Folie à deux is a psychiatric syndrome where a delusional belief is transmitted from one person to another. And the title of You season 5 episode 8 is exactly that, and so fitting. Bronte is making me frustrated, and she's absolutely delulu. Like, all of this cannot just be love. Let's get into our review of the episode on Netflix. SPOILERS BELOW.
Nadia needs some convincing
At the end of episode 7, we saw that Kate has gone to London and wants Nadia's help in taking Joe down. Understandably so, Nadia doesn't want anything to do with Kate. She and Joe are the ones who got her in prison in the first place, after all. Nadia also reveals to her that Joe is the Eat the Rich Killer, basically murdering all of Kate's friends. Yeah, that's not the type of news you get everyday.
After some back and forth and proving she can indeed get her out, Nadia is free the way she deserves to be. And now, she and Kate are teaming up to find a way to stop Joe and prove he's the man behind so many murders. Well, that was the plan at first. But Kate sees now how unhinged he is after he calls her and antagonizes her. Kate wants to kill Joe as that's the only way to stop him. I'm sorry, but the actress' face was so robotic here instead of upset or determined. As a side note, it's fun to see Phoebe again!
Joe and Bronte may actually be made for each other
Bronte is really starting to feel like a Love 2.0 just without the killer instinct. I'm sorry, but her character just wasn't necessary this season since she let go of the catfishing. Like, this is too much. Joe puts Bronte/Louise to the test as he's brought the man who attacked her, Dane, into the cage. And she has a choice to make - let him go or kill him. She and Dane have a back and forth and we hear about her mother for what feels like the hundredth time. Again, no offense but it has nothing to do with the overall story and we understand it's an emotional part of her backstory. But like, enough.
This is happening as Joe is busy with Maddie and Harrison. He finally realizes that Maddie is pretending to be Raegan and she admits the truth of what happened to him. Joe has to step in and wants to kill Harrison because he won't stay quiet, but Maddie eventually convinces him. This whole storyline is a bit weird, but good for them I guess.
The most interesting, but also frustrating, part of You season 5 episode 8 is when Joe gets into the cage and is truthful with Bronte after she did the same. She has fallen in love with Joe - eye roll - and doesn't believe he's the one who killed Beck anymore. Joe also tells her a part of her wanted his protection and she wanted him to kill Clayton, which she says scares her but also comforts her. Ok.
There's also this montage of Bronte telling Joe he doesn't have to kill anyone to prove his love or whatever. She brings up his mom and how she left him, and that's affected how he perceives love. It seems like Joe is moved and maybe, just maybe, he won't kill anymore because of that. But nope. He goes back for Dane, in his mind thinking that he doesn't have to prove himself. But, now he knows Bronte won't leave him if he does kill. Because it's who he is, as he tells her. Though I think she's just so blinded by her feelings, she doesn't want to see it.
Grading You season 5 episode 8
You season 5 episode 8 had some intriguing elements to it like Kate and Nadia teaming up, the brief moment where we thought Joe might have a breakthrough thanks to Bronte's montage, and even the dynamic between Harrison and Maddie is heartwarming and funny at the same time. Though Bronte has just been a very frustrating character, and I'm disappointed that the writers chose to have her fall in love with Joe as a "plot twist."
It really wasn't needed, and they should have stuck to the catfishing aspect. Joe is not an easy person to take down. But after the TikTok video and others speaking out about him, it would have been much easier to do so and stick to that plot line better than just having Kate and Nadia do it. This was the perfect opportunity to actually bring all the ghosts from his past back to take him down together instead of just the two who we just met last season. Episode grade level: B.
You season 5 is now streaming on Netflix.