Killing Eve should’ve ended with season 3. And this is coming from a writer who fell in love with the show, saw its twisted magic, and ultimately ended up growing with the characters and understanding them to the point where she shipped Eve and Villanelle. That is all being put into question with season 4 of the hit series.
Before we dive in, it’s important to note that this is an advance review for the first three episodes of Killing Eve. Our feelings on it, the show, and the characters might change. That is a possibility. And just because we currently think this show should’ve ended with season 3 doesn’t mean that Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer didn’t kill it.
Furthermore, love what you love. Watch the show. Make your own opinions. And if you’re still here, join us as we break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of season 4 of Killing Eve.
The Good – The Acting
Sandra Oh is an icon who sells every scene that she’s in. And yes, we’ve known that since Grey’s Anatomy. But this season we see Oh bring it up notch after notch to the point where you end up enthralled by her acting while wondering, “How is it that this woman isn’t getting Hollywood offers left and right?” This is talent.
The same thing can be said about Jodie Comer. Her character, Villanelle, is going through something transformational. And due to Comer’s talent, we are able to feel every second of that down to our bones. Comer’s acting also enables us to sympathize with this character in a way that we’ve never seen on this show.
Oh and Comer prove that they are some of the best actors in Hollywood. So much so, that even when we disagree with either of their character’s actions to the point where we want to throw our computers out the window, we are blown away by the sheer talent on our screens and end up sitting through another episode.
The Bad – What They’ve Done to Villaneve
The end of season 3 of Killing Eve left Villaneve fans full of hope for what was to come. Because even though these two hadn’t figured things out, they were on the cusp of something amazing. And in true rom-com style, they looked back at each other, a clear sign to anyone watching that whatever step they took next, it would be with each other.
It’s no surprise, especially if you’ve watched the Killing Eve season 4 trailer, Eve and Villanelle are not together. Eve is off with a new job and a new boy toy while Villanelle is trying to find herself. And it’s painful to watch. In many ways, season 4 feels like a betrayal. We were promised something at the end of season 3. The writing was on the wall and we weren’t just making it up.
And the worst part of season 4 is that we don’t understand why. Yes, Villanelle has done plenty of bad in her life. And yes, Eve has good reason to hate her. But we don’t watch Killing Eve because it’s a moral tale on life. We watch Killing Eve because it’s a twisted story with a romance at the heart of it all. And after watching what we have, we really wish that the ambiguous open ending of season 3 would’ve been it.
The Ugly – Where Did the Spark Go?
Looking back, seasons 1-3 of Killing Eve had a spark. It was something that kept us watching even when things got crazy and the bodies started piling up. And it’s what made us fall in love with Eve and Villanelle individually and then together as a unit. Season 4 of Killing Eve seems to have forgotten that in the first 3 episodes; something we hope is rectified as the season goes on.
A big reason why the spark has dimmed for Killing Eve is the way that Eve and Villanelle’s relationship has changed. They’re on different paths right now. And while one seems to be on a manipulative and destructive path where she doesn’t care anymore, the other is trying to make something of her life and find her place in the world while making plenty of mistakes along the way.
This leads to a power imbalance that is both shocking and saddening — the kind of thing we don’t want from Killing Eve. We want fun, twisted, scary, and romantic. We want to see them test the boundaries of love and what truly makes these characters tick. We don’t want these two to tear each other down. We want to see them lift each other up and live a crazy and out-of-this-world romance and partnership.
Conclusion…For Now
Again, this is only episodes 1-3. Killing Eve can get past these growing pains. It can deliver a truly outstanding season. But for now, we’re disappointed and wondering what this show will have to do to get back to the twisted mess that we’ve been enraptured by for three seasons. And if it’ll be enough to make us forget what we’ve seen so far.
Killing Eve season 4 premieres on February 27, 2022 on BBC America and AMC+.
Well, three episodes is a lot, especially if they’re mediocre. I just hope this isn’t another “Luther” and I know you know what I mean…