TV Review: Killing Eve Slays In Season 2
Killing Eve, Season 1, was so enthralling because Eve (Sandra Oh) and Villanelle (Jodie Cormer) formed a Batman/ Joker or Clarice/Hannibal dynamic that made you feel how much a hero needs his/her villain. The only difference between these pairings is the undercut of sexual tension that makes viewers wonder if Villanelle has “love” for Eve or vice versa. In Season 2, the exploration of what Eve and Villanelle feel for each other comes full force.
Part of Eve and Villanelle’s connection was their odd boredom with their life. They were the best in their field; Eve, an exceptional agent, and Villanelle, an amazing assassin, but yet they were under-appreciated. Both were surrounded by those who maintained their power by turning them into weapons, and such a dynamic continues as Fiona Shaw’s Carolyn Martens and Kim Bodnia’s Konstantin return to pull the strings of those surrounding them. The question is, how long will Eve and Villanelle serve others, and how far will they go to do it?
Season 2 picks up right after Season 1’s shocking ending. Cormer fleshes out Villanelle’s psychopathic innocence; making her a breed between hell and childlike wonder. Only Villanelle could fawn over stickers and then proceed to commit a homicide, but that is why fans are enraptured by her character. There is a sense that, in another world, Villanelle could have been redeemable. She is cunning, funny, and strangely loyal or desiring of it. Yet, by the end of Episode 1, you are reminded there is nothing to redeem in Villanelle. She is a cold-blooded killer, and how you love her is really on you, which, again, makes you love her more. Honestly, Cormer has created one of the best TV villains, and added another female character that kicks ass and turns the boys on their heads. Still, it is Sandra Oh’s Eve that is turning the most.
Eve’s arc is always the most relatable of the series because she, too, thinks her situation is as crazy as the audience believes it to be. As she fears she has killed Villanelle, she is confronted by her capacity for darkness. She has no idea what she wants for her life, and now knowing that she, too, can kill makes her even more confused. She knows she is not fragile, but the idea of her being cruel or used to hurt others like, Villanelle, puts her at an intriguing crux. Sandra Oh always gives a warmth to her characters that turns them into viewers’ emotional partners. We cannot help but understand Eve’s fears, especially for her soul/ identity and even for Villanelle.
With new characters coming in to “handle” Villanelle and order Eve around, Season 2 continues the Batman/ Joker vibe of Season 1; making you feel like these ladies are fated to define each other. Yet, there is something slightly tragic in their inability to define themselves. They both want “more” and “better,” which is ironic considering one is a murderer and the other one is trying to stop her. Thus, Killing Eve Season 2 highlights that whether you are clear about wanting to save others or kill them, you are never clear about whether you want to save or end yourself. It is a strange point to make, but Killing Eve is deliciously weird. Killing Eve premieres April 7 on BBC America. Click Here For More Information.
