You – Season 3 Episode 3

Published: Jul 18 2025

Must we endure the incessant wails of the baby onscreen? A mere suggestion, but I fancy that TV dramas featuring infants should opt for exposition rather than endless crying scenes. Imagine a character stepping in and casually remarking, "At long last, the baby has ceased its wailing; it's been howling for what feels like an eternity." We'd get the picture, wouldn't we? Furthermore, what gives with Joe, the self-proclaimed literary connoisseur and intellectual, indulging in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'? Joe, you've outgrown middle school. It's high time you dove into a novel befitting an adult reader.

You – Season 3 Episode 3 1

As anticipated, the vanishing act of Natalie, a wealthy, camera-friendly white woman whose spouse happens to be a tech titan, has become a sensation in the news. Love, gazing out the window at the TV vans, prompts Joe to narrate, "You are worried," for in the realm of 'show, don't tell,' this narrative insists on overkill—more is undeniably more, folks! Joe reminds his spouse of their impeccable cooperation with the authorities. Love then seizes upon the notion of framing Matthew for the whole ordeal, as if it were the most obvious solution! Joe, clinging desperately to his moral pedestal, is horrified by his wife's "Lady Macbeth moment." Subsequently, Love reverts to her damsel-in-distress act, Joe's favorite schtick.

Glamma breezes in, confidently asserting that the husband must be the culprit. "Husbands are the ones you have to watch out for. Ray would kill me in a heartbeat if I didn't strike first," she declares. What?? Who utters such things? (Only someone subtly hinting at impending doom for their daughter… right?) Free from the bonds of childcare, Love heads to work, where Sherry and her minions drop by as 'concerned citizens,' engaging in their typical 'Search Party' antics, making the disappearance all about themselves. Later, Sherry goes on air, mentioning that Love was among the last to see Natalie alive. How helpful!

Meanwhile, Joe finds himself at the library. Now, we are well aware that Joe is a sociopath, but why must Marienne be so dismissive towards him? Shouldn't she encourage volunteerism at the library? What harm could there be in a young father bringing his child there daily? Furthermore, Marienne drops the "missing white woman syndrome" bombshell on Joe as if it's a groundbreaking revelation, when in reality, isn't this a widely acknowledged phenomenon? I mean, haven't we been dissecting the racist undertones of our collective fascination with white female crime victims since at least 'Gone Girl's' release nearly a decade ago? Her tone suggests she believes she's imparting profound wisdom, when in my opinion, it's merely a superficial observation. And for someone as personally invested in white female crime victims—not to mention manipulating the narrative of their untimely ends and disposing of their gorgeous corpses—Joe would undoubtedly be well-versed in this phenomenon.

The detectives delve deeper into Joe and Natalie's cursory greeting in the grocery store parking lot, where Joe handed her a packet of condoms with the casual line, "Hey neighbor, I bought you some condoms." Joe and Love feigned ignorance of their limited but undeniable interactions with Natalie, yet it was evident they should have been upfront about it from the outset. Joe conjured an absurd alibi, claiming he had ventured to the parking lot to masturbate in his car due to the lack of privacy at home, an admission that, strangely enough, rings true to his character.

Meanwhile, Theo, the eerily composed teenager who remained unperturbed by the abrupt disappearance of his stepfather's wife, strolled into the bakery, intent on flirting with Love. She firmly established boundaries, rejecting his advances, though it's clear these lines will eventually blur. Just as their frosty relationship began to thaw, Love received a call from Glamma: Henry was ill. The diagnosis? Measles. Joe, narrating through a voiceover, proclaimed that nothing in his life had ever instilled such terror as this moment. My thought? Can we possibly endure even a fraction of this episode without resorting to a tired parenting cliché? First, we were hit with the revelation that new parents are deprived of sleep; next, the inevitability of babies' incessant crying. Now, we're subjected to the overused trope of a parent's unparalleled fear for their child's wellbeing. Frankly, this supposed suspenseful twist fell flat, as this show isn't about taking such drastic measures as killing off a child, especially not in its third episode.

