Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Nudity, smoking, language in intense anthology.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Beef: Season 2
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
BEEF Season 2 is set at a tony country club, where general manager Josh (Oscar Isaac) and his designer wife Lindsay (Carey Mulligan) and have tried to make a go of the business, but now have to impress new owner Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung), a Korean plutocrat with major demands. But at just the wrong moment, club employee Ashley (Cailee Spaeny) and her fiancé Austin (Charles Melton) see one of Lindsay and Josh's terrible fights, and wonder: Why does this unworthy couple have it all while we have nothing? Austin and Ashley's attempts to right this economic wrong go seriously awry, and the beef is on between the two couples.
Is It Any Good?
A minor mistake turns into a torrent of bad (but relatable!) decisions in the second season of this series that ups the ante with a central battle with economic, as well as emotional, underpinnings. The main characters of Beef's second season appear to be on top of the world: Josh and Lindsay are the gorgeous, happily married higher-ups at an elegant country club that's on the verge of acquisition from moneyed clients. Meanwhile, Austin and Ashley are 20-somethings who work for Josh and Lindsay and can't even afford the healthcare Ashley needs (her job at the country club doesn't offer health insurance, and she lacks the experience and education to find a better job). But Austin and Ashley mean to change all that, and they think they see their big chance after catching Lindsay and Josh at a supremely awkward moment.
Just as in Beef's first season, our characters aren't exactly likable, but they are understandable. Beneath Josh and Lindsay's glossy surface is a marriage hanging on by mere threads and an economic pit that threatens to consume them; they are pathetically beholden to the demanding and ultra-wealthy potential new owners of the country club (who cause their own amusing plot wrinkles this season). Meanwhile, Ashley and Austin are so powerless in life that it's hard to condemn them for attempting to make a change in their circumstances. Watching them twist and turn as first one couple, then another, gets the upper hand and the hidden cracks are laid bare makes for a fascinating and absorbing study in human nature. You wouldn't want to be Ashley or Austin or Josh or Lindsay, but they sure are fun to watch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the central conflict in Beef Season 2. How is this conflict the same as in Season 1? How is it different? Does it change things to have two couples instead of two individuals? How do the issues of class and power complicate the narrative?
What are some examples of misdirected anger in Beef? How do the characters cope with stress? What are some other examples of misdirected anger in real life?
How do the main characters' support systems help or fail them? What are some examples? Are there times when friends and family unknowingly escalate the conflict? How might this have been avoided?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 16, 2026
- Cast : Oscar Isaac , Carey Mulligan , Cailee Spaeny
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Awards : Emmy - Emmy Award Winner , Emmy - Emmy Award Nominee , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Nominee
- Last updated : April 16, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate