Abhiroop Das
Created by Lee Sung Jin, ‘Beef’ steps into its sophomore season with a brand new story, this time focusing on life at the Monte Vista Point Country Club. Joshua “Josh” Martin, the general manager, is determined to leave an impression on his new boss, Chairwoman Park from South Korea. However, that endeavor is put on hold when the newly-engaged couple, Ashley and Austin, both of whom work at the club, end up witnessing something they shouldn’t have. In front of them stands Josh, having a violent argument with his wife, Lindsay. What follows is a seemingly never-ending back and forth between the two couples, where each tries to gain the upper hand by putting every shady trick in the book to use. However, with each escalation in this black-comedy series comes a world of chaos for everyone involved, especially when it comes to Josh and Lindsay’s pet dachshund, Burberry. SPOILERS AHEAD.
A Coyote Takes Burberry’s Life After Ashley Accidentally Leaves the Door Open
Though Josh and Lindsay blame each other for the disappearance of their pet dog, Burberry, it’s actually Ashley who leaves the door open after breaking into the Martins’ house. As a result, Burberry wanders out into the dark and goes missing for more than a whole day, and by the time Lindsay does locate her pet in the dead of the night, the worst appears to have come true. What we hear first is the sound of the dog yelping, following which she sees a giant coyote mauling him. Although Lindsay is able to get the coyote off her pet, his injuries turn out to be too severe. By the time Josh and Lindsay take Burberry to the veterinary hospital, it is already too late, and he succumbs to his injuries.
The fact that Lindsay discovers Burberry in an already injured state, with the coyote almost toying with him, suggests that the dog has been bravely fighting with much bigger animals this entire time. What makes all of this even more twisted is that Ashley actually helps Lindsay look for Burberry, shortly after realizing that she is the one who started it all. During her break-in, the first thing she tells Burberry is that she will take him for herself when the time comes, but that idea is reversed in the darkest of fashion, making the dog a victim in the larger cycle of vengeance. Though she is careful in covering her tracks, the one time she messes up is in closing the door, and it is that hurried decision that takes things severely out of hand.
Burberry’s Passing Becomes a Turning Point For the Show’s Two Main Relationships
Burberry’s tragic fate plays into the show’s reigning ideas about revenge and how it can often contort one’s actions into unrecognizable forms. We see that first with Josh, who refuses to give Ashley urgent medical help, and in turn becomes partially responsible for the loss of her ovaries. Just like how it was likely never his intention to go this far, the same holds true for Ashley when it comes to the dog, as she is quick to realize the blunder she has committed. From there on, we see, for a brief moment, the only genuine relationship in the show sprout to life, as both Lindsay and Ashley try to leave their toxicities behind and start a new friendship. However, the very foundations of this dynamic rest on Ashley keeping Burberry’s death a secret, and when everything does come to light, nothing remains the same.
As it turns out, Burberry’s death doesn’t just have an immediate effect on Josh and Lindsay’s relationship, but it becomes a catalyst for their realization that things simply aren’t going to work between them. This becomes crystal clear when it comes to their differing coping mechanisms, as while both parties are right in their own place, it’s the fact that they are wholly unable to comfort each other that shows just how deep the rift goes. Something similar happens on the other end when Austin realizes that Ashley is the one who left the door open. Though the couple appears to be on the cusp of getting back together emotionally, this single revelation pushes Austin to the brink. In that vein, Burberry’s death ceases to be an isolated tragedy and instead becomes a sign of how irreconcilably fractured the character’s relationships are.
Read More: Beef: Netflix Comedy-Drama Inspired By a Real Incident
You must be logged in to post a comment.