The Birds Don't Sing, They Screech in Pain

Season

1

Episode

1

Episode guide
Previous	Next
n/a	The Rapture of Being Alive

The Birds Don't Sing, They Screech in Pain is the first episode in the first season of the Netflix series of Beef. It aired on April 6, 2023.

Synopsis[]

A run-in with a hostile motorist sends Danny into a rage — and a tense chase across town. Amy's unexpected guest leaves a lasting impression.

Plot Summary[]

In this episode, Danny tries to return multiple sets of grills at a store called "Forsters" without a receipt. After leaving frustrated because he is unable to make the return, he almost hits another driver while backing up. The person in the car honks at him, and flicks him off with her middle finger. He proceeds to pursue the person, resulting in a road rage incident. The other driver is revealed to be Amy Lau, a business owner trying to sell her store Kōyōhaus. Amy confides in her husband George about the incident. They both have a young daughter named June, and they live in a luxurious, expensive home.

Danny, whose contractor business is struggling, meets with his cousin Isaac to ask for money. Isaac offers him $20,000, due to feeling guilty about his involvement in Danny's parents' failed hotel. Meanwhile, Amy struggles to deal with personal issues, such as her strained relationship with her mother-in-law, Fumi, and she is determined to sell her business to Forster's CEO, Jordan. However, Amy is shaken up after finding out a video of the road rage incident that was posted on social media.

Danny finds a property he wants to buy to start a new construction company, and he is seen returning home and turning on all of his hibachi grills. It is revealed that Danny keeps buying the grills because he wants to kill himself, but ultimately, he decides against it when his carbon monoxide alarm goes off. He then impulsively drives to Amy's house after finding her license plate number and checks out her garage, asking if her husband is home. Before leaving, Danny asks to use the bathroom, but then runs out the front door after peeing all over the floor. Enraged, Amy memorizes his license plate as he drives away in his truck, but not before he flips her off as payback from the road rage incident.