YOU: Season 4 - Full Review
Netflix
What a difference the second half of this season made. Going into the mid season break, the wheels had fallen off completely for my enjoyment and care of You and the Joe Goldberg story. Though I still have problems with what feels like a franchise that doesn't know when to call it quits especially after some solid opportunities to do so with previous finales. The direction that the second half of this season takes is enjoyable enough that I was able to put behind my gripes off You overstaying it's time on TV.
While trying to keep a low profile, Joe finds himself falling in with a group of wealthy socialites in the English capital – right as they start being picked off, one by one, by the so-called Eat the Rich killer.
The first half of this season which was released over a month ago, just never fully sat right with me. The English backdrop wasn't used in any memorable way, and with the exception to Lady Phoebe we aren't introduced to that many interesting new characters. As well, this new concept of Joe under his new persona playing this sort of vigilante role for this group of socialites felt like such a switch up from the core of what the story was the first two seasons especially.
Not everything was gloom and doom, there were still these moments where Joes inner dark self got to come out and shine. As we watched this maniac pretending to be a knight dispose of bodies in grizzly ways, all the while still believing he was better than the snotty rich that he was rubbing elbows with. The final episode before the mid season break unveiled the eat the rich killer and had that scene of Roald hunting down Joe. It was fine stuff, but none of it had me excited for the second half of the season. I wasn't gearing up to sit down and see the conclusions of the British saga for Joe, but boy was I wrong.
What we got in the second half was some of the best progress that the Joe story has had since season two. The way that the story unveils is masterful, as we discover once again that we have fallen hook line and sinker for the unreliable narrator that is the master manipulator Joe Goldberg. We have always as viewers known that he is a monster that believes the wrongs he does has a justification, but for the first time the writers really hid the monstrosity from us- making us believe that Joe was reformed and there was an evil bigger than him at play. The twist we get is one of the best reveals of the franchise, and we get some of the strongest episodes in a row post reveal to lead to one of the most thrilling finales.
Those who want to see an ending where Joe gets his comeuppance (including actor Penn Badgley) will be disappointed that this season doesn't have that be his fate. But for myself I enjoyed it, terrible people like Joe find their way out of facing justice and the fact that he found himself in with the Uber rich just absolutely magnifys his protection by the end. The ending was such a strong one, because if this is it for the series then it amplifies reality- bad people get away with bad things, and bad people with money are even more likely to be getting away with the bad things they do. If they decide to do a fifth season though, there's so many ways for the story to unfold given Joes new social status and a new heroine character that viewers can rally with to lead the ways against Joe.
The cast was mostly okay, the characters varied from strong to completely forgettable something that is to be expected when a whole new cast is introduced into theYou universe. Badgley is solid as always, I'm looking forward to seeing what he gets into after this franchise ends. Other new stand outs include, Charlotte Ritchie as Joe's new love interest Kate, Tilly Keeper as the beloved Lady Phoebe, Amy-Leigh Hickman as Joe's student Nadia, and Ed Speleers Rhys who really steals the spotlight in the second half of the season. Speleers and Badgley scenes throughout the second half are the highlight of the season and their chemistry plays a massive role in making the twist and second half work.
Mostly a solid return for the franchise, I wish the first half was better because the grade would definitely have been higher if it was upto the quality of the second half of the season.
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