Warning: This story contains spoilers from season 4, part 1 of You.
Hello, Joe — or is it Jonathan? Joe Goldberg may have committed too many crimes to start fresh, but that’s exactly what he tries to do in part 1 of You season 4.
The Netflix series’ fourth installment, which premiered on Thursday, February 9, takes the show in a refreshing new direction, with Joe (Penn Badgley) living in London and trying to begin a new life as college professor Jonathan Moore. While Joe quickly finds himself involved in yet another murder, he becomes the targeted prey instead of focusing on the object of his own affection.
“Season 4 is a legit departure. It’s even in a bit of a different genre, it’s a bit of a whodunnit,” Badgley shared during an “On Air With Ryan Seacrest” interview in February 2023.
Joe’s major goal in part 1 is to uncover the Eat the Rich Killer — a mysterious entity who is threatening to frame him for murder after a drunken and drug-fueled night leaves his memory unreliable. While he initially attempts to keep his hands clean, a work connection leaves him tied to London’s elites — and trying to clear his name.
“Part 1 was a nice reprieve. You always need to sort of go away to come back again, I suppose. And with this season, it was more true than ever,” Badgley told TV Insider in February 2023 about season 4’s first batch of episodes. “To spend five episodes in a really different genre altogether is a stretch and a challenge. I think we rose to it.”
Despite displaying a new facet of his character — and even getting a new name — playing Joe/Johnathan still felt all too familiar to the Gossip Girl alum.
“The weird thing about Joe though is that he’s just so distinct,” Badgley explained to the outlet. “And the device of the narration and everything, it’s still always so physical. I’m always doing physical things. It may not be obvious as a viewer, but it is a very physically demanding role. So in that way, it was very much the Joe I’ve always known.”
While Joe may be doing his best in You season 4, that doesn’t mean Badgley’s opinions on the character have changed — or how he hopes to see the psychological thriller end.
“The show has always been a little bit of a meditation on [people blindly trusting Joe]. Like, what are we really doing here? Why do we like this guy?” he said. “I hope that we’re headed towards a tragic, just end for him, whatever that is.”
All seasons of You are streaming on Netflix.
Sign up for Us Weekly’s free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!
Keep scrolling to see how things ended for Joe and his new pals in part 1 of You season 4: