I owe many sleepless nights to Netflix. It’s happened too many times now; the wasted hours, the missed lectures. But how am I meant to stop when I’m constantly bombarded with new releases? Riverdale, Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why and now YOU. It’s a never-ending cycle of bingeworthy TV shows that somehow force me to stay awake. Netflix’s latest release, based on Caroline Kepnes’s novel of the same name, is the latest series to make me miss my 9am.
YOU follows Joe Goldberg, a young bookstore manager, who rapidly falls in love with student and aspiring writer, Guinevere Beck. However, the sinister and disturbing factors of this 'love' are unearthed as Joe invades her life without her knowing, stalking every movement, interaction and social media post. Does true love conquer all? Or is it a delusion of grandeur?
Penn Badgley superbly portrays Joe to the point that I am convinced his character is loveable and charming despite also being deceitful and tactful. The thing is, I’m not quite sure what Joe is... is he an anti-hero? Protagonist? Antagonist? It’s hard to admit, but the sitcom-like humour and the unfavourable urge for them to be together reminds me of Ross and Rachel (if indeed Ross was a deranged stalker and not a fossil-loving palaeontologist). But then I’m freaked out by Joe's obsessive nature and the extremity of his actions, that to him are absolutely paramount in order to be with Beck.
Maybe that’s the beauty of it; we’re drawn to Joe’s doting demeanour and we forget about his dark side. He’s so warm and inviting that we’re in disbelief of his psychopathic tendencies. Do I love to hate him? Or hate to love him? Either way, it was more than enough to keep me hooked. Well done, Penn Badgley, take a bow!
Elizabeth Lail perfectly portrays Beck as a strong, independent and hard-working female lead. The character strays away from the typical cliché of a woman helplessly falling in love with a man. Beck has the freedom to enjoy her youth and has the absolute authority to recognise her self-worth. She isn’t just a victim. She’s not to blame for Joe’s obsession with her. She’s completely in control of her own life. Her self-discovery grows alongside Joe’s obsession of her resulting in an explosive finale where both factors meet.
Combined with both brilliant writing and acting, I was quickly attached to the characters and to the plot. The beautiful chemistry between Joe and Beck made me question how I wanted it to end. Was it a love story? No, definitely not. I may have wanted it to be, but it wasn’t. YOU brilliantly demonstrated a toxic relationship that had me convinced Joe’s actions were done in the name of love. But then I had to think, am I stupid? The man’s a compulsive stalker. He’s dangerous and Beck deserves better.
I was obsessed with YOU to the very end. It was packed with humour, blood and gore, and had a cliffhanger at the end of every episode to make sure I’d stay up until the birds sang. Imagine 10 episodes of that in one night! I'd wholeheartedly recommend the show to anybody who hasn’t seen it.
So, with undoubtedly many more sleepless nights on the horizon, I look forward to see what Netflix has to offer up next. Will I finally get some sleep? Or will my eyes stay open forever?
YOU season 1 is available now on Netflix, with a second season currently in the works.
Words by Joseph Holgate, who you can follow on Twitter @joerodholgate
Tagged in Netflix