You (Season 3)

 

Creators: Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble
Starring: Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti, Tati Gabrielle, Saffron Burrows, Shalita Grant, Travis Van Winkle, Dylan Arnold, Scott Speedman, Michaela McManus, Ben Mehl, Mackenzie Astin, Terryn Westbrook, Marcia Cross, Scott Michael Foster 
Original Airdate: 2021

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

Few cable series have benefitted more from a jump to streaming than Netflix's You, which premiered its superior second season in late 2019 after languishing on Lifetime. Since then, the creative improvements have been so noticeable that you'd be hard-pressed to recognize it's the same show. Last season represented the apex of that achievement when creators Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble transplanted stalking, serial killing former bookstore manager Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) from New York to L.A. with thrilling results. Hoping to put to bed the memory of his last obsession and victim, Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail), he finds a new unhealthy relationship with chef Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti). Of course, with the big twist being that she might be his perfect match, as psychotic and prone to violence as he is.

While last season ended with Joe and Love settling into the suburbs to begin their happy, ordinary life together, if we know anything about him and the series it's that he won't stay content for long. Best laid plans for a "happily ever after" are bound to be in constant jeopardy when these two toxic, damaged personalities attempt to co-exist as a normal married couple living under the same roof. The writers really milk this, forcing the viewer to pick sides this season as the pair constantly try to scheme and outmaneuver each other, extracting revenge for slights both real and imagined, all while attempting to suppress their worst impulses.

What distinguishes this from the superficially similar Dexter is Joe's bitingly sarcastic and self-aware recognition of his circumstances, and an equally dangerous partner in Love. But the biggest recent shift has been Joe's legitimate attempts to try to recognize what's right and do it, despite rarely accomplishing this feat and falling back into his old ways. That's a stark departure from its first season, which presented a nearly remorseless killer whose social media manipulation became his most defining characteristic. Badgley's performance always teeters on the edge of normalcy, giving audiences just enough hope that Joe could possibly turn things around. A wife and child give him an added incentive to try harder, while also providing just as many excuses not to.

Putting down roots in the San Francisco suburb of Madre Linda, the now-married Joe and Love are just starting to settle into a quaint existence with their newborn baby boy, Henry, when Joe starts having eyes for next door neighbor and realtor Natalie Engler (Michaela McManus). But just as his interest becomes more, Love takes matters into her own hands and kills Natalie, leaving both a physical and figurative mess for them to clean up just as she's planning to open her new bakery, "A Fresh Tart." 

With all of Madre Linda focused on finding Natalie, Joe and Love continue to project a facade of normalcy to the community, with the latter befriending local mom influencer Sherry Conrad (Shalita Grant) and her flaky supplement company owner husband, Cary (Travis Van Winkle). Meanwhile, Joe's working at the library, where he develops a burgeoning interest in his no-nonsense boss, Marienne Bellamy (Tati Gabrielle), a single mother struggling through some serious issues of her own.

As the Goldbergs' plan to cover-up Natalie's murder proves more complicated than expected, her distraught, pill popping CEO husband Matthew (Scott Speedman) grows suspicious, while his troubled college student son Theo (Dylan Arnold) develops a crush on a flattered Love, simultaneously consuming her with guilt and excitement. In keeping their horrific secret in the face of public suspicion, Joe and Quinn must somehow cooperate as a team even as their marriage crumbles under the weight of jealousy, mistrust and betrayal. With all their dreams of having a perfect family deteriorating into a nightmare, their relationship soon becomes a dangerous cat-and-mouse game.                

Minutes in, Joe's already sick of married suburban life as his attentions immediately turn to this married neighbor, which makes sense knowing his impulsive history. And that's merely the jumping off point for what the show continues to do so well, taking Joe's established pattern with Beck, only to continue it with Love, and now possibly again. But this season's more interested in deconstructing that entire idea, introducing Natalie as proof that Joe's inability to settle down or control his demons have little to do with his partner. There's no soulmate for someone we learn through flashbacks (this time involving his an abused school nurse from childhood) already had that soul damaged by his troubled upbringing. 

