By: Bridie Beamish

Culture Editor

On Feb. 9, Netflix released the first five episodes of the fourth season of its hit psychological thriller and drama series You. Written and produced by Sera Gambles and Greg Berlanti, the season features an enthralling new plotline. Obsessive stalker and deranged killer Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) has once again changed his name, now to Jonathan Moore, and moved to London.  

Though Netflix produced several deeply questionable series in the past, I can assure you, You is only slightly questionable. Featuring a strange and often disturbing plotline, the show is bound to make one a little uncomfortable at times. The lead character, Joe, leaves you seething at the screen for his impulsive and illogical decisions – and this season is no stranger to those irrational acts. Yet, viewers might actually find themselves rooting for the anti-hero in season four. 

 After killing the Bonnie to his Clyde (his also deranged, murderous wife, Love), faking his death, and abandoning his baby, Joe is ready to begin a new life — preferably one without murder. He enters this season having committed over a dozen murders but is intent on changing his ways.

By becoming a university professor and befriending the snobby social elite, Joe’s new life begins to look promising. However, when the dead body of one of his so-called friends appears on Joe’s table after a wild night out and cryptic text messages consume his phone, it is clear murder and mayhem continue to follow him. Yet, Joe is no longer in control, as an anonymous texter whom he refers to as “you,” continues to stalk him. The series takes on a who-dun-it-style murder mystery for the following episodes as more turn up dead. 

The series additionally takes a hyper-critical view of society. Often depicting Joe as more morally righteous than his elitist and ultrarich frenemies and by calling the mystery murderer the “Eat-The-Rich Killer,” the show condemns the wealthy in a comedic and satirical way. Gambles explained the season’s theme and location in London: “not only are there people who have a ridiculous amount of money and have no idea what’s going on in the world, but they have titles. Their families have been wealthy and important since long before the United States was even born.”

Badgley declared this season his character is “managing to grow emotionally, while not growing at all. He’s realizing that the answer to his problems … must lie with him.” Badgley further questioned, “Is justice for Joe death? And who delivers it? Is it prison? Do we want retribution? Do we want him to suffer a painful miserable death? Well that’s him lowering us to his level.” He added, “if there’s another season, that, to me, is what it’s about.” Stay tuned for the next five episodes, which Netflix is set to release on Mar. 9. 

(Sources: NY Times, People Magazine)