You Season 5 on Netflix Review: A Ridiculous, Overstayed Farewell

You Season 5 on Netflix Review: A Ridiculous, Overstayed Farewell – If You were a relationship, it would be the kind you stay in way too long—the kind where you keep saying, “This is the last time,” only to crawl back for one more messy, dramatic round. And now, after five seasons of murder, obsession, and increasingly absurd plot twists, Netflix’s You has finally reached its overdue conclusion.

The question isn’t whether Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) gets what he deserves—it’s whether the show itself does. Because let’s be honest: You should have ended seasons ago. It’s been running on fumes, recycling the same toxic love story with different victims, different cities, and increasingly ludicrous twists. And yet… here we are.

Read: How to Deal with Disappointment in a Relationship

Season 5 picks up with Joe now living in New York (again), married to Kate Lockwood (Charlotte Ritchie), a British heiress with her own dark secrets (because of course she does). He’s also managed to reclaim his son, Henry, thanks to Kate’s wealth and influence—because nothing says “redemption arc” like using your new wife’s money to bypass legal guardianship.

But if you think Joe has turned over a new leaf, think again. This is You, after all—a show that thrives on the delusion that a serial killer can somehow be both a monster and a romantic lead.

Same Old Joe, Same Old Story

If you’ve seen even one season of You, you know the drill:

1. Joe falls in “love” (read: obsession) with a new woman.

2. Someone gets suspicious of him.

3. People start dying.

4. Joe justifies everything in his signature creepy inner monologue.

This season is no different—except now, the formula feels especially tired. The new object of Joe’s affection is Bronte (Madeline Brewer), a gratingly pretentious writer who somehow becomes entangled in his web. Meanwhile, Kate’s inner circle starts sniffing around Joe’s past, threatening to expose his London murder spree (and her family’s “oops, we gave kids cancer” scandal).

But the real “twist” this season? Twins.

Yes, you read that right. A significant chunk of the season revolves around Joe’s deranged sister-in-laws, Reagan and Maddie (both played by Anna Camp), who are determined to take him down. What follows is a convoluted, exhausting game of cat-and-mouse that feels like it was written by someone who binge-watched Pretty Little Liars and thought, “But what if… more ridiculous?”

The performances are fine—Badgley remains compelling even when the material is weak, and Charlotte Ritchie is criminally underused—but the writing is so heavy-handed that even the most dramatic moments land with a thud.

The Finale: A Surprisingly Strong Goodbye

Here’s the thing: You didn’t need a fifth season. It didn’t even need a fourth. But if there’s one saving grace, it’s the finale.

Without spoiling anything, the last episode is by far the best of the season—so much so that it almost feels like it belongs to a different show. The pacing tightens, the cinematography becomes more cinematic, and the emotional weight finally lands. There’s a particular scene set to Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” that’s so well-executed, you’ll almost forget the nonsense that came before it.

And then there’s Joe’s fate. Is it satisfying? Is it poetic? Is it laughably on-the-nose? Yes. All of the above.

Verdict: A Mercy Killing Long Overdue

You has been a guilty pleasure for years—the kind of show you hate-watch while rolling your eyes. But even the most devoted fans have to admit: it’s been running in circles for too long.

Season 5 is messy, repetitive, and often downright silly. But the finale? That’s worth sticking around for. If nothing else, it gives Joe Goldberg the ending he deserves—and finally, finally, lets us move on.

Goodbye, Joe. We won’t miss you. (Okay, maybe a little.)