You Season 5 Is Over: Was It a Worthy Finale for the Netflix TV Series?
Joe Goldberg is back in the game for the last time.
The romantic thriller You, based on the novel of the same name by Caroline Kepnes, is one of those rare shows that has made the long journey from local channel Lifetime to Netflix.
The show grew and evolved along with its protagonist, Joe Goldberg, a maniac whose criminal and love affairs have long since gone beyond the literary original.
By the fifth and final season, both showrunners left the creative team of You, and they were replaced by the executive producers of the series. Despite the concerns of viewers, these global changes did not affect the quality of the show in any way.
What Is You Season 5 About?
Three years have passed since the events of the fourth season. Joe and his wife Kate return to New York and take custody of little Henry. Kate gives most of the money from her father's company to charity, which does not please the rest of the ruling council.
Especially her twin sisters, and Uncle Bob. When the Lockwood family resorts to blackmail, threatening to ruin Kate's career and take away her place in the company, Joe, who has kept his inner monster on a leash for too long, intervenes.
The situation is exacerbated by the madman's acquaintance with the young writer Bronte, who has found her way into his bookstore. Joe once again finds himself in the grip of a destructive love obsession.
Season 5 Finds Joe Goldberg Returning to His Roots
The new showrunners of You take the madman away from the path of reformation, offering viewers another portion of crime chronicles.
In the final chapter of You, Joe returns to square one – the general circularity of the season is felt not only in the character arc, but also in the main storyline.
The main character finds himself back in New York; in the Mooney's bookstore, where he killed many people; falls in love with the young writer Bronte, connected with Beck from the first season.
New Season Debunks the Image of the Main Character
The return of You to its roots can easily be mistaken for an obvious crisis of ideas, but it becomes clear that the creators' goal is to debunk the beautiful image of toxic masculinity in which their main character has been packaged.
Joe is the most dangerous type of psychopath, not only hiding under the guise of a knight in shining armor, but also sincerely believing in the created image.
Season 5 Is a Fair Finale for Joe and His Victims
In the fifth season, the creators went beyond the general obsession with true crimes, confronting Joe with TikTokers who are no less, if not superior, to his mastery of cyber-stalking. Another important topic is viral popularity, thanks to which the man becomes the object of not a legal but a popular trial.
The exposure of the romantic abuser takes place in stages, with the participation of all the exes, and male dignity is affected both figuratively and literally. And Joe Goldberg himself ends up paying the bills.