It's been a minute since I've posted on here. I've been so busy with work, working the worst shift possible: grave yard/third shift, and other projects I'm managing. Trying to figure out how to balance everything...don't know if I ever will. But in the midst of it all, I decided to watch season 2 of BEEF.
Originally, I wasn't going to watch because I like many others got persuaded by the online discourse of "The show becoming white washed". I mean could you blame us? 3 out of four of the main characters are white compared to last season (yes I know Oscar Isaac is Hispanic... a WHITE Hispanic), where the main characters AND the 5 supporting actors were all Asian. Naturally, people were worried the show was going to loose it's DNA. But when I watched the creator of the series (Lee Sung jin's) interview with the podcast HOME ROOM SHOW, I was like, you know what? I'll watch it.
So let's cut straight to the chase. Is BEEF Season 2 better than season 1? Of course not. It's rare a second season out does the first one. But... Is it worth the watch? Yes. Yes it is. It’s still messy, still funny, still rooted in people spiraling. But the atmosphere this time around is a bit more darker... almost eerie. There were a couple times I had to pause the screen and check if I was watching BEEF or Black Mirror. However, still good.
Josh is a workaholic, not because he loves his job. But because he uses his job as a way to avoid his real life problem. I personally think Josh had the most character development.
Season 2 follows two couples, one millennial Josh (Oscar Isaac) and Lindsay (Carey Mulligan), the other Gen Z workers Austin (Charles Melton) and Ashley (Cailee Spaeny) who work at an exclusive Golf Club. When the younger couple blackmails the older, the two generations clash. Causing both couples to uncover the deep seated immorality and corruption hidden within the business, revealing how far everyone is willing to go.
Lindsay is the epitome of a ride or die. For years, she was with whatever Josh wanted, even when it left her miserable deep down. At her core, she’s a free spirited, quirky woman who loves home decor and individuality, but she traded all of that in to fit the rigid, high society persona required at the golf club...eventually she got tired.
Austin was my favorite character. I feel like people thought Austin was dumb, but in reality, he's just a feeler. Him being a feeler could also be the reason why he's a people pleaser cause he can feel the disappointment in people and doesn't know how to sit with that feeling. He thinks he has to fix things.
Ashley was my least favorite character. She was very manipulative... yes i know everyone in this series was manipulative in some way but at least with the older couple within their relationship towards each other they were not. Ashley was manipulating her own partner.
What’s the Beef?
Character Breakdown
Overall, this season did a really good job depicting issues and themes we currently face as a society, from the healthcare system to self-identity. The cast was able to portray these struggles flawlessly, and the pacing was just right, holding my attention from beginning to end. The cinematography was also great... I mean it's an a24 production. While I had a few nitpicks where I might have been looking too far into things, the technical quality was undeniable. I must say, though, if the second season was the first season, I don’t think I would have continued with the series; I watched this primarily on the strength of the first season.