"You"

"You"

A screenshot from a Netflix series called "You"

"You" is a show about an obsessed stalker named Joe Goldberg who "falls in love" deeply with the women that he meets. He spends the entirety of the show justifying his actions, which the audience gets to hear through his voice-over narration. This screenshot, taken in the last episode of the second season, is after a major reveal in which Joe's girlfriend turns the tables on him, and reveals that she has also done all the obsessive, crazy actions that he has done. This is the first time his reactions are reflected back at him and he is faced with the reality of his personality.

What is interesting about the context of this Netflix series, and other shows made for streaming platforms, are the conventions of television that are held over despite the difference in medium. One such convention is leaving room for commercial breaks. Despite the fact that Netflix does not have commercials, it still is sectioned and organized by cuts to commercials. This specific screenshot is taken right after a climatic reveal, which on television would have warranted a break to allow the information and emotions of the audience to sink in. No separate form of storytelling has yet emerged - or, at least, has become popular - for telling television stories that are not organized around commercials.

Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble

Justice Thomas

Feb. 9, 2020

Still image of a show