Photo Courtesy of Tom’ s Guide
Few horror shows and movies come to mind that keep audiences on the edges of their seats or continue to develop their main characters in an interesting way by the time the subsequent installments come around. Fortunately, Season 4 of “You” is one such show. Thursday, Feb. 9, saw the return of Netflix’s popular psychological thriller for a fourth season – one that delivers a satisfying continuation in a story that amazes and leaves us constantly guessing as to what will come next.
The series takes on an unexpected approach in the narrative that the promotional material does not do justice to. The over-the-top, far-fetched, sexually-driven plots that dragged out Season 3 have faded away, and the writers have grounded the show back to the roots of what made this such a gripping tale to start with. Penn Badgley’s complex portrayal of the bookstore clerk-turned-killer, Joe Goldberg, is back at the center of attention.
Season 4 finds Joe, now under the alias of Dr. Jonathan Moore, hiding in London as a university professor after burning away his old life in the suburbs of California, where we saw him at the end of the third season.
What begins as a fresh start does not take long before things begin to spiral out of hand, as Joe finds himself entangled in a mystery with an unknown figure who is fully aware of all his secrets and ready to expose them to the public. Joe finds himself at his most vulnerable, having met his match in a real life game of chess. Each move proves consequential as he attempts to outsmart the unknown enemy and leave everything from the past behind for good.
An overwhelming majority fans were ecstatic at a continuation of another chapter in the show. A few expressed their concern that the story seemed extremely cluttered, which was a problem with previous storylines that focused less on Joe’s development. Additional concerns arose that the writers had run out of steam, with fans stating that the plot seemed equivalent to the “Knives Out” films, as the trailer showed Joe attempting to solve a murder related to a group of powerful members of society. All of this left some to question the relevance of a continuation, as the story had seemingly been seamlessly concluded by the end of the previous season.
Fortunately, the first five episodes had much more to offer, putting the worries of those who raised concerns about potential flaws, to rest. “You” has taken a chance at the murder mystery plot that has been done to death, and still manages to deliver a new take in each episode, having the lead protagonist and former killer now be hunted by a threat beyond himself.
Gone are the days of the intense, disturbing stalker Joe was in Season 1, as we now see him in his weakest point. The clever hunter has become the hunted prey, and Joe must do his best to survive. The element most lacking in the previous two seasons was fixed within the first episode. The plot that focused on Joe’s inner monologue and the process he undergoes to solve this mystery proved to be much more interesting and fresh in comparison to past episodes.
While some elements have been repeated continuously throughout the show, specifically in their endings, each season of “You” is brilliant in its own right. There is something for everyone to love with each season.
Since the release of the episodes earlier this month, a lot of fans have complained that the show has become a bit dull in its pacing, especially in comparison to past seasons. However, this slower pacing is a welcome change.
The writers have set out to develop Joe’s character and grow him as a person. They do not wish to repeat the same story elements about him over and over in subsequent seasons, where the tropes become all too familiar.
It is worth applauding the efforts of the creative team. Joe is back in the focus of the narrative and the audience is once again put inside the mind of this complicated killer. Fortunately, fans see a less malevolent side to Joe this season and are instead treated to a reserved man trying his best to change. Having lost everything, Joe is completely broken-hearted, using his intelligence and skills of deception for the greater good – even if it is to save his own life when he certainly deserves to go down. It is a nice change for Joe’s character to be focused less on another crush he has deemed “the one to his heart” and instead fighting against the devil himself to save his own life.
For long time fans, this season is worth the watch as we see Joe’s growth and the different take in the presentation of his story. Less of the emphasis is focused on murder and the consequent results and more of it is focused on an intriguing mystery about survival.
Whether or not Joe will truly change once and for all and escape his fate is something fans will have to wait for when Part II of Season 4 premieres Thursday, March 9, on Netflix.
