Update: Now that You Season 4, Part 2 is available to stream on Netflix, our review for the final five episodes of the season will follow below, ahead of our original review for Part 1. Note that there will be spoilers from the entire season discussed.
You Season 4, Part 2 review: The wheels fall off
After a stellar first five episodes of You Season 4, the series descends into chaos almost immediately when Part 2 begins. Fans are asked to dig into their imaginations if they are to find realism in much of what is happening on screen, and the “Eat the Rich” Killer swerve is something you are either going to love or hate, with not much room for sitting on the fence.
Despite going against the formulaic layout presented across the first three seasons of You in Part 1 of Season 4, writers undo all of the groundwork in building something truly unique in this latest offering, relying instead on many of the tropes that have been present in the series’ past. By the time you get to Episode 9, and that big decision that Joe makes, you may be willing him to succeed so that the show can reach its ultimate conclusion. Frustratingly, even that is a fake-out.
You Season 4 Part 2 Review: Final Verdict
The problem that You Season 4, Part 2 really has, is that it tells too many lies to its viewers. Twists and turns are great and necessary for a thriller, but when they are piled up on top of one another, they start to really lose their impact.
Positives and Negatives
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Penn Badgley is as great as ever.
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Reverts back to using tired tropes.
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Loses its shock value.
You Season 4, Part 1 review: An intriguing murder mystery
You Season 4 has got the fans in a frenzy. Ever since it was revealed that Joe Goldberg would be returning, under the guise of Professor Jonathan Moore, there has been speculation as to what he would be getting up to. News then came that he would be building a new life in the English capital of London, embedded within a fresh friendship circle, which only added yet another layer of intrigue.
Now, the sleuthing from fans can come to an end. You Season 4, Part 1, is available to watch on Netflix. The first five episodes flip Joe’s life upside down, as he falls victim to his own stalker. Surrounded by the wealthy and entitled elite, he is left to his own devices when trying to unmask exactly who is behind a slew of murders.
Note: While we have seen all 10 episodes of You Season 4, we will only be discussing the plot points woven throughout the first five episodes that make up Part 1. An update to this review will be given when Part 2 is made available on Netflix.
The hunter becomes the hunted
Joe is a man who is used to stalking, rather than being stalked. So, when the first episode of You Season 4 draws to a close, and it becomes clear that the tables have been completely turned on the series’ antagonist, it’s almost a gleeful discovery. While he looks to put his past behind him and become a better man, those chances aren’t at all deserved.
Audiences have been challenged in the three seasons gone by, as some found themselves rooting for Joe as a lead character, in spite of his bad behavior. What Season 4 manages to do extremely well in that regard, is steer clear of painting Joe as a hero, or an anti-hero. He’s a bad guy, so it’s good to finally see him being pushed around, albeit by the “Eat the Rich” Killer, who’s murdering people from Joe’s newfound group of acquaintances.
Lives of the rich and famous
A whole new cast of characters are introduced in You Season 4. The super wealthy make up Joe’s accidental new social circle, and it is difficult to find a single redeeming quality among the group. Fortunately, the writing is strong enough to make these people believable, despite their willingness to watch the world burn so long as they feel comfortable.
They are fully fleshed out beings, with their quirks and vices, which does stop them from falling into Disney villain territory. Charlotte Ritchie, Tilly Keeper, and Ed Speleers in particular give some wonderful performances as Kate, Lady Phoebe, and Rhys respectively.
Normally, having the majority of characters on screen being unlikable would be a bad thing. Here though, the mystery embedded within the narrative woven throughout You Season 4 Part 1, is enough to balance that out. As this first installment for the fourth season reaches its conclusion, you may wonder exactly where it will go next. Fortunately, there’s not too long to wait before you can find out.
You Season 4 is available now to stream and watch on Netflix.
You Season 4 Part 1 Review: Final Verdict
You Season 4 Part 1 does a great job of laying the foundations for a murder mystery unlike any other, before unleashing its shocking end. While that piece of the story does wrap up in Episode 5, the final installment of Part 1, it is the aftermath and consequences of this big reveal that will undoubtedly keep fans coming back in March when the season concludes.
Positives and Negatives
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Establishes itself as a wholly different story to the first three seasons well.
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The cast is very strong.
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Some moments are more difficult to suspend your disbelief and accept.
