Since December 26, there has been a major buzz on a trending new show on Netflix, “You.” The story is told from the perspective of a bookstore manager, Joe, who falls instantly in love with a stranger, Guinevere Beck. Joe starts off by having a crush on Beck. The closer Joe gets to Beck and the more his love for her grows, the more sinister his actions become.
Sophomore Nejra Barakovic said, “It was incredibly fascinating how there were 10 [40 minute] episodes, yet I finished the series in 2 days, and the storyline never bored me.”
Junior Daniel Shi said, “I really liked how the story was told from the perspective of Joe because many of his actions seem cruel and illogical, but since it was told from his view, they seemed justified. In some ways, Joe can be considered a hero.” Sophomore Nejra even said, “We get a rather different perspective than in a “regular” show since it is sort of a soliloquy/monologue, in which the main character, Joe, speaks his thoughts only to the audience and we know things that the other characters do not.”
Meanwhile, Junior Tasnimul Taher said, “Joe is a straight up psychopath and seeing his perspective did not make me feel any sympathy for his despicable behavior.” Freshman Elsa agrees, saying, “Joe’s personality is very abusive and he needs to be put in prison.”
In his quest to get Beck to fall in love with him, Joe uses social media such as Beck’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to find out her location and information about her entire life. Joe follows her to bars, restaurants, and even her house. His intention was to care and protect Beck from any harm, however, this was not always the outcome. In society, social media makes us put our entire life story available to the public and it can lead to stalking. Junior Rachel Zheng believes the show helped her realize “how easily social media can turn dangerous. It feels like an exaggerated version of something women typically face frequently.”
The thriller shows how there should be some caution when viewers post on social media as a safety concern. With things such as dating apps connecting strangers, there is always a sense of fear, as people lie or tweak their information online. Author Stewart Stafford had said, “Stalkers have an obsessive over-identification with their unwilling target but also a latent envy of their talents and/or beauty, If they can’t possess the person totally, they will destroy the victim’s qualities that they can never have.”
With a 91 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and season 2 slowly approaching, “You” continues to keep viewers on edge. Junior Ashley Facey recommends the show to all, saying it is “definitely worth the watch.”
