Madre Linda, a sleepy California suburb, comes to life. For the sake of their son, a newlywed couple moves from a bustling city to a more secluded location. They are hoping that the change of scenery will help them forget about the pain they had to leave behind in LA. However, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill couple. To make things more difficult for Joe and Love, their pasts are littered with death and psychological trauma, making their fresh start more difficult than they expected. It all begins with Joe’s newfound interest in his neighbor Natalie, and the events that follow this obsession expose the cracks in Joe and Love’s relationship. This season’s acting and underlying themes have the potential to make You a successful thriller series, but this season’s plot ultimately falls short of this goal.
Netflix had two trailers and three teasers for the upcoming season, and I was eager to see how the story would unfold. I was concerned that the previews and teasers had given away too much information about the upcoming season. Clips that I saw set up Joe’s typical pattern of behavior: meeting someone, wanting to know everything about them, and going to great lengths for them both to be together and to protect each other. Joe’s obsession has been the driving force behind the story for the past two seasons of You. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I had not accidentally spoiled the season for myself after watching the first few episodes. This season’s focus shifts from individual characters to relationships, but the clarity of the plot suffers as a result of this shift.
Joe’s probing narration, which allows him to explain his thoughts and rationalize his actions, is an essential part of the show. The first-person narration helps the audience understand and empathize with Joe despite his cold demeanor. In the eyes of Joe, we are his jury as he explains his side of the story. In this season’s episode, Joe’s narration is used more frequently by the writers, who mirror Joe’s change in affection with the “you” he addresses in his monologues. Even though he’s married, Joe’s urges don’t go away. This adds a level of authenticity to his character.
As a fan of previous seasons, I appreciate how this one is different, but the plot is wildly out of control. This season’s goal is to expose the injustices in the foster care and legal systems, but amid the chaos, it’s easy to forget about it. To keep up with the story, the number of flashbacks to Joe’s childhood and the introduction of new characters have made it difficult. I couldn’t binge this season as easily as the previous ones because I needed a break to organize my thoughts after watching one or two episodes. I had almost forgotten about the episode one event that set the tone for the entire season by the time the show wrapped up.
Despite the convoluted plots, the theme of surveillance serves as a sobering reminder of the realities of our modern world’s surveillance state. When a person’s social, personal, and professional lives can be gleaned so easily from their social media accounts, it serves as a reminder that we, as a society, have become so accustomed to sharing our lives on social media platforms that we have forgotten the dangers that come with it. Matthew Engler (Scott Speedman), the CEO of a tech company, proves that he is willing to hack into security cameras and invade the privacy of his neighbors in the name of love.
my dog is actually joe goldberg @YouNetflix #YouNetflix pic.twitter.com/zZLvzPKdft
— soz 🫧 (@legilimoans) May 25, 2022
Despite the plot’s inability to keep up, the acting was harrowingly real and raw. Love’s manic and impulsive energy is captured perfectly by Victoria Pedretti’s facial expressions. There is a rumor that she and Dylan Arnold, who portrays Theo in the show, are dating in real life, which may have contributed to their on-screen chemistry. However true the rumors maybe, the season’s acting is a welcome respite from the show’s action-packed plot.
In addition, the soundtrack’s selection of songs perfectly captures the subtleties of the scenes in which they’re used. Taylor Swift’s “exile” featuring Bon Iver is playing in the background during the finale’s climax. A talent Taylor Swift possesses is that she can put herself in the shoes of a different person and express their conflicting feelings through song. Taylor Swift sings in “exile” about a failing relationship caused by a lack of communication between the two people involved. When a relationship is on its way out, the melancholy frustration that comes with it is a universal one, making it easy for the viewer to connect with the scene’s emotional tension. “exile” perfectly captures Joe and Love’s tumultuous relationship thematically and musically, making it the perfect choice for the season finale.
Season four of Netflix’s You has been officially renewed for a fourth season after holding Netflix’s “Top 10” number one spot for multiple weeks. However, I am concerned that the conclusion of season three places the show in a position to return to the familiar plot arc from seasons one and two. In any case, I’ll be curious to see how the show continues to develop its themes from this season into the next. It’s hard to keep up with the plot of You at times, but the show’s third season features convincing acting and makes us think about how much control we have over our privacy.
Read More:-
- Call the Midwife’s Helen George Back for Holiday Special and Season 12
- Black Summer Season 2 Review: Darker and Grittier Than the First Time!
