Netflix's You - Episode 2.06 "Farewell, My Bunny"
Joe performs surveillance on a potential problem, but suspects someone might be tailing him, too. Painful memories put Love on edge about the present.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Netflix's You.
"Farewell, My Bunny" was written by Adria Lang and directed by Meera Menon
Joe's secret has been exposed. Candace reveals the truth to Love. That leads to Love breaking up with Joe because he has lied to her this entire time. This episode details exactly why that hits such a raw nerve with her. Her husband, James, did the exact same thing when it came to revealing his terminal illness. He knew for two months before he told her. Up until that point, they embraced normalcy as a couple having debates and sometimes fights about children and finances. It's clear that Love is in a vulnerable state throughout this episode. That makes it an uncomfortable and volatile time for her to learn that her relationship is a complete lie. That fuels her motivation behind everything she eventually does. She's not wrong to hire a private investigator to follow Candace either. For her family, it's simply a way of conducting business. She has always been protective of her brother. As such, she has to look out for Forty's best interests. She feels the responsibility of doing so because no one else will. That same mentality didn't apply when it came to her own love life. In the beginning, she didn't quite know what she wanted from her romance with Joe. It quickly moved into love. They were building something strong together. It never crossed her mind to look into his past to see if he could potentially be manipulating her in order to get to her family's money. She explains that that's something everyone in the Quinn family needs to aware of when it comes to making investments and being open with people. That showcases how she has higher standards for others than herself. She allowed herself to be blinded by how good all of this felt. The audience may question the decision especially considering how quickly Candace's lie fell apart. Joe simply has more experience in being deceitful. He has shrouded huge parts of his past in mystery. The series has only slowly revealed them as well. None of them should be seen as potential justification for the man he eventually became. Coming from an abusive upbringing shouldn't have uniformly made him into a killer who is also abusive to women. And yet, Love should absolutely heed Candace's warning. She doesn't trust her though. As such, she doesn't place much value on the words coming out of her mouth. It's only after Joe reveals his true identity that she accepts that this is a relationship that can no longer continue. That may be the extent of what she is willing to accept at the moment. She may not buy into the idea that Joe tried to kill Candace and actually killed Beck. Again, he has a convenient answer he thinks can persuade her into believing his version of events. Sure, he and Beck had more than a simple date. He was crushed long before he framed Dr. Nicky for murder. Joe is continually afraid that any police officer will arrest him. That's the burden he carries everyone he goes. It doesn't bother him when he sees his own name on Delilah's conspiracy board. He knows how insane this all actually is and knows that he can also distract her away from looking any closer. Again, it's so easy for him to manipulate events in his favor. He narrates this entire personal journey to Love. And yet, it's only shortly after the breakup that he is having sex with Delilah. He understands that it's an unhealthy reaction. It's just something to feel good after a lot of trauma. It certainly presents Delilah as a more scattered character who has become a little inconsistent with what she wants from the world. She is struggling. That can be empathetic but she mostly feels like a character used to deliver a specific point instead of something actually meaningful. Meanwhile, it's odd and anticlimactic that Candace is dispatched so quickly and efficiently here. She wanted to prove to Joe that he was a bad person. Instead, Love is able to pay her off. That happens offscreen. So perhaps, this threat isn't completely gone. The audience should probably expect some surprise considering Ambyr Childers is a series regular this season. The universe is saying that Joe is stuck in Los Angeles now. Those seven totems are a heavy-handed way to get that point across. In fact, a lot of this episode can easily feel like plot escalation instead of genuine character moves based on the information they have at the moment. Forty still wants Joe as a producing partner. That keeps Joe in the orbit of the Quinn siblings for whatever twist comes next. And yes, this romance is far from over simply because Joe will refuse to let it go. That's in his nature. He has obsessions and won't let them leave when he is trying to make them better. He may be happy Candace is gone. However, he'll focus intently on restoring trust with Love because he holds onto the hope that there is something special and real between them even though he is a monster who constantly hurts those around him. His lament and agonizing over that doesn't make it less true or less likely to happen again.
