You has stored folks on the sting of their seats all through its run, leaving viewers obsessive about seeing how far Joe Goldberg can go relating to his romantic obsessions. Even after 4 seasons and a few admittedly worn out tropes being recycled, we hold watching to see the place its problematic but participating characters will find yourself. All good issues should come to an finish although, and with Season 4 wrapping up the sequence, we determined to try to rank each season of You from worst to greatest.
4. Season 2
Season 2 of You is undoubtedly the worst within the sequence.
This isn’t as a result of it’s terrible, however as a result of it’s probably the most forgettable. Joe is compelled to maneuver to Los Angeles, leaving New York behind to create a brand new id that permits him to flee his previous. From right here, he meets new folks starting from his neighbors Delilah, Ellie, and Forty to the aspiring chef Love.
With the unique season changing into such successful, Netflix might need thought that they solely wanted to barely tweak the components. They might have the identical protagonist, however would put him in a unique metropolis with a unique lady. This wouldn’t alter the essential premise an excessive amount of, and would nonetheless result in the identical nice reception.
Sadly, this wouldn’t work out how they had been hoping. Whenever you strip Joe from New York, one thing does really feel odd, new, and thrilling. However then, while you discover the identical tropes in related methods, it simply turns into repetitive and predictable.
Even Joe’s new obsession Love, whereas an epic new addition to the forged, doesn’t actually come into her personal till season 3. All we see initially is Love’s bizarre dynamic along with her twin brother Forty, and Joe making an attempt to keep away from repeating the identical actions concerning his romantic relationships. Plus, the entire plot with Candace from season 1 being alive was simply pointless.
It’s the weakest a part of an in any other case nice present, and will certainly function a hurdle for any newcomers.
3. Season 4
Whereas not unhealthy, You season 4 feels, at occasions, like a unique present. A part of that is as a result of Netflix development of releasing every season in two elements and leaving many of the attention-grabbing facets for half two, however there are much less systemic points.
Within the first half of season 4, Joe fakes his personal demise and flees to Europe to trace Marienne and finally ends up changing into an English instructor in London. He then befriends a bunch of privileged socialites which helps to maintain the present’s satirical tone. Whereas Joe doesn’t fall into his tropes instantly, as he merely appears out from his window, he invitations issues in and finds himself in the midst of a homicide thriller; the sort of consideration he’s making an attempt to flee from.
Season 4 works as a result of it isn’t as closely carried by plot twists, as an alternative permitting Penn Badgley to maintain it afloat together with his charisma. We’re in flip left to resolve if the plot twists are literally good, which isn’t the best process as a result of what counts pretty much as good within the universe of You is one thing else fully when in comparison with different reveals. The truth that Joe is enjoying cat-and-mouse with himself is kind of genius, however makes the season exhausting to rewatch figuring out that the one who did it was, but once more, Joe.
2. Season 1
The primary season, because the OG, deserves recognition, and simply because it didn’t earn first place on the record doesn’t imply it wasn’t nice.
When it premiered, it introduced one thing new to the desk and was a serious success. It was the season that launched us to our multifaceted and troubled protagonist, who on the time was the supervisor of a bookstore in New York. It took on the grand mission of making a really particular tone and setting to persuade the spectators to maintain watching and see how far Joe would go.
Whereas this season is extra in regards to the story and setup fairly than in regards to the characters, it nonetheless permits for a witty narrative with Joe because the narrator. Furthermore, it’s fairly enjoyable to see Joe making some errors as he hasn’t perfected his craft, and no different season may replicate the New York mental scene which appears to be the proper match for such a pretentious protagonist.
Plus, that is probably the most practical season as a result of it’s comprehensible why Beck and Joe fall for one another. Ample time is given to elucidate how and why the couple get collectively, crumble, and in the end come up towards one another in a means that ties each facet of the story collectively. Guinevere Beck will without end be remembered as the primary sufferer of Joe’s sociopathic obsession, and his cage within the basement will at all times be iconic.
Nonetheless, season 1 fails probably the most concerning its rewatch potential as a result of it depends an excessive amount of on the shock issue. When you see the place the story goes and the way it will get there, it’s by no means as thrilling to see play out because it was that first time. This makes it much less of a excessive level followers can stay up for when returning to the present and extra of a needed impediment. That, and Beck’s mates are fairly irritating in comparison with the extra likeable characters launched in later seasons.
1. Season 3
After its second season felt so bland, You wanted to reinvent itself to outlive. Fortunately, it did that after which some.
Joe and Love’s relationship survives a season of struggles, permitting for his or her dynamic to be additional fleshed out and constructed upon. Season 3 sees them get married and transfer to Madre Linda, a fictitious Californian suburb, to lift their new child youngster.
The change in environment and constructing of a household couldn’t include Joe’s nature, however Love was there to assist him to not fall into the identical tropes. And, after all, together with his pretty associate showcasing her talents to kill, there was a form of foil for the present’s protagonist to cope with. As Joe sees he has discovered his match in darkish obsessions and compulsions, he begins to lose curiosity in Love and even finally ends up killing her in a tragic means.
It was a breath of contemporary air to see somebody on the identical degree as Joe, and to see each of them making an attempt to beat their nature unsuccessfully. Likewise, this was a season that whole-heartedly centered on the characters, even introducing extra additions to the forged which, at occasions, felt chaotic in what they dropped at the present and the way they impacted the plot. But, with extra folks in Joe’s life, his actions grew to become tougher to hide and that rather more participating to look at play out.
It was a end result of what You can be, and stays a excessive level that serves because the prime instance of the present’s strengths.
