‘You’ Is Still Netflix’s Most Unpredictable Thriller, 8 Years Later

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Okay, let me tell you, after eight seasons, You remains the most genuinely shocking and addictive thriller on Netflix. Penn Badgley really made a name for himself as the sensitive writer Dan Humphrey on Gossip Girl, and even popped up in that little-remembered The Bedford Diaries. But he’s truly brilliant as Joe Goldberg. On the surface, Joe seems perfect – he’s bookish, works in a bookstore, and appears to want a real relationship. The catch? He’s a serial killer. It’s a darkly compelling performance, and the show still manages to keep you guessing, even knowing what he’s capable of.

Among the many fast-paced thriller series available, You stands out for its truly unsettling visuals, from the basement cage in Season 1 to Joe’s disturbing hallucinations in Season 4. It can be a difficult show to watch at times, as scenes of Joe’s manipulation, violence, and traumatic past evoke strong emotions in viewers. Even after nearly ten years, You continues to surprise and captivate audiences with its unpredictable nature.

Why ‘You’ Is Still Netflix’s Most Shocking Thriller Series


Netflix

Compared to recent thrillers on Netflix, You remains the most surprising and, frankly, the best. Take The Beast in Me, for instance. The show centers around whether Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys) killed his wife, but it quickly becomes obvious that he did. While it’s still interesting to watch Claire Danes as an author investigating her neighbor, the lack of genuine suspense is disappointing. A good thriller should keep you guessing, and this one doesn’t quite deliver. Plus, despite Matthew Rhys’s charm, Nile just doesn’t captivate you the way Joe Goldberg does.

Both Wayward, released in September 2025, and His & Hers, which premiered on January 8, 2026, feel predictable. There’s debate over whether Wayward deserves a second season, largely because the first season’s ending is underwhelming and lacks surprise. Knowing Laura Redman (Sarah Gadon) has a mysterious history connected to Evelyn Wade (Toni Collette), the final events involving Laura don’t feel particularly impactful.

To make matters worse, the show His & Hers ends with a predictable and unsatisfying plot twist. Because the character Lexy Jones is established as untrustworthy early on, her eventual reveal isn’t surprising. The other big reveal also has some confusing gaps in the story. The ending feels forced, and the miniseries leaves viewers with unanswered questions that likely won’t be resolved.

It’s hard for any recent plot twists to compare to the big reveals and season endings in You. Discovering that Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti) was also a villain, or seeing Kate Lockwood (Charlotte Ritchie) and Bronte (Madeline Brewer) figure out Joe’s true nature were truly shocking. Even in the first season, the finale felt inevitable – you knew Joe would harm Beck (Elizabeth Lail), and it was agonizing to watch. While many viewers predicted Joe would either die or be arrested, the series finale, in a way, played out as expected.

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Despite Joe’s predictable cycle of eliminating perceived rivals and proclaiming each new love interest is ‘the one,’ the show remains captivating. Just when it seems he might escape his past, Love’s pregnancy throws a wrench in his plans. This twist is clever, forcing Joe to confront the possibility of fatherhood and whether he’s capable of change. It also hits on the core questions of the show: are people fundamentally good or bad, and is genuine personal growth ever possible?

Compared to other thrillers out there, You really grabs your attention. Hopefully, the next suspenseful show will be just as captivating as Joe’s unsettling story.



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2026-02-14 03:35