Are you watching You, or is You watching you?
Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Thursday, December 26. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
You (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., complete second season): Once a totally solid but very underseen Lifetime series, Sera Gamble’s You got what the kids call “the Netflix bump” when it arrived on, well, Netflix. Now it’s a Netflix original, and it seems like it’s every bit as good—if not better—than ever.
Below you’ll find a brief excerpt from Joelle Monique’s warm pre-air review. We did our best to pick a chunk that gives away as little as possible about that first season, but if you’ve not seen it and would like to do so without having any idea what’s coming your way, best to skip down to the next section. Here’s Joelle, on You 2:
At first, Joe tells the audience—via his pompous voice-over/love letter/journal—that he’s going cold turkey on falling in love. But obsessions can’t be forgotten by wishing them away. In order to get a new identity on a tight budget, Joe abducts Will (Robin Lord Taylor), a dark web document forger. He buys a second-story apartment in a cute little bungalow, finds work at a bookstore, and seems to be handling his impulses well—despite occasionally seeing an apparition of Guinevere. But at the end of the premiere, his lying ways resurface, and it’s revealed that he’s fallen hard for Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti).
Yes, Joe falls for Love. Sounds bad, but is probably pretty great, if season one is any indication. And lest you think the show thinks Joe is a stand-up guy, know that even Penn Badgley is creeped out by the people who have a big ol’ crush on Joe.
Regular coverage
Wild card
The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition (ABC, 9 p.m.): You know what? American Bake Off is pretty good this year.
Either you want to watch the bakes or you don’t. We do. Bring on the niceness.