Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama You, which became one of Netflix’s most controversial and captivating psychological thrillers, exploring the dark side of modern romance and social media obsession.
You premiered in September 2018 on Lifetime before moving to Netflix, where it gained massive popularity. The series has 4 seasons with a total of 40 episodes, each with an average duration of 45 minutes. Netflix acquired the show after its first season and continued producing new seasons due to its enormous success.
This psychological thriller follows Joe Goldberg, a charming but deeply disturbed bookstore manager who becomes obsessed with different women throughout each season. The series combines elements of romance, thriller, and social commentary, offering a disturbing look at stalking, manipulation, and the dangers of social media oversharing.
The show’s unique narrative approach uses Joe’s internal monologue to draw viewers into his twisted perspective, creating an unsettling viewing experience that questions the nature of love, privacy, and consent in the digital age.
The Dangerous Cycle of Obsession
You follows Joe Goldberg as he becomes obsessed with different women across multiple seasons and locations. Starting in New York with Beck, then moving to Los Angeles with Love, and later to London with Marienne, Joe’s pattern remains consistent: he studies his target through social media, manipulates circumstances to enter their lives, and eliminates anyone he perceives as a threat.
Each season presents a new obsession while revealing more about Joe’s psychological profile and troubled past. The series explores how technology enables stalking behavior and how social media creates false intimacy. Joe’s actions escalate from digital stalking to breaking and entering, kidnapping, and murder, all while maintaining his belief that he’s protecting the women he “loves.”
Joe Goldberg’s Twisted Psychology
Penn Badgley delivers a chilling performance as Joe Goldberg, a character who is simultaneously charming and terrifying. Joe’s evolution throughout the series reveals layers of trauma, narcissism, and delusion that drive his obsessive behavior. His ability to rationalize his actions while maintaining a facade of normalcy makes him a compelling yet disturbing protagonist.
Joe’s character arc explores themes of childhood trauma, abandonment issues, and the dangerous intersection of love and control. Badgley’s portrayal forces viewers to confront their own complicity in romanticizing toxic behavior, as Joe’s internal monologue can be seductively persuasive despite his horrific actions.
The Targets of Obsession
Each season introduces a new female lead who becomes the object of Joe’s obsession. Beck (Elizabeth Lail) in season one represents the aspiring writer caught in Joe’s web, while Love (Victoria Pedretti) in seasons two and three proves to be Joe’s match in terms of psychological instability. Marienne (Tati Gabrielle) in season four represents Joe’s attempt at a “normal” relationship.
These characters are carefully developed to show how Joe’s victims are complex individuals with their own agency, dreams, and flaws. The series avoids simple victim-blaming by demonstrating how Joe exploits normal human vulnerabilities and the trust we place in romantic relationships.
Confrontations and Consequences
Each season of You builds toward a climactic confrontation where Joe’s carefully constructed lies begin to unravel. These moments often involve his targets discovering his true nature, leading to life-or-death situations that test both characters’ survival instincts. The series excels at creating tension through psychological manipulation rather than relying solely on physical violence.
The climaxes also serve as turning points for Joe’s character development, forcing him to confront the consequences of his actions while simultaneously setting up his next obsession. These revelations create a cycle of temporary self-awareness followed by renewed delusion.
Success on Netflix
You became a massive cultural phenomenon on Netflix, sparking countless discussions about consent, privacy, and the romanticization of stalking behavior. The series gained international attention for its unflinching portrayal of digital-age stalking and its criticism of social media oversharing. Penn Badgley’s performance and the show’s writing received widespread critical acclaim, with many praising its relevance to contemporary dating culture. The series’ success led to multiple seasons and international adaptations, cementing You as one of Netflix’s most talked-about original acquisitions.
If you love psychological thrillers that challenge your perceptions of love and technology, You is the perfect series to binge on Netflix.
A disturbing yet captivating exploration of modern romance’s dark side that will leave you questioning digital privacy and romantic idealization.
Series Details:
- Number of Episodes: 40 (across 4 seasons)
- Platform: Netflix
- Rating: 7.7/10 (IMDb)
- Genre: Psychological Thriller, Drama, Crime
- Protagonists: Penn Badgley (Joe Goldberg), Elizabeth Lail (Beck), Victoria Pedretti (Love), Tati Gabrielle (Marienne)
- Antagonist: Joe Goldberg himself (anti-hero protagonist), various characters who threaten his obsessions