Still devastated by brother Forty's (James Scully) death and fighting with her controlling, alcoholic mom Dottie (Saffron Burrows), Love's not exactly a catch either. Trapped in a marriage of toxic co-dependency, what she and Joe most have in common is their ability to kill, even while sometimes vehemently disagreeing about the who and why.  Love's murder of Natalie sets in motion the series of crazy events that define these 10 episodes, bringing both their worst instincts to the surface, even as Joe really tries fighting back against what defines him. It's a slippery slope, as they try to cover their tracks and work together despite the rapidly eroding trust. 

The story of Joe's new obsession is more of a slow burn than in season's past, gradually evolving as Joe sorts out his feelings and wrestles with the accompanying guilt. Briefly, it might be the closest he's come yet to not seeming like a total stalker, as Badgley gives us passing glimpses of who a more adjusted Joe could be. But we know him too well by now, recognizing his interest in Marienne the librarian has much more to do with him feeding his narcissistic tendencies than it does her. It's easy to recognize everything he sees in this woman, and even while fitting the damaged type he typically latches onto, she transcends that narrow categorization thanks to the fortitude and grace rising star Tati Gabrielle brings to the role.

While completely grasping the idea of Marienne as Joe's idealization, Gabrielle still plays her with plenty of agency, as the character battles a recent history of addiction and tries to protect her daughter from slimy newcaster ex-husband Ryan (Scott Michael Foster). But the show's told from Joe's warped point of view and the writers make sure we don't forget it. 

Joe's still the one calculating every move, hoarding creepy keepsakes, breaking and entering and reminding us that as long as she's in his life in any capacity, she isn't safe. All the potentially disastrous scenarios involving Joe or even Love finding them out marinate in viewers' minds throughout the season, with the biggest source of tension coming from what could happen to Marienne, or even her daughter.  

The show's penchant for incorporating controversial, hot-button issues like cyber-stalking and pedophilia into its narrative continues this season with a sub-plot involving an anti-vaxxer parent, Gil, (Mackenzie Astin) who both is and isn't exactly what he appears. This again places the series well within its creative wheelhouse of reflecting reality, but twisting it just enough to provoke discussion and bring a little more out of the material. Love's inability to control herself when it comes to protecting her child might play as the character's most relatable moment thus far, especially when taken outside the context of her other actions. Victoria Pedretti gives this emotional whirlwind of a performance throughout, with Love's insecurity over their marriage pushing she and Joe over the edge. 

Love's bid for societal acceptance starts as strategy before evolving into what resembles a desperately genuine desire to fit in. At first glance, the phony, condescending Sherry Conrad and her himbo husband Cary couldn't seem any more broadly comedic or ridiculous, albeit in the best possible way. 

It's only when circumstances turn that Sherry and Cary are collectively revealed as more authentic than either Joe or Love could dream of being, while worthy of a begrudging amount of respect. And a lot of the success of these two characters can be attributed to Grant and Van Winkle's collective timing and chemistry, which evolves into one of the season's biggest highlights.

At first, it's hard to get a read on the grieving Matthew, with Scott Speedman playing him in a constant state of distracted, drugged-out insomnia, obsessed with obtaining the necessary surveillance footage he believes will uncover his wife's true killer. This comes at the expense of his fractured relationship with son Theo, who's fallen so hard for Love that it's blinded his ability to see that infatuation can't possibly end well. Before long, he'll just be another pawn in the Goldbergs' game to cover their tracks.

It isn't exactly a spoiler to reveal the reconstruction of Joe's infamous "cage," again located in a setting that makes for easy storage. Nor is it particularly suprising that it sees a lot of action this season, with big questions surrounding not only who gets locked in, but whether they'll be exiting with their lives. 

Digging out of holes is what this series does best, surrounding Joe with indispensably memorable and colorful supporting players who could drive a show of their own. It's the best and most frustrating element since we know there's a good chance a few may not survive past these ten episodes. Suprisingly, more loose ends are left than usual, which only increases speculation about what a fourth season will look like.

