All 5 Seasons Of Netflix’s Best Psychological Thriller Are Perfect From Start To Finish

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Netflix’s You is a standout psychological thriller, and many consider the five-season show to be one of the streaming service’s best. While Netflix is actively looking for another hit like Stranger Things – something large in scope and focused on a specific genre – some of their most compelling recent shows have been smaller, more intimate psychological thrillers.

Early in 2026, Netflix saw huge success with suspenseful shows like Run Away (based on Harlan Coben’s work) and His & Hers (adapted from Alice Feeney’s novel). In fact, these thrillers were even more popular than the fifth season of Stranger Things, proving that audiences are really drawn to this type of gripping, psychological story.

I’ve noticed other streamers are starting to catch on to what makes these kinds of shows so popular – you’ve got things like 56 Days on Prime Video and All Her Fault on Peacock. But honestly, I don’t think anything else will compare to one of Netflix’s big hits – that five-season psychological thriller is just amazing, and the critics clearly agree – the Rotten Tomatoes scores were incredible!

Netflix’s You Expanded Its Psychological Thriller Story Masterfully

Season 1 of You is based on Caroline Kepnes’ popular novel. The show features Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg, a surprisingly charming but cynical serial killer. Joe appears to be a normal, friendly bookstore worker, but he’s hiding a dangerous secret. Throughout the season, the show follows Joe as he obsessively stalks his newest target, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats.

The show is brilliantly crafted, creating a constant sense of suspense as viewers fear the protagonist will be discovered, despite knowing his actions must be stopped. It’s a remarkable achievement that the series often has you secretly hoping the villain succeeds, particularly as the story develops and introduces rivals who are just as dangerous.

While HBO’s Sharp Objects was a gripping thriller about a woman investigating murders, You flips the script. This show is a unique take on the mystery genre, as viewers immediately know who the killer is and follow along as he tries to avoid getting caught. Similar to a more intense version of Dexter, You challenges audiences to sympathize with a genuinely unlikeable main character.

You’s Source Material Made Its Longevity Possible

It’s remarkable that a show centered around a villain, like You, managed to run for so long, especially since Joe’s true character isn’t a secret to the audience. While other shows have explored the downfall of flawed characters before, most of them either lost popularity as the story went on, or revealed hidden, more likable traits.

Many of the most memorable episodes of The Sopranos showed Tony Soprano as a frightening criminal, while others made him relatable and led audiences to hope he could change. The same is true for Walter White in Breaking Bad: he becomes a cold-blooded killer by the end of the series, but in the beginning, he’s a sympathetic teacher who finds himself in a dangerous situation.

What sets You apart is its bold beginning: immediately showing Joe as a dangerous, manipulative killer who targets young women. Despite his terrible actions, the show has kept viewers hooked for five seasons, largely due to the strong foundation laid by Caroline Kepnes’s novels.

While the show You takes some liberties with the original story as it progresses, it initially follows the author’s writing very closely, and consistently captures the unique voice of the main character, Joe. His witty and sarcastic narration makes him surprisingly funny and appealing, despite his questionable actions. Penn Badgley’s performance perfectly blends with the author’s writing, creating a memorably terrible, yet captivating, antihero.

Netflix’s You Ended Its Story Perfectly

Similar to how the flawed characters in Tell Me Lies held viewers’ attention across three seasons despite their dishonesty, Joe in You manages to keep audiences engaged—though not necessarily feeling sorry for him—over five seasons. Still, the show doesn’t allow him to avoid consequences for his actions.

Following the widespread discussions sparked by the MeToo movement, many TV shows started to re-examine how they depicted male characters with flaws and how those characters’ actions affected the women in their stories. A well-known example is BoJack Horseman, where the show’s creators significantly altered the storyline after discovering Harvey Weinstein was a viewer.

It might appear that the change in the show’s ending was simply a response to criticism, but the creators of the popular Netflix sitcom BoJack Horseman had a more significant goal in mind. In the later seasons, they chose to highlight how BoJack’s behavior affected the women in his life, rather than focusing solely on his own struggles.

The final season of You struck a good balance, keeping Joe’s captivating personality while also showing the real consequences of his behavior. The ending was tricky – viewers would have been upset if Joe hadn’t faced any repercussions, but also upset if he’d been completely defeated.

The ending of You was brilliant, bringing the main character’s story to a satisfying and inevitable close. Looking back, even the show’s most surprising twists make sense and fit together perfectly, creating a cohesive narrative when you re-watch the series.

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2026-03-11 19:49