Killing Eve Season 2 Episode 1 Review: Do You Know How to Dispose of a Body?
Carissa Pavlica
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thirty seconds after Killing Eve Season 1 Episode 8 finds both Eve and Villanelle suffering quite a bit as a result of their encounter.
If they were tired then, Killing Eve Season 2 Episode 1 shows both of them tired and defeated.
Eve struggles with her actions as provoked by the close proximity to Villanelle, and while Villanelle's health suffers, she's more certain than ever of her connection to Eve.
Getting up close and personal shook both Eve and Villanelle but in very different ways.
It's a fascinating juxtaposition to watch, especially since both women seem to be more alike than not in their obsessive qualities, their senses of humor, and more.
It's hard to know what part of the possibility of killing Villanelle had Eve more upset -- that Eve so wantonly took a life or that the woman who occupied so much of her time might be dead.
Eve wasn't thinking straight, running from the scene of the crime to the airport without ditching her weapon of choice.
She was all consumed with what happened and doing what she could to staunch the emotional bleeding.
Related: Killing Eve Season 2 Returns with Renewed Vigor and Panache
Whether it was buying a giant bag of candy that she held in front of her as if it was giving her life or over-fondling a pen while drinking at an airport bar, Eve was applying pressure to her physiological wounds in whatever way she knew how.
Eve was going through the motions, but she wasn't really doing anything.
That became apparent when Nico found Eve at home and happily slicing enough vegetables to feed an army. When Nico called her on the falsity of her mood by pointing out the chicken wasn't even in the oven, Eve finally allowed herself to collapse.
Toward the end of Killing Eve Season 1, Nico was more of an afterthought to Eve than a man she loved.
Nico was left behind and in the dark while Eve traipsed around the world in pursuit of the woman who was hunting her. But how much of that Nico knows is unclear.
He doesn't know enough for his peace of mind, but he also knows that for Eve's, she cannot leave the work she's been doing because she comes alive when she does it.
It puts the couple in a terrible place, especially since Eve is more closed off than ever.
She's unlikely to tell Nico about her encounter with Villanelle for two reasons -- the first is that Eve doesn't like the dark side of herself who lured and then stabbed Villanelle. The second is because what she feels for Villanelle is a mystery.
It's as much a girl crush as it is a professional obsession, and trying to explain to Nico what any of that means when she doesn't understand it herself would be impossible.
It might also be something Eve would rather keep to herself until she understands what she's feeling. If nothing else, Eve has to be questioning her judgment.
Once Carolyn got in touch with Eve, Eve began to loosen up a bit.
She couldn't have let rest the Villanelle issue, but going about it without the support of her team and MI6 would have been daunting (and possibly illegal).
Related: Interview - Edward Bluemel on his Roles on A Discovery of Witches and Killing Eve
Carolyn stepping back into the picture lit a fire under Eve again while also offering some much-needed comedic flair. Sandra Oh does vulnerable a little too well. Watching her break is highly unpleasant.
Even at her lowest point, Eve still managed to make us laugh, though.
Grateful for anyone she could talk to without needing to explain herself, she engaged with a telemarketer and bought a shit-ton of new windows. That was the truth Eve decided to reveal to Nico.
Being so close-lipped about her work won't keep her man within reach, so she has to find a way to talk about her work without revealing important details. Eve needs a touchstone outside of Villanelle, and Nico was always it.
Easily the funniest moment of the premiere also showcased how much misunderstanding there is between Eve and Carolyn.
Eve: Oh my God! Carolyn, that man's taking Oliver!
Carolyn: Oh. It's probably his father.
Eve: Isn't he with you?!
Carolyn: No, I've never seen him before in my life.
To hear Eve question Carolyn about Konstantin and whether she's a member of The Twelve only for Carolyn to counter back with questions of her own about Villanelle, her relationship with Eve, and what happened at the chic-as-shit flat in Paris perfectly documented their relationship.
They're sharing only as much as they think they need to move forward with their work. All of the accouterments are left in the cold, but it's those missing pieces that each might be able to dissect and close out their business.
Villanelle's recovery from the incident with Eve was a little easier to understand.
Badly wounded, her main goal was to get to the hospital, and she did it in perfect Villanelle fashion. When you can't attract a ride, you let the ride pick you.
We knew what being close to Eve did to her physically, but thanks to her discussions with her young roommate Gabriel, we also know how she's feeling about Eve.
Gabriel: A man stabbed you?
Villanelle: A woman stabbed me.
Gabriel: No way! Women don't stab.
Villanelle: I know! [gently laughs] It surprised me, too. She did it to show me how much she cared about me.
Gabriel: That's stupid.
Villanelle: No, it isn't! Sometimes when you love someone, you will do crazy things.
It's unlikely Villanelle will take no for an answer where things with Eve are concerned. She's more infatuated than ever with Eve.
Villanelle is also awakening to some emotions she may not fully understand. That was evident by the way she treated Gabrielle.
She was, as always, brutally honest with the kid about his disfigurement and his future. But she was also listening to him and did something for him that he might not have known he was asking.
Villanelle: Are you sure? Normal is boring. I'm not normal, you know.
Gabriel: But you look normal.
Villanelle: I know.
Gabriel: I wish I died in the car like everyone else. Would you want to spend your whole life like this?
Villanelle: Mmmn. No. No, I wouldn't it. It would be shit.
[she breaks Gabrielle's neck]
Even though she had been rolling her eyes at Gabriel just moments before, how the scene with the young man went down was one of Villanelle's first emotional breakthroughs.
She managed to empathize with Gabriel and did for him not only what he appeared to ask, but what she would have wanted if she was in his shoes.
Now, I realize we don't all want Villanelle empathizing with us if death is still on the table as a result, but she's taking baby steps. She's learning from Eve as much as Eve is learning from her.
Still, the very best scenes on Killing Eve are between Eve and Villanelle, and it's likely to be a while before that happens again.
As long as they don't veer too far off track and are always on each other's minds, progress will be made between them. Whatever that means, I don't care. To kill each other or love one another? Either is well worth the time invested in the two unique characters and the actors who embody them.
So what did you think of the premiere?
Did you expect Eve to be in the dark over Villanelle's fate for so long?
What do you think Villanelle will do now that she's in the wind again?
Hit the comments with your thoughts and watch Killing Eve online if you are behind.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
