After four seasons cutting a bloody trail across the United States and Europe, Joe Goldberg has come home. The fifth and final season of Netflix thriller “You” finds the bookish serial killer (played by Penn Badgley) back in New York, married to his latest love, and surrounded by every comfort money can buy. His wife Kate is a billionaire and the CEO of her late father’s megacorporation, which she is using her power to transform into a force for good. Her money has covered up his bloody history, restored his son Henry to their custody, and vaulted Joe into media hunk status: he’s the ultimate wife guy, a humble hottie who holds Kate’s purse at photoshoots.

But if there’s one thing we can count on, it’s that no measure of domestic bliss and financial stability can quell Joe’s murderous rampages. Before the first episode has even ended, Joe is itching to kill again. Inevitably, Joe finds himself with an inconvenient new romantic fixation, a new stash of bodies to hide, and a psychological coping mechanism — acceptance. In season 5, our killer has decided to fully embrace his passion for murder, which he reframes as a noble impulse for protecting those he loves.

With his new lover, Bronte, Joe explores the genre of dark romance, glamorizing the idea of a violent and abusive male hero whose brutality seduces and ultimately protects the heroine. But there are twists galore that complicate their love story, not to mention his marriage and the stability it provides.

In this episode, we recap Joe’s journey, discuss whether it stuck the landing, and unpack the season’s themes — the dark romance genre, twins and doppelgangers, true crime TikTok and the manosphere, class and power, and more. And with that, we bid a final farewell to “You.” Hope you enjoy! xo

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