One of Netflix’s best comedy shows just happens to be a dark psychological thriller, which is about to get even better when its second season arrives on the streaming platform. Beef season 2 looks set to revive the show’s unique brand of comedy, while at the same time, bringing something completely fresh to the table.
Initially crafted as a one-off miniseries, Beef season 1 tells the story of two people brought together in conflict over a road rage incident, who ultimately find common ground in the unlikeliest of circumstances. Beef season 2, meanwhile, will be about an entirely new set of adversaries in a very different setting.
The decision to turn Beef into an anthology series is a bold one, given that the show’s initial premise is a key factor in making it one of Netflix’s best comedy series. The hilariously disproportionate reactions of both Steven Jeun and Ali Wong’s characters to their near-collision in a parking lot catalyzes a highly unpredictable comedy of errors.
Beef Is About To Get Even Better In Its Second Season On Netflix
Season 2 of Beef seems like it could be an altogether more sedate affair, as it’s mostly set in a country club rather than on the open road. There’s a chance, then, that the high-octane hilarity from season 1 might have to take a back seat.
Nevertheless, Beef promises to be even better upon its 2026 return, with this latest iteration of the series framed as a cold-blooded feud between two sets of couples. Creator Lee Sung Jin is still running the show and has writing credits on every episode, while Yeun and Wong have been replaced in the lead roles by four major Hollywood names.
Carey Mulligan and Oscar Isaac will play the older couple on one side of the titular Beef, and Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton will play the younger couple on the other side. The interpersonal dynamics between the halves of each couple will be an additional factor to consider this time around, as well as the overall conflict between the couples.
Season 2 Of Beef Will Be Completely Different
It’s worth noting that virtually nothing about the story of Beef season 2 will be the same as the 10 episodes that initially propelled the show to the top of the Netflix charts. Other than the fact that both seasons are set in the Greater Los Angeles area, they have almost nothing in common.
The characters, actors, and setting for season 2 seem like they’ve been deliberately chosen to be as distinct as possible from Beef’s first season. Whereas season 1 felt like a dark comedy version of Steven Spielberg’s Duel or an all-action vendetta movie at times, this time around we could be in for a modern, satirical take on Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
Lee Sung Jin even worked with a different team of writers in season 2 with only Carrie Kemper and Niko Gutierrez-Kovner being retained from the previous season. This change of personnel in the writers’ room virtually guarantees that the new season will strike a different tone, even if Jake Schreier’s visual style as a director will still be a factor.
It remains to be seen just how little the show resembles what it was in this fresh guise. We’ll find out soon enough, though, when Netflix releases Beef season 2 on April 16.
Beef Could Become Netflix’s Version Of The White Lotus
The show’s latest trailer has already sparked comparisons between Beef season 2 and HBO’s The White Lotus, in light of its elitist country-club setting, cutting dialogue, satirical standpoint, and the game of social chess with which it presents us. Indeed, the content of its second season isn’t the only similarity between Beef and The White Lotus.
If Beef season 2’s success leads to further distinct stories in subsequent seasons, it will become The White Lotus’ biggest rival as a dark comedy anthology series. Although taking the show in this direction wasn’t Lee Sung Jin’s original intention, Netflix will certainly be hoping it can compare with the overwhelming success of its HBO counterpart.
- Release Date
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April 6, 2023
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Lee Sung Jin
