“You” season four came out this February, and I could not have been more excited.

Joe Goldberg is an obsessive, narcissistic bookstore clerk who is always in search of “the one.” Joe is the narrator of the show, so as the audience we know everything he is thinking. Joe becomes obsessed and attached to women at random. The show teeters between two very different points of view: reality and Joe’s narrative. 

He’s your friendly neighbor who always seems to come to the rescue at the right time, has a suspicious past and is somehow just always…there. Because he’s a stalker.

Also, he’s a murderer.

It seems like the directors want us to like Joe. It is hard not to like him when all he talks about is the justifications for his actions. None of the other characters are perfect either. They all have their flaws, so it can be hard to remember not to glorify Joe’s actions.

Joe is always searching for his life partner and is willing to do anything to be with them. He stalks women who attract him, but makes it seem like it was a coincidence he met them. He kills people in these women’s lives who seem to be interfering with his own personal narrative of how things should go with these women. So far Joe has killed 11 people, and he somehow has a justification for killing all of them.

While this show may seem creepy to some (and it is), I love it.

Penn Badgley, who plays Joe, is perfect for this role. He plays the loveable, hot, yet creepy neighbor very well. All of his love interests play strong women who happened to get caught up with Joe. Victoria Pedretti did an amazing job as Joe’s most serious love interest, Love Quinn, who was just as crazy as Joe.

The show really leaves you wondering what is going to happen next, because of how impulsive Joe and the other characters’ decisions are. After every crime Joe commits, some complication occurs, like the police show up or other side characters appear at the most inconvenient times. Joe is always so close to getting caught you never know what’s going to happen, you just have to keep watching. 

Something about the fact that Joe is always able to get away in the nick of time, or is always one step ahead of everyone else fascinates me. Why? I’m never really sure if Joe will get away from his crimes unscathed. 

During our everyday lives, at least mine, I usually find myself just going through the motions: wake up, school, practice, homework, sleep, repeat. It’s nice to escape into a suspenseful world where you never know what is about to happen. 

While this show’s main focus is on a narcissistic killer, that doesn’t mean watching it is advocating or supporting Joe’s actions. You can watch this show without supporting Joe’s actions and enjoy the thrills at a distance.