You Is “Dexter Meets The White Lotus” & One Of Netflix’s Best Thrillers

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Early 2000s television saw a rise in complex, flawed male characters. When The Sopranos premiered and ushered in what’s now known as the Golden Age of Television, its main character, Tony Soprano—a mob boss in therapy—became the model for many similar antiheroes in critically acclaimed dramas that followed.

Some of the most memorable TV characters include Walter White from Breaking Bad, Don Draper from Mad Men, and Dexter Morgan from Dexter. Dexter is arguably the most morally complex, as he’s a serial killer who only targets other criminals. This unique code of justice fascinated viewers and led to three spin-off series.

Even though Dexter remained popular for a long time, the trend of TV shows featuring flawed and unlikeable main characters eventually faded. Now, critically acclaimed series more often focus on complex but ultimately good-hearted characters, like those in Ted Lasso, Shrinking, and Rooster. But just as the antihero trend was ending, television introduced one of its most unsettling protagonists ever.

The show You first aired in 2018 and follows Joe Goldberg, a charming and attractive bookstore worker. However, Joe has a dark secret: he’s a serial killer. Like the character Dexter Morgan, Joe justifies his actions, believing he’s not motivated by justice, but by a twisted idea of love.

Joe Goldberg is intensely passionate when he falls in love, and he’s willing to eliminate anyone he sees as a threat to his relationship. However, those he loves often end up in danger, as he quickly turns on them if they don’t meet his expectations or if he finds someone new, and he has no qualms about harming them.

The show’s premise is disturbing, but its playful and satirical approach prevents it from becoming overly dark. It’s a lot like HBO’s popular series, The White Lotus. Though the characters aren’t usually as violent as the main character, they’re just as flawed and awful, making it impossible to stop watching and anticipating their next bad move.

You Is The Perfect Blend Of Dexter & The White Lotus

As a critic, I’ve always found what separates ‘You’ and ‘Dexter’ from other shows about serial killers is how intimately they pull us into the minds of their protagonists. It’s not just that we watch Joe or Dexter; through their constant internal monologues, we’re given access to their darkest impulses and, crucially, their reasoning. It’s a really unsettling technique, because it doesn’t feel like we’re observing a monster – it feels like we are the monster, experiencing their warped logic firsthand.

These shows add a uniquely unsettling element to the typical serial killer story, but balance it with surprisingly clever dark humor. The difficulty of committing crimes and avoiding capture is portrayed in a way that’s often darkly funny, as we watch the characters in You and Dexter desperately try to outsmart the authorities. Few shows can successfully blend humor and horror, but these two manage it exceptionally well.

The show The White Lotus is full of dark humor, but it also offers sharp observations about society. Each season tackles big issues: season one focused on wealth and privilege, season two explored cheating and relationships, and season three delved into death and belief. The upcoming fourth season will examine fame and the strange connections people feel with celebrities.

While You doesn’t focus on its themes as directly as The White Lotus, the two shows share a lot of common ground. Both explore the dangers of unchecked privilege, which is central to every season of The White Lotus and a key factor in You as well. Joe is able to commit crimes and avoid consequences largely because he’s an attractive white man who knows how to manipulate people with his charm.

People seem unwilling to view him as a criminal, and as a result, Joe’s reputation actually improves despite his continued stalking, hunting, and killing. By the end of the series, he’s married to a very wealthy woman and the media has started calling him “Prince Charming.” It’s almost as if he could have been a character on The White Lotus – though that might have made the show’s big reveal less impactful.

How You Remained A Successful Long-Running Thriller

Although Dexter lasted for eight seasons, many fans agree the show was at its best during season four, which focused on the Trinity Killer. After that, the quality noticeably decreased, culminating in a much-criticized series finale. You, on the other hand, has consistently improved over its five seasons – a rare accomplishment in the thriller genre, where shows often start strong but quickly lose their appeal.

The show’s success came from constantly reinventing itself with new characters and locations, while always keeping Joe Goldberg as the central figure. Each season followed Joe as he moved to escape his past, only to quickly find a new infatuation and repeat his dangerous pattern. This formula kept the show both consistently engaging and surprisingly original.

You Season # Setting Joe’s New Love Interest
Season 1 New York City Guinevere Beck
Season 2 Los Angeles Love Quinn
Season 3 Madre Linda Marienne Bellamy
Season 4 London Kate Lockwood
Season 5 New York City Louise “Bronte” Flannery

The success of The White Lotus comes down to its evolution. Initially planned as a one-season show, it became a surprise hit in 2021. Seeing its potential, creator Mike White expanded it into the sharp, often scandalous satire it is today. Now, it’s one of HBO’s most popular and ongoing series.

As a big fan of thrillers, I’ve noticed a winning formula lately. If you want to create a really compelling series, take awful people – seriously, the worst! – and drop them into a world of luxury and privilege. Then, sprinkle in some dark humor and a healthy dose of social commentary. It works. Just look at shows like You and The White Lotus – they absolutely nailed it!

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2026-04-23 18:11