Penn Badgley

Say no to Joe! The danger of romanticizing fictional stalkers

Say no to Joe! The danger of romanticizing fictional stalkers

BY SRISHTI MUKHERJEE ’21

Many of us have already squandered a couple of hours in the past month to binge on Netflix’s latest viral offering: the original thriller “You.” In true American fashion, “You” features an exceedingly attractive cast. Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley, “Gossip Girl”), is a stalker who incessantly pursues his blonde love interest, Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail, “Once Upon a Time”). Joe’s peculiar and distasteful personality is made apparent to viewers from the get-go. And yet, an alarming number of people seem to be attracted to his character.