Road rage gone amok in new Netflix dramedy ‘Beef’

CLEVELAND, Ohio — There’s nothing humorous about highway rage.

However what about what’s occurring under the floor? That’s what new tv present “Beef,” which debuts Thursday on Netflix, makes an attempt to look at.

The dramedy digs a bit deeper into what causes a comparatively regular particular person at a second’s discover — say after a motorist cuts them off or drives a bit too near their bumper — to snap into an unhinged, aggressive and irrational driver of a dashing two-ton automobile pushed like a machine of destruction.

Following the aftermath of a highway rage incident between two strangers — failing contractor Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) and self-made entrepreneur Amy Lau (Ali Wong) — “Beef” goes deep into life’s on a regular basis pressures resulting in acquainted antagonistic behind-the-wheel habits.

Life is difficult, sophisticated and never honest for each of the principle characters with the previous struggling as a first-generation American whereas the insecure latter fails to stay as much as the proper life she portrays on Instagram.

Each take viewers to darkish locations with a couple of hilarious conditions alongside the way in which.

We lately participated in a digital press convention the place Wong, Yeun and creator/showrunner Lee Sung Jin (“Dave,” “Silicon Valley”) mentioned the brand new sequence. Listed here are highlights from the insightful affair:

Impetus for the present

Lee: It was a typical highway rage factor the place the sunshine turned inexperienced and I didn’t go quick sufficient. It was additionally a white BMW SUV. They honked at me, mentioned a bunch of issues and raced off. For some cause that day, I used to be like, I’ll comply with you. I didn’t actually have a plan. In my thoughts, I used to be on my method residence and I occurred to be behind you. I’m certain for that particular person it felt like I used to be monitoring him the entire run of the I-10 freeway. I assumed there was one thing there about individuals who had been very caught of their subjective views of actuality and so they’re projecting assumptions onto the opposite particular person. That was the kernel of the concept so I’m very grateful for that incident.

Actual-life highway rage experiences

Wong: I keep in mind after I was 16 years outdated this man was drunk. I don’t know why he was indignant at me abruptly however he was so indignant that he did pull up on the motive force’s facet within the lane going reverse of site visitors, checked out me within the eye and was screaming all kind of expletives at me. Then all I may concentrate on was shedding him. I don’t suppose I used that for this efficiency however that’s a highway rage incident that was actually horrifying.

First response after studying the script

Wong: The thriller factor. I haven’t accomplished something like that earlier than. Similar to how because the present progresses that comes out increasingly more. It’s so suspenseful.

Yeun: You have got an concept the place the plot goes to go however then you definately learn the dialogue and also you’re like this feels so actual. It’s such straightforward however tough vernacular. It’s written in a method the place Sung Lee was there in a room as a fly on the wall. He overheard these conversations and he wrote it that method. Whenever you get dialogue like that for me I’m identical to that is going to be so enjoyable.

Regarding their characters

Wong: Within the pilot when she’s receiving all of these texts and she or he’s like, “Make it cease.” You understand that feeling when it’s like the whole lot goes mistaken. The lint within the dryer, you neglect to wash it so the dryer nearly induced a hearth. There’s a mouse working round within the storage consuming the entire Halloween sweet. You had been late paying a invoice. It’s simply all piled on. You’re like, I’ve no time to benefit from the issues I labored actually arduous for. I believe all of us have moments like that.

Yeun: To play the comedy of Danny is rather like to lean into the unlucky drama of his life. It felt like being in it and out of it on the identical time. That’s the place the disgrace half got here in. I used to be like, Oh, I’m watching Danny undergo this factor and it’s like, how do I not bail on him? All the time I’m judging him and cringing. Not attempting to make him make sense however it’s a must to make him make sense. That was a problem.

What scenes stand out in “Beef?”

Wong: In all probability being within the parts within the finale. Working at midnight seems to be cool on digital camera however the actuality of doing that — particularly once you’re in a trench coat and it’s darkish and you’ll’t see branches beneath you — I wasn’t used to. I used to be enthusiastic about this entire thriller factor. Then once you’re doing it was like, that is scary. It was good as a result of I used to be with Steven, who had been on the ‘Strolling Useless’ for seven seasons within the suburbs of Atlanta working away from zombies. It was so attention-grabbing to see him so at residence within the forest at 2 within the morning the place I used to be like Shelley Lengthy in “Troop Beverly Hills” — “Get me out of right here.” What was difficult was hiding how terrified and uncomfortable I used to be.

Yeun: Loads of the quiet moments had been actually enjoyable to unpack. It’s spoilers however simply form of being in a weak, pure situation internally and externally between Danny and Amy.

Lee: We attempt to go to deeper spots whereas additionally having a really well-placed fart joke within the combine.