Hello, New ‘You’: Penn Badgley Explains Season 4’s Series Reset

Penn Badgley in 'You' Season 4 Part 1
Preview
Courtesy of Netflix

You Season 4 Part 1 gives Penn Badgley a welcome break from Joe Goldberg’s usual menacing deeds. Rather than a woman being the object of his deadly affection, Joe sets his sights on the Eat the Rich Killer, who’s threatening to frame him for murder. This ominous texter becomes the crux of the new episodes, resulting in a whodunnit-style Part 1, consisting of five episodes dropping Thursday, February 9 on Netflix.

“Part 1 was a nice reprieve. You always need to sort of go away to come back again, I suppose. And with this season, it was more true than ever,” Badgley tells TV Insider. “To spend five episodes in a really different genre altogether is a stretch and a challenge. I think we rose to it.”

Penn Badgley in 'You' Season 4

Courtesy of Netflix

Joe is disguised as Jonathan Moore in Season 4 and has a sweet new gig as an American literature professor at a London university. As is the case with every installment of the Netflix hit, Joe spends a lot of time convincing himself he’s a good person in his narration. Some things never change.

“The weird thing about Joe though is that he’s just so distinct,” Badgley notes. “And the device of the narration and everything, it’s still always so physical. I’m always doing physical things. It may not be obvious as a viewer, but it is a very physically demanding role. So in that way, it was very much the Joe I’ve always known.”

Through a work connection, Jonathan unwittingly gets involved in a social scene comprised of London elites. How he always manages to inculcate himself with the 1% has always been one of the show’s critique of the wealthy class. That’s taken to the umpteenth degree in this season with the incorporation of key supporting cast and guest stars.

Making up this elite social circle are Charlotte Ritchie (Kate), Stephen Hagan (Malcolm), Tilly Keeper (Lady Phoebe), Lukas Gage (Adam), Ben Wiggins (Roald), Aidan Cheng (Simon Soo), Niccy Lin (Sophie Soo), Eve Austin (Gemma), Ozioma Whenu (Blessing), and Dario Coates (Connie).

Penn Badgley & Amy-Leigh Hickman in 'You' Season 4

Courtesy of Netflix

Ed Speleers‘ Rhys Montrose is also part of this mix, but like Joe, he was raised in poverty and made upper-class friends later in life. One of Joe’s students, Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman), is also a welcome break from the snobs (and snobs, they truly are). Another sharp mind from a working-class family, Nadia teaches Joe all about whodunnits.

“Every season, you have a Paco [Luca Padovan, Season 1] or an Ellie [Jenna Ortega, Season 2],” says Badgley. Nadia is Season 4’s version of this quasi sidekick. “Nadia does something that I think is always very refreshing for me and probably for the viewer, where Joe is seemingly quite authentic and more ‘himself.’ Or is it more of a performance? It’s hard to say.”

“He seems to genuinely care about Nadia and wants her to prosper. That’s always actually very nice. It also means that I get to talk more, because he’s thinking less, narrating less, and actually speaking,” he continues with a laugh. “That’s always a plus.”

The leading lady of the season is Ritchie’s Kate. The art gallerist is vocally perturbed by Jonathan’s presence and his uncanny ability to stay involved with her friends despite them knowing little about him (finally, some sense). But Jonathan/Joe starts to find a bit of interest in her and they drum up a friendship (and just like that, nonsense).

“It seems like they’re pursuing sort of a more pure friendship than Joe has ever had,” the Gossip Girl alum teases.

Penn Badgley & Charlotte Ritchie in 'You' Season 4

Courtesy of Netflix

“[Kate] is quintessentially British in at least one way that I’m aware of, which is she’s just very dry,” he adds. “She really needs to be. And I think it was very refreshing. You think of how saturated in neon the characters of Love [Victoria Pedretti] and Beck [Elizabeth Lail] were, how overly emotional it actually all was between Joe and these objects of desire he had. With Kate, it’s quite different.”

Uncovering the identity of the Eat the Rich Killer is Joe’s main goal in Part 1. That means for once in Joe’s life, he’s not spending all of his free time stalking the objects of his affections. But stalking the objects of his derisions won’t come easy, and some of London’s upper echelon will be keeping a close eye on him.

Those who trust Joe blindly are part of the show’s larger theme, Badgley shares. And after multiple seasons of watching this serial killer get away with murder time and time again, Badgley dreams of seeing Joe get his just desserts.

“The show has always been a little bit of a meditation on that. Like, what are we really doing here? Why do we like this guy?” he says. “I hope that we’re headed towards a tragic, just end for him, whatever that is.”

You, Season 4 Part 1, Thursday, February 9, Netflix