Netflix recently released another one of their originals shortly after their last hit, “Bird Box.” Similarly to “Bird Box,” “You” has become a massive hit with its viewers, and the internet has been raving about its enticing plot and nail-biting suspense. However, many of the show’s critics have noticed that some of the fans have taken a liking to the  psychopath character, Joe, and his relationship with Beck.

“You” follows the progression of Joe’s obsession with a girl he meets in his bookstore. He utilizes the internet to stalk Beck on all of her social media accounts, remembering the things that she likes and her hobbies to make her fall in love with him. Their relationship thrives in the beginning stages because Joe is able to create a specific facade that fits Beck’s personality perfectly. As their relationship develops, Joe commits horrible crimes (such as murder and kidnapping) in order to ‘eliminate obstacles’ in his path to Beck’s heart.

While the scenes that show Joe’s true nature are chilling and offer insight into his possessive ways, the overall portrayal of the relationship between Beck and Joe seems to come off as romantic to many viewers. Twitter and other social media platforms have held many discussions about Joe and whether his actions are romantic or horrifying. The show’s scenes where Beck and Joe are deeply in love are followed by Joe’s acts of violence that are “justified” by his love for Beck, which many viewers find to be romantic, with many Reddit and Twitter users even expressing envy for Beck’s position. The relationship between Joe and Beck is extremely unhealthy, and it’s shocking that so many people are romanticizing the relationship.

The show does a great job of telling an alluring story and showing the highs and lows of any relationship, but the show needs to focus more on Joe’s own faults and the failure of the relationship rather than its peaks. Joe’s trail of blood leading to Beck’s heart is something that “You” should spend more time analyzing instead of romanticizing the results of his deception and abuse.