You – Season 4 Episode 2

Published: Jul 17 2025

A genuine shift in Joe's narrative unfolds: The "you" in "You" is not his consuming fixation but a psychopathic murderer who attempted—and failed—to pin Malcolm's demise on Joe. For the rest of us, this poses an intriguing question: Can the show retain its edge when Joe becomes the hunted rather than the hunter?

You – Season 4 Episode 2 1

While it might have seemed monotonous to witness Joe chasing yet another unsuspecting, fate-bound woman for an entire season, I find myself struggling to become engrossed in unraveling the identity of the mastermind behind it all. Perhaps this is because, so far, the new characters blend into one another without distinction. None have emerged as a standout like the scene-stealing Sherry from the previous season, nor have they exhibited the riches of deplorable traits in an especially captivating and hilarious manner akin to Peach Salinger—yes, like that Salinger from season one. At present, Joe shares no history with these individuals, rendering their interest in him superficial and, consequently, less captivating to us.

Upon reflecting, I sense that Joe's predicament would be far more intriguing if he were fleeing from someone from his past... like ELLIE. Perhaps Joe is so confident that he has left his past behind that he overlooks this most plausible scenario, with every individual we've encountered in London merely serving as a decoy. Joe is so preoccupied with pondering, "Who would want Malcolm dead?" that he overlooks asking, "Who would frame Joe for murder?" Could it be that the individual who ended Malcolm's life harbored no motive beyond holding Joe accountable for his lengthy tally of homicides from which he has thus far escaped unscathed? (Minus two toes, naturally.) A thought worth contemplating!

Joe attends a dinner party celebrating Simon's art exhibition. Adam's hairstyle is a throwback, I'm sorry to say! This is a do that this gentleman would have sported in 2010, not in contemporary times! The evening passes without incident, save for the requisite ominous or death-related remarks by every speaker, designed to make Joe feel uneasy ("You steal my spotlight, and I murder you," Adam declares, as one might). Joe returns home to find a note slipped under his door, inviting him to "a night to die for." The night in question is Simon's art opening, rendering it unclear why the invitation wasn't handed out at the dinner Joe had just attended. Joe is horrified to realize that he has been thrust into "a whodunit: The lowest form of literature," which elicited a hearty laugh from me. The art show is held at Kate's gallery. Does anyone know why Joe can declare that he's Googling something, yet the search engine displayed on screen is a fake?

As Kate leaves Malcolm a series of cryptic voicemails, hinting either at her belief in his continued existence or her desperate attempts to cover her tracks knowing full well he's no more, Joe finds solace in his beloved sanctuary—the library. Here, he confronts his fears head-on, embodied by books that delight in their readability. Enter Nadia, the enigmatic and chic student, who casually reveals her multitude of jobs, quipping, "Sleep is for the rich," instantly earning her Joe's seal of approval as a Good Person™. She delves into the timeless allure of mystery novels, explaining that beneath their plots lie social commentaries, and outlines their cardinal rules: firstly, there are no mere coincidences; all homicides spring from sex, money, or revenge. Secondly, the initial suspect often turns out to be the second victim. Under the pretext of researching for a book, Joe shares his concept for a narrative—a solitary, brutal murder framed meticulously—prompting a meta-reflection on its cliché, unless executed with flawless precision. Given Nadia's foresight and Joe's insistence on a standalone incident, one wonders if anyone was genuinely taken aback by the subsequent murder.

Joe, in a moment of questionable judgment, decides to FaceTime the hitman who had issued him strict instructions to vanish and sever all communication. Elliot feigns ignorance of Joe's predicament, swiftly shattering his phone to ensure no future contact. Before Joe can digest this aggressive dismissal, a new Evanesce message pops up, revealing that the stalker is privy to Joe's false professorial identity and his alias, "Jonathan Moore." Joe's new mission: uncover the stalker's identity before they expose his own.

In the midst of her laser hair removal session, Lady Phoebe summons Joe for reasons as murky as her interrupted beauty ritual. Perhaps to verify his receipt of the art opening invitation? Yet, his presence at the dinner should suffice as an invitation. The logic falters, leaving us to surmise that Phoebe seeks any pretext to see Joe, who once said something—now forgotten—that made her feel profoundly understood in a manner her brute of a boyfriend never could. Speaking of Adam, he's on an investor call, sipping a drink at an ungodly hour of 10:00 a.m.

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