Netflix's You Will End with Season 5 and New Showrunners

Penn Badgley got his wish — Netflix announced that You has been renewed for a fifth season, which will be the show’s last. The final outing, however, will be helmed by new showrunners, executive producers Michael Foley (How to Get Away With Murder, Revenge) and Justin W. Lo (Mistresses, Parenthood). Sera Gamble served as showrunner for You’s first four seasons, but is stepping away to focus on new projects.

“Making the show alongside our writers, producers, directors, cast and crew has been an honor and ridiculously fun,” Gamble said in a press release. “And I feel lucky to have worked with an artist as gifted and thoughtful as Penn Badgely [sic]. I'm proud of what we've all accomplished and feel privileged to pass the torch. I'm excited to watch and support the You team as they bring Joe Goldberg's journey to its delightfully twisted conclusion."

Foley’s past experience as a producer and writer on How to Get Away With Murder positions him to be especially qualified to take over as You Season 4 leaned more into mystery tropes. But it’s unclear if the new reign means the ending will stray from Gamble’s original vision. In a recent interview with E! News, Gamble said that Season 5 would show a much “more dangerous” version of Joe because of his new status.

"I am thinking of all of the terrible, terrible stuff that very privileged wealthy people get away with, so maybe it won't," she told E! "If we get to go into the writer's room [sic] and figure out another season, these are exactly the conversations we'll be having."

In an in-depth interview with Vulture, Gamble discussed how the very end of Season 4 is when “Joe the Killer levels up” above his other personas, and that it’s inevitable that Seasons 4 and 5 will be more connected than past seasons because he will be killing with more intent, changing his relationship to his urge to murder and the ways in which his new life makes that easier and harder.

“That is a huge double-edged sword for him,” Gamble told Vulture. “But there’s also a level of anonymity that he never had to question before. He was that generic, good-looking, trustable-face white guy on the street who happens to be shoving somebody in a trunk, but you don’t even notice. That’s different if he’s married to one of the most powerful CEOs in the world.”

Badgley shared some ideas for his character’s Season 5 arc on his podcast, Podcrushed, before even knowing if Season 5 was official, like seeing Joe enter politics or have a run-in with his half-brother. He also noted that he wants Joe to have a “resolution,” not necessarily a nicely wrapped-up conclusion for Joe. If things go Gamble’s way, it’s likely Joe won’t be getting the comeuppance he may deserve in the final season.

“Joe isn’t having the most restful possible lifestyle possible, but it’s fundamentally working for him,” she said. “This is a bummer of a statement, but I just don’t know that guys like him face the consequences we want them to all the time.”

You Seasons 1 through 4 are streaming on Netflix. Join the discussion about the show in our forums.

Brianna Wellen is a TV Reporter at Primetimer who became obsessed with television when her parents let her stay up late to watch E.R.