The last show of 2019 you should all watch is YOU. Netflix released its second season in that special time between Christmas and New Year. The time when everyone is just eating, drinking, chilling without any idea what day it is. The perfect time for binge-watching Netflix shows and that’s exactly what so many people did with YOU.
I was actually surprised when almost every other Instagram story was about my friends watching it. I wasn’t aware it was that big.
But, when you think about it, season 1 was released by the end of 2018 so people had plenty of time to hype it up and with such a great quality show with an incredible cast and twisted plot is really hard not to fall for YOU
Let’s refresh our memory of YOU season one with my previous article – You on Netflix – Beware of stalkers
By now we established Joe Goldberg is nuts. Pen Badgley makes him attractive as fuck. The story keeps you at the edge of the seat all the time. Everything seems acceptable once you reason it. Love is a perfect apology for your horrific actions and most importantly how freaking powerful narrative is.
What makes YOU so special is that you’re in a psychos head all the time. The story is told from Joe’s point of view. The hypnotizing voice of Pen Badgley lures you in and won’t let you leave. He makes you sympathize with him. The way he explains his terrible actions is super dangerous because it makes sense. I know it’s so wrong of me to say it but it does. He believes he’s the good guy. Saviour. Victim. So you’re being constantly convinced that’s the truth by Joe himself.
Season 2 focuses on Joe’s childhood and that explains everything.
Basically, it’s all about the privileged white guy with a traumatic childhood so his actions are not his responsibilities anymore.
His father was an abuser so Joe is not a fan of older guys whatsoever. His mom abandoned him so he’s fixating on every woman in his life. Joe kills his father and his mother forgives him immediately, therefore he doesn’t feel guilty. She takes the blame for setting the pattern of Joe not being responsible for his actions.
It was all to protect someone he loved.
Love apologizes for murder. Over and over again.
Joe is fixated on little kids, seeing himself in their messed up faith, and doing everything he can to save them. He’s the savior. The good guy. He kills the bad guys. Rapists. Abusers.
Sadly he doesn’t see the irony of him being the worst of them all.
He’s out of his mind when he’s confronted with who he is. He doesn’t like it one bit. In season 2 Henderson, the celebrity, calls him out on being the same as him- child rapist, and Joe goes nuts.
The same goes for Love. He sees himself in her and he doesn’t like it at all.
Let’s talk about Love. Joe’s new target.
The first episode of season 2 let us believe Joe changed. Sure he stole the identity of a bipolar dealer he imprisoned in his magic box. But he lets him live. that’s a change. He moved to the city he hates and constantly tries to talk himself out of a crime. What a good guy right?
And that’s when we meet Love. To be fair I loved Love way too much. Her character was just so tempting.
So easy to love.
You just know something had to be wrong with her. She was too clingy, too open-minded, too privileged, too manipulative, and all into that spiritual shit. Add self-centered parents, traumatic childhood, hero complex, addictive, needy and so so damaged brother and you have a perfect recipe for crazy.
Do two crazy cancel each other out?
Plot twist after plot twist this season. Like you need any more reason to keep watching. Every show ends on a cliff hanger. Watching YOU is an out of body experience. You get out of it morally questioning everything you thought you know about the world.
If you don’t want to delete all of your social media after watching YOU then you probably were not paying attention.
Every other minute of season two you’re thinking: this is it. This is the end. Joe’s finally gonna get what he deserves. Hell, by the final episode he actually admits his actions. He’s done with excuses and blaming everyone besides him. And I was thinking: finally, a redemption arc for Joe and I got so sick of myself right away. Fuck that. The guy doesn’t deserve one. What he deserves is Love.
Twistedly sick Love.
His mirror. His soulmate. Basically Joe in the female body. He can’t hide himself in Love.
And now, we’re in Love’s head. Witnessing her obsessive explanation where every murder is protection.
She knows better. Plying God just like Joe.
Love gave Joe everything he ever wanted. Unconditional love. Seeing him. Actually seeing him for what he is and sticking around anyway. Until Joe realized that his self-obsessive being doesn’t want that at all. It’s just a fantasy he chases and wants to chase for the rest of his life. He loves the hunt. Falling in love with a new victim of his. The thrill of new opportunities. Settling down sounds so boring. They are so perfect for each other.
Spoiler alert: Love, actually did it.
I just love how the producers played with the puns and subtle hints this season.
The references to season one.
Peaches.
Spare key.
Dexter style murders.
What would Beck do?
I love how every time Joe is in the presence of Love the edges of the screen are blurry.
I love how Dr. Nicky does exactly what every good guy does these days. Sends thoughts and prayers.
Screaming I’m pregnant still being the safe word.
Pot calling kettle black.
The cast this season was incredible. I can’t even decide who I liked the most. They were all so real. So thoroughly written. The acting performances of Forty, Ellie, Delilah, Candance, Love, or even Joe were breathtaking. Putting my phone down kind of breathtaking. Mix it with deep thoughts of a sociopath, quoting Russian writers with a twisted sense of self-preservation and self-acceptance narrative and you have a perfect show to end 2019.
In a way, YOU it’s a beautiful romance story. Boy meets a girl. They fall in love. They would do literally anything for each other. Kill for each other. Literally.
Joe would never be satisfied. He’ll always be hunting.
Good for us as we’re be getting more of this twisted story with season 3 of You on Netflix that sounds more promising than ever.
LOVE this show!
Obsessed with YOU. season 2 was even more f*cked up than the first.