Can't believe I'm uploading my last post for the month of January. Apologies in advance for a bit of a gap, I really got to get back into my routine again. I think this polar vortex is causing me to get a bit sluggish; it's definitely motivating me to want to stay inside though.
Having some free time from school being canceled due to the weather has allowed me to catch up on some new TV shows via Netflix. It's really cool that a streaming service is able to come up with new, original content; it shows originality and willingness to try something new, plus Netflix shows are pretty good. "You" is no exception.
"You" is a psychological thriller that released on September 9th, 2018. Its origins come from a 2014 book by Caroline Kepnes. The show smashed critic's reviews; IMDb rated it an 8/10 overall, Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 91% rating, and overall 94% of viewers enjoyed the show (drawn from Google users). The show originally was on Lifetime before its rights were transferred over to Netflix.
The show takes us into the story about Joe, a book store manager who is smitten by a young writer by the name of Beck who comes into his store one day. How far would one go for love? In Joe's case, too far. Joe implants Beck into his life as his sole obsession, and as the show progresses, we see the lengths and monstrosities Joe pulls off to win Beck over.
Here's what made this series SO difficult to analysis. We are trapped in the perspective of Joe; alone with his thoughts and ideas we have no other perspective to go off of. Why does this matter? Viewers are meant to be told the story, so what happens when the story is told by a psychopath?
If you've ever read Catcher in the Rye, this'll make a little sense. That book's main character, Holden, is a compulsive liar who throughout the novel makes up stories of his life. He even admits in the beginning he's a liar. Why don't we catch onto this earlier? Holden is our only narrator; we have no one else to look to. We are forced to listen to this untruthful and immature kid.
(If you haven't read the book, that previous paragraph is irrelevant, but seriously why haven't you read the book?)
Now take that and elevate it with actual people expressing actual emotions. There’s something about actors portraying characters that just make watching TV or movies more appealing. Joe appears to be this nice guy who will do anything for who he loves. We get so distracted with his budding relationship and chivalry we forget the wickedness of his actions to get there. Joe is a BAD GUY! I had to remind myself of this everyday.
I mean, just look at that smile! You wouldn't hate him either if you didn't know him, right?
What makes it harder to cheer against Joe is those who oppose him. Beck's life is filled with toxic, obnoxious people who don't make her act like herself. Joe has some people in his own life who are bad. Yet they go against Joe; they are, in a sense, heroes. We as audience members dislike them because we're brainwashed to believe Joe is a good guy helping a woman who he loves be herself. Plus, they're scumbags. Joe appears not to be. Touching, until you see what he'll do to another human being. No spoilers though!
The Sam's Snippets Score (something new I'm doing), is an 8/10. The show has a well written plot, a set of strong actors and actresses, and a good storyline. Every episode is chilling and intense, with surprises at every corner. The ending left viewers on a cliffhanger, anticipating a potential next season? Either way, this is a Netflix original worth your time, so if you're stuck under layers of snow or not, bundle up, load up Netflix, and see for yourself where this "love" can take a person.
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