YOU Review: Maybe (Season 1 Episode 3)

Joe finally gets the girl — but it’s not all sunshine and roses. It’s more like premature ejaculation and cremating corpses. And by “more like,” I mean that’s exactly what happens on YOU Season 1 Episode 3, “Maybe.”

“Maybe” is so titled because of how Beck describes Joe to her friends: as a “maybe” option for her, romantically. At least, that’s how it starts out.

Of course, this is unintentionally hilarious to us viewers, given that we know the exact extent of what Joe has gone through to win Beck. That’s not to make him sound like some grand hero in love. He is very firmly a psycho, one who has now crossed over into murderer territory.

RIP, Benji!

Perhaps the most successful aspect of this episode is how it flawlessly juxtaposes the mundane (Joe attempting to convince Beck that he’s the one for her/to stop hooking up with random Tinder bros) and the disturbing (Joe attempting to figure out how best to dispose of Benji’s rapidly decomposing body).

The writers mine a lot of humor out of Joe’s delicate balancing of his two tasks. It’s especially amusing how he gives them equal weight, as when he pauses disposing of Benji’s body to go help Beck put together her newly-bough bed.

There are also several hints that Joe will eventually be caught, as multiple people are on to him by now.

Paco’s mom’s boyfriend — despite being an alcoholic, abusive loser — correctly sees through Joe’s act and realizes he’s a headcase. Joe sending Paco off on an errand to retrieve cremation supplies (and they are so obviously cremation supplies!) gives the boyfriend the in he needs to call the cops on Joe.

But Joe, as per usual, is several steps ahead. He seamlessly covers his tracks with a lie about the tools being for technically-illegal gardening in the bookstore’s backyard. He spins his murder cover-up into a nice-guy story about how he wants to help the perpetually-hungry Paco out with some free, home-grown food — while his victim’s body is literally rotting in his car right across the street.

It works like a charm on the cops, which further cements my suspicion that Joe has probably done something like this before. (And on that note, I can’t wait to find out what really went down between him and Candace.) Paco’s mom’s boyfriend is not at all convinced, though, which leads me to believe he’ll soon be Joe’s next victim.

The other person who doesn’t trust Joe is Peach.

Shay Mitchell is nailing this role, which is particularly impressive given how difference Peach is from Mitchell’s Pretty Little Liars character, Emily. She’s subtly playing Peach’s borderline-overbearing interest in Beck’s wellbeing, as well as the slight romantic undertones in her insistence that Beck needs someone to take care of her (financially). The “And why not me?” in her line of thinking is implied, but very clear to the audience.

Peach’s suspicions of Joe were there from the word “go,” but they only increase when she realizes that Joe likely took one of the rare books from her library. Of course, her doubts about him are only amplified given that he’s her most obvious competition for Beck’s affection.

Despite the fact that Joe starts off as a “maybe,” Beck comes around within the span of the episode.

The bond between them deepens as Joe continuously encourages Beck’s writing and flatters her chronically insecure self. Beck is debilitatingly distracted with her concerns of being “unremarkable,” to the point where she doesn’t even attempt to do what she claims to be so invested in: writing. Joe flatters her and makes himself consistently available to listen as Beck confesses her traumatic childhood with her addict dad.

The introduction of Hari Nef as Blythe, an extremely talented writer (and rival) in Beck’s MFA workshop, is a great addition to the cast and helps to give Beck more of a story and perspective outside of her relationships with Joe and Peach. I’m happy to see more of Beck’s character in her own right, though I’m still not quite rooting for her yet.

The climax of the episode — pun extremely intended — comes in the final moments.

Following lots of sexual tension and near-misses (including the cringeworthy moment that Joe attempts to go down on Beck in the middle of an Ikea), the two finally hook up… only for Joe to prematurely ejaculate, much to his embarrassment and Beck’s shock. It’s a perfect, hilarious moment to end on: an incredibly mundane and ordinary relationship roadblock.

After Joe successfully disposed of his beloved’s ex against all odds, will he really be undone by this sexual mishap? Stay tuned.

Stray Thoughts and Observations:

• Blythe calling social media “the next great genocide” is the most hilariously over-the-top, perfectly pretentious moment of her many, many pretentious moments so far.
• I will never not be amused by Peach refusing to call Joe anything but “Joseph.”
• Peach’s interstitial cystitis seems designed as almost a joke, connecting to the character’s whiny and high-maintenance nature. But I actually know people IRL who suffer from this condition, so the humor in this doesn’t quite land for me.
• The actual red ladle story is way more wholesome and less salacious than Benji made it sound. I definitely don’t think he deserved to die, but Benji was a total asshat and had absolutely no love for Beck at all.

What did you think of this episode of YOU? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

 

YOU airs Sundays at 10/9c on Lifetime.

Follow us on Twitter @telltaleTV_

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!