After a string of dull episodes, season 4 of You once again becomes the dark, twisty, and fascinating show that fans know and love with episode 7, "Good Man, Cruel World." Up until this point, Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) has been lost in a rich social circle in London, England, trying to be a better person, and somehow convincing himself that this is completely possible. Episode 7 reminds viewers why You stands out from other TV thrillers: the character development and the show's ability to surprise, time and time again.
The introduction of Kate's evil father Tom Lockwood (Greg Kinnear), a smart scene featuring Phoebe (Tilly Keeper) and Kate Galvin (Charlotte Ritchie), and a stunning reveal at the end make this a clever and cohesive episode.
Season 4 episode 7 is so strong because of the cat and mouse game that Joe and Tom play, which ups the stakes and makes the show as exciting as it was before. When a drama has 10 episodes that are around 50 minutes each, it's rare for every single episode to be compelling. You has had some filler episodes and even Wednesday with its great characters has at least one episode that feels a little flat. However, this episode of You highlights how strong a character Joe is and why he's so thrilling to watch.
It would have been easy to guess that Tom is wealthy enough and has enough resources to figure out Jonathan Moore's true identity, so when Kate goes to the bathroom when the three characters have dinner at a fancy restaurant, it shouldn't be such a shock when Tom calls Jonathan "Joe." However, it's still fairly surprising, as Joe has convinced himself that he is hiding perfectly, and the beauty and terror of Joe Goldberg is that he always manages to be convincing.
Episode 7 has three big reveals, the second of which is when Rhys Montrose (Ed Speeler) shares that he has kidnapped Marienne (Tati Gabrielle). Through these big moments, the episode sets up the rest of season 4. Tom wants Joe to kill Rhys, which makes Joe question whether he is still a killer or whether he really can become a different person. Joe is a memeworthy character because while he does awful things, he can't help but make audiences laugh, and watching Tom play with his emotions and scare him is definitely funny.
Episode 7 also dives deeper into who Kate and Phoebe are as people and also how strong their friendship is. Phoebe is understandably terrified after her kidnapping and having trouble sleeping, and Kate proves that she's a kind person when she says that she can get Phoebe into rehab without any fanfare or press. Kate has done this before for her artists, which is helpful backstory since it suggests that Kate has more compassion than she originally seemed to have. While this is a brief scene, it's sweet to see these characters as genuine, lifelong friends who care about each other instead of just wealthy people competing with one another and trying to look cool.
The show is also setting up a parallel between Kate and Joe, which hints at the future of their relationship, if they have one at all. Kate becomes vulnerable and shares a story of how, when she was 19, she worked at her father's company and was responsible for children dying. She has never forgiven herself. This not only humanizes Kate, who has been pretty harsh and cold up until this point, but also suggests that Kate and Joe have more in common than they already thought. While some things about You season 3 don't make sense, Joe and Love Quinn's (Victoria Pedretti) relationship is so great because it's so dark and they are so similar. Are Kate and Joe the same? This is an interesting question and it's easy to want to watch more episodes to find out the answer.
Season 4, episode 7 of You also has some hilarious quotes, which breathes some life back into the show after a few dull episodes. Joe says to Rhys, "Despite what you both think, I'm not a killer so I'm not going to kill you" and when he learns how much Tom hates Rhys he thinks to himself "the enemy of my enemy is my frenemy." Joe's smart student Nadia Farran (Amy-Leigh Hickman) also has a great line when she says that Jonathan Moore must not be who he says he is and he's not an "average Joe."
It's easy to think that part 1 of season 4 of You isn't as good as what came before, but episode 7 suggests that the show is back. The story focuses on just a few characters, and it's interesting watching Joe's dynamic with Kate, Tom, and Rhys, which proves that many other characters could have been omitted. Phoebe and Kate also prove once again that they are the best out of their social circle.
Nadia's search for Joe's real self also works, as every season, there is someone who knows the real Joe and can tell that he's lying and pretending to be better than he really is. Nadia is pleasant and compassionate, a real contrast to Joe's actual nature, and it makes sense that she's the one who knows that something is wrong.
The end of "Good Man, Cruel World" is what makes it so much more intriguing than the previous episodes of season 4. Rhys tells Joe "We really do have Marienne in a cage" and in the next moment, Nadia unlocks a door and finds Marienne Bellamy (Tati Gabrielle) looking terrified in the cage. This is perfectly done and a smart reminder of how horrifying Joe is, as somehow, his cage is in London, and he can't escape his past. While this reveal also proves that Marienne should have been a bigger part of season 4, at least she's here now, and the show has found its voice again.