Late-Stage Hypocrisy: S2 of Netflix Hit Dramedy 'Beef' Hates the Capitalism It Benefits From

Dawn Slusher
August 9th, 2026 1:28 PM
Snapstream

In yet another instance of anti-capitalists whining about capitalism while benefitting from it, the second season of Netflix's critically acclaimed dramedy Beef, created by Lee Sung Jin, offers a familiar sermon about the evils of wealth and inequality, even as its characters chase the very prosperity, stability and family life that capitalism makes possible.

The show swept awards across most major platforms for its first season and season two has already earned 16 Primetime Emmy nominations. Set at a luxury country club golf resort, young employee Ashley (Cailee Spaeny) and her fiance Austin (Charles Melton) struggle financially as they envy the wealthy couple who run the club, Josh (Oscar Isaac) and Lindsay (Carey Mulligan).

After witnessing and recording what appeared to be a violent domestic disturbance between the older couple in episode 1, "All the Things We're Never Going to Have," Austin and Ashley fret over how they're going to afford a surgery Ashley needs when she doesn't have insurance or a high school diploma. This leads to Josh ranting about "late-stage capitalism" and "redistribution of wealth" as Ashley decides for whatever reason that Josh and Lindsay owe them:

 

Austin: Late-stage capitalism. It's all about fighting it, right?

Ashley: What are you talking about?

Austin: The system. The system is designed to make you feel despair. Like, the disparity is systemic. You know what I mean?

Ashley: Like income inequality?

Austin: Yes, exactly. You know the 16-piece at KFC is $52.99 right now.

Ashley: How often are you going to KFC?

Austin: That's not my point. It's on the way to work. Look, what I'm trying to say is none of this is your fault, okay? The people in charge have made it impossible for us.

Ashley: Yeah. Okay, yeah. I guess I've been feeling that a lot lately. I just didn't have the right words for it.

Austin: I've been feeling it, too. Like, sometimes I feel like I peaked in college and I'm not bringing enough to the table. And sometimes I can get down about it, but then I remember that we work at a f*cking country club where everyone grabbed the bag
before we could. Of course we feel this way.

Ashley: Yeah, f*cking Josh gets paid the most. He's just being a d*ck all day. I mean, we wouldn't even be in this mess if he hadn't made me pick up balls.

Austin: Yeah. It's unfair. Globally. There's gotta be a redistribution of the wealth, and, like, we should all get out and vote.

Ashley: Yeah, I mean, what you're really saying is we've gotta take it back from everyone.

Austin: Broadly speaking, yes. You know, I was reading how antitrust laws might help.

Ashley: You know what would help? Is if perfectly good people stopped getting fired and this f*cking ab*ser loses his job instead.

Austin: Yeah. No, we should be reexamining everyone in power for sure. You know, I saw this thing on lobbying regulations, and I didn't read it but just let me find it.

Of course it's everyone else's fault and they should just be handed free money without earning it. No consideration whatsoever for the hard work Lindsay and Josh must have put in to get to where they are. (And who still face financial hurdles of their own.) Seems like this is more about poor decision making, improper planning, and a lack of worth ethic by entitled Gen Zers than any sort of systemic conspiracy. 

The lack of self-awareness in these characters is sad because it's reflective of the real-life mindset of today's socialist-loving youth. There's zero self-examination on what they could have done differently or what better choices they could make from here on out to get ahead the right way. Instead, Ashley decides the best and fair thing to do is blackmail Josh and Lindsay with the footage of their fight in order to "take it back from everyone." 

This season's villain is resort owner Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung) who is a typical caricature of a ruthless, rich female. In episode 8, "It Will Stay This Way and You Will Obey," she coldly delivers a pro-evolution, anti-capitalist lecture after killing her husband without shedding a tear: 

 

Park: My second husband always said, "Love is putting other person over yourself." But as soon as you are born, you cry for Mommy's milk. You do not care about her. You only care about yourself.

Josh: Lindsay! Lindsay!

Park: Maybe you put others over self a few times, but only when it is easy. The universe is not designed for this. Thank God we survived billions of years from tiny cell to bacteria to monkey because we only care about self. That is why capitalism works. It is a system of nature. System of the self. Love lives in this system. All relationships exist in this system. They're all the same, another way to serve the self. That is all I was to Dr. Kim. And that is all he was to me. That is why I'm not crying right now.

Such a lovely woman. After Austin and Ashley successfully blackmail Josh and Lindsay, they decide to do IVF since Ashley lost an ovary during her surgery. Austin didn't really want to be a father yet, so he tried to destroy his sample with hand sanitizer. 

The trick didn't work, however, as Ashley announces they have a "viable embryo" right after Austin says he hates her and wants to leave her for another woman:

 

Ashley: Well, we're gonna have a baby so, I'm sorry you're gonna have a baby with someone you hate so much.

Austin: Oh my God.

Ashley: Yeah.

Austin: We're gonna be parents?

Ashley: If we want. We have a viable embryo. Don't pick up.

Austin: I have to. I have to make sure she's safe.

Ashley: No, you don't.

Austin: Yeah, I do. I'm in love with Eunice.

Ashley: What? No, no, no. No, you think you are. But it's too early to know that. Look, at least you know my sh*t, and I know yours, okay? How do you know her sh*t is that much better? How do you know you won't repeat the same cycle with her too? Listen, listen. We have something that Park really wants. And if we deliver this, then we can have anything we really want. Can you close your eyes for a second and just imagine us ten years from now with our own perfect little kid? He's got your smile. And my eyes. And he's so cute. And we have our own place with our own yard, and you can teach him how to throw a football. And I'll make sloppy joes on Sundays before the  games. Austin, we know how the world works now. We know how hard it is.

Austin: He's got my smile?

Ashley: Yes! And your sense of humor and your kind heart. And he could be here in nine months if we bring this to Park.

That's the problem with IVF. It treats human life like disposable garbage. The baby is already here. It exists now. No need to wait nine months. The baby's smile, personality and traits have all been determined as it already has its own unique DNA. Ashley and Austin already parents. Deciding not to implant the baby doesn't change that basic fact.

There was also a prominent product placement of Plan B in episode 3, "The Increasing Flimsiness of Any Certainties About the Future," as Lindsey takes the pill. The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists has been opposed to the drug since 2003 because they argue that it can interfere with the implantation of a fertilized egg, therefore making it an abortifacient drug:

By the end of the season, we flash forward eight years and see the couple stayed together and had their baby.  They're also the new directors at the country club. However, they both seem to be as unhappy as their predecessors, which proves money can't buy happiness. Sadly, that's the only accurate take away from this show, despite all the accolades it received.