Joe and Love try couples therapy, but their issues may need more than counseling - and their friction isn't the only thing they need to make disappear.
In 2020, the television industry aired 493 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Netflix's You.
"So I Married an Axe Murderer" was written by Neil Reynolds & Kelli Breslin and directed by Silver Tree
Joe and Love would kill for each other. They have already done so. And yet, that was mostly out of their own sense of self-preservation. At times, they may have convinced themselves that they were doing so as an expression of love. In reality, it was just them trying to cover up the parts of themselves they believe are ugly and unlovable. Through therapy, they are able to talk about how similar they are with the fears underneath their dark impulses. They still don't get to all the trauma that plagues their lives. They still live in a completely twisted world where anyone could die at any moment. However, they are working as a team to cover up Natalie's death. That was Love acting impulsively. Joe is furious with her as a result. That is a frequent criticism of her as well. She is always told that she is too impulsive. She views that as the decisive trait meant to condemn and judge her. Meanwhile, Joe is left to pick up the pieces. It would be easier for him to pick up and run away. He's done that before too. That would be following a similar pattern. But they can't hide or run now. It's horrifying to see them carry Henry around various crime scenes that they've committed. And yet, that's the reality of their lives. They are each aware that they have to talk around the truth when interacting with their therapist. She believes they are only talking metaphorically when it comes to the life and death stakes of their marriage. And yet, Love believes she is only alive because she was pregnant. Joe felt like that was a trap too. He wasn't grateful for it because it produced a son that has only pulled out more of his insecurities. He is learning how to be a father though. He is putting in the effort. He no longer fears that his son hates him. He has found a way to connect. He was trying too hard and projecting too much onto the situation in the past. Of course, Joe and Love still argue about how to parent Henry. He is still a source for tension. But the dead body is even more so. They have to plan every detail to cover up this murder. It's incredibly difficult. So much technology exists that makes it easy to stalk people. It also makes it difficult to cover up a murder. Natalie has plenty of devices that can alert people to her current location. They even monitor her vital signs. All of this is learned in the aftermath. It means Joe has to dig up the body and move it. It's all complicated and runs the risk of exposure so many times. Love has disdain for Joe because he knows how to deal with all of this. They have both had to cover up murders though. Love thinks it's best for Joe not to know what she has previously done. Joe is more honest in that regard. The audience is probably grateful to see the glimpses into both Joe and Love's thoughts at this moment. Nothing is being hidden in that regard. It's all playing out in real time. They simply hope that they have done enough to get away with murder. This ultimately brings them together. It's still tense as they go to therapy. Those sessions are revealing. It's not the first time Joe has been in that environment. Here, he is not trying to conceal himself. He does reveal depths of his identity. Love picks up on that and appreciates it. This conversation does bring them closer together. They become a team. They can't just use Henry as a reason to stay in this relationship. Family doesn't have to work that way. Of course, this session also reveals they both have a ton of issues they need to work out. They promise that they will be better. They won't put the other person in that kind of situation again where they can only react with violence. They are willing to do that for each other though. That's their sweet, intimate admission. Now, they have to actually follow through on that promise. They are continually being tempted by a world that they hate. They are annoyed by countless things at every turn. They have each other. They even rebuild the cage in the basement of Love's new bakery to give themselves some time to think should anything drastic happen again. They want to be proactive. They want to make decisions as a team. That may not happen. It's inevitable that they are planning on betraying each other. They don't trust each other fully. They hide keys expecting they will be needed. Knowing those locations now means the audience should be on the lookout for whomever finds them. That can be both good or bad to their ongoing safety. That's in addition to the murder investigation that's just getting started next door.
Joe and Love would kill for each other. They have already done so. And yet, that was mostly out of their own sense of self-preservation. At times, they may have convinced themselves that they were doing so as an expression of love. In reality, it was just them trying to cover up the parts of themselves they believe are ugly and unlovable. Through therapy, they are able to talk about how similar they are with the fears underneath their dark impulses. They still don't get to all the trauma that plagues their lives. They still live in a completely twisted world where anyone could die at any moment. However, they are working as a team to cover up Natalie's death. That was Love acting impulsively. Joe is furious with her as a result. That is a frequent criticism of her as well. She is always told that she is too impulsive. She views that as the decisive trait meant to condemn and judge her. Meanwhile, Joe is left to pick up the pieces. It would be easier for him to pick up and run away. He's done that before too. That would be following a similar pattern. But they can't hide or run now. It's horrifying to see them carry Henry around various crime scenes that they've committed. And yet, that's the reality of their lives. They are each aware that they have to talk around the truth when interacting with their therapist. She believes they are only talking metaphorically when it comes to the life and death stakes of their marriage. And yet, Love believes she is only alive because she was pregnant. Joe felt like that was a trap too. He wasn't grateful for it because it produced a son that has only pulled out more of his insecurities. He is learning how to be a father though. He is putting in the effort. He no longer fears that his son hates him. He has found a way to connect. He was trying too hard and projecting too much onto the situation in the past. Of course, Joe and Love still argue about how to parent Henry. He is still a source for tension. But the dead body is even more so. They have to plan every detail to cover up this murder. It's incredibly difficult. So much technology exists that makes it easy to stalk people. It also makes it difficult to cover up a murder. Natalie has plenty of devices that can alert people to her current location. They even monitor her vital signs. All of this is learned in the aftermath. It means Joe has to dig up the body and move it. It's all complicated and runs the risk of exposure so many times. Love has disdain for Joe because he knows how to deal with all of this. They have both had to cover up murders though. Love thinks it's best for Joe not to know what she has previously done. Joe is more honest in that regard. The audience is probably grateful to see the glimpses into both Joe and Love's thoughts at this moment. Nothing is being hidden in that regard. It's all playing out in real time. They simply hope that they have done enough to get away with murder. This ultimately brings them together. It's still tense as they go to therapy. Those sessions are revealing. It's not the first time Joe has been in that environment. Here, he is not trying to conceal himself. He does reveal depths of his identity. Love picks up on that and appreciates it. This conversation does bring them closer together. They become a team. They can't just use Henry as a reason to stay in this relationship. Family doesn't have to work that way. Of course, this session also reveals they both have a ton of issues they need to work out. They promise that they will be better. They won't put the other person in that kind of situation again where they can only react with violence. They are willing to do that for each other though. That's their sweet, intimate admission. Now, they have to actually follow through on that promise. They are continually being tempted by a world that they hate. They are annoyed by countless things at every turn. They have each other. They even rebuild the cage in the basement of Love's new bakery to give themselves some time to think should anything drastic happen again. They want to be proactive. They want to make decisions as a team. That may not happen. It's inevitable that they are planning on betraying each other. They don't trust each other fully. They hide keys expecting they will be needed. Knowing those locations now means the audience should be on the lookout for whomever finds them. That can be both good or bad to their ongoing safety. That's in addition to the murder investigation that's just getting started next door.
