Here's The Ultimate Refresher On Everything That Happened In 'You' Season 1

It’s hard to remember what life was like before You debuted on Lifetime, although most fans of the show probably did not even discover the stalker drama until Netflix acquired it at the very end of 2018. Either way, the first season of the series quickly became all anyone could talk about, and when Season 2 was announced, the fandom collectively freaked out. But whether you’re watching the second season for the first time, or rewatching for the umpteenth, it’s important to have a good foundation, which starts with a refresher on what happened in Netflix's You Season 1.

When You Season 2 hit Netflix in December 2019, fans scrambled not only to watch it, but also to remember every single detail that went down in the episodes that came before. A ton of the stuff that went down in the first chapter of Joe Goldberg’s twisted story was brought back for Season 2, so it’s important to remember even the little things to be fully up to speed. Even if you consider yourself a You expert, you might be forgetting a key detail, such as Joe’s eerie flashbacks or his unfortunate jar of pee. But don't worry — you don't have to rewatch the whole first season before starting the next one. This recap will have you ready to stream the second batch of episodes in no time at all.

Who Died In ‘You’ Season 1?

For a show full of murder, this is obviously the most important question when remembering what happened in Season 1. Joe killed four important characters throughout the course of Season 1: Benji, Peach, Ron, and Beck.

Joe first killed Beck's philandering boyfriend Benji by abducting him and exposing him to peanut oil (a deadly allergen for him), after deeming him unworthy of Beck's love. He managed to cover up Benji's murder, and had similar luck when he killed Beck's best friend Peach. After Peach had become suspicious of Joe, he followed her out to her country home and shot her, then wrote a fake suicide note to cover it up. In the finale, Joe also killed his neighbor Paco's abusive father-figure Ron to protect his young friend, and then ended up killing Beck once she discovered the truth about all of his stalking and murdering.

What Evidence Did Joe Leave Behind In ‘You’ Season 1?

While Joe has been pretty masterful at covering up his crimes, there are a few obstacles that threaten to expose the truth. The most daunting is the jar of his urine he left at Peach's country house. Before killing Peach, Joe was forced to pee in a jar so as not to get caught taking a bathroom break while stalking her, but he forgot to take the jar with him when he left the house. With Peach's family having opened an investigation into her death, that jar of urine could be a huge issue for Joe at some point in the series, as it would clearly implicate him if the urine is submitted for a DNA test.

Then, there's also the case of Dr. Nicky, the therapist Beck had a fling with. While in Joe's captivity and under extreme duress, Beck had written a story that framed Nicky for all of Joe's past crimes, and after killing Beck, Joe had the story published. The end of Season 1 showed Nicky being arrested, but it seemed clear he would have figured out the truth about Joe after having all his crimes pinned on him. What — if anything — he is able to do with that information was left unclear at the end of the season.

Even if you haven’t seen Season 2 yet, you likely know Nicky does end up playing a role in those episodes, since John Stamos was confirmed to reprise his role of Dr. Nicky months before Season 2 was released.

What Was Revealed About Candace In ‘You’ Season 1?

The big cliffhanger at the end of Season 1 was the reveal that Joe's ex Candace was still alive, and that she had come to New York to talk to him about something. This was a major twist, considering Joe's flashbacks and hallucinations of Candace throughout the season implied he had killed her at some point in the past. In fact, in Caroline Kepnes' 2014 novel You, which the series is based on, Joe actually did kill Candace before meeting Beck, so her appearance in the finale marked a major shift in what fans should expect moving forward.

How Is ‘You’ Season 1 Different From Season 2?

Don't expect the second season of You to look anything like Season 1. In fact, the series’ entire setting and cast changes, with the exception of Joe still being at the center of everything. Season 2 jumps coasts as Joe moves from New York to Los Angeles, and the new object of his affection is a chef, who is aptly named Love (played by the Haunting of Hill House star Victoria Pedretti). The rest of the cast is filled out by tons of new characters Joe meets in L.A., along with Candace, who becomes a main character.

Now that you are fully refreshed on what went down in You Season 1, you're totally ready to say “hello, you” to Season 2.