Okay, first of all if you haven’t seen Netflix’s “YOU”, you probably should open up your laptop, sit on your couch and pour yourself a glass of vino. But if you have, you are fully aware of the sociopath that is Joe Goldberg.
Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, manages a bookstore in New York City and moonlights as a stalker on the side. WARNING: IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE SHOW YET OR FINISHED IT DO NOT READ FURTHER.
The show opens up in the first episode with Joe describing his observations of the female lead, Beck, walking into his bookstore. Personally, I thought that was a little odd but somewhat cute that he decided to pay so much attention to Beck’s appearance and quirks.
Here’s where things start to get arguably weird, because after meeting Beck once in the bookstore, Joe decides to follow Beck around. He goes to happy hour with her and her girlfriends, he follows her to her school and watches her through her bedroom window. Maybe I have a high tolerance for freaky behavior but the stalking didn’t even bother me that much.
It isn’t until Joe starts getting involved in Beck’s life before they start dating that we become skeptical of Joe’s intentions. After a night out, Beck gets too drunk and decides to take the Subway home. She accidentally falls in the tracks of the Subway station and loses her phone. Of course, Joe is there and saves her before the train kills her. However, Joe also steals Beck’s phone and uses it to keep track of her and her interactions with people.
I’ve heard of men being overly protective with their girlfriends, and while I don’t support any type of abuse or controlling behavior, I think when your boyfriend decides to murder people in your life, it’s probably time to run for the hills.
I know that you may think that if your current boyfriend locks up your ex-hookup in a small box and kills your best friend because she was obsessed with you, that probably won’t make for a healthy relationship.
Honestly, I’m not going to try and argue with you there. But, what I will say is that we have to consider both sides here. To be fair, some of the people in Beck’s life were toxic and no man in my life has ever cared enough about me to make sure the negative energy is out of my life.
Additionally, if you think about it, how often do you actually listen to your boyfriend when he tells you that your one friend who is constantly selfish and self-absorbed, needs to be cut off? Right, you don’t because you assume he’s jealous. Did you ever consider that your man may be trying to save you a lot of trouble?
By the end of the series, while I find myself being really angry with Joe, there’s something so endearing about him regardless. Maybe it’s because he’s clean cut and plays the part so well or maybe it’s because he looks like the boy you want to bring to Passover dinner.
Good thing there is going to be a second season, so we have more time to deliberate whether we hate to love Joe, or love to hate him.