It takes a little while to find Beef’s groove. By the end of the first episode, you will know if the series is for you. However, everything about the show feels overwhelming in the first eight to ten minutes. In fact, the series indulges in multiple instances of terrible behavior throughout the series, often far worse than the risky but largely harmless high-speed chase. It’s just that once a viewer reaches the end of that catalytic incident, Beef will either firmly have its hooks into them or bounce them off so thoroughly they’ll have no reason to watch even one more episode. For those in the former category, including this critic, the reward is a series that’s an empathetic primal scream directed at a world that seems to be pitilessly grinding us all down. Steven Yeun, never bad, maintains his streak of exciting projects that let him dazzle. Ali Wong, simply put, has never been better. Beef is a feel-bad classic. If you can handle its intense mix of cynicism, righteous indignation, and true surprising beauty, it will likely prove one of the most rewarding viewing experiences you can ask for.