Are Netflix’s Beef season 1 and season 2 connected?

Beef season 2 is now on Netflix with eight new episodes ready to binge-watch

Netflix viewers are questioning whether their beloved characters will make a comeback for Beef season two.

Following an exhausting three-year hiatus, the Emmy-winning comedy has finally returned with eight fresh episodes. On this occasion, it centres on a cash-strapped Gen-Z couple who stumble upon a fierce row between their Millennial employer and his wife.

The recently-engaged pair, Ashley (Cailee Spaeny) and Austin (Charles Melton), quickly find themselves drawn into the crumbling marriage of their country club manager Joshua (Oscar Isaac), and his wife Lindsay (Carey Mulligan).

Ashley and Austin seize the chance to blackmail the apparently affluent older couple, yet their scheme plunges them into an even greater controversy involving the club’s billionaire proprietor, Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung) and her physician husband (Song Kang-ho).

Those who watched the inaugural series may observe that there is no reference to former lead characters Danny (Steven Yeun) and Amy (Ali Wong) in the synopsis, reports the Mirror.

One young and older couple sitting together

Beef season 2 is not linked to the first series (Image: Netflix)

No, Beef season two presents an entirely standalone narrative from season one.

Showrunner Lee Sung Jin conceived the series as an anthology of distinct stories united by the recurring theme of anger and conflict.

He told Netflix’s Tudum: “The intention was always to have it be an anthology. My early pitch to networks included slides with rough examples of potential ‘beefs’ for upcoming seasons.

“However, because the show was in its first season and its future was uncertain, we intentionally wrote Season 1 as a limited series, ending that story with a period – Ali Wong and Steven Yeun’s characters in the hospital bed.”

A doctor checking his phone

Fans have shared glowing reviews (Image: Netflix)

Given the first season’s extraordinary success, Beef season two had an enormous act to follow. Yet it appears the sequel has already captured the hearts of viewers.

It has earned an impressive 87% Rotten Tomatoes rating, a respectable dip from season one’s remarkable 98% score.

Fans have been effusive in their praise, with one declaring: “This was genuinely phenomenal omg, I didn’t know how I felt about BEEF being an anthology and changing stories but it was done so well, just amazing all around I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed this watch, the ending while not being what I expected was a twist.”

While another added: “A true blue masterpiece. A truly astounding feat considering how masterful and perfect season 1 was but this manages to be even better and top it in the end by a significant margin.”

All eight episodes of Beef season 2 are now streaming on Netflix.