You Season Three: Modern life dissected

Anyone in love with soapy, psychological thrillers just cannot keep You by Netflix off their list. Fans simply love the twists and turns in the last two series, and the latest is just as impressive. Season Three tries to break free from the old notions and delves into various new issues, but still showcases classic Joe Goldberg drama, mystery, surprises and murder, of course. 

In the latest season, the story of Joe and Love is evolving but, quite interestingly, the narrative is deviating a little from what’s in the books. The change makes the series a lot more exciting to watch because it now touches some of the modern trends in relationships and everyday life. Couples or those dating may find inspiration in this series in a unique way. With dating sites now widely used, finding love is potentially a lot easier now, but ultimately, one has to make a judgement about a new person and hope they’re not like Joe. Here are some of the societal ideas explored in the latest from You.

Swinging and polyamory

Considering the popularity of swinger dating sites, it is easy to guess that it is among the fastest growing trends among couples. Some people turn to the swinging lifestyle to add more spice to their married life, while others may resort to it in an effort to save their relationship, which is the case in the Season Three of You. 

The relationship between Joe and Love is not exactly healthy, especially after Joe cheats on his wife in the very first episode of the new season. Similarly, Love is attracted toward her teenage neighbour, Theo, caring for him and offering support to help him deal with his grief. Eventually, she sleeps with Theo when Joe is on a trip – so polyamory seems to be present in many forms throughout the show.

Just like polyamory, swinging and swapping are common trends, especially with online dating sites becoming so secure. Couples can find a third to join them, or they can arrange private parties with other couples over dating sites. One can easily learn more about it through chat rooms, but You also touches the idea when Joe talks about swinging. It seems Joe is only interested in sleeping with Marienne with Love’s consent, but he also wants to open up his marriage to live out his fantasies.

Bisexuality

Homosexuality is a lot more visible in mainstream media these days, which has been a long time coming, with many shows now revolving around the topic. Still, it is hard to find movies and shows offering an authentic and mostly positive depiction of bisexuality. Being on a gay or lesbian dating site can surely help with exploring sexuality, but it also improves the chances of discovering gay culture. For instance, online daters often talk about movies like Cabaret, The Comedian, Atomic Blonde, or series like You, where increased representation has gained some attention.

Though initially it seemed that the majority of characters in the series were heterosexual, this is less clear-cut as the show develops. Season Two star Forty Quinn, played by James Scully has a fluid sexuality, and his relationship with Joe seems to be something more than just friends (watch this space!). Moreover, the season also sheds some light on another bisexual character, Cary Conrad, who is the husband of Love’s friend Sherry.

Couples therapy

Seeking professional help to salvage marriages is becoming more and more common by the day (though with the prevalence of online dating sites and increased chatting and communicating online before meeting a person might pave the way for healthier foundations and avoid relationship issues).

You introduces the topic of couples therapy in a rather surprising way. The life of Joe and Love takes a bloody twist when she kills Natalie for having a relationship with Joe. When she finally does it, she feels frustrated and says to Joe that they should go to couples therapy to resolve some of their issues.

Healthy nutrition and fitness

The importance of health, diet and getting fit has also been covered on this show. The interest in healthy nutrition and fitness is probably the reason why so many dating sites now incorporate these ideas as part of the selection process, with filters to find partners who love certain types of food and fitness lifestyles.

In You, vieweres will find many horror-infused food scenes. Love herself is a chef, and Joe constantly talks about how much he dislikes the culinary habits of people in Los Angeles. As the series goes on and becomes saturated with murderous moments, the strange placement of food in those scenes becomes apparent, which is surely no accident.

Anti-vaxxers

In Season Three, the Anti-Vax episode created some waves because of its timing. Though it talks about how young Henry contracts the measles, it still sheds light on the topic of becoming vaccinated, which is a prevalent subject these days. Henry gets infected because of the unvaccinated children of her neighbours, which is a plot line that alludes to Covid-induced lockdowns and talks about how contentious the topic of getting vaccinated can be.

Conclusion

Overall, Season Three of You has everything it takes to glue audiences to their seats, and the writers have certainly tried pushing their pens out of their comfort zones. Anyone inspired by the show who wants to explore bisexuality, swinging or open relationships is lucky enough to live in a world where dating sites make this possible and social attitudes are much more accepting.

The editorial unit