Penn Badgley Reacts to ‘You’ Controversy: Joe is ‘Charming for a Reason’
Netflix recently dropped the new season of its creepy hit series You. Fans of the show know that likable serial killer Joe Goldberg won’t stop until he gets his way. But Joe’s charm makes some fans and critics wary. Is the show glamorizing violence and unstable men? Actor Penn Badgley, who portrays the alluring yet troubled former bookstore employee, has even weighed in on the issue.
Penn Badgley plays the charismatic Joe Goldberg on ‘You’
In You, Joe Goldberg is a charming, sensitive man that easily attracts women. The downside is that he’s also manipulative, possessive, and has a tendency to kill anyone that gets in the way of what he wants.
In the first three seasons of You, viewers follow Joe as he stalks his obsessions. Even though he has these killer tendencies, he covers them up with charm and charisma. His love interests have no chance not to fall for him, and it seems many viewers feel the same way.
However, as the series develops, we see that Joe is ruthless and will do anything to further his agenda. The fact remains that even though he’s an actual serial killer, many fans of the show still find him dreamy and quite attractive, traits that unnerve some critics.
Does Badgley think the show is glamorizing serial killers?
Badgley is the first to admit that even he was unsure about portraying such a character, not necessarily because he was a killer, but because he was charming and likable. As for the criticism about viewers being attracted to Joe Goldberg, he says he understands the hesitation. He sat down with This Morning and answered that exact question saying, “We’re a show that’s exploring, on one hand, why we are so drawn to power — as like an abuse, in a way, and I don’t just mean physical.”
He goes on to say that the show “made him charming for a reason. I don’t feel personally that we’re glamorizing actual serial killers, but we’re doing it in a climate of that.”
As for Badgley, playing such a demanding role makes it harder for him to stay level-headed and push the character aside when it’s time to leave the set. He says that having a loving family, along with prayer and meditation, helps him leave Joe Goldberg and all his faults behind.
However, there are times when he’d rather run from the set. He noted that during some particularly gory scenes, he’s completely sprayed with blood and enters a room with a gruesome setup. Those are the days when acting nauseous isn’t that hard.
Critical reception to the new season of ‘You’
Reviews for the new season of You have been mixed. The Evening Standard found the first part of the season riveting and the second part a bit too ridiculous. Other critics have also panned the new season, but that hasn’t stopped millions of viewers from tuning in.
Deadline reported that the first five episodes of season four landed You on Netflix’s number one spot with 64.1M hours viewed. It also caused its past seasons to see an uptick in their viewing numbers.
With numbers like that, it’s almost certain that the streaming giant will green-light another season of the hit show.
