Penn Badgley Thinks You Should End With Season 5, And Joe Should 'Get What's Coming To Him'
Four seasons of "You" have come and gone, and Penn Badgley's obsessive part-time stalker part-time serial killer character Joe Goldberg has gotten away with all his nefarious activities. He has managed to flee to another country and assume a new identity after going on a murderous rampage in the United States ... and instead of living a low-key life and staying away from probable drama, Joe is plainly asking for it: he has taken on the identity of a university professor. Well, at least he's sworn never to commit a crime again. But if we really are talking about the same Joe Goldberg, who has a penchant for falling in love and stabbing people (among other things), it's only a question of when. He has a talent for evading his crimes, but sooner rather than later, he will pay for what he's done.
Or so Penn Badgley hopes.
As this pulpy thriller has become a killer whodunnit, the actor has portrayed the villainous protagonist who likes to believe he's still a good guy. Badgley thinks it's about time Joe got what he deserved, and fans would agree. With the second part of season 4 just released, Badgley is talking about how season 5 would be a fitting conclusion to the series, as Joe should "get what's coming to him." If there's anything we're certain about — what's coming for Joe isn't going to be pretty.
'I don't think it's the conclusion that anybody wants'
Penn Badgley has a lot of feelings about the "You" season 4 ending. Although he agrees the end could be perceived as "somewhat satisfying" if the show doesn't get renewed for another season ... he doesn't believe it is the conclusion anyone wants.
We've seen Joe do some horrifying things — he has killed and maimed and manipulated and buried his crimes (literally and figuratively) for so long it's unimaginable for him to still lead a normal life after all he's done. Badgley knows the end of his character's journey isn't up to him, but he senses there should be another season where Joe gets what he deserves: the absolute worst. Plus, Joe has more to lose now. The actor shared with IndieWire:
"It feels to me like we need to do another season. It feels to me like Joe needs to get what's coming to him, and now he has further to fall because he has all this power and wealth [...] I think what's particularly dystopic or chilling about it is he has effectively won. You have taken this man and shown him going out on top. In that sense, I don't think it's the conclusion that anybody wants."
'I think we've got one more in us'
The actor further explained that we needed to see Joe come to a "conclusion" of sorts. There are so many variables that didn't exist before. Joe has power, and although it may seem like he has everything he needs, he's still unhappy. There's more to Joe's story, and Badgley wants to continue telling it:
"We're needing to see Joe come to a conclusion. Should there be another season? That to me feels like what is happening. Now Joe has power. There's a set of circumstances that doesn't exist before. It's actually a deeper change. In a way, you certainly don't think he's happy. That's really terrible feeling. In a way, that reflects reality, like as long as you somehow don't think Joe is winning. You see a man getting everything he wants but you know that it's awful. That to me is spiritually resonant storytelling. But I think we've got one more in us. But of course, I don't know."
Penn Badgley has always been vocal about his on-screen character and, for the longest time, has hoped Joe Goldberg would get a taste of the injustice he's so hellbent on serving. We'll have to see what Netflix thinks about it. Until then, all four seasons of "You" are available to stream on Netflix.