Casting Penn Badgley was a meta-choice; he previously played Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl , a character also revealed to be an "omniscient" stalker figure.

After their first meeting at Mooney’s Bookstore , Joe uses Beck's full name from her credit card to find her social media and home address.

Critics note that Joe views Beck as an object to be fixed or rescued rather than a person, a dynamic rooted in deep-seated misogyny. 💡 Trivia & Production Facts

The show uses Penn Badgley's internal monologue to create a jarring contrast between Joe's outward "nice guy" persona and his delusional reality:

The series is based on the 2014 novel by Caroline Kepnes . Much of Joe's narration is lifted directly from the book's first-person perspective.

If you would like to explore more, I can provide a breakdown of , details on the original book's differences , or a summary of how Joe's crimes catch up to him later in the season. You Episode 1 Review: Pilot | Den of Geek