Summary
If the first five episodes were fast-paced, the second half would be an action-packed speedball. Will it surprise you? Probably. Is it entertaining? Absolutely. Will it make you scratch your head in confusion? That too.
We review the Netflix series You Season 4 Part 2, which does not contain spoilers.
After a month-long hiatus, You Season 4 has returned to conclude Joe Goldberg’s (played by Penn Badgley) London saga. While the first half was a whodunnit, the second half of the season puts our protagonist in a cat-and-mouse game with the Eat the Rich Killer. If the first five episodes were fast-paced, the second half would be an action-packed speedball. Will it surprise you? Probably. Is it entertaining? Absolutely. Will it make you scratch your head in confusion? That too.
You Season 4 Part 2 Review and Plot Summary
It’s been a month since we last saw Joe, but episode six starts mere days after everyone’s favorite serial killer, and occasional hero vowed to end Rhys Montrose’s (Ed Speleers) reign of terror. A lot happens in the second half of the season. Joe faces his strongest opponent while working things out with Kate (Charlotte Ritchie). Adam’s (Lukas Gage) desperation to solve his financial issues leads to tragedy, while Pheobe (Tilly Keeper) has an ordeal to get through. We also meet Kate’s father (played by the award-winning Greg Kinnear), another staunch adversary of our Joe. And, of course, there’s the massive twist that changes (almost) everything.
For a show about a deranged serial killer, You is surprisingly lighthearted. But in the second half of season 4, the series gets more serious, and there’s even some compelling character development. Since the show aired on Lifetime, it’s been painfully apparent that Joe Goldberg is not a good guy, yet it’s impossible not to root for the mild-mannered psycho. In this installment, however, we see a different and more self-aware side of him. It’s almost refreshing to watch. But then the ending happens, and whatever growth we saw in the protagonist dissipates quicker than a line of coke at Sundry House.
The performances are solid, as was the writing, and most jokes landed precisely where they should. Penn Badgley, as always, does a great job of portraying Joe and all his complicated layers. While Tati Gabrielle’s appearance as Marienne was nothing short of riveting. Victoria Pedretti reprises her role as Joe’s former wife, and her performance is brilliant, if short-lived. Love Quinn’s absence has left a hard-to-fill dent within the series.
While the first half was fun, the second half takes itself too seriously. It’s still entertaining, but it touches on some heavy subjects in a way that comes across as disingenuous. Fun characters we love to hate, like Sophie and Blessing, are pushed aside, as is Roald, while Adam and Pheobe’s relationship takes an unexpectedly dark turn.
Speaking of the unexpected, there’s a twist. While I didn’t see it coming, many fans did, as evidenced in many social media posts across all platforms. Does it make sense for the narrative? Yes, it does.
But it’s hard to tell whether it was the right direction for the series. And I’m not sure what it means for You’s future if so many fans correctly predicted the twist during the show’s 4-week hiatus.
Is You Season 4 Part 2 good?
You is a series that infuses hilarity into some seriously dark subjects. It’s not realistic, and some plot points make little sense, yet that’s part of the fun. The characters are well-written, the dialogue is reasonably convincing, and Joe’s voiceover adds a fresh layer of witty social commentary to an otherwise grim narrative.
While not as good as the first part, the concluding episodes are worth a binge.
What did you think of You Season 4 Part 2? Comment below.
