Who killed [SPOILER] in You season 4 part 1? (Was it Joe?)

Fans of Netflix thrillers are in for a treat today because You season 4 is officially here! The highly anticipated season just dropped its first five episodes with season 4 part 1, with the remaining five episodes coming out in March. This time around, Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) has relocated across the pond and is living with a brand-new identity yet again as Professor Jonathan Moore. Though he initially travels to Europe to find Marienne (Tati Gabrielle), that doesn’t exactly go as planned and instead, he’s distracted by a major problem — a murder.

Of course, we know Joe has murdered plenty of people in the past, but as he’s done in previous seasons, he tries to make a fresh start in You season 4. However, when he wakes up one morning with a terrible hangover and sees his neighbor Malcolm (Stephen Hagan) dead in his apartment, his mind starts to race. He assumes he must’ve done it, though he can’t remember anything after a wild night of partying.

MAJOR spoilers ahead for You season 4 part 1.

In the You season 4 premiere, Joe gets acquainted with his new co-worker and neighbor Malcolm, another professor who’s right off the bat extremely annoying to Joe. But Malcolm wants to befriend Joe and invites him out to party with his wealthy friend group. When Joe shows up at a swanky place called Sundry House where they all hang out, the night escalates fast. He gets very, very drunk after drinking some absinthe and blacks out.

When Joe wakes up the next morning, he’s startled to find Malcolm lying dead on his table with a knife sticking out of his chest. What happened? Joe wonders if he murdered Malcolm while he was intoxicated. The worst part is he just cannot remember.

Does Joe kill Malcolm in You season 4?

By the end of the You season 4 premiere, Joe pretty much rules out the possibility that he killed Malcolm when he receives an anonymous text message. The person tells him they know what Joe did with Malcolm’s body and they’ve been watching him. Joe realizes someone is likely blackmailing him and trying to frame him for Malcolm’s murder, which he did not do.

So no, Joe does not kill Malcolm, which is a relief for him to figure out. But who’s the culprit? That would be the person later dubbed the Eat the Rich killer, someone who goes on to kill two more members of the wealthy friend group before Joe finds out their identity.

As it’s revealed in the fifth episode of You season 4, Rhys is the Eat the Rich killer, the anonymous texter, and the person who killed Malcolm. In the premiere, Joe actually bonds with Rhys at Sundry House, making him the person Joe suspects the least.

You season 4 part 1 ends with Rhys announcing his candidacy to run for mayor of London, feeling like he’s evaded punishment for all the murders. But now that Joe knows what he did, he’s not going to let him get away with it.

You season 4 part 2 will be released on Netflix in one month’s time on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Keep up with us at Netflix Life for all the latest on the addicting thriller series!