Netflix’s “You” Season 5 concludes Joe Goldberg’s toxic odyssey in a blaze of glory — but not the one that fans anticipated. Rather than a masterful, edge-of-your-seat buildup, the show teeters into melodrama, plot fallacies, and hasty character developments that offend the dark wit the series initially promised.
Joe’s duality — a dash of sociopath, a pinch of hopeless romantic — was once the show’s selling point. Here in the series finale, however, his contradictions of right and wrong devolve into reckless plotting and contrived twists that push plausibility to its limits. The story unravels beneath its own gravity, leaving audiences disoriented instead of fulfilled.
Symbolism and actual flames abound, as the series resorts to frantically trying to provide some kind of dramatic payoff. But the effect fails because of poorly defined side characters, neglected subplots, and a conclusion that’s more fan service than narrative resolution. Even Penn Badgley’s good acting can’t save the mess.
Whereas “You” previously excelled for its psychological acuity and biting commentary on obsession, Season 5 is a show in conflict with itself — uncertain whether it’s a thriller, a satire, or a knowing parody. Alas, it ends up being none of them.