The pressing question now is: Who, among the unvaccinated, was responsible for transmitting measles to Henry? Was Joe's neglectful mother so vile that she failed to vaccinate him as a child? Did Glamma overlook inoculating her cherished twins? Or, most plausibly, did one of Madre Linda's hippy-dippy, toxin-averse parents spread the disease? This twist irks me slightly because the show acknowledges that COVID-19 did, in fact, occur in this universe (recall Joe's quip about Sherry hosting a party in August 2020). It seems highly improbable that the snobby, judgmental parents who meticulously vaccinate their children would mingle with anti-vaxxers, especially at gatherings attended by their kids.

On another family front, Glamma squandered her money on a vineyard, leaving Love to fend for herself at the bakery. While one might expect us to be furious with Glamma, Love willfully signed a three-year lease for a space she couldn't afford without consulting her mother about financial support. Love's solution? To tell her mother to exit her life immediately. Farewell, free babysitting!

Moreover, the bakery has garnered media attention as "the final spot where Natalie was witnessed." Love realizes that feigning normalcy is futile; it's time to implement plan B. In unison, she and Joe concoct a scheme to implicate Matthew — their banter about using the term "implicate" amuses me greatly — and Joe casually mentions, almost as an aside, that he's kept Natalie's bloodstained scarf as a precautionary measure, purely for insurance purposes, absolutely not for any bizarre reasons! Love is so relieved that she scarcely feels any anger towards him.

However, just as Joe prepares to plant the scarf in Matthew's trash as evidence, his entire body succumbs to weakness. He too has contracted measles. I'm unsure if "vivid hallucinations" are a common side effect of measles, but I refrain from Googling it, embracing this as a delightful plot twist and choosing not to dwell on its realism. In his hallucinatory state, Joe instructs his measles-ridden self to don a hoodie and vault over the fence. Measles Joe embarks on a feverish dreamscape journey back to his bullying-ridden childhood, where the only source of compassion is a charming nurse (Oh dear, did she meet an untimely demise beneath a concrete slab somewhere?). He awakens... on Matthew's couch, confronting him with, "What were you doing in my backyard?"

Meanwhile, Theo and Love forge a bond at the hospital. Theo had locked up the bakery for her, brought her comforting tacos, and enveloped her in a hug when she needed it most. I wholeheartedly approve of these gestures, though I harbor concerns for Theo and anyone who crosses paths with Love and Joe. Theo will remain absent from school until the mystery surrounding Natalie's disappearance is resolved. His home life is strained due to his estranged relationship with his stepfather, who supposedly lacks communication skills. This irony is intriguing, given his openness with Joe! (I couldn't help but burst into laughter when Joe, upon discovering Matthew had given him Tylenol, exclaimed in disbelief, "Is Matthew nice? What have I done? I cannot frame this angel of acetaminophen for MURDER; it would be morally reprehensible!") Joe decides against framing Matthew, believing it akin to "killing a mockingbird." I audibly groaned in my apartment, uttering, "Ugh."

Joe advises Matthew to address the press to salvage his reputation. I fail to comprehend how a man of Matthew's financial standing lacks a lawyer and a crisis manager. Why are these individuals navigating this crisis without professional counsel? Surely, Matthew, presumably a tech celebrity if not Bezos-level wealthy, would possess a legal team and a PR squad to articulate statements on his behalf.

Henry's fever finally subsides, prompting Joe and Love to reach a consensus: they couldn't bring themselves to frame their neighbor for a heinous crime. United in their decision, they consign the incriminating scarf to the flames. Meanwhile, detectives uncover Natalie's engagement ring, carelessly left atop a bathroom sink at the state park by Love.

At a somber vigil held on Matthew and Natalie's front lawn, Matthew ventures outside, his eyes brimming with concern. He pleads with Natalie, as if she could hear him, to return home. His words take a menacing turn as he vows that should anyone harm her, he will relentlessly track them down and exact justice. I would have suggested he wrap an arm around Theo for the benefit of the cameras, but Matthew didn't seek my counsel.

Gale, a father from the neighborhood, arrives at Love's bakery, his heart heavy with remorse. His twin daughters had contracted measles, but thankfully, it was a mild case they could weather at their grandmother's. He apologies profusely, hoping Love won't hold it against them. "We simply don't believe in exposing our children to harmful vaccinations," declares the man who's soon to wield a rolling pin with sinister intentions. Though I suspect he's not fatally injured—such an act would require considerable upper-body strength and something far more potent than a rolling pin—it seems we have our first occupant for the plexiglass cell in the bakery's basement! Do you think they'll charge him rent? Love's financial standing is proving to be more precarious than she anticipated.

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