“Anger is just a transitory state of consciousness,” Amy says early in Beef, a new series on Netflix starring a near entirely Asian-American cast. Like much of what’s spouted by the two leads in this new dark comedy, this quasi-philosophical pondering is mired in bullshit. Anger overwhelms Danny (Steven Yeun) and Amy (Ali Wong). It is a far from fleeting affliction for these two who both struggle and thrive in a hot, dry Los Angeles landscape
They are not the only ones. George (Joseph Lee), Paul (Young Mazino), and Isaac (played by renowned street artist David Choe) are all serial liars. Deceptive inhabitants of their own false realities. But at the very center are Danny and Amy, arguably two sides of the same coin. They will lie, cheat and steal to get what they want, going for whatever edge that they can. Ironically, Isaac, a cousin recently out of jail in the series, is probably the most honest character of them all.
After nearly hitting a white SUV in a parking lot, Danny, a down-and-out construction worker, in a bout of road rage, goes after the driver, intent on getting some form of vengeance. We soon learn this driver is Amy, a housewife and mother of an affluent family, and owner of a plant store. What starts out as not even a light vehicular fender bender, evolves into a game of manipulation and sabotage.