Last night Viv and I finally finished all the episodes out so far of Killing Eve (yes, we were sleeping on it for a while). Overall I have to say, what a brilliant show, from the raging chemistry of the leads to the other stellar performances to the cinematography to Jodie Comer’s ridiculous talent with accents to the 10/10 banger of a soundtrack (the bulk of which is by a single band called Unloved and all available on Spotify, for what it’s worth).
I do think that seasons 1 and 2 were superior to season 3. This is far from the only show that I feel like this has happened with – from Veronica Mars to The Good Place, I think a lot of my favourite shows have suffered a little step-down in quality after their second season. In the case of Killing Eve, I just felt like the plot was less coherent, even though the characters’ lines were as witty and enjoyable as before. By the end, I was also starting to feel a worry I later found neatly described by this Guardian review – that:
A further burden now – and one shouldered by any subsequent series after one based on a cat-and-mouse premise – is that the artifice is showing. More and more elaborate ways must now be found to keep Eve and Villanelle apart, and other plotlines added to keep the central relationship from fulfilment and – given this one’s essentially fatal nature – ending.
Right? The electric part of this show is the way Eve and Villanelle are magnetically drawn to one another, but cannot be together. The thing is though, there have to actually be good reasons why they cannot be together… if they keep getting weakened down and down this show will be a lot less compelling. (Now alternatively, if the show writers can defy expectations and think of a way to keep the characters together and the delightfully tense drama coming, then I’d be psyched for that.)
Now, I certainly wouldn’t say the show has overstayed its welcome yet! It’s more that I’m just wondering where it goes from here, and can it get there without damaging my suspension of disbelief. Unfortunately production on season 4 had to be delayed thanks to the pandemic, so it’ll have to be a little longer than it otherwise would’ve been before I can find out.
