You won’t want to look away as season two delivers

Easily considered one of the most popular Netflix series of the past few years, You came back with a second season in 2019 after the first season blew up in late 2018. Though the first installment of the series originally aired on Lifetime, it was overlooked until it was released as a Netflix Original. Based on the little known book series of the same name, the show follows Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley, Gossip Girl), a sociopathic stalker who is both infuriating and charming. Ending the first season with the appearance of Joe’s ex-girlfriend, who he believed he had murdered, fans eagerly awaited the release of the second season and were not disappointed with the result. Containing a multitude of plot twists and surprises, You season two exceeds expectations left by the first season, leaving the audience in suspense and making it the perfect show for a binge-watching session. Be warned, spoilers of season one are to come - however, if you haven’t watched it yet, you must be living under a rock. At the end of season one, Joe murders his girlfriend, Beck (Elizabeth Lail), after she discovers that he had stalked her before they supposedly met. Joe’s rage catalyses after he discovers that Beck had been cheating on him with her therapist, Dr. Nicky (John Stamos). Attempting to escape from the glass cage that Joe forced her into, Beck wrote a memoir blaming Dr. Nicky for everything that Joe had done, which Joe published after her murder, resulting in the therapist’s imprisonment for the crimes that Joe committed. In the last few seconds of the season finale, Candace (Ambyr Childers), Joe’s ex-girlfriend who he believed to be dead, shows up in his bookstore. This leaves both the audience and Joe in awe. The second season pick s up where the first left off, with Joe and Candace. After a short-lived conversation in a coffee shop, Joe inevitably finds a way to trick her and leave not only the small café, but also the state. Joe moves from New York to Los Angeles and changes his name to Will Bettelheim. Now Joe believes he is in the clear and starts a new life, telling himself he will be “better” this time. Even so, he returns to his old tricks rather quickly and begins stalking a girl named Love (Victoria Pedretti). His new victim seems much too pure and kind to be with someone as deceivingly charming as Goldberg. Throughout the season, Joe aims to succeed in his relationship with Love, trying to avoid the same tragic end that he had with Beck. He makes attempts at cooking, gets a job at the same place, and makes many more moves to get closer to Love. Joe seems like a true gentlemen at times, which is part of the reason why the show has obtained its popularity. Girls love to see an attractive man pining over a woman and making huge efforts towards her. But even when he seems to be improving, the show reminds viewers that Joe is a sociopath. Besides the extremely intriguing story line, the well-developed characters and incredibly talented actors also make the show exceptional. Badgley is absolutely incredible and unsettling as Joe, requiring just a single facial expression to make your blood run cold. Even knowing that Joe is a cold-blooded murderer, Badgley is able to make him seem desirable, as many viewers have fallen for his deceiving thoughtfulness and good looks. Though Elizabeth Lail was great as Beck in the first season, Victoria Pedretti and Badgley have much more chemistry on-screen and the progression of their story is much more exciting to watch. The characters themselves are much more compatible than when Joe was with Beck. The couple is believable and even looks like they could be together in real life. Plot-wise, though not by much, Joe isn’t as obsessed with Love, making their relationship seem more genuine. One of the most distinguishing aspects of the show are the voice-overs by Joe that enlighten the audience to every one of his thoughts. Badgley’s tone of voice is perfect for the narration and makes the whole show 10 times creepier. Though it may seem weird to watch Joe staring into space for prolonged periods of time with just the voice in his head playing, this feature gives the show a unique and personal sense of interiority. Knowing all of Joe’s thoughts keeps the audience connected to him and makes watchers feel as if he’s their close friend, though one that is secretly a serial killer. This nearly-personal aspect may also explain the attraction many viewers have to the character and how they are able to overlook the fact that Joe is a murderer. You season two surpasses expectations, making it an addicting show that you’ll surely binge in one sitting. Though the first season made the show a hit, the second is by far more entertaining and interesting, and you’ll never want to look away. With both the intriguing story line and Joe, an extremely charming sociopathic killer, You is a perfect show for fans of both thriller and crime shows.

by Caitlynn Ghel

Published February 24th, 2020

Oshkosh West Index volume 116 Issue 5