I love this show so much but it also makes me fear for my own sanity because of how much I empathize with Joe. I sit through every episode thinking, "why doesn't Beck just listen to Joe, he really is good for her. Then I remember that Joe is a textbook unreliable narrator, he's the protagonist and we're seeing the whole Beck incident through his lens.
And that's when I squick myself out because I realize I'm rooting for an unstable sociopath.
You do realize he killed at least four people (and attempted to kill a fifth) that we know of, right?..
I wouldn't even be surprised if he had something to do with his guardian's stroke somehow.
I mean, do you really have to ask?
I just saw the finale... I didnt catch the teeth hoarding until I read this thread..Kinda like the teeth situation in Sharper Objects.
shareI found I was rooting for joe most of the season (a bit like dexter in a way) but when we got to the final episode that changed. When he found out she cheated i thought to myself who cares about beck now no emphay for her. But wow I still felt for her in the final.
Ps wasn’t the teeth just benjis? So that he didn’t have dental records that was implied earlier on, not thst it’s a collection of teeth being a serial killer.
Benji's teeth, after he burned the body in the woods.
shareI think this is the intent of the whole piece. The writer wanted us to rotate between those two things; empathy and disgust. Of course, once she was in the "cage," I honestly felt there was no way to go back at all, except her death, but until then, the show tugs at your sense of right and wrong and purposely gets you to try and see things from his perspective, simply because he's the protagonist. Of course, he's nuts and so desperate for love and normalcy in his insanity.
I love this show also, and I just finished watching it and said to myself, "wow. That was....I actually like it. Does that make me weird?"
He technically is. But because this show is fiction and, let's face it, all the people he kills or damages are unlikeable, it's kind of making it okay for the audience maybe not to sympathize with him exactly, but to be like "you're crazy, but I get it." Also, I can't say I felt that bad for anyone who died.
I believe he was good for Beck to, and had she not have found out his secret they would most likely have had a long and fruitful relationship together.
Except for his first murder the rest of them can be justified. Although the record producer was a coked out scumbag who pretty much brought it on himself by leaning up against the edge of a building while snorting coke and taunting the guy. He was practically begging Joe to push him off. He didn't deserve death though, but I can't say I feel too sorry for him.
Beth's ex Benji was a killer himself and a complete degenerate. Joe killed Peaches in self defense, and the mean drunk parole officer was a violent abusive jerk and a real threat to that kid and his family. It turns out Joe never killed Candice either, but once he killed Beth I lost all respect and sympathy for him. If he truly loved her he would've let her go, even if that meant they would never be together.
His whole spiel was about protecting her at any price, but in the end he was just a hypocrite. He didn't have to kill her. There were other options. He could've made a deal with her where he lets her go. Say in exchange for her silence he makes her a promise to stay out of her life forever, and as long she keeps her mouth shut her and her friends will stay alive. For extra assurance he could've even recorded her making a false confession where she admits to murdering her friend Peaches. There was no evidence against Joe, and even by small chance she went to the police they would have nothing on him to warrant an arrest. On the other hand he would her confession on tape. At worst his reputation would be tarnished and he might be forced to leave NYC.