The trailer for Netflix’s new show “Beef” has arrived. The trailer does an adequate job of setting up the excitement for us. It is pacy and sharply edited. The bold statement about revenge being served raw can be reflected in the raw energy that the trailer serves. It is exactly how we expect a trailer from an A24 series to be. At first glance, it can be understood that this series is going to chronicle the bizarre actions that the protagonists Danny Cho (played by Steven Yuen) and Amy (portrayed by Ali Wong) are going to undertake after their paths cross in a road rage incident. Their instantaneous anger will push them to undertake certain steps and functions that are going to destroy their personal relationships with their family members and friends.
I have always wondered what exactly triggers people to undertake a verbal fight on a jam-packed metro during office hours only because their co-passenger elbowed them; or what caused two motor drivers to be ready to jump at each other’s throat in the middle of a crossroad; let alone what pushed Oedipus to unknowingly kill his father King Lauis on his way to Thebes, as referred to in the popular myth. Well, this trailer partly answers my curiosity, and the answer is simple; in fact, it is a big part of our everyday vocabulary—we act the way we do because of stress. Stress is a banal, non-disposable gift of our modern urban existence. This stress is often a precursor to mental health issues. The strange rivalry that the protagonists of “Beef” develop may be an expansion of their personal mental health problems.
Amy, who is a self-built entrepreneur and has a seemingly perfect life, locks horns with Danny, who is a construction worker. Danny definitely suffers from anxiety, and his problems keeps him distracted while he is on the road. Tangled up in his own thoughts, Danny backs out of his parking space without signaling properly and almost crashes into Amy’s luxury SUV. She drives off and points her finger out of the window in the most inappropriate way possible. This is the beginning of their feud. A feud that is going to transform their lives. It is interesting to see the number of hairstyles and attires Ali Wong’s character goes through because an outward makeover really drives the rage she feels for Yuen’s character Danny out. Amy is not happy being the perfect woman in business; her role as the perfect wife and mother doesn’t give her complete happiness. Danny, on the other hand, is a man who never reaches his full potential. He confesses in the trailer that it was his choices that made him land in his current situation. In one scene, Amy is swearing to rob Danny of every last bit of his possessions, even though she has everything she ever wanted, including European oakwood as her bathroom flooring. This is quickly followed by a remarkable line that will stay with me for quite some time. It states that normal people are just delusional, and that might be very much the truth. The trailer has some spicy heart notes, and it is commendable to see how two people who are suffering from similar mental issues are forming a bond, even if it is one that is built on dislike and hatred.
This dark comedy series produced by the dream team of A24 and Netflix drops on April 6. It will consist of ten episodes, each about 30 minutes long. With the sweeping victories of “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” at the 95th Academy Awards, it is quite understandable that Asian stories and characters are going to be the next ‘it’ thing in Hollywood, and this series revolves around primarily Asian characters and beautiful actors have been cast in it. While the lead roles have gone to Academy Award nominee Steven Yuen, who was fantastic in A24’s film “Minari,” and Emmy-nominated stand-up comedian Ali Wong, the supporting cast consists of names like Ashley Park, Justin H. Min, Joseph Lee, Maria Bello, Mia Serafino, Remy Holt, David Choe, Andrew Santino, Rek Lee, and Patti Yasutake.
The show was created by Lee Sung Jin; he is also an executive producer on the project. He told Variety magazine in an interview that this show was born out of a road rage incident that he was involved in about three years ago and that he is grateful to the person who yelled at him at a traffic signal. Lee Sung Jin has channeled his rage into a show for Netflix.
Shows Like ‘Beef’ That You Can Watch Before It Airs:
Fleabag (2016-2019): This is generally my go-to recommendation for anyone who asks me what they should watch next. This Emmy Award-winning show has two seasons and has been adapted and developed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge from her play of the same name. The titular character Fleabag, played by Phoebe (yes, that is her name), struggles to find the meaning of her life, where she is going, and where she wants to go. She is struggling with guilt and grief simultaneously. She lost her mother to cancer recently, and her best friend Bo committed suicide when she realizes that her boyfriend was cheating on her. Fleabag is a woman in her late twenties and early thirties who is single, financially unstable, and on the verge of losing her mental balance. The show features a brilliant Olivia Colman as Fleabag’s godmother and soon-to-be stepmother. The show reaches its pinnacle in the second season, with Andrew Scott joining the cast as the Hot Priest and Fleabag’s only love interest. It is brilliant, relatable, and heartwarming, and it is the story of every urban girl. I am sure you are going to come out of binge-watching the show with a box of tissues and sore eyes from crying your heart out.
BoJack Horseman (2014-2020): This show features a 90s television star in the form of an anthropomorphic horse who has been voiced by Will Arnett. He is struggling with the fact that he is no longer famous anymore. He wants to return to the screen, but unfortunately, nobody will cast him. He, therefore, decides to write an autobiography to reestablish his relevance in the scene. “BoJack Horseman” raises issues like addiction, anxiety, depression, and the inability to maintain cordial relationships with friends and family. The medium of animation that the show uses for over 77 episodes makes us realize that animation is not just for kids; it is a way of telling very serious stories that are worth lending an ear to.
Normal People (2020): Adapted from the eponymous novel by Sally Rooney, “Normal People” is one of my favorite watches from 2020. It is possibly the best teenage romance and young adult story that I have ever seen. It is a love letter to all loners and how we need just one person to listen to our hearts. Marianne (played by Daisy Edgar Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) are two normal teenagers who have their own share of mental struggles and battles with loneliness and depression. They move in and out of their relationship as conjugal partners, but they create a forever bond of friendship that promises to support each other in every impediment of their lives. “Normal People” is an ode to every modern romantic relationship, and it’s worth giving it a watch.
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