The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of Beef, now streaming on Netflix.
Netflix's Beef, starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, begins with a road rage incident that quickly spirals out of control, resulting in a bitter feud between the two individuals involved. As a result, Amy Lau and Danny Cho each attempt to destroy one another's lives. While both characters struggle with their mental health and well-being, one embodies a particularly harmful trait: toxic positivity.
What makes Netflix's Beef unique as a dark comedy is its ability to use a revenge-fueled rivalry as a starting point to tackle various themes involving parental trauma, obsession, and depression. These are explored through pitch-perfect performances by Ali Wong, known for her stand-up comedy and her role in Always Be My Maybe, and Steven Yeun, famous for his performance in The Walking Dead. Each actor brings nuance to their roles, particularly Ali Wong, who uses minimal facial expressions and subtle gestures to hint at her character's underlying emotions.
Amy Lau Highlights the Dangers of Toxic Positivity
At first, Amy Lau appears to have a picture-perfect life. She's wealthy, having built her company Koyohaus from the ground up over the years, owns a beautiful home and has a loving husband and a cute daughter. As the series progresses, it becomes clear that she's overwhelmed with her life. However, Amy avoids confronting these emotions and instead conceals them. This is demonstrated in Season 1, Episode 3, "I Am Inhabited by a Cry," where Amy and her husband, George attend couples therapy.
Amy is presented with an opportunity to speak openly about what's troubling her, but instead, she puts up a front of understanding and patience toward her husband. Rather than exploring her issues, she chooses not to reveal her true self, fearing that she will be rejected, and pretends to be happy. Even in other situations that would be upsetting or frustrating, Amy hides behind false smiles and charming retorts. The only hint that she might be suppressing her feelings is evident in her choice of smiles, which are anything but genuine. As a result, mental health emerges as a recurring theme throughout the series, an issue that has also been recently addressed in Paramount+'s Wolf Pack.
Exploring Themes Through Unlikeable Characters in Netflix's Beef
Amy and Danny aren't the most likable characters, similar to those in HBO's Succession, where each sibling betrays and backstabs one another to gain control of their father's company. The protagonists in Netflix's Beef have made mistakes throughout their lives, and their choices have negatively impacted those around them, even before the feud. They are the architects of their demise, and, by the finale, they have no one else to blame but themselves for their actions. However, this makes them undeniably human, resulting in such relatable and rounded characters.
Netflix's Beef tackles several important issues and topics, including toxic positivity, which this series has successfully explored through its insightful commentary. In Amy's case, her toxic outlook on life and the restrictions on expressing her emotions have unconsciously influenced her actions. She continues to hide from her friends and family, putting on a smiling facade that begins to crack through the rivalry. If she had continued living without Danny's involvement, she likely would never have been able to confront her own insecurities. She would have continued pretending to be happy and fulfilled, looking elsewhere for some form of satisfaction.
Season 1 of Beef is now streaming on Netflix.