Beef

There's a lot great about Beef: Steven Yeun is really a star, it's unpredictable to no end, great dialog at times, directed with a vision, memorable characters. Beef is a damn fun show that i recommend but it seems only thematically thought out around the edges which makes the catharsis feel semi-earned. The chain of events that drive the show often feels propelled solely by the need to fulfill the contract of 10 episodes at the expense of credibility, a shame bc this seems easily fixable. Nice!

All the episodes are strangely arranged in a way to lead to the finale's desert sequence. There are some good moments overall but nothing more. The female lead is so below the average that affects the whole package.

First episode lays everything on a bit thick but it gets more interesting after that. Still, despite seeming to have a good foundation, it always seems a bit shallow and by the last episode the series seems to have run out of places to go. The soundtrack, a thematically disconnected assembly of the most basic Gen Xer playlist imaginable, feels like unabashed pandering.

Some podcaster told my girlfriend that she would like this, if she liked the white lotus. Erm, okay. It's a series, too, i guess. As for content...i feel like i learned more from the phrase "be excellent to each other".

Randomly inserted, non paced popular songs ruined it a lot for me. Most of it is filler too. But yea, it has some brilliance every now and then.

the sincerity of the ending is so metamodern, it really encapsulates that whole “oscillating between a modern enthusiasm and a postmodern irony” vibe (vermeulen 2010). the series uses comedy of errors escalation to drive the really very funny narrative, and then swings back to the sincere human narrative which runs parallel. i think the detailed character portrayals and emotional vulnerability shown, through ordinary situations is very reminiscent of the DFW book “infinite jest”

Absolutely crazy stuff, this easily rewatchable aswell as being a masterpiece. It starts as a super comedy till episode 4, then peeters around for 2 episodes, then it becomes the most gripping drama series ive ever watched, and then a philosophical sequence of hubris for the finale. The acting is mega throughout and handsdown sublime. It could have ended episode 9 and left us on a cliffhanger. But you have to watch it to make up your mind

Flawed people can't control their anger, their whole life unravels. I want to hate every single character in this show, but there's a little bit of all of us in them isn't there? I don't think they deserved redemption at the end, but I'll half accept it.

Very consistent and well-produced series, but in the last episodes things get a bit absurd.

First episode only

Really enjoyed Yeun’s performance. He’s so great! Not a fan of the downward chaotic spiral towards the end. Felt forced.

I wrote a super profound review just now. Then I clicked out of the pop up box and lost it. And I'm slightly drunk. So I'm not going to write the whole thing again. So to sum it up. Beef has plenty to say about humanity, day to day struggles, ambition, family, and stupid expensive art.

now i feel i need someone to beef with... do you wanna beef me

Starts on a thin and boring premise, and builds off continual escalation of stupid choices. Inauthentic and unlikable characters with cringey dialogue, pandering music, and unrealistic/manufactured events to drive the plot. I found it hard to connect with anything happening, and rarely found anything humorous. Episodes use philosophical quotes as titles, yet the story is mostly shallow. Has a couple good moments, but not enough to endorse watching. Definitely expected more from an A24 title.

Beef begins to drag out the already absurd premise it relies on and that ultimately kills all believability. Sometimes simple structure helps a slow show build up. Not every show needs to have a set number of episodes to really be great. Beef never reaches the level of "I need to know what happens next" and trails off after about 5 episodes. Easily could have explored darker more complex concepts and done so a lot quicker and to the point. Failed opportunities result in mediocre tv most times.

A fun rollercoaster ride even if it is pretty unbelievable.

Beef is one of the best shows of 2023. It's brilliantly acted and written and blends so many genres into one non-stop ride. The chemistry between Stephen Yeun and Ali Wong centers the series, which centers around two broken people who spiral after one unfortunate road rage incident. It's darkly funny, touching, and occasionally shocking. One of the only shows in recent memory where I didn't know at all where the series was going episode to episode, yet was still completely invested.

bons momentos. podia ter uns 2 eps a menos

The plot is uneven and most of the characters are a bit tiresome but it's very watchable nonetheless and Yeun is terrific.

A really fun thoughtful dramedy that's ever escalating series of events is probably a BIT too long, but its forgivable to watch Yeun and Wong both shine. The whole cast is good, but these two really find something with the dark humor, and shockingly real glimpses of depression and coping with traumas past and present. Its surreal at times, but its not a cop out of saying what needs to be said. Will watch again.

I haven't felt this close to a series in a long time. Beef is very special in every way and now has an important place in my life. The handling of optimism and pessimism in the story is incredible. The presentation of the dramatic aspect with exquisite humor is impeccable. Steven Yeun and Ali Wong's chemistry is delightful. It's really very clever to show through anger what it means to feel lonely. I loved every second of it. (TV Mini-Series: 88)

Positive people are delusional, it's true.

The performances and character are there, even if the bones of the story are limited. The comedic bits definitely helped cut through some of the unrealistic elements of the show. The series expertly showcases the human experience, making us sympathetic for characters we'd otherwise wish would get hit by oncoming traffic in any other series.

A great start and a strong ending, but the series lost me for about an episode or two somewhere in the middle. Good, but could have been a bit shorter.

it is really good, the first episodes are difficult, it seems first like another typical US / Asian production however the characters from now on develop very nicely and things get very interesting

I found a reason for me, to change how I used to be, a reason to start over new, and the reason is youuuuuuuuu

I went into Beef expecting a zany comedy where the leads get into ever escalating hijinks as they try to one-up each other. There's a shade of this in the avant-garde finale, but the series is more a drama focused on broken people who manifest their lack of perceived self-worth as anger. Almost all the characters are despicable people, but the show is fairly gripping even if it's more often depressing than funny. Wong & Yeun deliver stellar performances and the show is worth it for this alone.

Entertainment: 4. Heart: 1.5. Mind: 1. Wholesome: 0.5

Perfect series that could have ended with episode 9. Loved the optimism in the last one though.