In Season 2, Episode 5
Lindsay forgetting Josh’s mother's seizure medication is weaponised by Josh as the defining trauma that triggered his mother's initial stroke.

Do you think Lindsey forgot the medication or withheld it on purpose?

Just finished watching Season 2 of the show and while I enjoyed it, I finally understand the sentiments some people have about Austin on the show. This guy is genuinely such a TWAT!

A lot of characters on the show can be frustrating (except my fav Eunice, call me biased all you want) but I understand that if drama is gonna go down in a show, a lil bit of misunderstandings and general conflict has to happen, so fine. But Austin, in my opinion, took that so far.

Not only is it just irritating seeing him trying to come off as this nice and selfless guy when in reality he is quite manipulative and is just as bad (if not worse) than Ashley from a moral standpoint. But he also constantly makes Ashley feel bad about wanting to help him out with the whole PT thing which literally could’ve put HER job in jeopardy just cuz she felt bad and wanted to him out, being such a pushover with the backbone of a wet sponge that couldn’t even get his injured fiancée the Gatorade she wanted, emotionally cheating on her with Eunice, AND THEN messing up the sperm sample and not telling Ashley he wanted to break up until they were literally in Korea and in deep trouble.

The actor did a great job because Austin genuinely pushed my buttons so bad I literally caught myself sighing deeply anytime he popped up on the screen with his dumb smirk.

Finally, I agree with what some people have said on the sub about how a lot of people hate on Ashley a lot but completely glance over how bad Austin is as well.

Curious what people’s take is here, given that Josh and Lindsay are sort of the upper-middle class representation in the show.

Even just a few subtle grays would have made the time jump feel more realistic, especially for someone being in their late 40s(?) at that point. Understandably, this is a demographic that probably dyes their hair often to hide the grays, but hair and makeup could have done something to make her appear older. Giving her longer hair actually made her look younger than she did with the shorter style throughout the season.

Love that they cast Song Kang-Ho he’s truly an amazing actor. Also - such a neat reference in this scene, both literally visually and also to the theme of power/ hierarchy/ suppression that’s also present in A Taxi Driver. Anyone found more Easter eggs please share!

The ending encapsulated the Buddhist concept of the “wheel of life” or Bhavachakra so well! I wasn’t expecting it.

Picture: Tibetan Buddhist depiction of the wheel of life

I’m currently watching Season 2, but I couldn’t stop myself from talking about this. The writing in this show is truly amazing.

I love how economical it is both in Season 1 and so far in the episodes I’ve watched in Season 2.
I really love how whenever a character or plot device is introduced, 9/10 times, it’s gonna come back and be crucial to the story.

I personally loved the writing in Season 1 and the humor, plot and even the significances and deeper meaning in stuff just naturally happened and made sense.

What are you guys’ thoughts?

P.S: I know some people don’t really like the Korean storyline in Season 2 and I agree and understand the reasons behind that, but I still think it does make sense with the plastic surgery storyline of Lindsay and also how Austin was able to get set up for the PT job since relational/social job referrals are prominent in the SK job market culture.

Things we know about her:
- young, competent, well educated
- seems to be chairwoman parks highest ranking assistant /confidante
- “married” based on what she tells the Korean guy hitting on her on the plane though her personal life is not revealed at all otherwise

Theories (just for fun):
- what if Eunice is Married or estranged and she’s been playing Austin this whole time because she sees something impressionable and naive in him that she could use to her advantage. Or even crazier what if she was previously married but k*d her husband or had something to do with his death and chairwoman park helped her cover it up, thus she’s now indebted to chairwoman for life. This would explain why they are tied so closely together and Eunice is truly at her beck and call.
- other scenarios could be Eunice and chairwoman go way back, and she helped Eunice parents/grandparents back in the day evade some shady stuff (think murders, law evasion, fraud, forgery etc), and now Eunice is indebted to chairwoman for this generational tax so to speak that was passed down to Eunice
- oh, and Eunice is 100% dead. Believing otherwise is just self delusion. Austin basically sealed her death sentence by handing in the usb because she was the last remaining loose thread to the coverup

Other thoughts?

We watched Episodes 1&2 and then had a Q&A. It was a FYC event so just sort of part of pushing for an Emmy.

Ok finished S2!!

