I just finished watching the hit show on Netflix You. I have to say I was very impressed with the show’s design and ability to reel me into the story and characters. I will say though it reminded me of my favorite show that I watched on Showtime and Netflix; Dexter.

They both have similarities and differences and I wanted to point those out for you all today.

The Plots

You was a story that chilled me to the bones because it seemingly happens more than the average person wants to believe. An obsessive stalker going out of his way to find his true “love”. I say this because his form of love is through control, delusion, and manipulation. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for love…even if it means taking anything that may seem threatening to his “relationship”.

That is exactly who Joe Goldberg is. Well underneath anyway. In reality, he manages a book store in New York and working one day stumbles upon a grad student named Guinevere Beck. Instantly, he starts fixating how is life will be like when the two are together. Throughout the season Joe goes out of his way to have Beck land in his arms through overly obsessive, toxic and messy ways that make the viewer uncomfortable, but at the same time so intrigued they can’t look away.

Dexter on the other hand centers around a very unique concept; a serial killer hunting other serial killers. Dexter Morgan is a blood splatter analyst working for the Miami Metro Police Department. He specializes in forensics explaining how the victims met their untimely end. He’s so good at it well…because he does it for a living. In truth, he’s a serial killer. A unique one though. He hunts down other serial killers who are causing terror and violence throughout his domain.

Many people are drawn to this seeing Dexter Morgan as a protector in the shadows, the antihero of all things bad, a dark passenger. Throughout the show, Dexter hunts and does his thing, and ultimately tries to facade his way into having a normal life with family, friends, and lovers to make sure his secret stays a secret. One thing is for sure though. This show is unlike anything you have ever seen before.

What Makes Them Similar

If you have watched both shows then you know that some little things popped up in your head that screamed out man these two shows are a little bit similar. For one thing, both characters monologue in their heads. I love this aspect of both shows. You see what truly goes on in the sick and twisted minds of Goldberg and Morgan. It also provides humor both in light and dark contexts.

Another aspect is how well the two despite their unhealthy aspects are able to blend so well in normal life. It is a scary thing to think about as you wonder if these two can act so normal in life then others surely can too. It’s a concept that chills us to the very bone watching these two essentially “pretend” to have normal lives yet, in reality, they are both trying to keep their metaphorical mask on as long as it takes to get what they want.

Probably, the best way that they are similar is the fact they would do anything to protect the ones they “care” about and getting rid of the evil and rotten in the world. You see this in both shows and I’ll leave it honestly at that because I don’t want to spoil a lot until you watch both of these shows.

What Makes Them Different

Both You and Dexter both share qualities that make the characters and plots relatable. However, there are some big differences in each character of Joe and Dexter that you can spot if you have seen the two shows. Let’s count the ways.

For one, Joe’s main goal is to be with the woman he wants and essentially obsesses over it to the point of no return. However, Dexter’s main aspiration is being a serial killer. Everything he does is to ensure a normal life and routine to keep anything off his true intentions. That means spending time with his sister, dating, and doing his job right.

Another big one is that Joe is more drawn to keeping everything that might seem “harmful” away from his infatuation of Beck. This includes friends and family that he might deem dangerous to his love of her and his vision of them being happy together even if they are innocent people. Dexter, on the other hand, has a code to see what people he will kill. He does not harm or kill the innocent in any way shape or form. Doing so according to him would demolish his code and would make him just like any other serial killer or monster in the world.

Finally…

It is hard to give more information about the two shows and individuals in them without giving spoilers to the people who haven’t seen them. So please do me the favor and watch both of these shows as they give you access to some of the most entertaining, suspenseful, and overall evil ways in which some individuals are in the world. If you are like me and enjoy this kind of horror and thrilling television then you will ultimately fall in love with both of these. So go pop some corn, grab a drink, and finally…