Lifetime's You - Episode 1.03 "Maybe"
Joe has done so much to clear the decks for Happily Ever After with Beck. But Beck suddenly seems less than certain that Joe is The One, so he sets out to prove he's boyfriend material. But balancing this important time in their blossoming potential relationship with the tricky behind-the-scenes maneuvers he's been pulling proves challenging for Joe.
In 2018, it has become very difficult to keep up with every television show out there. It's even more difficult to provide adequate coverage on this site about the episodes that air every week. Not every show can get full coverage because of my busy and hectic viewing schedule. As such, some reviews will now be condensed to give only some summary thoughts. But it also affords a space for me to jot down my thoughts on the various episodes. And so, here are my thoughts on this week's episode of Lifetime's You.
"Maybe" was written by April Blair and directed by Marcos Siega
The disposal of a corpse has become such a popular plot development in anti-hero dramas over the last decade. As such, the shows that find creative and different ways to do so are the ones that actually succeed in tormenting the audience. They are the ones that revel in the depravity of the main character. Here, Joe believes he is still a nice guy who just conveniently has a dead body he now needs to deal with. He killed Benji. It was a choice he wanted to make. He believed he was acting in Beck's best interest. And now, he can't stomach the idea of pulling the teeth out to ensure that no one will ever be able to identify him. He believes he is smart. And yes, he is still is able to trick a fair amount of people. He has Paco running around town picking up all the items he needs to burn the body in the woods. When the police come questioning the list, Joe already has a convenient explanation for everything. Sure, it further increases the tension between Joe and Ron. The audience should also feel torn about Ron. He is absolutely right in being able to point out that there is something incredible wrong and disturbed with Joe. He should not be around Paco at all. And yet, Joe is also the only guy who is kind to Paco while Ron is just an abusive drunk taking advantage of a good situation. The show is actually presenting a universe in which everyone is terrible. They all carry around their baggage and make some completely depraved decisions. Joe just happens to be the worst amongst them because he is trying to control Beck and her life. He is an actual killer who still manages to get away with all of it. He is driving Beck and Peach around with a dead body in the trunk. They don't notice it. Two hikers run into him with a huge bonfire in the woods and don't question it at all. He continues to get so lucky. But it also highlights how people are inherently selfish. They only want to do things if it affects them in some way. The hikers don't want to take time out of their schedule to deal with this stranger in the woods. Joe continues to present himself as the best guy possible for Beck. The show still plays into the conventions of the romance genre as well. Right now, she believes she needs to be dating a lot of guys in order to get Benji out of her system. Joe is jealous of the amount of sex she is having and believes he has to be forceful because of it as well. That's not the case though. She wants something completely different from their relationship. She believes it could actually develop into something real. Of course, it's very dangerous for her to believe that. It could give her one memorable story to tell in her class at some point in the future. But right now, Beck is completely falling for Joe. Even when he is yelling at her and questioning her life choices, she still sees a man who is telling her the truth. Him being more vulnerable and welcoming her into his life is all the proof she needs that she is making the right decision. It's still wrong because of how manipulative Joe is. But he's just so careful and chill about it all as well. And so, he will continue to get away with everything because there is no one who really suspects that he is anything other than who he presents himself to be. Of course, Peach will continue to question if he stole the book from her library. That could shockingly be the thing that exposes him.
"Maybe" was written by April Blair and directed by Marcos SiegaThe disposal of a corpse has become such a popular plot development in anti-hero dramas over the last decade. As such, the shows that find creative and different ways to do so are the ones that actually succeed in tormenting the audience. They are the ones that revel in the depravity of the main character. Here, Joe believes he is still a nice guy who just conveniently has a dead body he now needs to deal with. He killed Benji. It was a choice he wanted to make. He believed he was acting in Beck's best interest. And now, he can't stomach the idea of pulling the teeth out to ensure that no one will ever be able to identify him. He believes he is smart. And yes, he is still is able to trick a fair amount of people. He has Paco running around town picking up all the items he needs to burn the body in the woods. When the police come questioning the list, Joe already has a convenient explanation for everything. Sure, it further increases the tension between Joe and Ron. The audience should also feel torn about Ron. He is absolutely right in being able to point out that there is something incredible wrong and disturbed with Joe. He should not be around Paco at all. And yet, Joe is also the only guy who is kind to Paco while Ron is just an abusive drunk taking advantage of a good situation. The show is actually presenting a universe in which everyone is terrible. They all carry around their baggage and make some completely depraved decisions. Joe just happens to be the worst amongst them because he is trying to control Beck and her life. He is an actual killer who still manages to get away with all of it. He is driving Beck and Peach around with a dead body in the trunk. They don't notice it. Two hikers run into him with a huge bonfire in the woods and don't question it at all. He continues to get so lucky. But it also highlights how people are inherently selfish. They only want to do things if it affects them in some way. The hikers don't want to take time out of their schedule to deal with this stranger in the woods. Joe continues to present himself as the best guy possible for Beck. The show still plays into the conventions of the romance genre as well. Right now, she believes she needs to be dating a lot of guys in order to get Benji out of her system. Joe is jealous of the amount of sex she is having and believes he has to be forceful because of it as well. That's not the case though. She wants something completely different from their relationship. She believes it could actually develop into something real. Of course, it's very dangerous for her to believe that. It could give her one memorable story to tell in her class at some point in the future. But right now, Beck is completely falling for Joe. Even when he is yelling at her and questioning her life choices, she still sees a man who is telling her the truth. Him being more vulnerable and welcoming her into his life is all the proof she needs that she is making the right decision. It's still wrong because of how manipulative Joe is. But he's just so careful and chill about it all as well. And so, he will continue to get away with everything because there is no one who really suspects that he is anything other than who he presents himself to be. Of course, Peach will continue to question if he stole the book from her library. That could shockingly be the thing that exposes him.
