Beef: Release date, cast and latest news for Netflix comedy
The new Netflix comedy-drama takes the meaning of 'road rage' to a whole new level.
Netflix comedy-drama Beef kicks off with a road rage incident between two people that quickly devolves into a long-running feud, with both of them going to great lengths to humiliate the other.
However, it soon becomes apparent that their anger is rooted in years of emotional suppression, with both parties sharing more in common than they first realised.
The A24-produced series landed on Netflix earlier in April and is already making waves with viewers, with fans speculating over whether a second season could be on the horizon.
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But for now, read on for everything you need to know about the first season of Beef.
Beef release date
Beef landed on Netflix on Thursday 6th April 2023.
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The series consists of 10 episodes totalling at 30 minutes each, so if you needed a sign for something easy to binge-watch over the Bank Holiday weekend, here it is.
A fun thing to note about each episode is that each one in the series is thematically inspired by a quote from a notable figure. They are as follows, but if you want to know the full quote and its context, type in the episode title and the quote into your search engine.
- “The Birds Don’t Sing, They Screech In Pain” (Werner Herzog)
- “The Rapture of Being Alive” (Joseph Campbell)
- “I Am a Cage” (Franz Kafka)
- “Just Not All at the Same Time” (Betty Freidan)
- “Such Inward Secret Creatures” (Iris Murdoch)
- “We Draw a Magic Circle” (Karin, from 1961’s Through a Glass Darkly)
- “I Am Inhibited by a Cry” (Sylvia Plath)
- “The Drama of Original Choice” (Simone de Beauvoir)
- “The Great Fabricator” (Simone Weil)
- “Figures of Light” (Carl Jung)
Who stars in Beef?
The cast for Beef boasts some stellar acting talent with the likes of stand-up comedian and actress Ali Wong leading the cast alongside Steven Yeun, who many will recognise for his role as Glenn Rhee in The Walking Dead.
Speaking about her role in the series, Wong said: "It’s definitely a big departure from what I’ve done in the past, and I really do believe it’s the best thing I’ve ever done."
The cast list for Beef is as follows:
- Steven Yeun as Danny
- Ali Wong as Amy
- Joseph Lee as George
- Young Mazino as Paul
- David Choe as Isaac
- Patti Yasutake as Fumi
- Maria Bello as Jordan Forster
- Ashley Park as Naomi
- Justin H Min as Edwin
- Mia Serafino as Mia
- Remy Holt as June
- Andrew Santino as Michael
- Rek Lee as Bobby
Creator and showrunner Lee Sung Jin has also underlined how important it was for the behind-the-scenes process to showcase Asian-American talent, as well as on screen, too. He said: "I think that’s what makes the show feel very specific while being universal — if you draw from something real, you really can’t top that as a writer.
"Someone will tell a story about their best friend or their ex-boyfriend, and then that’ll just get the snowball going of all our stories and we’ll find something very specific for each character.
"A lot of rooms I’ve been in historically haven’t had a lot of Asian-Americans in it, but our show did, so I think that’s why so many of the specificities — of church, of the Danny-Paul dynamic, of the mother-in-law — feel so real."
Is there a trailer for Beef?
There most certainly is and as well as being unexpectedly moving, it is sure to make you laugh. Watch it below.
And if you want to get a glimpse of the incident that kicks it all off, Netflix has treated us to a sneak peek of the scene in question. Prepare for a wild ride.
Beef plot
The idea for Beef originally came from a real-life incident that occurred to creator and showrunner Lee Sung Jin. While the road rage incident "went awry" in real life, it is certainly the inspiration for the series with the showrunner wanting to explore the two people's perspectives and the things that could be going on in their individual lives.
Beef follows the aftermath of a road rage incident between two strangers: Danny (Yeun) and Amy (Wong) but the two couldn't be more different. Danny is a failing contractor with a chip on his shoulder, while Amy is a self-made entrepreneur with the kind of life many only dream about.
But as they take on this ultimate revenge mission, they're confronted with the impact it has on their own lives and relationships, as well as what it means to them as individual people.
It's set to be moving as well as dark and comedic, with initial rave reviews cementing it as one of the best shows of the year so far.
Beef is available to watch on Netflix from Thursday 6th April. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
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