For me Beef is far and away the best limited series nominated.
The show captures a dark aspect of human nature: a desire to believe you are right and that you are entirely justified in getting revenge. This rationalization gives you a sense of freedom from terrible things you do because the other person you are going after is even worse, in your mind. While this is its central thesis, it is not even close to the whole experience. Ideas of connecting with other human beings, self-loathing and the desire to believe you are a success are just some of the full range of emotional experiences we see on screen.
There are so many great performances, but I am going to focus on my top three to give a taste of what this show is capable of doing. Steven Yeun has a heavy sadness that he carries with him even when he is doing well. From his first time on screen the desperation for some kind of validation or acceptance that he is capable or deserves some joy radiates from him. He believes he is a loser, and even when he starts to get his life together, the sense is that it is a temporary feeling or just bravado he is putting on till something takes it away again. Especially true in his interactions with his brother Paul, who he talks down to and yet Danny knows Paul is actually smarter than he is, and the full delusion Danny has held about himself and with Paul comes to a beautiful and potentially tragic moment near the end.
Ali Wong may just be the performance of the year for me. Amy has so many feelings going on every minute that she captures in every facial movement. She is on edge, keeping a mask up for everyone–from her customers to Jordan, who she is trying to play nice with in order to sell her business. Even her own family she is lying to, first to reassure them and then to keep them safe from her and Danny’s actions. She is shown to be tough and brilliant but she has doubts about herself as a mother, a wife, and as a human being. Everything comes through in her eyes, keeping her mask up for so much of the show and only letting down at extreme moments. Ironically, in their hatred of each other is when they are most free, which shows that they are similar to each other in many ways. Their yelling at another motorist as they are trying to reach a peace between themselves–while still insulting each other–was a great moment. These two anchor the show perfectly, creating a contrast of social status with Amy upper and Danny lower, and yet the human pain they feel is real no matter what the situation.
Joseph Lee as George, Amy’s husband, could have been the oblivious loser who doesn’t realize what is going on around him but he is given so much more. While he may be happier and more content than so much of the cast, we see that he is not someone to walk over. His doubts over his sculptures compared to his famous father, and his sense that, while he loves being a stay-at-home dad, that wasn’t what he pictured and wonders if he should be more. When Amy’s self-destructive behavior starts to come to the surface, he reacts with firmness and a realism that makes you understand why he makes those choices.
Lee Sung Jin’s brilliant script kept me going through every moment of this. He enjoys teasing details about his characters in very different and unexpected moments that lets us see how they have become more damaged over the years before the incident. And also that what Amy and Danny have done to each other may not even be the worst thing that they have done. Yet with all this pain that he has crafted, the show’s ending is ironically one of the most life-affirming things I have seen all year. That these two people, who truly believe they hate each other and are full of such self-loathing and bitterness towards the world, are able to work together and actually talk through their doubts and pain and come to an understanding was so unexpected and heartfelt without feeling like it was tacked on to lighten things up. These two have fallen so far that up was the only way. Plus, a final shot that is literally perfect for the journey this show has taken us on.
Nothing in this category comes close to the masterpiece that is Beef. I hope it legitimately sweeps the Emmys.