With Joe and Love working with and against each other in a battle for their own self-preservation, it ends the only way it can, as the writers continue making the tough but necessary decisions that mark each new installment as its own self-contained film with a concrete finale. The writers are always looking at the bigger picture in realizing the only way to ensure the show's successful continuation is to tear it all down again and move forward with another reset. Expertly combining horror thrills with soapy dramatics, You has officially hit its stride, remaining as wickedly smart and addictive as it's ever been.

You (Season 2)

Creators: Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble
Starring: Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti, Jenna Ortega, James Scully, Ambyr Childers, Carmela Zumbado, Robin Lord Taylor, Chris D'Elia, Charlie Barnett, Melanie Field, Danny Vasquez, Saffron Burrows, Magda Apanowicz, Elizabeth Lail
Original Airdate: 2019

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)
 

If anyone's looking for conclusive proof of Netflix's complete domination over the ailing network and cable TV platforms, go no further than the soapy thriller series You, which in 2018 aired its first season on Lifetime to moderate acclaim but few viewers. The show (loosely based on the novel "Hidden Bodies," by Caroline Kepnes) is narrated by a seemingly mild-mannered New York bookstore manager named Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) who stalks, then eventually dates aspiring writer Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail), revealing himself to be a murdurous psychopath, using social media and technology to control and manipulate every move she makes.

Unlike most Lifetime shows,this really had something on its mind, turning the mirror on its audience and their relationships. If you're not a Joe, there's always that chance you could know one. And despite its flaws, it didn't let either gender off the hook. So how embarrassing must it have been as a network to cancel this series, only to have those very same unwatched episodes become a phenomenon on Netflix and find out the problem wasn't the show, but the thought of having to watch Lifetime. Well, anyone could have told you that.

Wisely, Netflix adopted You and produced a second season, even if the first ended in such a way that you wondered how it could possibly continue. And now that it's here, we find out that it couldn't, or at least not in its previous incarnation. It would have to be something entirely new, which it is, highlighting the stark differences between network and Netflix. Not only does it look better production-wise, it's better written and directed. It's more subversive. And it's funnier. But the biggest plus is a far richer tapestry of supporting characters, each of whom are intriguing enough to carry their own series. If it seems like the show's taking a place within an entirely different universe that's because it is, transplanting Joe into whole new environment and making him squirm, resulting in 10 episodes that really have no business being as ridiculously fun and addictive as they are.

Looking for a fresh start, Joe escapes his past as a bookstore owner in New York City and moves to Los Angeles, attempting to leave his violent tendencies and obsessive behavior back east, most notably his murder of ex-girlfriend, Beck, now a posthumously best-selling author. Assuming the identity of "Will Bettelheim," he gets a job at Anavrin, a trendy, Whole Foods-like grocery store. There he meets Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), an aspiring chef working in the kitchen whose family owns the store and has let her self-destructive twin brother Forty (James Scully), "manage" it while his screenwriting and directing career implodes.

Almost instantly smitten by Love, Joe fights every urge he has to get involved, but it isn't long before he's slipping back into his old patterns, stalking and monitoring her every move. He also attracts the unwanted attention of his new landlord, investigative journalist Delilah (Carmela Zumbado), who's immediately suspicious of his odd behavior, even as he forms a protective bond with her fifteen year old, movie-obsessed sister Ellie (Jenna Ortega). Having grown up without parents, she's been forced to grow up quickly and seems headed for disaster in her new internship with famous stand-up comedian, Henderson (Chris D'Elia). But Joe's biggest problem is the reappearance of his ex-girlfriend Candace (Ambyr Childers), who knows he killed Beck since it's what he tried to do to her. She arrives in L.A. threatening to expose him, while Joe struggles to keep his violent, sociopathic urges under control long enough to build a new life with Love. 

