Netflix has officially announced the return of its hit anthology series BEEF for a second season, following the massive success of its first installment starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. Created by Lee Sung Jin, the first season became a breakout hit in 2023, earning rave reviews for its dark humor, psychological depth, and morbid fascination with revenge. It went on to sweep the awards circuit, taking home an impressive array of accolades, including 8 Emmy Awards, 4 Critics Choice Awards, 3 Golden Globe Awards, and more. Now, the streamer has confirmed a brand new cast for Season 2, with Oscar Isaac (Scenes From A Marriage, Star Wars), Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman, Maestro), Charles Melton (May December, Warfare), and Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla, Civil War, Alien: Romulus) who will take the series in a new direction.
Unlike Season 1, which focused on the escalating feud between two strangers following a road rage incident, Season 2 will dive into the cutthroat world of the wealthy elite. According to the logline of the series, the plot centers on a young couple who witness a disturbing altercation between their boss and his wife. This shocking event triggers a series of manipulative power moves within the confines of a prestigious country club, which is owned by a mysterious Korean billionaire.
Is ‘Beef’ Worth Checking Out?
On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of the series has been met with critical acclaim. 98% of 118 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website’s summary reads: “Ali Wong and Steven Yeun are a diabolically watchable pair of adversaries in Beef, a prime cut comedy that finds the pathos in pettiness.” Collider‘s review of the series praised the performances of the core cast, stating that the two leads deliver the performances of their careers.
Fortunately, BEEF has two powerhouses as leads. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Yeun and Wong deliver the best performance of their lives, which is saying a lot, considering both stars’ prolific careers. The entire supporting cast should also be praised, as Lee has found ways to lean into each actor’s strengths to build a fantastic ensemble of flawed characters. David Choe is delightful every time he shows up as soft-hearted mobster Isaac Cho, and the role of Paul should give Young Mazino the breakout opportunity he deserves. Maria Bello also seems to be having a lot of fun playing cut-throat zen capitalist Jordan. There are so many nuggets of brilliancy spread across BEEF ’s ten episodes that it’s hard to highlight just a few.
The first season of BEEF is on Netflix now.
via Collider