Rating: 2.5/5 stars

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for “YOU”

As “YOU” season four comes to an end, so do the hopes for a redemption season. After the fiery mayhem that engulfed Madre Linda in season three, the show’s title character — Joe Goldberg — escaped, yet again, to London. As always, he changed his name and now goes by Jonathan Moore, a professor of American Literature at a fictional university. While the show used to be exciting and thrilling, it has now become a chore to watch and a burden to bear. 

1. Every season is formulaic

Much like a sitcom, “YOU” follows a very specific seasonal pattern. “YOU” is not a sitcom, which means the formulaic seasons it follows do not have the same effect as they do in sitcoms. Watching 10 episodes, each being 45 minutes long, of the same thing that was seen last season gets old quickly. Rather than creating a cohesive, well-planned storyline, the writers scrap the events of the previous season and place Joe in a new city with a completely new cast.

2. The supporting cast in season four was weak and, at times, distracting

Each season, the supporting cast has lacked more and more. The first two seasons started strong with fervent and impactful supporting characters, but the fourth season’s supporting ensemble slowly dissolve into a heap of dull individuals. Replacing the supporting characters each season takes away from the overarching plot and leaves a disconnect between the audience and the characters. 

3. Writers killed off the fan-favorite character

On the topic of switching characters around, it is important to mention Love Quinn — Joe’s lover in seasons two and three. Love was a fan favorite, so you can only imagine people’s frustration when Joe killed her. Many hoped that she somehow survived and would reappear for vengeance in the new season, but sadly, that was not the case. Many feel as though the show is lifeless without Love, and killing her off was the biggest mistake yet. 

4. Plot holes from existing seasons leave the audience wondering 

As aforementioned, the seasons of “YOU” usually start with a brand new cast and scenery, which causes some major plot holes. For example, in season two, Joe protects a teenager named Ellie and sends her off on a train with a promise to consistently send her money for her silence. After season two, Ellie is hardly mentioned again. This has happened with four other characters, so tell me this: If all of these people are alive and know Joe’s truth, why has no one spoken up? Joe continually gets away with his horrific crimes, though multiple people could put him behind bars, and yet he still walks free. 

5. Joe’s character traits are inconsistent

To give one final reason, let us dive into Joe’s characteristics. Joe is the most inconsistent character ever to be written, which may be a controversial statement, but the facts are there. In the fourth season, Joe learns that he is followed by a shadow: his own. He develops some sort of personality disorder, which is a fascinating way to move the show along, but the audience is not shown what the disorder is or how it came about. It is not shown what triggered the ripple effect of the disorder, just the aftermath, which makes the storyline feel rushed and unnecessary. 

While fans still hold out hope that things turn around for the once sensational “YOU,” doubt is in the air. If the show takes another hard hit in the coming season, it will be hard to recover. Ultimately, it does not matter what you watch; these are just a few reasons to venture into new shows and leave the old ones behind.