Murderers, Manipulators, and Intimacy
The first five episodes of season four of You hit Netflix on Feb. 9 and the last five are set to follow next month on March 9. Having been an avid watcher of the show since season 1 was released in 2017, I have compiled a list of my thoughts on the first half of season 4.
Warning: there are spoilers and possibly unpopular opinions ahead.
1. The Agatha Christie troupe is bordering on overdone.
The first part of this season follows Joe Goldberg infiltrating a friend group comprised of London’s elites. Then, they begin to fall like dominoes. It feels very And Then There Were None coded to me and it nears being overdone. I do, however, like that they acknowledge this parallel by having the remaining group play their annual murder mystery game — where of course someone was murdered. How very on-brand.
I think the plot line also draws stark similarities to Knives Out: Glass Onion which portrays a very similar scene to the murder mystery party resulting in multiple deaths. I could see how it works in the case of You, but it may be too similar to other popular shows and movies. I would say I’m not super into it.
2. Oh, how the tables have turned….
I think there is something poetic about having a gossip girl-adjacent online presence that pulls the puppet strings on Joe. Seeing the master male manipulator be framed for murder when he has spent the last three seasons murdering others, is oddly satisfying. My only bone to pick with this plotline is that spoiler, in the latest episode, the manipulator/ actual murderer is revealed. I think it works better to draw it out a little bit more, maybe as a season finale kind of reveal. I like a more intense cliffhanger for mid-season finales.
3. Can we switch it up with the love interests?
For three out of four seasons, Joe has fallen head over heels for a bold white woman. The creators did switch up a little bit by making the love interest Tati Gabrielle, known for her role as Prudence on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. But beyond that, the cycle of woman after woman is getting so old in my opinion. I would like to see a new all-consuming relationship enter the show. I am particularly interested in Joe’s relationship with his son or his past coming back into play.
4. Stop Romanticizing Serial Killers
I recently watched an interview that Penn Badgley, who plays Joe, did with Variety about his stance on intimacy within the role. He brings up an incredible point about interrupting the romanticization of serial killers, especially with the recent releases of documentaries featuring both Ted Bundy and Jeffery Dhamer.
Not only does Badgley advocate for himself and his boundaries regarding sex scenes as an actor, but the importance of not perpetuating damaging ideals that are currently circulating in Hollywood film production. It’s worth noting that the glorification of serial killers and the casting of conventionally attractive men as horrific criminals start with fiction and end with real-life documentaries. I completely support the decision to cut down the number of intimate scenes in the show to stop the humanization of murderers.
Ultimately, I am a critical watcher of everything. Even though I have a slew of opinions, I will still be tuning in to watch the rest of the season on March 9.