You season 2 needs to be bolder than the first season

You season 2 on Netflix is currently in the works and bringing on new characters, but, more than anything, it needs to be darker and more bold than the first.

You is based on Caroline Kepnes’ book of the same name, but despite the inspiration from the novel, the series steps out into its own and provides many new surprises for its viewers. The story follows Joe Goldberg (portrayed by Penn Badgley) as he falls in love (or, in Joe’s case, gets to stalking) Beck, a young woman who walks into Joe’s bookstore one day.

Spoiler alert! If you are not caught up on You, please note there are significant spoilers ahead. 

In the series, Joe eventually grows tired of Beck not “appreciating him” and kills her. But not before removing many other victims that get in his way. In fact, Beck isn’t the first time victim Joe takes down. In the final moments of You season 1, we see Joe’s ex-girlfriend, Candace, which he believed he had killed, return. This, as you can probably guess, is not in the books. We’re all curious about what will happen next! And that’s the point here.

Book adaptations are always being judged, and often too harshly. Which one is better? More often than not, readers believe the novel is always the best narrative. Personally, I view each interpretation differently. At the same time, I don’t believe an adaptation should keep the stories page-by-page identical.

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Surprises are always fun and the main reason audiences stick around. But this isn’t the only reason You season 2 needs to be more bold and daring than the pages.

You season 2 is set to be loosely based on Hidden Bodies, Kepnes’ second novel after You. And if it wants to succeed on Netflix, it needs to kick it up a notch when it comes to risks.

Initially, You premiered on Lifetime and was canceled shortly after. Netflix picked it up and introduced it to its audience. Well, needless to say Netflix subscribers absolutely devoured the series and it quickly became one of the best and most-watched shows on the streaming giant.

If you’re a Netflix aficionado, though, you know the streaming service’s audience heavily enjoys crime dramas and darker series. I believe the audiences will skyrocket if it steps out of the books to become bolder and with more surprises in store for fans.

The second season is currently shooting and already looking promising on the dark factor. We recently covered how series creator Sarah Gamble revealed season 2 will “be even darker and gorier,”  as reported by US Weekly, so fingers crossed it continues to move in that direction.

You season 2 is expected to hit Netflix this fall! Stay tuned for the official release date for the new season.