Matthew and Riki dissect Netflix's You and how it exposes toxic rom-com masculinity. Joe Goldberg thinks he's the romantic hero, but his obsession with being the male protagonist leads to stalking, manipulation, and murder.How does You deconstruct rom-com mythology? The show reveals what happens when someone believes they're destined to "win" the girl through grand gestures and persistence, regardless of her actual feelings.Why do classic romantic comedies teach problematic lessons? From Say Anything to When Harry Met Sally..., 80s/90s rom-coms normalized stalking behaviors as romantic devotion.Does Joe's unreliable narration work as social commentary? We debate whether the show successfully critiques toxic masculinity or risks creating viewers who sympathize with his "romantic" motivations.Other topics: Serial killer vs. murderer definitions, the symbolism of Joe's book preservation room, Penn Badgley's performance balancing sympathy with horror, the way Joe constructs a dream version of his girlfriend in his mind, instead of seeing the real person she is, and comparisons to other problematic protagonists like Joker.
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