You Season 3 may be the best one yet. It gave us a killer You Season 3 ending and plenty of questions going into You Season 4. If you’re like me then you’re probably having major Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) withdrawal. Luckily for us, there are several movies and shows like You.
You Season 3 and the seasons prior have captured our attention and admiration because it’s a complex series that makes it easy to digest. It’s super funny at times, really dark at others, and has the audience rooting for essentially the villain. You strikes that rare balance of creating a villain that is both sympathetic and despicable. Sometimes you want Joe to find happiness, sometimes you want him caught and punished (Joe definitely isn’t the only one that needs therapy).
It’s not an easy task to accomplish but You makes it look effortless, and You isn’t the only TV show or movie to accomplish this task. So, we have a few suggestions for movies and shows like You to help you wait for the Netflix hit series’ return.
Dexter (Showtime)
Dexter follows Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a man who lives a secret life of hunting and killing murderers. It aired on Showtime from 2006 to 2013. People often compare Dexter and You because of the similar premise of a serial killer that you grow to like. That’s why Dexter is a great show to watch to fill that You gap in your TV-binging schedule. It’s also fun to watch to imagine a world where Dexter and Joe meet.
The Dexter revival premieres on November 7, so now is the perfect time to binge-watch the original series before the limited series begins.
Gone Girl (Hulu)
Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) has gone missing and her husband Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) is the main suspect. Did Nick kill his wife or is there more to their story? Gone Girl is based on Gillian Flynn’s book of the same name. The book and the movie are so much better if you go into it only knowing the basic premise.
Gone Girl is a masterful tale of marriage, and what happens when it starts to become toxic and reaches the point of no return. Nick and Amy could definitely give Love (Victoria Pedretti) and Joe a run for their money in the marriage with issues awards.
Stream Gone Girl on Hulu.
Rent/Buy Gone Girl on Amazon.
Killing Eve (Hulu)
Killing Eve stars Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. Oh plays Eve, a woman who becomes obsessed with a female assassin named Villanelle (Jodie Comer). Killing Eve has aired three seasons with a fourth and final one expected in 2022.
Villanelle, like Joe, has some major issues. Unlike Joe, she’s fully aware and proud that she’s a ruthless killer. Despite her murderous ways, viewers can’t help but be drawn to Comer’s Villanelle. She’s one of Jodie Comer’s best characters so far and one of Oh’s must-watch performances.
Stream Killing Eve on Hulu.
Buy Killing Eve on Amazon.
Primal Fear (Amazon)
Primal Fear follows defense attorney Martin Vail (Richard Gere) as he tries to help prove an alter boy, Aaron Stampler's (Edward Norton), innocence. The film is one that keeps you guessing the entire time, sometimes you think you know whether Aaron is guilty or innocent, but you don’t get the real answer until the Primal Fear ending.
Primal Fear was Norton’s film acting debut, and he showed the world that he would be one to watch. Joe and Aaron are both figures that people can’t quite figure out, and when they do, it may be too late.
Rent/Buy Primal Fear on Amazon.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile (Netflix)
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is Netflix’s movie about Ted Bundy, starring Zac Efron. The film dives into how Bundy was able to charm his way to murdering numerous women and even through the court system. Zac Efron gives one of his best performances in this true crime-based film.
Penn Badgley often discusses how he’s not a fan of Joe and doesn’t like his character being romanticized. As seemingly harmless as it is to lust after Joe, a fictional serial killer, Bundy in his day had a lot of female admirers. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile also shows that to some degree, including with his old friend turned wife Carole Ann Boone (Kaya Scodelario). Joe and Bundy have a lot more in common than some fans care to admit.
Stream Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile on Netflix.
Hannibal (Hulu)
Not to be confused with the movie Hannibal and all the Hannibal Lecter films that came before and after it, Hannibal the TV show follows the same character of Hannibal Lecter played by Mads Mikkelsen as he begins a cat and mouse game with Will Graham (Hugh Dancy). The series is based on Thomas Harris’ novels Red Dragon, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising.
NBC aired Hannibal for three seasons, from 2013 to 2015. You fans may enjoy Hannibal because it’s another show that allows the serial killer to shine by making him complex, compelling, and a constant source of calculated maneuvers.
