Spoilers lie ahead for You’s series finale. If you aren't there yet, you should definitely hop into one of our other articles. You are welcome.
After an excruciatingly long wait, the fifth and final season of You has finally landed on the 2025 TV schedule for Netflix subscription holders. Unsurprisingly, the season is downright nuts. It introduces a new love interest for Penn Badgley’s Joe Goldberg, who ultimately winds up being the key to finally giving Joe what he truly deserves. Although I do have some mixed feelings about the final season, Badgley explained why the series finale was an appropriate end, and I agree with him.
Throughout Season 5 of the stalker drama, Joe tries to live a new life but, of course, different variables keep getting in the way, like his past coming back to haunt him and more people seeking to expose him.
By the series finale, Joe is finally caught and sentenced to prison on many, many counts for the murders of Beck and Love. He’ll be spending the rest of his life in prison, and Badgley told EW why it was the appropriate end for him, despite a number of viewers wanting him to be killed:
The finale, to me, it's doing everything that could possibly be done in a satisfying manner. I think he's delivered to his truly appropriate end. And then the only thing left is to realize [that] there is no ending that could satisfy anyone 100 percent, because justice for a man like Joe isn't in and of itself satisfying. I mean, he's an abuser. He's a killer. He's a bad person. So I think being satisfied is a positive thing.
Obviously, it would have been easier to kill Joe, whether he was shot by Bronte in the woods or in some other fashion. However, the Gossip Girl alum makes a good point. Not only was justice finally served for Beck and Love after all these years, but Joe now has to spend the rest of his life alone. He always searches for the next person to fixate on, hence the entire plot of the show. With that, him now not having anyone kind of human connection, except for the deranged fan letters he’s been getting in prison, is certainly poetic and feels like a long time coming.
What It Felt Like To Get To The End Of You As A Fan
For fans, there was no way of knowing how You would end. Despite it being a loose book-to-screen adaptation of Caroline Kepnes' novel series, the show diverted from the books following the first season, keeping fans on their toes in the process. Like Badgley said, not everyone is going to be satisfied with the ending, but I was satisfied knowing what Joe is going to endure in prison is a whole lot worse for him than just being sentenced to death.
That aside, You’s final season brought back some familiar faces, but, unfortunately, series alum Jenna Ortega was not one of them. After starring in the second season as Ellie Alves, Ortega never returned. There was some hope that Ortega could return, and she previously expressed her disappointment about not being able to appear in the fourth season due to her Wednesday filming schedule. The creators still had ideas for her return, and I’m so sad they couldn't be used.
When a show nears its end, it's common that viewers hope the main character gets their due in one way or another. If you ask me, You certainly dished out a worthy fate for Joe, and I'm glad how his ending panned out. While I'm also sad the show is over, I look forward to rewatching the journey from the beginning.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
