8 Ways Killer Wife Love Quinn Is the Real Star of ‘You’ Season 3
[WARNING: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for You Season 3.]
Netflix’s killer drama series You dropped its third season October 15, and it’s the most twisted one yet–all thanks to the brilliant Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti).
Obsessive Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) is no longer alone with his morbid thoughts as he begins his new life with wife Love and their son, Henry, in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Although Joe is the main protagonist, Love and her untamed spirit upstage him while making the show even more gripping. In fact, Pedretti’s performance is so deliciously addicting, she gives you no other choice but to root for a cold-blooded murderer.
Scroll down for the reasons we think Love is the best part of You Season 3.
You, Seasons 1-3, Streaming Now, Netflix
She's Brazenly Honest
This new season shows not only how Joe rarely means what he says, especially to his wife, but also how Love can be ruthlessly honest–even in situations that don’t require it. When innocently asked what she thinks about the murder of one of Madre Linda’s citizens, Ryan (Scott Michael Foster), she replies: “I think you’re all a bunch of scandal-hungry crows, and no amount of feasting on other people’s sorrows is gonna make your lives less hollow.” Harsh, but not wrong. Love’s candor reveals a natural intuition: Even if she speaks impulsively, she’s usually on target.
She Kills in the First Episode
Was it a well-thought-out murder? No. Did Natalie (Michaela McManus) deserve to die? No. Was murdering her a genius way to start season 3? Absolutely! Thanks to Love, we didn’t have to sit through another round of the You formula, with Joe immediately finding his new target to obsess over. Instead, Love makes herself the main woman to focus on. As Joe’s eyes keep wandering somewhere else, ours are glued to Love.
She's Got Style
She may be a serial killer, but at least she looks good doing it! Love serves us plenty of looks this season, from a ’60s baby beehive hairdo to a sophisticated camel cardigan, representing the intricate facets of her character. As she focuses on changing her image, she has an excuse to ignore what’s bottling up inside of her. And Love’s wardrobe is a breath of fresh air compared to Joe’s simple baseball cap—the cloak of invisibility he’s worn since Season 1.
She Puts Effort Into Her Family
From the beginning of the marriage, Joe has been mentally checked out: He feels detached from his son, he seeks out other women, and he vilifies his wife for possessing the same dark qualities he has. But Love strives to keep their family a unit despite the murder. She sums it up perfectly to Joe: “I need your heart. Henry needs your heart… Unlike you, I have to be his mother 24/7. In addition to running a f—ing business, keeping this house together, dragging you to therapy, trying to be my sexiest self so you don’t get bored.” Although they both have affairs, the difference between them is that Joe acts out of pure desire while Love is reacting to his lack of effort with her and their family.
She Takes Ownership of Her Sexuality
Whether it’s stripteasing for her teenage neighbor, Theo (Dylan Arnold), or experimenting with polygamy in the bedroom, Love is constantly exploring her sexuality this season. Yes, she wants to keep Joe satisfied, but she also wants to receive pleasure herself, and when she notices her husband’s interest waning, she gives in to temptation with Theo. It is fascinating to see Love navigate her sexuality–being in complete control–and use it as a source of power, while Joe’s sexual desire is his weakness.
She Mirrors Joe
Love’s character operates as a symbolic mirror for Joe. He can’t look at her in the same way he did in Season 2 because she now reflects the darker parts of himself that he struggles to avoid. Love drags him to couples’ therapy and finally gets him to articulate some suppressed trauma. Joe may be constantly in his head, but when he argues with Love, his narrations pause and he’s fully present in the moment because Love has the power to reveal himself to her, no matter how much he fights it.
She Lets a Potential Victim Go
One of this season’s most surprising yet relieving moments was when Love chooses not to kill Joe’s mistress, Marienne (Tati Gabrielle). By inviting her to their home, Love intends to get rid of her—yet unexpectedly she is charmed by the librarian. The scene captures a significant moment of women uplifting each other, as Marienne advises Love to put herself first. Once Love sees Marienne’s daughter, she chooses to let them live, advising them to run away to escape Joe’s dangerous behavior.
She Devises a Brilliant Final Strategy
In Episode 10, titled “What Is Love?”, Love reveals that she’s poisoned Joe with paralytic aconite, or wolfsbane, as a prelude to killing him. Throughout the season, we’ve seen Love working in the garden, but we weren’t aware that she was cultivating this poisonous plant for a grand finale. Unfortunately, Joe beats her at her own game and ends up offing her instead, which leaves us worried for the next season without her. Her plan fails but Love leaves the show with a bang.
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