You

Joe Goldberg works in a bookstore and seems helpful and charming, but his curiosity quickly becomes obsession. When he becomes infatuated, he gathers personal details through social media, background searches and manufactured encounters to position himself near the object of his fixation. The series follows how Joe integrates into other people's lives, reshaping relationships and secrets as tension and danger grow around him. Mostly filtered through Joe's internal narration, the show alternates dark humor and procedural beats while tracing how desire can become control, and how everyday technology reduces the distance between affection, surveillance and harm today. Across seasons the setting and targets shift, exposing different social circles and power dynamics while Joe's methods adapt to new cities and people.

Created by Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble, You premiered in 2018 on Lifetime, starring Penn Badgley as Joe, and was later acquired by Netflix, which released subsequent seasons internationally and grew the show's global audience.

Audience ratings have been strong, with many reviewers praising Badgley's unnerving narration and the show's tense plotting. Critics debated its moral stance, noting themes of obsession, surveillance, performative romance and the risks of oversharing online. Viewers split over whether the series critiques or inadvertently glamorizes Joe's behavior.

The show sparked conversations about dating safety, consent and online privacy, and Joe became a frequent subject of social media analysis, memes and think pieces. Its success helped push discussions about how public profiles and algorithms can enable stalking, and it generated active fan communities speculating about characters and motive.

The series has received recognition at a variety of television and streaming award events, with much attention on Penn Badgley's lead performance and the show's early seasons. While it didn't dominate major awards circuits, You did raise profiles and earned nominations and wins within genre and audience-focused categories.