"Psychological thriller" isn't a label anyone would necessarily affix to You's first season, which isn't to say it wasn't highly effective and a huge step up from the myriad of men abusing women programming put forth by Lifetime. Besides the clever commentary on how social media and technology has influenced modern relationships, both its leads were depicted as heavily flawed and prone to some very poor life choices. Except only one was a stalker and murderer and the further showrunnner Sera Gamble got into Joe's head, we realized that nearly all of the efforts bring depth and complexity to the character came from Penn Badgley's performance rather than the writing. Clearly the show's villain, he played Joe with a hero complex, always thinking his actions were just and moral, self-rationalizing to no end.

Dexter at least killed serial killers, walking this tightrope that constantly put his friends and family in danger, before eventually growing into tired trope. Joe has no such "out" so Gamble wisely realized if we want to keep following this guy's story, he'd have to evolve into more than a creepy cyber stalker with an underground bookstore chamber. Transplanting him to L.A.provides that opportunity, with the big difference being that this time Joe really does try to overcome his worst impulses.

A good case could even be made that Joe may not be the most unstable character in a season full of them, spending most of these 10 episodes trying to do the right thing and succeeding maybe about half the time, and with a considerably lower body count than expected. This combined with the sheer hilarity of someone so introverted and straight-laced struggling to fit into an environment of over-the-top, narcissistic Californians creates a more intriguing dynamic this time around, allowing Badgely to do some of his best dramatic and dark, dryly comedic work

For every step Joe takes forward, he seems to take another two or three back. Despite stalking Love, he resists going all in for a relationship out of fear he'll fall back into his old habits. When he steals the real Will Bettelheim's (Robin Lord Taylor) identity and inherits all of his financial problems in the process, he practically goes out of his way to not only spare his life, but befriend him. Or at least as much as you could befriend someone you're holding captive in a storage facility. And much like he befriended young neighbor Paco in season one, he does the same again for Ellie, maintaining his savior complex of "rescuing" underprivileged troubled or neglected kids that remind him of himself.

The continued glimpses into Joe's childhood, this time primarily focusing on his relationship with his mother (Magda Apanowicz), paints an even clearer, but sad and disturbing picture, of how this sociopath came to be. But in his honest attempts to forge a real relationship with Love, he's forced to show some actual patience in dealing with her wildcard, black sheep brother, Forty, who's played with reckless abandon by a series-stealing James Scully. A recovering addict whose filmmaking dreams went awry, much of the season sees Joe trying to manage and contain his mercurial behavior, not mention stopping him from sabotaging his chances with Love. Besides Candace, Forty's Joe's biggest threat, if only due to his manic unpredictability and protectiveness of his sister.

Filling Elizabeth Lail's shoes wasn't going to be easy, as her performance was one of the show's highlights, but as Love, Hilary Duff lookalike Victoria Pendretti manages to put those potential comparisons to bed. She's a completely different character played in a totally unique way, with the actress getting us on her side immediately as we fear whether history will repeat itself as this young widow falls deeper for Joe. She also has a backstory that's as involving and as complicated as his, eventually figuring into the proceedings in a major way. If there's a star-making turn here, it's hers, as Pendretti brings a lot verve to a role that could have easily come off as silly in less capable hands. 

Of course, things will collapse for Joe. That's why we're here. With so many threats and obstacles coming from all angles and Candace looking to pin him to the wall for Beck's murder, it's only a matter of time before Love finds out his big secret. The polarizing twist that occurs in the back half of the season definitely changes the game, with Joe finally meeting his match, though likely not at all how he envisioned. Once the trigger is pulled on this reveal, the narrative does start to lose a little steam, if only because the antipication in getting there will always eclipse the payoff, no matter how big. But it makes sense, and potentially takes the show in a competely new direction for its third season, which was far from a guarantee when this started.

With its setting and criminal twists and turns, this more closely resembles the recently rebooted Veronica Mars on Hulu than anything that's aired on Lifetime. And with a far larger canvas on which to paint, it transcends its cable roots to evolve into a compelling, binge-worthy drama that enhances all that worked about its first season while eliminating a few of the elements that didn't. The reward can be felt in our investment in the show's protagonist, who exits the season as a far more complex and complicated character than before, and yet somehow even more messed up. No longer just a guilty pleasure, You is now simply a blast.