Stream It Or Skip It: ‘You’ Season 4, Part 1 on Netflix, Where Joe Starts a New Life in London

When we last saw You‘s Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley), he had let Love (Victoria Pedretti) literally go up in flames. Determined to reunite and reconcile with a Paris-bound Marienne (Tati Gabrielle), who now knows the (partial) truth about his violent, shadowy nature, Joe had seemingly left it all behind for the French lifestyle at the end of the third season. Season 4, however, kicks off across the pond in London; perhaps Joe’s set his sights on a new target. 

YOU SEASON 4, PART 1: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot:  Scenes of bustling London. 

The Gist: Joe (Penn Badgley) isn’t letting his unlucky love streak keep him down. After murdering his wife, setting his house on fire, and leaving his child with, let’s be honest, parents who are way more fit than he is, he’s created a cozy life in London under the name Jonathan Moore. Jonathan spends his days teaching classes like American Iconoclasts of the Short Story at the local university, prompting exciting debate and discussion between his young students. He loves his life in London, the hustle and bustle of the city, the literary nature of the English. “This feels like the European holiday I desperately needed,” he narrates, still writing to Marienne (Tati Gabrielle), who wants absolutely nothing to do with him. (His attempt to reconnect with her after following her halfway across the world goes less than ideally). Joe’s holiday is short-lived, however, because it doesn’t take long for his old life (and favorite pastimes) to start creeping up again, despite his efforts to be better. 

He can’t help but stare into his neighbors’ (who also happen to be his colleagues) apartment, even as Kate (Charlotte Ritchie) tries to have a little me time when unbearable Malcolm (Stephen Hagan) is out. Joe finds himself unexpectedly obligated to spend time with Kate and Malcolm after he saves her from being mugged and is introduced to their insufferable friends at a very exclusive club, including author and aspiring politician Rhys (Ed Speelers), sweet-as-pie socialite Lady Phoebe (Tilly Keeper), club owner Adam Pratt (Lukas Gage), and a smattering of other members of royal families, influencers, and beyond. He predictably hates them all with the exception of Rhys, who isn’t a beneficiary of generational wealth. The night gets out of control after some shots of absinthe, and when Joe wakes up, he discovers a body on his kitchen table. Old habits (literally) die hard, amiright? 

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? With its twisty melding of crime, dark humor, thriller, and romance, You might also please fans of Killing Eve, Dexter, Dirty John, and Ozark. 

Our Take: When You began, it felt akin to a Freeform or CW teen drama, soapy and sexy and a little absurd. Then it cleverly evolved, becoming something thrilling and juicy, darkly funny in ways few TV shows are these days. Part social media satire, part portrait of a psychopath, You has continued to surprise and entertain with each season, boldly going bloody, bonkers places and delivering endlessly binge-able entertainment.

Season 4 does more of the same, jumping into the deep end almost immediately. Joe’s got a new life, a new job, and a new group of people that he utterly loathes. It’s only a matter of time before he snaps and offs one of them, offended by the indulgent lifestyles and lack of intellect. He finds a new friend in Rhys, who has also seemingly picked himself up from a messed up childhood and gone on to do great things, but he despises the rest of them, hardly masking his disgust every time he’s forced to interact with the group. This first installment of Season 4 revolves around the theme of redemption, kicking off with a discussion of a story of redemption in Joe’s classroom and following Joe as he tries to turn his life around and do the right thing (despite his very naughty instincts) — and then turns everything on its head. It’s so much fun. 

You may have a few plot holes, but it remains some of the most fun you can have on Netflix these days. Where else can you find an array of needle drops including Cardi B and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs? A murderer vomiting in between dismembering  a man’s limbs while he watches a soccer match on his iPhone? The show is and always has been an incredibly well-acted soap, buoyed by Badgley’s excellent lead performance, and its continued commitment to taking things to crazier places than it ever has makes it more than worth your while. 

Sex and Skin: Joe watches Kate touch herself through his window (kinda his signature move since Season 1). That’s about all the sexy stuff we get in this first episode. 

Parting Shot: Joe eyes his new group of friends suspiciously. 

Sleeper Star: Ed Speelers, AKA the terrifying Stephen Bonnet from Outlander, delivers a deeply charming performance as aspiring politician Rhys Montrose. Seemingly an unlikely ally for Joe and an interesting ingredient for the rest of the zesty British friend group, Speelers’ Rhys adds something interesting to the mix, with his charming lopsided smile and soothing manner of speaking. Things with Rhys are only bound to get more intriguing from here, and that’s all thanks to Speelers’ natural performance.

Most Pilot-y Line: You still seems to be in its groove dialogue-wise, but “Brits are the most literary people on Earth” is just a tad corny (if appropriate for Joe’s character). 

Our Call: STREAM IT. In its fourth season, You remains as suspenseful and addictive as ever, lending itself to a truly satisfying (and often unsettling) binge.  

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.