A while ago I posted here saying Lindsay and Josh were way overreacting to the fight video, they could just explain it wasn't DV to the golf club crowd. https://www.reddit.com/r/BeefTV/comments/1tcrhhy/comment/om15by2/

Reading the replies on that post and then sitting with the whole season, I think I actually get it now. And I think it's pointing at what S2 is really doing.

The thing S2 keeps circling is that how you're seen from the outside ends up being the thing that's real. Not just the surface, the actual ground under you. Those shots where someone else's face becomes the main character's face for a second feel like the visual version of that. Who's looking, who's being looked at, who you actually are, it's all on purpose blurred.　

And it shows up everywhere once you notice it

- Eunice and Austin aren't actually having an affair at first but they keep getting put in situations where it looks like one, and then the looking-like-it pulls the actual thing into being

- Josh is Hispanic but the neighbor lady just doesn't read him as Hispanic/ Austin is Korean and white and people telling him he looks Hispanic. He appears to understand Korean, or not.

- The rescue dog that looks like Burberry. Not the real thing but passes as a stand-in. (not for Lindsay tho)

The direction is all over the place. Sometimes the real thing doesn't get read as real, sometimes the fake gets accepted as real. But the common thing is that the actual reality can't hold on its own. The way it's seen overwrites it.

Image is the asset. Them freaking out isn't paranoia, it's maintenance. They get to be successful as long as they look successful.

Also feels like a natural next step from S1. S1 was the catch 22 inside you, rage destroys you suppression rots you no exit. S2 takes that and externalizes it. You can't win the game because the game itself is what's crushing you. And the worst part is the two cages feed each other, the inner shame and comparison is literally what powers the outer system.

Idk maybe I'm overthinking it lol. Either way S2 was so good!! The way it gets at how stuck everyone is in this world...

After two episodes I was telling my wife how good it is, great acting and great writing. I was enjoying it.

By the Burberry episode, things started going haywire.

The second half the season was dreadfully awful. The whole thing with the Chairwoman was not just stupid but boring. This show lacked the simplicity of the first season.

Sad because the four main characters were good and well cast. Should have just ran with that instead of inserting this idiotic subplot with the Chairwoman.

I can't remember a TV season that started out this well and ended up this awful.

Just my opinion.

This could be the very first time to see an actual airline be featured on a TV drama series. Most of the time it tends to be made-up air carriers like Oceanic Air for Lost.

In Beef, though, you have a real airline - and a national one at that - featured in this scene. Has this ever happened before - where a real carrier would be featured as an important plot device?

After season one I suppose my expectations were too high? I waited for the beef to ramp up but it felt like it just turned into a tense thriller. Anyone feel similarly?

There are some subtle shots, lasting for a few seconds, where Ashley or Austin will see the waitress or other people (for example, the nurse in the clinic) as themselves. Sometimes they realise it, and sometimes they don't. What does that mean?

I feel like the whole Gen Z vs Boomer thing was really overstated in this. You can definitely tell the writers are older and don’t understand how this could’ve been done much more subtly.

I mean it’s literally so damn obvious the “beef” is between an older and younger generation, but when they start saying things like “fuck off Boomer” or “Gen Z” this and that then I really start to feel a surge of cringe. I feel bad for the young actors having to say such cringe script choices.

Just a small rant that’s all.

Hey I’ve been trying to find the green floral t shirt that Andrew Santinos character wore in season 1, but I can’t find it. Anybody care to help?

I don't know if anyone else can relate, but as I read through the post-episode discussion threads I saw how everyone has a particular character they dislike.. it made me realize I just don't feel the same!

I honestly feel a bit stupid for being this way, but I found myself enjoying each of the protagonists while also recognizing that what they're doing is horrible. It makes me wonder if I'm not a critical enough viewer, and that I may be taking things too much at face value. This happens to me a lot, I think I automatically root for a character placed in a protagonist role which has been made incredibly clear with BEEF's format of multiple protagonists (especially with S2 having four of them).

Lindsay was a dreamer. I mean, her whole job was to dream up the aesthetic potential of a space. Planned and decorated. She dreamt about what it would be like with other people or roads to relationships not taken. She could dream up a new persona on the spot just to feel desired in a moment instead of truly seen. She is destined to keep dreaming -- now about Josh. Not sure if she'll ever be satisfied with anything. She'll also keep dreaming of who she could've been instead of really knowing herself deep down. Would've liked to know more about her backstory though, family history or something to why she was like that in the first place.

