Just when it looked like the battle to be named as 2023’s best TV show was devolving into a straight shootout between HBO heavyweights The Last of Us and Succession, along comes Netflix’s incredible new series Beef to throw its hat into the ring.
Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a near-perfect score of 99 percent, viewers have been won over to an almost identical extent looking at the 10-episode black comedy’s 98 percent audience approval rating. Not only that, but the show hasn’t wasted any time in making an impact at the summit of its home platform’s most-watched charts.
Per FlixPatrol, Beef has debuted as the third top-viewed television title around the world after securing a Top 10 spot in 56 countries spread out across the globe, nestling just behind The Night Agent and the sophomore run of Shadow and Bone. Whether it’s got enough in the tank to topple a pair of stone-cold sensation remains up for debate, but don’t rule it out.
Anchored by a pair of top-tier performances from Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, the pair find their respective lives spiraling out of control after a road rage incident brings them into each other’s orbit. Igniting a feud that has far-reaching ramifications for both on virtually every level, the pitch-perfect blend of moving drama and acerbic comedy is going to take some beating as Netflix’s finest in-house episodic original of the year.
Netflix doesn’t find itself in the small screen awards conversation too often, but that’s surely about to change.