Note: This post features major spoilers for “Beef.”
The Season 1 finale of Netflix’s “Beef” is explosive in every sense of the word, but concludes on a comforting moment of connection between Amy (Ali Wong) and Danny (Steven Yuen) as Amy shows her unconditional support for Danny as he recovers in the hospital after being shot by Amy’s husband, George (Joseph Lee). Though it’s unclear what terms their relationship will continue on, Danny’s subtle caress as Amy lays on his recovery bed signals their deep bond will persevere.
Of course, the mind can’t help but wander to a potential romantic entanglement between the pair — a development that would leave Paul (Young Mazino) with an “even bigger chip on his shoulder” and might prompt a new revenge spiral should the dramedy score a renewal for a second season.
“I think if he finds out or somehow Amy and Danny are together, that would be the ultimate like, ‘first you rob my future and then you take the girl that I care about,’” Mazino told TheWrap. “I think he genuinely did have feelings for Amy — I think he imagined him and Amy will be some power couple strutting down like that — But then if he sees that Danny is a source of destroying everything that he could have had, there might be some extra beef there.”
Mazino even suggests the “blood feud” between Paul and his brother, Danny, could veer into “Cain and Abel” territory, saying “when the human heart is involved, it can get crazy.”
After getting involved in both Amy and Danny’s escalating revenge plots that compromise Paul’s future, almost leaving him dead, Danny’s caution for Paul to stay away from his dark troubles their rings true as both Paul and Danny realize Paul is not destined to go further down the path that his cousin, Isaac (David Choe), and Danny have begun walking down.
“Because of having immigrant parents who never set up a foundation for him … he’s had all these glass ceilings that are all mentally just internally made,” Mazino said. “He doesn’t realize … he already has everything he needs — he has English and a native tongue, he’s smart … he can do a lot more than he realizes.”
As he recovers from the string of emotionally and physically draining incidents of vengeance, Mazino notes part of Paul will begin to “callus over” as he looks ahead.
“If he learns anything, if he’s more introspective, he’ll try to just find his peace he’s been seeking away from everything,” Mazino said. “But if not, he will return with a vengeance with a chip even bigger on the shoulder.”
While Netflix recently submitted the Ali Wong-led series, which debuted at No. 3 on the Netflix Top 10 TV List, as an Emmys candidate in the Limited Series or Anthology categories, a Season 2 renewal could still be possible (see: HBO’s hit show “The White Lotus”).
The streamer has made no announcements regarding the series’ future.
All episodes of “Beef” are now streaming on Netflix.
