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Joe Goldberg's signature method of kidnapping involves imprisoning victims in a soundproof glass cage, a recurring element that underscores the psychological and physical terror he inflicts. Examples of graphic violence include Delilah Alves's brutal death in Season 2, where the camera lingers on her throat being slashed with blood pooling, and Love Quinn's subsequent murder of Delilah. Later seasons continue this trend, with a character being choked to death and then hanged to stage a suicide in Season 5, and another character planting and removing a key from their arm, resulting in significant blood.

The series features numerous explicit sex scenes, with some in Season 5 described as graphic, and a scene where a character pleasures themselves while reading written text. In Season 3, there's a memorable instance of group sex involving Joe, Love, Sherry, and Cary, explicitly described as "full-on group sex, complete with accessories". Nudity, including a full frontal shot of a male character's private part, occurs in Season 4, and scenes of men and women in underwear are common throughout.

Characters frequently use strong language, including multiple instances of the F-bomb, such as in a shocking scene where a character exclaims, "what the fuck is this b are you okay fuck no god oh my god oh my god oh my god we're live motherfucker there's no pulse call 911.". The S-word is commonly used, and the C-word is present, particularly in later seasons (Season 4 and 5), often aimed at women in a derogatory context.

In Season 4, substance abuse is heightened, with Joe interacting with a group of "friends" who are constantly depicted using drugs, and characters frequently getting drunk. Additionally, in Season 3, during a group sex scene, Cary introduces Joe and Love to a collection of "sexual stimulants," implying drug use to enhance the experience.

The core premise of Joe's stalking and psychological manipulation of his love interests is deeply unsettling and pervasive, creating constant tension. A particularly intense moment for many viewers is in Season 1, Episode 9, when Beck discovers Joe's hidden box of evidence in his ceiling, leading to a palpable sense of fear and dread for her safety. The show also deals with suicidal content, as Joe frequently stages his victims' deaths as suicides and even contemplates suicide himself in Season 4.

Joe Goldberg's entire M.O. is based on extreme disrespect for others' autonomy, as he stalks, manipulates, and murders individuals who impede his obsessive desires. For instance, in Season 1, Joe stalks Beck, breaks into her apartment, and steals her belongings without her knowledge, demonstrating a complete disregard for her personal space. In Season 5, Joe defends his son Henry's aggressive and rebellious actions, such as Henry punching his step-cousin Gretchen and throwing a butter knife at his aunt, by framing them as acts of protection, thereby indirectly condoning defiance.