Editor's note: The following article contains spoilers for Part 1 of You.While most episodes of You work as a psychological thriller in which we see the world through the eyes of an obsessive killer, every season has a turning point where Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) finds himself in the middle of a horror movie. Sometimes it comes at the beginning of the season, sometimes later. But from Benji (Lou Taylor Pucci) being tortured inside a glass box to Love's (Victoria Pedretti) passionate and murderous impulses, there’s always a pivotal moment to remind viewers You is not a love story, it’s a bloody tale of a delusional monster who thinks he’s a good man. In the case of Season 4 of You, it’s only in Episode 5 that we see the story transform from a murder mystery into something darker. And this time, You might have delivered the show's most realistic horror movie moment.
'You' Season 4 Flips a Familiar Script
You remains a successful TV show for its ability to reinvent itself each season. It’s no different in Season 4, when Joe’s obsessive behavior is aimed at an enemy instead of another potential love interest. From the first episode of You Season 4, we learn that a serial killer is on the loose in London. A dangerous person who tries to frame Joe for a murder, the killer is also a member of the Oxford circle, a group of friends comprised of entitled and spoiled rich brats, forcing Joe to become acquainted with people he ultimately despises. From the very start, it's easy to see how most members of the Oxford circle despise democracy, think of themselves as a superior breed of humans, and don't lose one minute of sleep after using poor people as objects. In short, any of them could be a heartless killer.
For the entire runtime of Part 1 of You Season 4, Joe uses his stalking skills to figure out who the killer is and stop their deeds. However, it’s not until Episode 5 that the truth is revealed. And while the identity of the Eat-the-Rich Killer is not exactly a surprise, the villain's official introduction is nevertheless a spine-chilling moment that taps into some of horror’s most beloved tropes.
The Dark Corners of Rich Peoples' Basements
After many twists and turns, Roald (Ben Wiggins) convinces the Oxford club that Joe is the Eat-the-Rich Killer. And since the group of friends is mostly composed of self-entitled pricks, Roald also decides it’s within the wealthy class’ right to act as judge, jury, and executioner when it comes to poor people. So, Roald sentences Joe to death. Joe runs into the woods while Roald chases him. Thanks to Joe’s vast experience with crime, he overcomes Roald and saves himself from getting shot. Unfortunately, the real Eat-the-Rich Killer is nearby, knocks Joe down, and drags him into a nightmarish trap.
When Joe wakes up, he realizes he’s chained to a basement wall. Right in front of him lies Roald, chained just like Joe. Standing next to them is Rhys (Ed Speleers), the actual Eat-the-Rich Killer. As Rhys explains, he wants Joe to join him in his plan to overthrow the wealthy class of London. However, to prove his alliance with the cause, Joe must kill Roald. While Joe is a serial killer, he likes to pretend every bad thing he’s ever done was for a noble reason and doesn’t feel comfortable taking a man’s life for no apparent reason, even if the victim is Roald, whose absence would make the world a better place. And just like that, this You Season 4 moment pays homage to beloved horror movies like Saw and Funny Games, in which people get involved in dangerous games with serial killers. It’s also worth noting that the “trapped in a basement” bit has been echoed in every season of the show so far.
What makes the basement scarier than the previous glass cages of Seasons 1 to 3 is the real horrors that the Hampsbridge House hides. Season 4 is all about how rich people are just the worst, and the location Rhys chooses to play his mind games with Joe underlines this theme. Although Lady Phoebe's (Tilly Keeper) country house was used for partying centuries ago, the secret basement served as a cell for undesired children. The nobles of Lady Phoebe’s family built the basement to hide the children they didn’t think were worthy of the high life in court, chained, cold, and alone in the dark.
It’s not random that Rhys chose to show Joe this forgotten corner of the Hampsbridge House, and the existence of such an evil place is more than enough reason to hate rich people and what they represent. So, Rhys is trying to make Joe more comfortable with the idea of taking Roald’s life, especially after the Oxford circle showed their true colors during their weekend getaway. Joe cannot deny that the people of the Oxford circle are anti-democratic elitists and wish for nothing more than to use poor people as disposable objects. And this despicable culture is a trait inherited from the people who didn’t feel bad about hiding children in basements.
You Season 4's basement scene is a classic horror moment because it forces the series protagonist to choose between his own safety and another person’s life, while a dangerous serial killer toys with his emotions. But what makes it realistic and scary is the weight of the history of the Eat-the-Rich Killer trap box. The wealthy classes are known for exploiting poor people, breaking laws, and using their money to buy immunity. Season 4 of You does an excellent job of showing how most of these people are actually terrible human beings, but the basement moment also underlines how the bloody money of wealthy people is more than often the fruit of perverse practices, like keeping the bloodline pure and ensuring the right people will inherit fortunes. That goal also includes practices such as getting rid of undesired children, which is scarier than anything a serial killer might do.
Part 1 of You Season 4 is available right now on Netflix. Part 2 hits the streamer on March 9.