New Delhi, April 23 -- "They say comparison is the thief of joy," says Lindsey, played by Carey Mulligan, in the new season of Beef on Netflix. This second season, featuring couples in various stages of disrepair and dysfunction, could be built around that line, given all the resentment and discontent that stems from the grass being greener on the other side. Surely, we think alone and together, their problems must be better than our problems. We could, and should, have more.

Tragically, that line also comes back to haunt the series as a whole. While it provides serviceable drama with a cast of strong actors, this new Beef suffers immensely in comparison with its extraordinary first season. Lee Sung Jin created a thing of beauty and horr...