Not the neighbors for you

Sarah Drake, Guest Contributor

Season 3 of the psychological thriller show You is out and picks up right where season 2 left off with  Joe (Penn Badgley) and Love (Victoria Pedretti) now in the suburbs.

New characters are welcomed, some not having much screen time due to Love’s dire need to protect her family. We are spared one specific girl though, Marienne (Tati Gabrielle), Joe’s latest obsession.

Not only were new characters introduced, there was also more backstory on Joe’s childhood. When he was in a foster home, he was bullied by the other boys there with him, but he did have Nurse Fiona Sarah Jane Mckay) to bond with. However, she had been in the same predicament as his mother, dealing with an abusive boyfriend.

Penn Badgley and Victoria Pedretti bring another amazing performance as Joe and Love, as well as portraying their dynamic relationship. Penn is able to once again make this murderer with a savior complex charming and likeable in a way. One thing to remember though, is that the story is told from Joe’s point of view, so of course his actions seemed justified in his mind. Love may seem annoying and impulsive to us and Joe, but is she in reality? As we follow them through season three, Joe is clearly growing more obsessed with Marienne and falling out of love with Love. Yet, he tries to make her seem crazy and that she’s overdramatic.

One of the highlights of the season is the portraying of insufferable and condescending influencers in the suburb Joe and Love moved to. There are multiple moments where Love is very blunt about the privilege seeping from the suburban town. Not to mention that it is filled with health obsessed, gluten-free, sugar-free types of people who make Love’s baked goods seem criminal. 

With all that said, this season stands out not only for the amazing performances but also more insight into the difference in Joe and Love’s way of thinking. We see that Love’s actions, although wrong, are out of her need to protect her family while Joe’s actions are done because of his need to be a savior/hero. Netflix has announced that the show will be renewed for a 4th season and according to Badgley the season will be ’quite different’.