to finding some sort of value within in. It’s a powerful and tear jerking moment that feels realistic because of the incredible performance of Steven Yen. It wouldn’t be surprising if his Emmy win was due to this scene alone.
Danny’s House Is Set On Fire
The moment itself isn’t particularly the reason that it’s on the list. It’s the events that come from this scene. Before this point, life was starting to turn around for both Danny and Ali. That is until the former discovers the latter was the girl hooking up with his brother Paul. That in turn pissed off Paul, who was in love with Ali. Naturally, Paul did the responsible thing: Tell George that he screwed his wife.
Suddenly, Ali and Danny were back in their crosshairs. Ali’s “perfect” life has been destroyed. And Danny’s life isn’t as great as he wants it to be. His parents don’t seem proud of him despite his business finally succeeding. Then his hard work is flushed down the drain with an accidental fire. But Danny hides that secret. The second half of Beef really showed the ugly side of Danny. This moment was the catalyst of exposing his jealously and selfishness. Just like the road rage set off a chain of events between Ali and Danny, the fire further elevated their rivalry.
Who Called The Cops?
The Great Fabricator is arguably the best episode of the season. It has nothing to do with the bank robbery itself. It’s the character development and revelations throughout the episode that keeps you glued until the very episode. The most horrifying moment of the episode is when Jordan is dismembered by her own steel door. But the realization that Amy was in on the plan spiraled into such madness. It sparked Naomi’s jealously, which helped lead to the death of Jordan.
Of course, Danny was no innocent bystander as these events happened because of him accidentally kidnapping June. Beef found a way to make this episode dark humorous, gripping, and sad within the tones overlapping one another. The hostage plot was the height that finally pushed Danny and Ali over the edge, but it also had a surprising amount of development of several supporting characters as well.
We Were The Guinea Pigs, Right?
After the events that unfolded in episode nine, the creator took a quieter approach in the final chapter. It was all about Danny and Ali coming head-to-head. Instead of having these two fight it out once and for all, the writers did something ten times better. Danny and Ali were forced to face the consequences of their actions. They actually reflected on their behavior and found common ground throughout the episode.
You expect some huge blow out giving the events of the past several episodes, but this low key approach symbolizes just how much in common Danny and Ali really have. They’re extremely flawed individuals, but they have good heart overall. This episode isn’t the tension filled drama that the previous one was as it about the two main characters of the series. It worked. Their issues were resolved under strange circumstances and teased a possible romance between the pair of leads.
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