After debuting on Lifetime six years ago, the hit show You has now released its much-anticipated fifth season on Netflix.
Inspired by Caroline Kepnes’ book series, this latest installment brings Joe Goldberg’s journey, played by Penn Badgley, full circle as he returns to New York with his wife Kate (Charlotte Ritchie) and son and reopens Mooney’s bookstore.
Despite three years of avoiding murder, Joe’s past catches up with him when the bookstore’s reopening reignites old demons. The intense Season 5 finale of You offers fans a definitive conclusion to Joe Goldberg’s story. But is this the end of the line for the dark and complex character, or is there more to come?
Will there be a You Season 6 on Netflix? Or is You Season 5 the final season of the hit series? Here’s everything to know about the future of You, including renewal status, You Season 5’s ending explained, a breakdown of the books in Kepnes’ You series, and more.
Spoilers for You Season 5, Episode 10 ahead.
After a five season run, it’s officially time to say, “Goodbye, You.” On March 24, 2023, Netflix announced that You was being renewed for a fifth and final season, and the team has been open about having a five-season arc in mind for Joe’s story.
Though it’s difficult to say goodbye to the popular series, the You cast and showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo are satisfied with where You concluded.
“At the end of the day, we want our fans to feel that we wrapped up the story in a satisfying
and exciting way. We also want them to sense what we sensed, which was that there was an
inevitability to how this story was meant to end,” Foley explained in You‘s Season 5 production notes.
“I was 30 when I took the role, and I’m 38 now, so it’s bittersweet,” Penn Badgley added. “There are things I’ve gotten to do with this role that I’ll never get to do again. As an actor, there were so many things I got to do that were a strange exercise, but I’m so thankful I got to do them. I have to say, I think I’ve had my quotient of fake blood for a while. When it comes to an end, I’ll probably shed a tear for old Joe.”
When asked if he felt like Joe got the ending he deserved, Badgley explained, “I think so. He’s a quandary, in a way. What would justice for him look like? What does it really mean? I think we get as close as we can. That’s the question for all of us: how do you bring a man like this to justice? How we actually deal with the legacy of Joe Goldberg is a real question. All of the female protagonists are becoming heroines in their own right each episode, grappling with that. Hopefully the same way the viewers are.”
So how DID You end after all these years? For those who need a detailed You Season 5 finale recap, Decider’s got you covered. But the main points you need to know about the series’ final episode are that Joe finally faces consequences for his actions and his survivors are free to live their lives without fear of him killing them anymore.
Bronte accepted Joe’s marriage proposal in Season 5’s penultimate episode with the intention of tricking him into trusting her and taking him down, and that’s ultimately what she accomplished — but it wasn’t easy. As they were fleeing the country after Joe confessed to killing Love Quinn in Episode 9, he brought Bronte to a house in the woods to hide out, where she held him at gunpoint and demanded answers about Beck’s death. Bronte forced Joe to redact his additions to Beck’s book, allowed him a goodbye call with his son (who called him a monster for hurting Kate), and attempted to call the cops to turn him in, but Joe knocked the gun out of her hands and a fight for their lives ensued.
Right before Joe seemingly drowned Bronte, she managed to call 911. The call not only picked up Joe’s confession to killing Beck, but it sent police to the scene. After killing one cop in the woods, Joe attempted to flee until he heard a gun cock, turned, and saw Bronte — or LOUISE, as she reminded him — standing before him. Joe begged her to end his life, saying he couldn’t live with what came next, but she refused to shoot until he lunged at her — and even then, his aim was very…strategic. (She shot him where it really hurt, turning him into “a walking dick joke.”)
Before the series wrapped, Louise’s voiceover explained Joe was convicted for the murders of Love, Beck, and others including Benji and Peach. Dr. Nicky’s (John Stamos) conviction was vacated. Nadia returned to writing and started teaching women to process their trauma. The charges against Harrison were dropped, and Maddie was expecting twins. Charlotte SURVIVED the Mooney’s fire, cares for Henry, and champions Marianne’s work. Louise re-publishef Beck’s book sans Joe additions. And Joe? Joe went to prison, doomed to reread a limited selected of books like The Executioner Song.
“In the end, my punishment is even worse than I imagined. The loneliness. Oh my god. The loneliness. No hope of being held. Knowing this is forever — it’s unfair, putting all of this on me. Aren’t we just products of our environment? Hurt people hurt people. I never stood a chance,” he said in You‘s final narration. As another fan letter was slipped into his cell, he lied back and read, asking, “Why am I in a cage when these crazies write me all the depraved things they want me to do to them? Maybe we a have a problem with society. We should fix what’s wrong with us. Maybe the problem isn’t me. Maybe the problem is you,” he said.
Curious how many books are in Caroline Kepnes’ You series, which the Lifetime-turned-Netflix series was based on? Want to get reading to fill the You void in your life? We get it! Here’s a rundown of the book series, which features four installments:
Now for one final time: Goodbye, You!
You Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix.
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