Netflix's Beef: Why Jordan's House Looks So Familiar
Netflix's "Beef" features more than its fair share of memorable and eccentric characters. None of the figures in the show come across as quite as oddly nefarious, though, as Jordan (Mario Bello). The character, a rich businesswoman who holds the future of both Amy Lau (Ali Wong) and her business in the palm of her hands, isn't afraid to flaunt her wealth or power. She's one of the calmest characters featured in "Beef," but that's solely because she believes her immense wealth protects her from having to suffer the consequences of any mistakes she might make or anything offensive she might say.
While Jordan ends up learning, much to her own horror, that she isn't quite as untouchable as she believes, "Beef" doesn't let the opportunity to spotlight her ostentatious house pass it by. If there are some "Beef" viewers who feel like they've seen Jordan's house somewhere before, too, they may be happy to learn there's a reason for that. Indeed, Architectural Digest recently revealed that Jordan's house in "Beef" is not only a real location but one that has been featured in multiple other noteworthy TV shows and films, including "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," "Safe," "The Lawnmower Man," and many others.
"Beef" fans may also be surprised to learn that Jordan's home in the Netflix series isn't actually a house in real life. The uniquely designed structure is, in fact, a scholarly building known as the House of the Book and is located on the Brandeis-Bardin campus of the American Jewish University in California.
Beef Season 1's climactic action sequence was almost a whole lot bloodier
Among TV and film viewers, the House of the Book is, perhaps, best known as the building that was used as the headquarters of the Power Rangers in the 1990s for "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers." Within "Beef," the building also serves as the site of the Netflix dramedy's darkest and bloodiest sequence.
As the show's viewers can attest, "Beef" gradually transforms Jordan's house over the course of its 10-episode first season from a site of invulnerable opulence to an arena of blood, bullets, and unintentional violence. It specifically becomes the location of a chilling action sequence when Isaac Cho (David Choe) and Michael (Andrew Santino) decide in the penultimate episode of "Beef" Season 1 to try and rob it by taking Maria Bello's Jordan, Ali Wong's Amy, and Ashley Park's Naomi hostage. The sequence, which brings all of the show's core characters together, ultimately results in the brutal deaths of both Jordan and Michael.
According to "Beef" creator Lee Sung Jin, though, the results of Isaac and Michael's failed robbery attempt were originally going to be even bloodier. The writer revealed as much in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, telling the outlet, "There is an early outline of that episode where there were so many more deaths." The "Beef" creator added, "I turned that one in and everyone's like, 'Hey, Sonny, are you ok? Does everyone have to die?' Thankfully I got walked back."
Even if the "Beef" episode in question didn't turn out quite as gruesome as the series' creator initially imagined, though, fans will likely agree that it nonetheless cements Jordan's house as one of the show's most memorable locations.