Netflix You sees the end of serial killer Joe Goldberg
FOR years, bookstore manager Joe Goldberg has been unstoppable. Despite various attempts to hold him accountable for his inconceivable crimes, the Netflix resident serial killer always got away without facing any consequences.
We have seen him stalk, harass and murder almost all his female love interests, yet he walks free every time. That is until the latest and final season of You.
As the season starts, we see Joe in a three-year marriage to billionaire Kate Lockwood, who serves as the CEO of T.R. Lockwood Corporation.
Thanks to her influence, Joe lives a peaceful life in New York City without having to compromise his identity. Things are well and good until Kate notices the cracks in her marriage to Joe.
She learns that his instincts to kill come from a place of desire and not spawned from an inclination to protect as he had previously claimed. Her suspicions are further justified when a new woman named Bronte enters his life.
Joe is therefore left to navigate on his own, as his new reality begins to endanger his life in New York City.
Justice served hot
For the first time, Joe faces the music. No longer is he able to run from the consequences of his actions as he did in the previous four seasons.
While he is still able to charm his way out of certain situations, this season sees him meet his karmic end.
Showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo provide viewers closure, giving Joe a satisfying yet realistic send-off. The overdue justice is a cinematic treat for viewers who have kept up with Joe's shenanigans since season one.
What is more rewarding is that Joe is finally stripped of his moral superiority. Viewers get a clearer perspective of who he is and the harm he has caused to others.
Instead of getting lost in his twisted version of romance, viewers are made to pay extra attention to his violent and misogynistic ways.
Is violence hereditary?
Joe's six-year-old son Henry is not exempted from this analysis. Considering his parents are murderers, it is natural to ponder how Henry will turn out.
Will he follow in the footsteps of his murderous parents? Or will he be the one to break the cycle in his family? You answers this by delicately playing around the argument of nature versus nurture.
The discussion plays out through Henry's character development this season. The take provided the season with an intellectual edge, as the discussion enriched its conversation surrounding the cycle of male violence and misogyny.
Twins for win
As for worthy performances, actress Anna Camp reigns on top. Her portrayal of twins Reagan and Maddie Lockwood was among the highlights of the entire TV series.
Her portrayal of Maddie, specifically, was worthy of applause. It was evident that Camp got to sink her teeth into both roles.
Her range and calibre as an actress were utilised more than her previous roles in projects such as Pitch Perfect, Glee and The Help.
Erasure of Love Quinn
You, however, messed up with its treatment of Love Quinn. Given her role as Joe's late wife and Henry's biological mother, it was disappointing to see that she was not included in the final season.
While other characters make brief appearances, Love is only mentioned during conversations and featured in past clips despite her significance. Even in promotional posters, she is erased.
Her appearance could have strengthened the season's emotional impact, providing a deeper insight into Joe's psyche and relationship with women.
Additionally, it could have provided a proper ending to Joe's relationship with Love. This is because we never got to see him dissect and grieve their relationship after her death in season 3.
Unnecessary additions
Therefore, it was careless to recruit new characters when there was so much to play with existing ones. Characters from the previous seasons could have had a more significant role in bringing Joe down.
Now, after five seasons, You comes to an end. Years of torment and murder finally caught up with Joe, putting him behind bars for good.
Though it does not compensate for the lives he took, justice is finally served.
Society and his loved ones see him for what he truly is – not a misunderstood white knight but a misogynistic serial killer – one that we are glad to get rid of and move on from.
Farewell Joe Goldberg.
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This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
