A beautiful young woman walks into an indie bookstore and meets the eyes of the handsome store manager. Hes not hot, but cute, with unassuming mannerisms and a subtly winning smile. The pair banter about books flirtatiously, and its clear that theres an instant attraction, a *spark* if you will. The woman reaches up to grab a book off the top shelf, and the man scans her up and down.

If this was a movie, Id grab you and wed go at it right in the stacks, he says in a voiceover, invoking visions of spontaneous passion that should be familiar to anyone whos spent time watching romance films.

But it isnt a movie. And its not quite a romance, either at least not one to be desired. Its the pilot episode of You, the latest of Lifetimes forays into scripted television.

You, based on the novel of the same name, follows Joe Goldberg (Badgley), the charming bookstore manager, and his increasingly terrifying obsession with Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail), a grad student and writer onto whom Joe projects all of his fantasies and expectations.

In the midst of the Me Too movement, it might sound dicey, unnecessary and even counterproductive to put a charming white dude stalker front and center on television. And yet You manages to be sharp and self-aware, skewering the very tropes you might expect to weigh it down. Much of this responsibility falls on the writing and on Badgley, who as Joe is left to narrate much of the first five episodes with his inner monologue.

The last time you saw Badgley on your television screen, it was most likely as Dan Humphrey, the moody outcast turned insider on teen juggernaut Gossip Girl (2007-2012). At the end of the series run, it was revealed (in a messy retconned twist) that Dan had been the titular Gossip Girl all along.

At first glance, beyond their stated bookishness, heartthrob Dan and predator Joe dont seem all that similar. But then you start talking to Badgley and the similarities become clearer. As Badgley pointed out to me over the phone, If any real person actually did the things that Gossip Girl did, is that person, no matter who they are, a sociopath? Arent they manipulative? Arent they abusive?

And these sorts of observations are what make chatting with Badgley so much fun. Hes a seasoned pro at doing press he came of age in the public eye, after all which means that he could come off as rehearsed, so media-trained as to be boring. But instead Badgley is contemplative, not only answering questions but also asking them. We talked about everything from romantic comedy conventions to the format of this interview. And really, whats more Dan Humphrey than that?

So, Ive seen the first five episodes of You, and they are any dating womans greatest nightmare realized.

Yes. Definitely.

You play Joe, the very charming stalker at the center of this show. Im curious what initially drew you to the role?

I was drawn to the project through the conversations I had with [You co-creators] Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble. After I read the book, I could really admire the effect that Caroline [Kepnes] writing has on the reader. But [Joe is] not the sort of person that you want to live with day in, day out. I think I was actually quite cautious [going into the project], and what that has led me to do is learn to trust the other people in the process the writers, the actors, the crew so Im less attached to this person, this character. Thats what I like about it now. Initially, I couldnt see all those things and couldnt tell exactly why I was compelled by it.