You is a politically correct psychological drama. It follows the life of Joe Goldberg, an ex-bookkeeper. Who is a dangerously charming and intensely obsessive young man who goes to great lengths to insert himself into the lives of those who captivate him.
Many people wonder how anyone can root for Joe Goldberg as he stalks women while walking a free man when he is such a morally repugnant antihero. Ultimately, Joe Goldberg is an extremely complex character who is further explored in each season of You. Joe Goldberg believes he must save every woman he falls in love with. Joe, a book store employee in You Season 1, meets Guinevere Beck at work. Joe was instantly taken by her beauty and literary interest.
From then on, Joe has only one clear target: Beck. Joe is relentless in his romantic pursuit, stalking her online, locating her residence, and manipulating situations until they finally meet again. When he begins to see most people around Beck as threats to her well-being, especially their budding romance, his infatuation becomes a full-fledged obsession. Joe will do anything to save any woman he’s “in love” with, including abducting and killing Beck’s ex-boyfriend, killing her obsessive best friend, and finally abducting Beck herself.
Joe moves to Los Angeles for a new job in season two. He immediately meets Love Quinn, who is the complete opposite of Beck; quirky, confident, and welcoming to Joe’s advances, it seems Joe will be able to pursue Love without major setbacks or self-doubt—until he meets Love’s family. Love’s life is anything but perfect, from an addict brother to a verbally abusive mother to a controlling father, which only fuels Joe’s obsession with her—he must save Love from her tragic life. Joe is unaware of the plot twist in their relationship: Love is a serial killer herself. This has the opposite effect: instead of seeing Love as his ideal match, Joe is repulsed by her. Joe Goldberg’s love determines who needs his salvation.
Joe’s upbringing is responsible for many of his obsessions. Joe is abandoned by his mother as a child and placed in foster care after killing his mother’s abusive boyfriend. Another flashback later in the series depicts Joe’s last meeting with his mother, who is accompanied by a young boy. Joe’s mother not only abandons him, but she also adopts another child in his place. Joe’s obsession with women, as well as his exaggerated reactions when they reject him, are influenced by this trauma. Every rejection is a reflection of his mother’s abandonment, and every betrayal reminds Joe of the little boy and the lovers his mother preferred over him.
In his head, he has this inflated hopeless romanticism concept. That’s fine; many people, including myself, would consider ourselves hopeless romantics. Loving the concept of love or simply being able to witness it. Joe Goldberg exaggerates every hopeless romantic trait to absurd proportions; his inner monologue reflects the best qualities of his love interests, which exist only in Joe’s mind. Joe anticipates that these women will be loving, open-minded people who will accept him for who he is: an obsessive serial killer with no boundaries. Finally, Joe’s all-consuming fantasies drive him to destroy any woman who fails to meet his romantic expectations.
You, is such a fascinating and attention grabbing show. If you haven’t watched I would highly suggest you watch it and the question I will leave you with is, What would you do for love?