I didn’t really read up on ‘You.’ the new show on Lifetime, before settling in to watch the first two episodes. The show, based on Caroline Kepnese’s novel, is not what I expected it to be. Well, sort of. I thought this was going to be one of those cute comedy/drama love stories, as it starts out when Joe (Penn Badgley) and Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail) have a ‘meet cute’ at a bookshop. I thought that was kind of sweet and romantic, actually. But then Joe goes ahead and starts ‘researching’ for her on the internet (“All her profiles are public, it’s as if she wants to be found”)  and okay, I thought, this is kind of weird. And by the end of the first episode, we get to the ‘really weird’ category.  This gets to psychotic real fast, and the inner dialogue that Joe has – more sinister – takes over. Well, it doesn’t totally – there is still a semi-sweet touch to their courtship. but at this point you know this isn’t going to be one of those ‘touchy feely’ dramas.

Badgley is fantastic as your everyman meets psycho, and I think he is even more attractive now than when he was at ‘Gossip Girl.’ The material helps him – it shows both sides of teh character – the loving, softie who helps a little kid in his building, and the stalker who eliminates everything in his way for the love of Beck. And Beck isn’t as sweet as she seems to be, so far. I am guessing she has a dark side to her as well.  In short, I am already hooked.

Related:  You Ep 3 & 4 Review

Realted:   You Rest of Season 1 Review