The hit Netflix show “You” made me think about a lot of things…but mostly about why I always keep my blinds shut. “You” is a psychological thriller about a bookstore owner named Joe who quickly becomes obsessed with an NYU graduate student named Beck after having an encounter with her at his store. The obsession turns dark when Beck becomes the victim of his ruthless stalking. The concept of the show overall is alarming. It’s fiction, but could very well be a real-life situation for anyone, which is why I think we all can learn from it, especially as women in college.
The show is based on the novel You written by Caroline Kepnes. “You” first premiered on the channel Lifetime on September 9, 2018, and came out on Netflix on December 26, 2018. The show has already been renewed for a second season that is based on Kepnes’ follow-up novel called Hidden Bodies.
I liked the show. I personally am a fan of the psychological thriller genre, so I found it interesting, and also scary. When the show first came out on Netflix, it seemed like everyone had something to say about it online, whether they liked it or not. Within the first month of the release on Netflix, there were more than 40 million viewers. You could say the show is popular, and I can understand why. It’s not uncommon to be interested in the mind of a deranged individual, in this case, a stalker and a murderer who will stop at nothing. I think a lot of people are fascinated by things of this nature, which is okay, as long as they don’t romanticize or support the person committing those horrible crimes. I was intrigued by the show for a few reasons. First of all, if you’ve ever seen Gossip Girl, you know Dan Humphrey. Well, the same actor, Penn Badgley, plays Joe (stalker) in “You,” which also takes place in New York City. I know I wasn’t the only one who thought that this could be a literal spinoff of Gossip Girl where Dan changes his name, owns a bookstore, and obsesses over innocent women who reminds him of his ex, Serena. In reality, that clearly has nothing to do with “You,” “You” just reminded us Gossip Girl lovers of “gossip girl” herself.
As much as I enjoy a good scary show or movie, “You” made me reflect on the reality of the world we live in today. Watching the show made me feel uneasy at times. Practically everyone has social media and it’s not that hard to find information about someone by simply searching their name, just like Joe did in order to find out all about Beck’s life. After seeing some of the events that happened in You, it made me want to be extra cautious of my surroundings and who’s around me. The fact that Beck didn’t realize Joe was a dangerously obsessive stalker until the end resonated with me because it just goes to show that you can think you know someone, but really not know them at all. As viewers of “You,” we know what is going through Joe’s mind and we know all of the sick things he wants to do. In reality, we can’t read people’s minds like that. Of course, I don’t want to go through life being paranoid, but I’m simply saying it’s so important to be aware of the people around us, especially those who exhibit unusual or suspicious behavior. As a woman who cares about the well-being of myself and all other women out there, make sure to be conscious of your surroundings at all times and stay safe.
When I finished binge-watching the show I was disappointed, mostly because I wasn’t happy about the ending, but also because it was such a gripping show that constantly made me want to know what was going to happen next. All I can say is that I’m looking forward to the next season, there hasn’t been a set release date yet, but it is said to be coming soon. If you’re interested in the crime drama type of show, I highly recommend watching “You.”