This article contains spoilers for the latest season of “You”.
There’s just something so… odd about following the story of Joe Goldberg throughout the three seasons of You, given that he’s an actual, literal serial killer. I mean, in real life it’s kind of obvious and clear: serial killers are bad people. Yet somehow I found myself watching the show for two entire seasons and hoping that Joe would not get caught in all his serial killings. I found myself understanding — yet disagreeing — with Joe’s actions and intentions.
Except for this season, I didn’t root for Joe. Actually, I rooted against Joe by setting my eyes on the equally insane Love Quinn. Love felt like she was too good to be true during her debut in season two until we learn about her crazy family drama, her cryptic past and most importantly, her tendency to kill people. Love killing Candace and Delilah was the definition of ride or die except Joe was freaked out about it. Double standards, much?
This poses an important question: why is it okay for Joe to do what he does in the name of love and be justified, but when Love does the same actions, she’s considered to be a monster? Finding out that their baby is going to be a boy instead of a girl makes Joe spiral and makes it clear to viewers that he knows deep down he is a bad person, and he would not want his child to turn out like him.
My heart went out to Love, and her story (minus the murder) is relatable because so many people understand what it means to love somebody who doesn’t love you back. Their dynamic was a rollercoaster of highs and lows, from them being a team to them being against each other, which ultimately results in her death. At her last dying breath, Love confesses that all she wanted was to facilitate a loving marriage and home for her son. She struggled with postpartum depression and loneliness, and she felt like an outsider to the world.
Honestly, this season was my favorite so far. Love’s impulsivity and Joe’s obsession with woman after woman convinced me that they were going to get caught just about every single episode. It’s extreme luck — and calculated, murderous intent — that Love’s serial killer secrets were only released because Joe released them. The season ends with Joe looking onto a woman who looks just like Marienne, which gives me the feeling that their story is not over and her life is in danger. I guess we’ll have to wait and see where the next season of You takes us.