Netflix's You Is Definitely Not For Kids — Here's What to Know If Your Teen Is Asking to Watch
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If you've avoided the internet's collective obsession over one of the latest shows added to Netflix — You, starring Penn Badgley of Gossip Girl as Joe, a psycho stalker — you're actually missing out. The creepily addictive thriller, which first aired on Lifetime but is getting a second season thanks to Netflix, is dark, twisted, and gripping . . . but it's definitely not one for kids to get engrossed in.
The show begins with a woman named Beck (Elizabeth Lail) who walks into the bookstore Joe works in. As soon as we see her, we hear Joe's immediately obsessive inner commentary of her, and so the story of him stalking her and eventually dating her unfolds — but it's not without its obstacles. Joe goes to incredible lengths to make sure no one dates Beck but him, which includes — but is not limited to — murdering anyone who gets in his way.
If your teen has been expressing interest in watching the popular show or you have a feeling this might be the kind of series they'd click on if it came up on their Netflix homepage (which is exactly what happened to me, and once I hit "play," there was no looking back), there are a few things you should be aware of first. You know your teen best, but You is a heavy show with a lot going on, so read ahead to know what your teen is getting into before they start (and get hooked on) the series.
Warning: plenty of panic-inducing spoilers for You lie ahead.
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The series is rated TV-MA for a good reason.
The show is officially rated TV-MA, or not necessarily suitable for kids 17 and under. Again, you know your child and what they can handle best, but just like with R-rated movies, there's a lot to consider about what your child will see and think while watching a thriller like this. To start, there's a lot of language that isn't bleeped out, including f-bombs, and there are several sexual scenes, though there's no full nudity. Additionally, there are instances of Joe slut-shaming Beck, and some of the things he says and thinks promote a generally unhealthy view of women, which could spark an important conversation between you and your teen.
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Joe commits several violent actions (though he's not the only one).
More than one character is murdered at Joe's hands in You's first season, he hits someone over the head with a hammer (and the act is reciprocated later), he kidnaps grown adults and holds them hostage in a creepy Plexiglas cage, and more than one character handles a gun. Many of these more violent scenes are shocking and jumpy, and quite a few of them are gory. In another plot line, we see multiple instances of domestic abuse, both verbal and physical, and the effects thereof.
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There are several instances of drinking and drug use.
At parties and nights out at bars, characters are seen drinking and smoking. There are also a few references to harder drugs — Joe holds up a bag of one character's drugs in the form of a white powder, and that character is later seen snorting a line of it. A video from the same character's past is unearthed, in which a person he's assumed to have hazed dies while a group of drunk guys laugh around him.
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The show explores stalking through social media and in real life.
Joe nails down pretty much everything about Beck's life through Facebook and Instagram after he learns her full name — where she lives, goes to school, and works, who she hangs out with and where, her basic schedule, and so much more (then he proceeds to stealthily follow her around and spy on her). If your teen does watch the show, it's a great way to open up communication lines about their lives on social media, if applicable. Keeping accounts private to ensure their own safety from potential stalkers and predators (scary, but a reality, unfortunately) will likely be their own idea after watching just the first episode of the show.