I like to think that there is a little crazy in all of us. “You” is a very popular show on Netflix that portrays a man named Joe who has a tendency for becoming obsessive when it comes to love interests. While Joe seems very psychotic and disturbed, he also has some good qualities. What is so fascinating about the show is how many layers Joe has to himself and what is even more fascinating is how the audience still has empathy for him despite what he does.
The second season to the show recently came out and it has sparked a lot of conversation around the show. There was even a trend on TikTok about how people related to the character Joe. Whether people like to admit it or not, many people do have obsessive and stalker tendencies in some situations. I remember seeing one TikTok about being in a situation where you find someone attractive in your class, so you look them up on Canvas to find their name. Then once you find their name you can find them on social media. This is just one example of the many TikToks about the trend of how people related to Joe.
While Joe’s actions would make him seem like a dark and unlikeable character, it is quite the opposite. Since Joe is the main character of the show much of the audience finds themselves rooting for his character instead of wanting him to get caught. It can be easy to look at his victims in the show and think they were oblivious for falling for a psychopath. However, I think the show is a good portrayal of manipulation and how many psychopaths do come off as charming. If his character wasn’t charming, then most of the audience wouldn’t be rooting for him or feel empathy for his actions.
There has been a long-held debate of whether shows like “You” romanticize serial killers or not. I would have to disagree that the show “You” romanticizes serial killers, but instead gives an accurate portrayal of how serial killers behave. Ted Bundy is a famous serial killer that is known to be very likable and charming but that was just his personality. I don’t think the show “You” is purposely trying to make Joe likable but instead tries to accurately portray how many serial killers act.
Seeing Joe’s character development throughout season one and two was very interesting because while in season one he gave in to his dark impulses, in season two he tried to become a better person. I think one of the reasons why the audience is so empathetic to his character is because, despite his bad nature, he deeply craves becoming a better person. A lot of Joe’s actions in season two did catch me by surprise because he repeatedly tried to do the right thing despite the consequences. An interesting aspect of Joe is his kindness towards children. In season one he took Paco under his wing and protected him at all costs. In season two he took Ellie under his wing and protected her at all costs. While Joe has no problem hurting adults, he has a special place in his heart for protecting children which is another reason his character seems more likable. When people think of serial killers, they usually think of people like Ted Bundy who have a certain type of victim that they target and kill for no reason. Joe, on the other hand, was very calculated about all his actions and never killed someone unless there was a reason behind it. By seeing how Joe racializes his actions it causes the audience to not view him as a heartless serial killer.
One of the main reasons the show “You” is so good is because it gives a new perspective to serial killers and their thought process. While some people dislike the show and believe it romanticizes serial killers, I do not believe it does. At the end of the day, the show is for entertainment purposes and if the main character, Joe, was unlikable, nobody would watch it.