Look, I do love You… but I think I’m actually happier that the show is coming to a close.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m usually the biggest supporter of actually good Netflix shows getting renewed. I’ve seen so many underrated shows that deserved way more attention get cancelled quicker than anything else and have felt the utter disappointment flow through my system. But to be honest, I don’t think I’m feeling that way with You.
I think You has gotten to a point where I’m actually alright with it ending. There are so many reasons as to why, but that’s what we’re going to break down below, from the star, Penn Badgley to the story itself. Let’s get into why I think You Season 5 is the right time to end the popular Netflix series.
The Story Has Really Run Its Course
Okay, look – I was really into the first three seasons of You.
The second one was especially the best, particularly with the Love twist at the very end, and the third season had my attention the whole entire time. Maybe it was just because I was really into Victoria Pedretti as Joe’s love interest and sharing that same exact energy that he had, but it was one of my favorite seasons.
However, when Season 4 started, I really felt as if this show had run its course.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Season 4 of You. I actually did. I was filled with many questions for both Part 1 and the last episodes, ones I hope are going to get answered in You Season 5. I enjoyed the new cast members and a small part of me also enjoyed watching these annoyingly rich people get their comeuppance when something would happen to them.
But at the same time, I was not super invested in any of this.
I felt that even with the Marienne storyline from Season 3, one that was essential to remember before Season 4, felt left behind to follow Joe’s “redemption” path, only to pull a fast one on the audience that said, “No, Joe isn’t getting better, he’s actually gotten worse, and it’s all because of his love for Marienne.”
I don’t know, man. That just doesn’t feel right. It feels like the story was moving in a different direction the whole time but I suppose that just makes Joe an unreliable narrator? I’m not sure. I just wasn’t feeling it – and we’ve seen Joe’s story over and over again, finds girl, falls for girl, murders for girl, and inevitably loses girl.
I’m not a time machine so I can’t tell if Kate is going to end up leaving him or not, but if it’s just the same storyline for the finale season, I think I might roll my eyes out of my head.
He’s Turned From A Sort-Of Antagonist To A Villain
There was a time where it was almost a little scary as to how many people actually liked Joe and saw him as an anti-hero rather than the antagonist that many people in the show told him he was. He was trying to kill people to protect the ones he loved, how bad was that?
I understand how some people can feel that way, but I was just never agreed. It’s also the fact that Joe was a creepy pervert the first two seasons, where we saw him do some really sick and twisted things while stalking his love interests.
I never truly saw him as an anti-hero -- more as a morally gray antagonist that did bad things. But in Season 4, I felt that he finally initiating some sort of change. That he wasn’t a sociopath. I started to think, "okay, maybe he isn't that horrible."
And then that twist happened and that went right out the window. Now, it feels like he’s going full villain and I just can’t defend this guy anymore.
Joe Really Needs To Face What He’s Done
And another thing – Joe has done some messed up stuff.
Let’s not even talk about him being a pervert at all. Joe in You Season 4, especially the ending, was on a whole other level of screwed up. I mean, literally taking out Nadia’s boyfriend just because they got into his apartment and were going to expose him, while framing her to get caught by the police? Come on.
I could go on a laundry list of other stuff that he’s done that doesn’t even involve killing, but I won’t even get into that. The fact of the matter is that Joe needs to own up to everything that he has done, both in the present and in the past. I’m quite tired of him constantly getting away with it.
I'm Ready To See Penn Badgley Take On Another Great Role
Granted, I was introduced to Penn Badgley from You even though he had been in plenty of things beforehand, but I really want to see him take on another great role, because it’s clear he’s a great actor.
If you love Penn Badgley in You, check out some of his other stuff.
I’ve seen him in plenty of other things, such as the original Gossip Girl, which I just watched all the way through for the first time, or Easy A, and the man has range. I mean, let’s all be honest here – the reason some people are more accepting of Joe is that he is a conventionally attractive man with charming charisma, all of which is brought to the table by Badgley.
But I’m sort of over Badgley playing these weird stalker-ish roles. We saw that in Gossip Girl, and we saw it with You, but he really deserves a different part. Honestly in Season 4, his range was amazing. He really showed just how great of an actor he truly is and acted his butt off, especially in the last few episodes when that twist happened.
At the same time, I’m ready for him to move on from Joe.
I'm Still Hopeful That The Show Can End On A High Note With A Fifth And Final Season
Here’s the thing, y'all. I really think You can still end well.
While I have my gripes about the latest season, I think You Season 5 is the perfect place to end it. There are so many shows out there that go on for way longer than they should, such as The Walking Dead and its eleven seasons, or Dexter and its eight, some of which people hate, and if you're among the fans who preferred the earlier seasons to the later ones, you know how that went.
With this show ending at five seasons, there’s a good chance that the story can end properly. Maybe we’ll see Joe get caught. Maybe he’ll get killed. Maybe Kate will be his downfall or someone else will. Or maybe, just maybe, he’ll still get away with it and have that be a commentary on society.
But either way, I have a feeling that ending it at five seasons will be able to give this story the proper conclusion that it needs – because we can’t just be going around finding new love interests all the time.
A part of me is still relatively sad that You is ending, but I do think it’ll be for the best, and I’ll remember it as one of my favorite Netflix shows to watch. I can’t wait to see what they do.
