Following a heavy flashback centric episode with a dramatic cliffhanger, Killing Eve stays in the present. We find out if Villanelle survives her brutal attack while the paths of the various forces trying to confront the Twelve begin to converge.
Tonight’s episode is effective in its character development and relationship building through the use of different pairings. First and foremost, Eve and Villanelle receive significant screen time together. It’s like two ex-lovers reuniting after an extended break. Feelings are still present shown by the gentle care Eve provides. The moment when she brushes the assassin’s hair out of her eyes is intimate and impactful while the granny scooter is endearing and lightens the mood.
However, there is a tension between them since Villanelle is the spurned and betrayed one. The fact that Eve is unable to answer whether locking the other away was good for her weighs heavy on both of them. Villanelle unleashes all her frustrations later when she learns what Eve and Hélène have been up to with the latter taking the brunt of it.
It’s been quite the evolution of Villanelle on Killing Eve. During the early years, she was a wild card who acted erratically and had a twisted logic. In addition, she was more of a bad influence on Eve as many of her brash decisions were made because of the hired killer. But here, there is sympathy for Villanelle despite her actions.
Genuine feelings have developed rather than an infatuation and a need to control. She suffers a broken heart and tender caresses aren’t enough to comfort her. It may not be romantic but in the end of the episode, she connects with someone who can better relate to her situation rather than an analyst who is a good at profiling and getting into her head.
For Eve, we see how much her pursuit of the Twelve gives her tunnel vision and makes her more selfish. It’s all about what she wants and she’ll use anyone to get it. Her relationship with Hélène has run its course and she demands the member of the Twelve to deliver her Carolyn, whom she believes is also a member.
When they do cross paths, Eve demonstrates how out of depth she is. She lacks patience and discipline and what she does is irrational and won’t help in finding the person at the top. It seems almost reactionary to her falling out with Villanelle and a need to prove herself. I would never have thought of it when I first started watching the series, but maybe Villanelle is too good for Eve and deserves someone better.
Speaking of Carolyn, her meet up with Hélène is fantastic. How Fiona Shaw and Anjana Vasan play off of each other and the banter back and forth shows good chemistry and how real professional spies conduct themselves. Considering one tried to have the other killed, they happen to be very cordial towards each other. How they are linked and the connections their fathers had add another level of intrigue.
Another entertaining pairing on this episode of Killing Eve is between Konstantin and Pam, who is receiving her initiation into a life as a cold-blooded killer. Learning from his previous protégés, Konstantin takes a different approach to training. Despite him believing she’s different from his other trainees, her sad motivations reveal a broken person inside similar to Villanelle.
Konstantin gives Pam every opportunity to walk away. The fact that it’s Hélène’s super positive and friendly ex makes it more difficult. It’s heartbreaking to see her go through with it and to lose Fernanda. Now that she’s fully committed, maybe Konstantin will take the kid gloves off.
In “Oh Goodie, I’m the Winner,” the roller coaster relationship between the two leads dominates with a more sympathetic eye towards Villanelle. In addition, the good acting and character work with the other cast members make for an enjoyable episode.
New episodes Killing Eve are released Sundays on BBC America.
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