Netflix's You - Episode 2.10 "Love, Actually"
Joe has always been full of surprises, but Love has a few of her own. Is this the beginning of the end, or the end of the deceiving?
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the season finale of Netflix's You.
"Love, Actually" was written by Sera Gamble & Neil Reynolds and directed by Silver Tree
It would be easy to say that Joe and Love are kindred spirits especially with the bombshell reveals that conclude the season. They are both killers. They kill in the name of protecting love. It wasn't an impulse they put into action the moment they saw each other either. This is who they are. It has defined them as humans long before they first met. They both came to the conclusion that they have to be willing to kill in order to preserve the love they were striving to create. It's a toxic way to look at the world. Love bears her true self to Joe in the hopes that he can easily accept everything that she has done to save the connection they have. She has certainly had a comprehensive character arc across this season. This finale throws a whole lot of plot twists into the mix in order to amplify the drama to a staggering degree. The audience learns that Love killed Forty's au pair as well as Delilah. She saw that as the concise and clear action that needed to be taken in order to preserve her current reality. She even believes that she has created a believable narrative that can ensure Ellie's safety even though her sister is now dead. It just involves her dealing with a fair amount of pain and struggle as well. Ellie has to be accused of Henderson's murder just so she can become further indebted to the Quinn family and the influence they have in this town. This finale makes it clear that the Quinns are the most powerful family in Los Angeles. They certainly have had a lot of influence. But now, it's clear just how much they dictate what can happen at any given moment in time. Love previously felt traumatized by her upbringing. She connected with Joe because he was authentic. She was devastated that he lied to her about who he was. She still dug deeper to expose the truth. She found everything that he kept hidden. Again, that proves that he isn't the most crafty or capable stalker. He simply has the privilege to go unnoticed for a long time. Everything that Love found out about him made her fall more deeply in love. She saw him as her equal who could be true and passionate with her. She knew that he could accept everything about her. She didn't have to pretend like she does with everyone else. She cares so deeply. However, Joe is horrified by this reveal. He wasn't falling in love with a person. Love accurately deconstructs his worldview of loving his perception of a person instead of the woman standing in front of him. As such, she has to be willing to lock him in the cage to ensure that none of this can destroy her life. She is being vulnerable with him. She shows her inner darkness. She wants to be accepted. Joe understands that. However, it's not until she announces her pregnancy that he truly sees a future of love and acceptance with her. Even then, it may just be a lie he continually tells himself. Love wanted to form a perfect family in order to make up for the one she came from. She feared that she would always be defined as a Quinn. She lost her one chance at building a life of her own. Now, she has the opportunity to form a family with Joe. It's all happening. Meanwhile, Joe's gaze will always drift off to something new believing it could be better because he is continually searching for what is impossible to find. No one can ever meet his standards for love. It's all just an illusion. He has dealt with so much trauma across his life. He has been broken in so many significant ways. He breaks people too. Ellie is devastated to learn that her sister is dead. She blames Joe for everything that happened. Joe is even willing to accept that he deserves to be punished for everything he has done. The universe just keeps him alive. In fact, he and Love remain in positions of power. Joe may perceive it as a trap that he'll have to carefully navigate out of. However, he failed to see who Love was when the clues should have been obvious. Forty may have agonized over killing his au pair. But he also knew on some deep level that Love was always responsible for what happened. She is just as messed up and dangerous as everyone else in their family. She may be quite skilled at hiding it. She believes she is more open and honest than others would be led to believe. She thinks her nature as a killer willing to protect those she loves is abundantly clear. It is to a certain extent. She is still devastated when Forty is killed. That doesn't immediately set her off on some vendetta against the LAPD and the officer who shoots him. Instead, it may be a burden lifted off of her shoulders. She can embrace life anew with Joe and the family they are creating. It's just already falling apart because Joe is never fully engaged with this life. It remains artificial to him. He keeps himself at a distance even though that is constantly destructive for the people who just happen to be a part of his and Love's lives. That's the danger of human connection. People are broken and sometimes those complications are simply too disastrous for anyone to prepare for. That is a devastating message while also showcasing a wild ride that wants to surprise the audience until the very end. It's just a little too obvious that the show is throwing everything at the audience to see just how much they are willing to endure with this finale.
