BY JOHN CARTER JR
**This post contains spoilers**
Attractive, smart, and being well-read are qualities that are desirable in a potential partner for many, but the inclusion of possessive, stalker, murderous cause the desirable waters to become a bit murkier. Netflix’s You stars Penn Badgley, who plays the lovable creeper Joe Goldberg, a bookstore manager whose main goal in life becomes, at the start of the series, getting Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail) to be his girlfriend by using the aforementioned activities, such as stalking and murder, to stack the odds in his favor.
The show takes us on a journey in a unique way as we are being guided through the everyday life of a young writer (Beck) from the perspective of a stalker. This is where the amalgamation of the two lives involved becomes even more dynamic and evolving into something more special. It is this distorted perspective, or lens of sorts, that gives that the greatest impact to the big reveals. It is best described as when foggy glasses are wiped clean.
When Joe meets Beck the show seems like it could be a simple romantic drama but quickly turns into more of a dark comedy that is akin to Netflix’s new release, Dead To Me. You is excellent at delivering romance and creepiness in oozing volumes. Take the moments leading up to the first major characters death for an example. Joe, who is inconspicuous about keeping Beck’s boyfriend in the bookstore basement, takes more of a time investment in getting to know Beck. Throughout the season, Joe kills multiple major characters including Benji, Beck’s Junkie Boyfriend, Peach Salinger, Beck’s former socialite bestie, and Ron, a parole officer who hurt paco and his mother. Paco is a young neighbor boy who Joe mentors and gives books to. How sweet of him, right? That could be said if Joe’s last lesson to synonymous to Analise Keating’s How to Get Away with Murder class title. This meaning Joe helped Paco Murder Ron and vice versa. This paints the picture that this show can be both lovely and gruesome.
In conclusion, You is an excellent show when it comes to the dark and romantic parallels it expresses. It has a handsome and sweet protagonist who is also a creepy, stalkery, murderer whom is a borderline sociopath (but he reads, so that’s a plus). If you are looking for what I would describe a reverse mystery slice of life drama then this is definitely the pick. This show is exciting and twisted, which gets me excited for the second season and what it entails. Rest in peace Guinevere Beck (Maybe).
I give You an 8/10 for its debut season.