You Season 3 Review: Joe’s Journey to Suburbia Marks the Series’ Most Addicting Outing Yet
You Season 3 has finally arrived on Netflix, and the show’s latest round of episodes may comprise its best outing yet. After a second season that lulled in the middle, You’s third outing doesn’t let up. It delivers surprise after surprise, hooking viewers from episode one.
The latest chapter of You opens with Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) and Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti) raising their newborn in suburbia. And although they’ve only been married a few months, things are already falling apart.
Now that Joe sees himself mirrored in Love, his obsession with her has completely fizzled out. Likewise, he doesn’t feel connected to their kid in the way he expected — especially after they find out it’s a boy.
Joe seeks solace in the next-door neighbor, but that ultimately seals the neighbor’s fate. When Love realizes he’s been noticing someone else, she pulls a Joe. They spend most of the season trying to cover her impulsive murder.
Of course, that’s not the only thing Love does to get them into trouble during You Season 3. Her questionable actions lead to one problem after the other, and Joe’s mostly left cleaning the mess.
That’s not to say Joe is completely innocent in the third season of the Netflix series. His way of coping with Love’s behavior involves a return to stalking. That eventually leads him right back where he started.
Although the pair wants to be better for their son, they wind up in a battle of wits with one another. If you thought Joe had met his match back in You Season 2, prepare to be floored by his back and forth with Love this season.
It’s enough to keep anyone hitting play on the next episode.
Victoria Pedretti steals the show
Without a doubt, the most compelling moments of You Season 3 stem from Pedretti’s performance as Love. While Joe’s despicable behavior typically keeps us glued to the screen, this time it’s Love doing the heavy lifting.
For one, Love’s failure to control her rage leads to far more interesting scenarios than Joe’s stalking and killing. Since Love never thinks ahead, the duo winds up having quite a few close calls. That makes for a nail-biting chapter of the series.
Love’s grief over her brother, Forty (James Nicholas Scully), and her struggle to fit in — both with her own family and the people outside of it — also makes for a more captivating psychological journey than revisiting Joe’s past again.
That could just be Pedretti’s acting, which is outstanding this season. She’s just as believable during Love’s vulnerable moments as she is during the violent ones.
And despite the character’s obvious flaws, you’ll find yourself feeling for her. Pedretti’s just that good.
The new episodes show a different side of Joe
Pedretti is the shining star of You Season 3, but Joe’s storyline isn’t exactly uninteresting. In fact, Badgley’s character actually shows some level of growth during the new episodes. Since he’s already so far beyond redemption, we’ll have to do with that what we will.
Still, it’s fascinating to have a season of the series where Joe’s body count remains relatively low. It’s certainly his most lengthy effort at changing — though you’ll still grow tired of hearing “never again” come out of his mouth.
The end also sees him making the incredibly difficult choice regarding his son, proving he genuinely does have Henry’s best interests at heart. That’s not enough to redeem his character, but it adds yet another layer to the show’s lead.
The flashbacks of his experience growing up in the system also contrast his decision about Henry nicely. Much of Joe’s hesitation this season stems from his own history, and the show drives that point home impressively.
Of course, Joe’s final confrontation with Love proves he’s no less conniving than he was previously. He’s still dangerous and meticulous about covering his tracks. That’s a scary thought going into You Season 4, especially now that he has no family to worry about.
You Season 3 upends all expectations
The other great thing about You Season 3 is that it constantly challenges viewers’ expectations. Every interaction between Joe and Love leads to another surprise — and they aren’t the only ones adding to the shock value.
From the very first episode, the third season takes what viewers believe the season will be about and throws it out the window. Despite trailers suggesting Natalie (Michaela McManus) would be Joe’s new obsession, we wind up seeing very little of her.
Even something as simple as having certain characters survive their run-ins with the couple serves to keep the story fresh and interesting. That’s especially true after two seasons of certain death for anyone who winds up in Joe’s cage.
And You Season 3 remains surprising until the very last episode, when the explosive final showdown between Joe and Love quickly gets turned upside down. You’ll marvel at the characters’ ability to one-up one another, and rightfully so.
You’ll be rooting for the newcomers
Every season of You has new characters for fans to worry about, but Joe and Love’s snobby, suburban neighbors are surprisingly charming. You’ll find yourself rooting for them in the end — even the ones who didn’t seem all that likable.
Sherry (Shalita Grant) and Cary (Travis Van Winkle) are standouts, and the former may be the smartest person Joe and Love have ever butted heads with. It doesn’t seem that way at first, but these two have as many layers as the show’s leads.
Even Theo (Dylan Arnold), Natalie’s step-son and Love’s college-aged love interest, will have viewers shouting at the screen. His blind faith in Love is the stuff horror movies are made of, and he’s constantly running up the stairs instead of out the door.
Finally, Tati Gabrielle stuns as Marienne, Joe’s coworker at the library (and his actual new obsession). Although Marienne doesn’t get to experience Joe’s true nature like Beck and Love did, she makes a refreshing addition to the season. She’s like a breath of fresh air amid all the chaos.
Will Joe’s actions ever come back to haunt him?
It’s hard to find fault with You‘s fast-paced, thrilling third season, but there is one aspect of the show that’s becoming less and less believable: Joe’s ability to escape consequences.
So many threads remain open from previous seasons, with Beck’s (Elizabeth Lail) book out there in the world and Ellie (Jenna Ortega) still wandering around. Will the show ever bring these elements back? It’s starting to seem unlikely.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of You Season 3 is where Joe winds up at the end. Although the huge shift in setting promises big things for season 4, it also sinks the possibility of someone finding his trail.
That’s disappointing for those hoping to see Joe get some comeuppance — and to see characters from his previous outings return down the line.
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What did you think of You Season 3? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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