After five seasons of obsession, murder, and identity swaps, Netflix’s You wraps up its twisted tale with Season 5 — a season that feels equal parts nostalgic and numb. While longtime fans hoped for a grand finale that would bring Joe Goldberg’s journey full circle, what we get instead is a finale filled with self-reflection, slow pacing, and an unsettling lack of suspense. The show still packs a few punches, but the thrill that once made You irresistible has dimmed into something more introspective and uneven.
Joe’s Final Form: Charmer, Villain, or Something Worse?
Penn Badgley returns as Joe Goldberg, now living a public life in New York with Kate Lockwood, his billionaire wife. No longer in hiding, Joe has traded the shadows for the spotlight — but as we all know, peace is never permanent for him. Despite his clean image, the darker corners of Joe’s psyche are never far, and it doesn’t take long for the chaos to creep back in.
This season tries to challenge our perception of Joe more directly than ever before. Is he a product of trauma, a manipulative psychopath, or simply a mirror of our own fascination with “dark heroes”? The writers want us to wrestle with that question — and by the end, it’s clear they’re also judging us for ever being on Joe’s side. It’s a gutsy angle, but one that may leave viewers feeling called out rather than satisfied.
A Return to Roots That Misses the Mark
There’s a deliberate attempt to circle back to where it all began — New York City, Mooney’s bookstore, and even the infamous glass cage return in some form. For fans of the first two seasons, these callbacks might feel like comfort food. But nostalgia alone doesn’t keep the show moving. The pacing in the first half is especially slow, bogged down by corporate subplots surrounding Kate’s family empire. What should feel tense and tight instead drags, with several characters — like Raegan, Kate’s sister — failing to leave much impact.
Bronte, a new character introduced mid-season, does inject some energy. As a sharp, enigmatic writer, she reignites Joe’s obsession and brings a glimmer of the old You magic. But even her arc feels rushed and underused by the time we reach the climax.
The Meta Finale: Smart or Smug?
By the time we get to the final episode, You tries to pull off something bold. It turns the mirror back on the audience, essentially asking, “Why did you ever root for this guy?” It’s a compelling question, and one the show tries to answer through a twisted, layered ending that blurs reality with Joe’s inner fantasy. But the delivery feels heavy-handed. Rather than offering a cathartic payoff, it lands like a lecture — smart, but lacking heart.
Joe’s fate, while thematically appropriate, might leave some viewers cold. The lack of true consequences and the show’s refusal to take a firm stance on his morality feel like a missed opportunity. We wanted a reckoning. What we got was a philosophical shrug.
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Final Thoughts: A Series That Ends With a Whisper, Not a Scream
You Season 5 isn’t a total misfire. There are moments of brilliance — Badgley’s performance remains captivating, and the writing is sharp when it leans into satire. But as a finale, it struggles to balance its ambitions with the need for emotional closure. It questions the very foundations of its success, which is bold — but perhaps too meta for its own good.
In the end, You doesn’t offer redemption or a satisfying fall from grace. It offers a mirror. And maybe that’s the point. But as a fan, it’s hard not to wish for a few more chills before the curtain closed.