5 years of 'You': What made Penn Badgley-led series successful
Hey, YOU! The psychological thriller series YOU—starring Penn Badgley—made its debut on this day in 2018 on Lifetime channel. It opened with meager viewership, reportedly prompting Lifetime to announce the conclusion of the drama after season one. Netflix, however, became the catalyst for the show's resurgence. On YOU's fifth anniversary, we examine what made it one of the greatest psychological thrillers in recent years.
#1: Gripping thriller plot
YOU is a twisted tale surrounding Joe Goldberg—a seemingly charming manager at a bookstore. But beneath this facade of normalcy lies a disturbed individual consumed by an obsessive infatuation with the women who capture his attention. In season one, the saga unfolds primarily through Joe's first-person perspective, drawing audiences into the intricacies of his brain and his relentless fixation on aspiring writer Guinevere Beck.
#2: Flawed protagonist whose actions make us sympathize with him
What sets apart YOU from other conventional psychological thrillers is the protagonist, Joe. He is not your typical villain but rather an unsettlingly relatable character whose internal monologues force viewers to confront the line between love and obsession, which is perilously thin. Joe makes you sympathize with him, as he is a man who genuinely believes he is acting out of love and protection.
#3: Mind-bending narrative keeps viewers on edge
A manager during the day and a stalker at night—Joe's unpredictable actions serve as a rollercoaster ride. His actions veer between despicable and oddly understandable, which might make you examine your own judgments from time to time. From stalking Beck's social media to committing gruesome acts of violence, Joe is a complex character that shoulders the changing narrative that keeps viewers perpetually on edge.
#4: Dynamics between Love Quinn and Joe
Season two introduces the audience to Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), who, at first glance, seems like a perfect match for Joe. However, as their relationship deepens, Love's character emerges to be as complicated as Joe's tumultuous journey. Together, they blur the line between right and wrong; Love's presence adds a new layer of suspense. Her actions have far-reaching consequences, which are borne by Joe.
Here's more about series 'YOU'
Based on Caroline Kepnes's eponymous 2014 book, YOU was developed by Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble. In 2018, the series received the green light for a second season, adapting Kepnes's follow-up novel, Hidden Bodies. The accolades and viewership success kept rising, leading Netflix to renew the series for a third season. Finally, the fourth installment was unveiled in two parts earlier this year.