Stream Hannibal on Hulu.
Buy Hannibal on Amazon.
The End Of The F***ing World (Netflix)
The End of the F***ing World follows James (Alex Lawther) and Alyssa (Jessica Barden) as they run off together. Alyssa sees James as a possible escape from her life, and James sees Alyssa as a possible victim because he believes he’s a psychopath. Despite the premise, The End of the F***ing World may be one of the more wholesome shows on the list.
It’s definitely not a wholesome series, but you kind of forget all the bad stuff and just enjoy it as an adventure story /coming of age/romantic comedy. The End of the F***ing World may capture You fans attention because if you’re one of those You fans who just wants Joe to give up killing people, find a nice girl, and settle down, then you’ll sadly be disappointed. However, James may be a nice alternative if Joe’s romantic happiness is a big priority to you. The End of the F***ing World aired for two seasons.
Stream The End of the F***ing World on Netflix.
Buy The End of the F***ing World on Amazon.
Bates Motel (Amazon Prime Video)
Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore star as the infamous mother and son duo in Bates Motel. The A&E original series told the origin story of one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous villains: Norman Bates. Highmore and Farmiga played Norman and Norma Bates.
Farmiga and Highmore gave us five seasons of superb acting. Both of them were consistently robbed of deserved Emmy wins. The entire Bates Motel team deserved more praise and accolades than they received. Bates Motel and You both showcased boys whose relationship with their mother began their spiral into serial killing. Netflix’s You and Bates Motel also share in their effortlessness when it comes to blending intense drama with comedy.
Stream Bates Motel on Amazon Prime.
Buy Bates Motel on Amazon.
The Fall (Amazon Prime)
The Fall follows Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan), a family man by day, a serial killer by night. Gillian Anderson plays DSU Stella Gibson, the woman trying to find and stop Paul from his crimes. The Fall aired for three seasons from 2013 to 2016. Paul doesn’t nearly have the same charm as Joe, but both men have issues that usually result in them killing women.
Paul and Stella are both interesting characters in their own right, but some of the appeal of The Fall is wanting to see Stella and Paul finally meet, and then her take him down. The final season allows viewers to see if Stella will finally take down Paul or if he’ll continue to kill.
Stream The Fall on Amazon Prime.
Buy The Fall on Amazon.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Tubi)
If there is one thing you can count on, Sweeney Todd will give you the closest shave you've ever had. The 2007 adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s beloved musical reunites director Tim Burton, Helena Bonham Carter, and Johnny Depp. Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street tells the tale of a man wrongfully convicted and exiled, who then returns to London and Fleet Street to get revenge on the town and Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman), the man who falsely convicted him.
Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) is a ruthless serial killer, but you kind of get why he’s slicing people up and putting them in Ms. Lovett's (Helena Bonham Carter) meat pies. You and Sweeney Todd both portray serial killers that cause you to question your own sense of morality, especially since Sweeney Todd has so many catchy songs.
Stream Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on Tubi
Rent/Buy Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on Amazon.
The Following (Amazon)
Kevin Williamson created The Following, a series about serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) and the FBI agent, Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) trying to stop him. Throughout the series, The Following introduces more and more of Carroll’s cult members. The show makes it easy for viewers to grow to like some of these cult members.
However, the series also does a good job of reminding viewers that they’re ruthless killers who don’t deserve your devotion and sympathy. You and The Following share in their ability to make you grow attached to those you should root against.
Rectify (Amazon Prime)
Rectify is the story of a man who spends nearly 20 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of killing his girlfriend as a teen. He’s released when DNA evidence proves his innocence. The series stars Aden Young, Abigail Spencer, J. Smith-Cameron, Adelaide Clemens, Clayne Crawford, and Luke Kirby.
Rectify may be an odd choice for this list, but Rectify often makes you unsure of Daniel (Aden Young)’s innocence. You aren’t sure if he is really a man wrongfully convicted, or a monster hiding beneath. Through Rectify’s four seasons, you grow attached to Daniel, but constantly on edge of what could happen.
Stream Rectify on Amazon Prime.
Buy Rectify on Amazon.
You may be done with You Season 3, but you have plenty of movies and TV shows like You to watch from this list.
