Has 'You' lost its charm? Here's why Season 4 should be show's last
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Season 4, Part 2 of 'You' is packed with surprises, much like the rest of the series. There are speculations over whether the fourth season is the show's last, especially considering its tier-release schedule and the lack of a formal announcement regarding its future. 'You' may or may not have a Season 5, but for the sake of the show and its legacy, Season 4 must be the final season of the series.
The fourth season of 'You' continues the international travels of Joe Goldberg, the violent anti-hero played by Penn Badgley. Instead of continuing with his previous season's fixation, Marienne (Tati Gabrielle), Joe joins a gang of mega-rich, high-society individuals under the disguise of a literature professor turned private detective. This time, Joe appears committed to changing his ways and genuinely breaking free from the pattern of obsession and murder that has so far ruled his life.
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'You' Season 4 motion poster finds Penn Badgley's Joe Goldberg in the heart of London
No sense of direction now
'You' had a chance to completely change the course of the narrative and its character Joe. During the majority of the season, Joe seems to have started moving towards a long-term potential redemption. For 'You', which had always come back to the stalker/killer relationship, it is uncharted territory. For the most part of this season, Joe seemed to have matured. Also, while Joe doesn't need need to be saved, it seems lazy to bring back the cliche of the psycho killer from earlier seasons.
That laziness is a continuation of the similarly extravagant Season 3 conclusion, which saw its entire plot literally go up in flames. Fairly enough, Season 4 succeeded in reshaping Joe's path in a way that was compelling enough to carry the first two-thirds, but it then abandoned that psychological goal in favor of reheated content from Seasons 1 through 3.
Joe's character arc seems complete
Joe at last acknowledges the deadly darkness residing within him. He completes the circle and accepts that the sense of normalcy that has kept him going for so long is merely a charade. Other than Joe's internal character development effectively wrapping up itself at the end of the season, 'You' Season 4 is full of surprises, but at this stage of the show's development, these story elements are pretty standard.
No matter how strong a show starts off, it can sometimes be a good idea to end it before it becomes too much. The series should seize this chance to ride out with a handsome conclusion, if only to ensure its place in television history.
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