Drama Done Right: The newest season of “Beef” proves Netflix can still produce a consistently good series... for now

I hate when a seemingly stand-alone movie or series gets a sequel or second season. 

Money-grab continuations leave a bad taste in my mouth after a previously delicious piece of media. Not to say that “Jaws 3D” isn’t a masterpiece, but I think unnecessary sequels drag down the original work of art.

That brings me to Netflix's "Beef," which had a fantastic first season. To me, it would’ve ended as a great one-season show.

What I thought was a limited series kicked off with a small road rage incident between actors Steven Yeun and Ali Wong’s characters, eventually leading to a kidnapping, shootout and bloodbath, pulling a whirlwind of characters into the drama.

The show’s premise of a tiny conflict escalating to an out-of-control fiasco is both horrifying and fascinating. Yeun and Wong’s performances as self-loathing losers begged sympathy from viewers while calling for extreme judgment over the characters’ deranged actions. I finished the first season in two days because of this fresh and engaging structure.

But when I learned that “Beef” is actually an anthology series, due for a second season on April 16 with a completely new cast and story, I was afraid that Netflix wouldn’t be able to recreate the success of the first season without seeming unoriginal or forced, especially after the fifth “Stranger Things” season flopped this past year. 

I didn’t want to be left with that same terrible aftertaste.

However, season two balances those same tones of high-octane stress and inward reflection from season one while still maintaining an original plot and new, twisted characters. Of course, a small inciting incident between characters is still the catalyst for the beef.

Cailee Spaney plays Ashley, who works a low-level job at a country club managed by Josh, played by Oscar Issac. Ashley finds Josh’s lost wallet and goes to his house to return it with her fiancé and coworker, Austin, played by Charles Melton. The young couple finds Josh and his wife, Lindsay, played by Carey Mulligan, in the middle of a heated argument about to turn violent. The two film their manager until they’re spotted and scared away. 

After finding out she has an ovarian cyst the next day, Ashley decides to use the video as leverage against Josh to get a higher-ranking position with health insurance, thus kicking off a new feud and heating up the grill. 

Josh and Lindsay then attempt to enact their revenge against Ashley and Austin in a back-and-forth game similar to the first season. But, for the sake of spoilers, I’d encourage anyone interested to watch the show for themselves to fully experience the shocking moments in real time. 

While the first season’s focus was on two insecure people finding solace in hating one another, the second is focused on how romantic relationships are affected in times of hardship. Contrasts from Josh and Lindsay’s marriage and Ashley and Austin’s engagement all provide a complex representation of how different older and younger relationships handle conflict.

Both couples fight with their partners about the morality of their actions during the feud while simultaneously combating their own internal struggles. The chemistry between the couples felt so seamless that I almost thought I was watching a mortifying reality TV show. Spaney and Mulligan especially deliver on all fronts, with the emotional complexity of an actual human being navigating these outlandish predicaments.

I’ve previously seen Spaney in “Priscilla,” which she was more than adequate in, but “Beef” showcases her true range, especially through Ashley’s desire to become a mother conflicting with her crumbling relationship with Austin. That same desire pushed Ashley to initially blackmail Josh, and the breakdown of her psyche as she copes with her decisions, past and present, is portrayed painstakingly well.

That pain goes for all the characters in “Beef,” though, who are indisputably terrible people. But that seems to be the point of the show. By taking seemingly normal characters and slowly presenting them with situations where they can choose to risk the safety and sanctity of their lives for petty revenge and personal gain, the show grips its viewers by the darkest parts of their minds — the parts that would do the same in those situations.

Some viewers may find the escalation of circumstances to be disorienting or too outlandish to enjoy, especially after watching seemingly normal characters progress into these out-of-this-world scenarios. But seeing these characters develop into more malicious people through the adverse situations they’re presented with is some of the best writing I’ve seen all year, and the most creative work Netflix has ever made. 

Yet I don’t think season two would’ve worked if the main casting was any different, which worries me about the future of “Beef.” 

Did Netflix get lucky with casting compatible actors, or do they have the “Beef” recipe down to a science? While no third season is confirmed, creator Lee Sung Jin has expressed interest in continuing the series if inspired, as he based the first season off of his own road-rage experience, and season two on a married couple’s argument he overheard. 

While I’m not sure how well “Beef”’s success predicts the future of Netflix’s consistency in television, I know I was already proven wrong with season two. I predict a third season would more than meat my expectations for another juicy and complicated mind-burger of a show.

And I’m hungry.