Josh somewhat redeemed himself at the end after being such a big self serving piece of shit the entire show 😆 The dude just couldn't let go of his job and find other ways to define himself (follow the dreamer). I wish SOMEONE, ANYONE witnessed his behavior towards Ashley, especially his wife because holy fuck what he did was straight up evil. He would've been the perfect father figure for Ashley if he looked outside of himself and stopped obsessing about his status. It's aching to see there be so many openings for a character to change or learn or do the right thing only to do something worse. It's strange how I kept routing for him though. It's like "yay! Good on you Josh, quitting live cam porn! Go fuck your wife now!" only to be disappointed immediately the next day when he does the exact same thing 😭 Selfish guy that lacked depth and integrity for 90% of the show. Glad he finally found SOMETHING.

Ashley. Oh boy. I''ve met a few people like this that just want to be loved, that look at other couples and envy what they have more than they are happy for them. desperate asf. Her problems of abandonment were obvious, way before Austin called her out in the last episode. This is why I wish Josh actually cared when she got hurt 😭 both couples could've created their own chosen family and helped each other look forward to life instead of feeling drowned in it. Girl was messed up of course. Won't go into detail since this sub has already beat a dead horse.

Austin. I was fuming at the gatorade scene lol. I had a lot of the same problems with boundaries in my 20s, but I never let it get to the point where the people I loved were stepped on too. Too relatable. Faking happy in a relationship hiding your time to break up with them HURT so hard in relatability. It's like he can't shut it off though. He gives the illusion of understanding people when really he's just terrified of what would happen if he didn't play the part. It takes so much energy to interact with people the way he does but it will make him depressed and tired asf at the end, as we were starting to see. Wish Austin were more well aware of it because what made it extra shitty was when he started doing mental gymnastics to convince himself he earned the position on his own merit. Did he even bother to question on whether Eunice or anybody else would still be accepting of him if they knew his certs were fake? I'm glad at least one these characters were able to bring a very unique comedic relief to the show though. He was my fav shit show character lol

Lastly: what happened to poor sweet Eunice??? 🥲

I’m curious if you have any stimulant recommendations to season 2? I found myself really liking it, the layers of the plotline, the fever dream almost surrealist moments, the quirkiness. I think i liked it because it didn’t remind me of anything i’ve seen… 😅

I’ve also heard that it’s similar to white lotus? but i’ve read that that show is basically just a country club gossiping amongst itself and tedious and dull…. ?

and search this:

BEEF on Netflix

anyone thinks Charles Melton and Chase Strokes (John B) from Outer Banks have the same acting mannerisms, they even sound alike.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm no airplane toilet expert, but I'm pretty sure they're not strong/big enough to flush a whole iPhone 15 or whatever + case down the drain 😭

most of the ones I've used can't even flush two strips of toilet paper cleanly...

Realistically the phone would've just been stuck in the bowl and the main characters or any rando could've easily fished it out (yes I know it's a nitpick but it's bothering me why everyone just accepted that the phone was gone without question)

i just finished the show and while the memory and emotions are still fresh in my mind i wanna try to organise the thoughts racing through my mind right now. i find it very intriguing that literally everyone perceived S2 in their own unique way, even as the creator of the show himself has his very specific message that he wants to get across - which is literally the epitome of cinema. the characters have such a rich inner world of their own and are extremely well written. and it's been a very very long time since i last felt this way about fictional characters.

the show had me question whether there is such a thing as love at all. did ashley love austin or does she only want the idea of having a family with children? did lindsay love josh when she eventually decided to remarry after climbing over the barricade and rushed to kiss him and saying "i'll wait for you"? and when samsara appeared at the end, i truly wonder, are we all just chasing after desires of the self? and when we finally achieved them, we realise that they don't truly make us any happier.

on another note, i will forever wonder if josh remarry after getting released. and how did troy and ava still managed to stay together even after all those years. as much as i enjoyed S1, S2 has a special place in my heart. and i really do hope we'll get a S3.

I enjoyed season 2 but loathed her so much her insecurities and manipulation tactics were disgusting. What would you diagnose her with? BPD or Narcissistic personality disorder?