On February 9, 2023, Season 4 of the highly anticipated Netflix show You was released. This time, though, they did the same formula as Stranger Things with their release in parts. The first five episodes were released first, and the second part will come out on March 9th. This season, Joe Goldberg is not focused on a girl, but rather a group of people in which he has to solve a murder amongst them. 

    The show starts with an unspecified time jump from the previous season, and Joe has adopted a new identity and new look. He has moved from the Americanized culture in California to the European lifestyle of London after following a character from the previous season. Joe found himself in a friendly relationship with a fellow aristocratic, narcissistic professor. After going to a party with this friend Joe is entered back into the life he has been trying to avoid. The next day he discovers he has a secret admirer. 

    The first five episodes do an excellent job at catching the attention of the viewer and keeping them interested in this story. This season, although it is number four in the series, holds up to being a standalone story. There are elements and references to the past seasons, of course, but this season’s main story, the characters, and the plot can be followed by a viewer coming into the show from this season. 

   The writing for some characters in the show can be better written, but for the most part they are complex and allow for the viewer to develop their own opinion of them. These are only the first five episodes but some characters can be forgotten as the story progresses and also some characters, generally, are not likable when the writers of the show might be intending for the opposite. The writers are able to properly communicate to the viewer who is and who isn’t to be liked which is exemplified by the audience’s subsequent response. It also helps that the actors themselves play these characters well.

Part two of You season 4 released on March 9th with its last five episodes. These episodes built upon the information left off in episode 5. The second half of this season is just as enthralling as the previous, if not more. There are even more plot twists and shocking information that many viewers would never see coming. The characters that were previously mentioned as unlikeable or forgotten, are brought back and become likeable. Although a couple still remain unlikeable to us but a few others actually develop their character more in these episodes and became fan favorites. In the latter half of the season brought us closer to Joe than we have ever been, and learned more about him than the past 3 seasons.

After watching this season of You we rate it an overall 8.5/10 on the Shocktullo review scale. The season grabbed our attention right from the beginning and kept us throughout the rest of the season. The mystery in the first half of the season brought us into a situation where we can see Joe do what he is really good at, finding information about people. The second half of the season kept us in by allowing us to see the effects of what happened in the first half, and also with a new twist that adds to the suspense and the dramatic story that is being told. The only issues we have with this season are some of the characters that are brought into the show and some of the pacing in the show with scenes could have been a little different. Other than those gripes we have no other issues with season and think it is a very good watch.