Beef
TV Shows/Dramas watched in 2023
Beef (2023, USA)
Creator: Lee Sung Jin
Directors: Hikari, Jake Schreier & Lee Sung Jin
Mini-review:
Beef is, to put it simply, a masterful piece of television. Seriously, it blew me away. I can't think of many shows that mix comedy and drama as perfectly as this one. It has a very unhinged sense of humor that I absolutely vibe with, and some scenes had me outright screaming. As for the more dramatic parts, they were really intense and impactful. There were quite a few serious moments that had me screaming as much as the funny stuff. In fact, the writing as a whole is just brilliant, there's no other way to describe it. The show explores themes such as mental health and loneliness in a way that feels really special, memorable and fearless. It really gets these topics right and it never shies away from their truths.
And then we have the acting. WOW. Steven Yeun and Ali Wong give career-best performances. I'm not exaggerating when I say this is some of the best acting I've ever seen. Hell, these might even be the best two performances of the year. They're truly that good. The rest of the cast does a perfect job too, but this show is first and foremost a showcase for Yeun and Wong's talents. Their work here will be a turning point in their already impressive careers, I'm sure of it. Last but not least, the propulsive directing and the stunning cinematography are the final touch that takes the whole package to the next level. Beef is without doubt one of the best Netflix shows ever, and I would love to see more stuff like this. I read somewhere the creator wants to turn this into some sort of anthology, which sounds like a fantastic idea, so let's hope for the best.
