Hey Steemians
I don't often pick up new series since it takes quite a commitment to get into them and follow on on each episode. Most series these days are too often dragged out and filled with unnecessary plot devices or filler episodes just to fill their quota. So when series comes along and grabs my attention, it really needs to be something unique and captivating for me to consider to follow all the way through.
Netflix has done a fine job of that with shows like The Punisher, Daredevil, Narcos, House of Cards and Unabomber but these are few and far between. I happened to come across a new show called "You" which takes a pretty interesting look at the worn out boy meets girl, girl is currently dating a douchebag, he eventually jumps through major hoops to win her over, and they live happily ever after story.
Plot of You
You is based on Caroline Kepnes' best-selling novel of the same name. It is a modern adaptation of a classic love story that asks, "What would you do for love?"
In its simplest form its a story about a brilliant bookstore manager Joe. Who crosses paths with an aspiring grad student and writer Beck. They exchange some clever quips and leave it at that. Like most millennial men he looks her up online and stalkers her social media for a bit before taking the obsession into real life.
He then uses his research to escalate the situation into a series of charming encounters with his cand crush, but this misguided prince charmings obsession becomes dangerous as he strategically begins to remove every obstacle or person that could stand in the way of their love.
Poster for You
What I thought of You
I don't want to give away any spoilers because I think its worth a watch or if you're inclined, to read the book so instead of going through the plot I will simply review the two main characters instead.
Joe: Lost his parents at a young age, bounced around the public child care system and has abandonment issues. His later found by a bookstore owner that rules with an iron fist and teaches the young joe to have a rigid moral compass with military precision. He tries to be chivalrious in a society that no longer appreciates and looks for a partner where he can "save" as he was saved so the more unstable the more into her he becomes.
Since he reads a lot of books, his also supposed to be like super smart for some reason. Which I find rather conflicting because he does a lot of dumb shit. Not that smart people don't do dumb shit, they do it all the time, but I'd like to be sold on his smart person justification for why his being a dumb ass.
Beck: A talented writer from a middle-class family leaves for the big city to try and catch her big break. She carries with her the daddy issues since her father was a junkie. She gets into university and makes some high society friends who only help enable her as shitty millennial. Instead of focusing on her writing because it's her passion, it's more a way to become famous and earn the right to be in high society which she feels she's faking.
She also spends most of the time shagging her issues away like there's no tomorrow, I was convinced she was some kind of sex addict because it just doesn't make sense sometimes they way she goes about it.
Also, Since she also reads a lot shes also supposed to be super smart, that's kind of the underlying theme, that readers are just smart by definition. Yet her justification for all the shitty things she does is not very well thought out.
Every shitty thing she does is just blamed on daddy issues and we're just supposed to accept that. I think after the 5th different person you cheat with saying I have daddy issues is a bit ridiculous.
A match made for murder
So as you can see they make a fine pair. The two of them are toxicity at its finest and it begins to infect and hurt those around them in some very interesting ways.
You will spend the rest of the show torn between who to support between Joe and Beck as they do terrible things to one another. To be honest, I think Beck is far worse but that's just one guy's opinion.
The show draws plenty of inspiration from similar protagonists like Patrick Bateman (American Pyscho), Dexter Morgan (Dexter) and even Jean Holloway (Gypsy) and it works pretty well helping you get into the mind of a stalker/prince charming, as Joe tows the Jerkyl and Hyde line with absolutely no chill.
Trailer for You
My rating for You
If you don't knit pick the characters motivations and simply follow the story for entertainment purposes you'll have a better time. It tries to connect with you on a level of realism and then add a layer of extremism for entertainment and I kind of liked that about the show. I just feel they should have fleshed out the characters a bit more and given more rational instead of me having to assume why they do the things they do.
Its as if there are character arcs happening off screen and were told about it later and we like oh that's why she or he is like that, oh ok!
This show also has a few plot devices that go nowhere and a couple of glaring plot holes and maybe a bit too much plot twists that even M. Night Shyamalan would be like, "wait, hold up?" Other than that the show is really gripping and entertaining. It has plenty of relatable dating sitatuions and then uses that to pull you into the world and mind of the two main characters.
I enjoyed the show but it should have been a mini-series. I'm giving this 7 Tinder dates out of 10. The fact that they set this up for a second season surprises me, I don't think they have enough content and should have tied up the story, but let's wait and see, shall we?
Have your say
Have you seen You? What did you think of the show? Drop me a comment and let me know
Let's connect
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