Welcome back to another entry in our “You Watch-Along” blog series. It’s May 5th, and we’ve just devoured Episodes 7 and 8 of Season 1 — and it’s fair to say this show is playing emotional ping-pong with our heads.

Episode 7 – “Everythingship Shattered”

From therapy sessions to the friend zone abyss, Episode 7 was wild.

The episode opens with Joe speaking to a therapist — and for a second, we’re thinking, has he become self-aware? Turns out, not quite. He’s in therapy with none other than Dr. Nicky, who, surprise surprise, also happens to be Beck’s therapist. That can’t be a coincidence.

As the episode goes on, we start spiraling with Joe. All the mixed signals from Beck, the distance, the sudden text overload — it’s a lot. Joe’s suspicions bubble over, and suddenly he’s gone full Dexter Morgan with the internal voiceover and need for proof before he acts.

🎤 Nathan’s Take: “He tells her he’s letting her go. Is that really it for Beck? Or is this just the calm before a bloody storm?”

The episode closes with Joe in bed… but not with Beck. It’s her friend. Is Joe about to destroy her entire support network? Has he moved on? Doubtful.

Episode 8 – “Beck Again… and Again”

Beck returns. And suddenly, so does Joe’s obsession.

Now dating Karen, Joe’s trying hard to be “a better man,” suppressing his urges, keeping distance. But Beck being Beck, she saunters back into his orbit — and within seconds, she’s texting, flirting, reigniting the fire she helped extinguish.

It’s here the episode really toys with our sympathies. Joe is clearly disturbed. But that breakdown scene in the rare book chamber — it shows something else: remorse? trauma? Is this what guilt looks like in a sociopath?

🎤 Nathan’s Take: “I know he’s a killer, but why do I get him? It’s like I’m starting to relate to a sociopath.”

Paco’s mum relapses again, reinforcing Joe’s “protector” mindset. But by the time he breaks up with Karen and quite literally breaks back into Beck’s life (through her window), the audience is left questioning his motives and our own moral compass.

And then comes the gut punch — Karen, clearly upset, warns Beck about Joe’s mysterious past and what he may have done to his ex, Candace. Whether she knows anything or is just being spiteful, it’s enough to plant doubt.

🎤 Becky’s Take: “There’s never a dull moment with these two. Chaos is their love language.”

🧠 Themes We’re Loving (and Loathing)

• Therapy used as manipulation? Creepy and calculated.
• Joe’s moral gymnastics – He’s convinced he’s doing the right thing. Are we being manipulated into agreeing?
• The Candace mystery – Every reference is a breadcrumb. Something went very wrong.
• Karen deserved better.

🧩 What Really Happened to Candace? (The Mini-Mystery Thread)

Let’s not forget Joe’s hallucination of Candace asking, “Will she end up like me?” and that odd flashback where she just vanishes. Karen’s warning to Beck might sound like bitter ex talk, but it hits different when you remember: we’ve not seen Candace in the present day.

🎯 Theory fuel: Showrunner Sera Gamble admitted Candace’s fate wasn’t locked in early on — which means the twists are intentionally murky.

📚 Literary Easter Eggs You Probably Missed

“You” isn’t just a thriller — it’s a thriller for bookworms. The showrunners sneak in literary nods like it’s homework:

• Joe and Beck invent “Everythingship” while gaming out with Scrabble tiles.
• The fancy-dress party has Ethan as Mr. Darcy and Joe as Hemingway. Blythe goes full Middlemarch.
• Candace reading Wuthering Heights… you know, the OG toxic couple.

If you blinked, you missed it.

🧠 Critics Said What? Our Favourite Quotes

Let’s sprinkle in some choice cuts:

“Anyone who has to say ‘I’m happy’ over and over is definitely not happy.” “This is not what Peach died for.” “Of course not – he’s a psychopathic serial killer with a burning hatred of women.”

You might laugh. You might flinch. But you’ll remember ‘em.

🧠 Character Spotlight – Joe Goldberg

Joe’s worldview is driven by two things: control and justification. To him, every act of violence or deception is in the service of love or protection. He’s not the classic villain — he’s the villain who believes he’s the hero. That makes him more dangerous… and disturbingly relatable.

Notable Traits:

• Literary obsession
• Protective instinct (borderline stalking)
• Charisma masking deep-rooted instability

Key Quote: “Sometimes, we do bad things for the people we love.”

🕰️ Visual Timeline – Joe’s Descent (Ep 1–8)

• Ep 1: Meets Beck, begins stalking
• Ep 2–3: Kills Benji, inserts himself into Beck’s life
• Ep 4–5: Kills Peach, blurs lines between protector and predator
• Ep 6: Flashbacks to Candace raise suspicion
• Ep 7: Therapy with Dr. Nicky, paranoia spikes
• Ep 8: Breaks up with Karen, breaks into Beck’s home — obsession reignited

🧪 The Karen Minty Test – Are You Dating a Joe or a Karen?

Time for some fun — inspired by the Beck vs. Karen divide:

• Karen watches King of Queens. Beck watches you through a filter of validation and poetry.
• Karen gets pedicures. Beck gets gaslit.
• Karen warns. Beck forgives.

Let’s be honest… we all think we’re Beck, but Karen’s the one with peace of mind (and a working BS detector).