'You' Review

Another weekly task here. Possible spoilers ahead!

It’s a classic love story. Boy meets girl. It is love at first sight. They have a connection. Boy stalks girl. Boy kills people to keep her. Okay, maybe it is not the classic love story. You, is a new twist on love stories. This dark comedy keeps you guessing every episode and the finale does not disappoint. 

This story is of a young book store manager, Joe, who meets an aspiring writer, Beck. After their first encounter Joe is infatuated. He takes to the trusted web to search for any information he can get on Beck. Soon he takes his stalking to the next level as he follows her and peers through her windows. After saving her life when she has a drunken night out, he steals her phone to keep an eye on everyone she talks to, every place she goes, everything she does.

Joe is a complex character. At times you feel sorry for him. He has a mysterious past with his ex-girlfriend that is not fully shown until the final episodes, but you see how badly this relationship affected him. You see a vulnerability not usually seen when stalkers appear on tv programmes or films. He cares deeply for his young neighbour who is in an abusive and dysfunctional home. He has some funny dialogue throughout and is shown to be very caring to the people he loves. At times it is hard to hate him.

Beck is shown as a woman who cares what others thinks. She puts on a different face around her friends and on social media to appear more put together than she truly is. She has a relationship with a man that can only be described as a ‘douchebag’ but doesn’t want it to end. At some points in the show it is easy to dislike her. She is shown to lie multiple times about serious issues but at times she can be likeable. Her ambitions and her need for more in her life show a career driven woman. Who can hate that?

Not only is the show entertaining but it also brings to light a very serious issue. Social media stalking. It shows how easy it is to find information on someone and how that can be used against them. In a time where people are putting everything online it is becoming easier for stalkers to find where you are and who you are with. Although most people won’t take stalking to the levels that Joe did, there are some people in the world that can become possessive and take stalking to a higher, scarier level. This shows highlights that and brings awareness to it.

You, is interesting and captivating. The characters are not what you would expect, and it blurs the line between protagonist and antagonist. Each episode brings something new to the story and leaves you wanting more. The final episode will make you count down the days until the next season. I know I am. 

I would highly recommend this show to those who enjoy suspense and drama but also want a little comedy mixed in with the darkness.