Netflix’s You Season Three Early Review

Our lovable, well-read stalker is back for another season of You but will his new circumstances lead to him reforming his ways? The events of last season that saw Joe and Love’s relationship survive the brink upon the news of the latter’s pregnancy. This newfound perspective led him to seriously take a look at his future and whether or not he could survive. Suffice it to say that he would need to evolve in order to survive which was easier said than done for a man that was so entrenched in his ways. However, a new son and a new environment gave him reason for hope and to fight for that future, if only to be the father he never had and essentially the family he never had. That being said, his urges were still there though Joe’s new environment did present its own set of challenges which made for a compelling internal struggle. Whether or not Joe and Love could get their happy ending wasn’t necessarily a sure thing, knowing what we now know about the latter (but do we really?) and her many issues that also find a way to play a part in this season. In the end, the couple’s very volatile relationship and its evolution was certainly a roller coaster ride in and of itself.

Having two characters that are essentially on the same level made for an interesting dynamic as each navigated their new surroundings, an arguably over-the-top version of an upper class suburbia for which they probably did not belong. This made for a fun contrast to explore, as the writers took their fair share of shots towards that suburbia culture that didn’t always work, until it became more and more evident that it was not quite was it seemed to be because obviously while Joe and Love somehow found a way to screw things up for themselves. What was already a tenuous relationship at best was put to the test as they did they used their special set of skills to stay ahead of their neighbors and community for whom the incident seemed to be a rallying point though in reality, it was just a ticking timebomb waiting to explode. It was only a matter of when rather than if. While the threat of being caught loomed large over each of them, Joe and Love went their separate ways to have subplots of their own but that connection to one another was still an anchor that held them back.

In order for Joe and Love to make their relationship work in their new setting, they would need to spend some time apart to do some soul-searching to figure out themselves and what they wanted. This season saw each character approach that adjustment period differently but they both felt pressure to fit in. That relationship drama through the lens of that adjustment to suburban life and their shared adversity made for a tense watch which did wain as the two began to diverge by the middle of the season before coming back with a vengeance by the end. At the end of the day, this was still You so that darkness was still there and unlike the previous two seasons, Joe had someone to share some of that with though the playing field was a tilted one. In a twisted kind of way, one can’t help but want them to succeed together, however, it’s clear that a happy ever after was never going to be possible for people like them. Did they ever really love each other or was their marriage just a relationship of circumstance?

The best part of this season of You was ultimately the sensational performances from Penn Badgley and Victoria Pedretti as Joe and Love. Their contentious dynamic made for a thrilling watch that worked because of their great chemistry over the course of now two seasons. Badgley’s trademark charisma and screen presence carried him once again though this season took the character of Joe in a different direction, one that saw him take more of an internal approach regarding his family and future. However, it still allowed Joe to still be himself in the midst of his identity crossroads when coming to terms with that future. Badgley was more than capable and handling that depth on top of everything else. In spite of what we know about Joe, it can be argued that he was the straight man in his relationship with Pedretti’s Love. This season peeled back even more layers on Love who was an equal participant in the darkness, eventually revealing that she was just as dark if not more so than Joe in the midst of her dealing with her own issues. The season could have went deeper regarding Love, merely remaining on the surface while foreshadowing and implying potential past wrongdoing thus lessening the impact of that slow burn.

Season three of You may take a detour through suburbia but is still retains that edge that turned the series into the latest binge-worthy obsession which does not look to change anytime soon.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.