When Killing Eve debuted in 2018 on BBC America, the show became something of a minor cultural hit. Based on the Villanelle novel series, the show provided a unique blend of dark humor and thrilling spy intrigue that led to consecutive ratings growth throughout the entire first season. The show had some notable reasons for people to tune in; Sandra Oh was still beloved from her long-running stint on Grey’s Anatomy, where she was arguably the best part of the show, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who had already released the first season of her wildly popular Fleabag, was on board as Head Writer and Executive Producer. While Head Writer duties have shifted to a new talented woman each season, the show has mostly maintained its critical acclaim and continued to rack up awards. With the third season, Suzanne Heathcote picks up where Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) left off.
For the uninitiated, Killing Eve follows Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), a British intelligence investigator who started out attempting to track down the deliciously psychopathic assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer). Through her journey, a cat-and-mouse relationship developed between the two women, eventually blossoming into full-blown mutual obsession. The series has explored their dynamic in their various stages throughout the first two seasons cushioned by the backdrop of secret evil organizations and the pursuit of justice. Although it was not a complete dud, the second season of Killing Eve did feel like something of a letdown after the practically perfect first season. The confrontation in the first season finale was a thrilling place to build to, but the writers did not quite seem to know where to go in the second season. The season had its moments, but it mostly seemed to be spinning its wheels until it ended up in basically the same place in the second season finale. As we get into the third season, we have to wonder if the show can regain the magic from the first season.
The simple answer is…not quite. The third season takes a bit to really get cooking, as Eve and Villanelle are in very different places and in no apparent rush to get them together. The main issue with the show seems to be the lack of urgency from a frankly uninteresting villainous organization. The Twelve is the catalyst for most of the investigations taking place, but they have never really been established as particularly compelling. They are interesting by their proximity to the outlandishly dark Villanelle, but figuring out the secrets of The Twelve is not the reason anyone tunes into the show. The show continues the world-building by revealing more personal details about some of the standout characters, such as the introduction of Carolyn’s (Fiona Shaw) daughter, Geraldine (Gemma Whelan, Game of Thrones). The expansion is necessary, but it does not make up for the fact that the most interesting aspect of the show, the dynamic between Eve and Villanelle, is mostly ignored until the last episode.
The other major issue with the show is the inconsistency in which it tackles the loss of main cast members. Early in the first season, there was a fantastically tense scene in a nightclub that resulted in the loss of a key member of the team. This drove Eve to pursue Villanelle in the most voracious manner. There is a pretty devastating loss early in this season, but it does not even kick the show into gear in the way that you would expect it to. Most of the time, the show seems afraid to even go that far unless we are closing in on a finale. There are so many extraneous characters on this show that could easily be knocked off, and the show comes so close to doing so, but they pull back at the last minute. There is a lot of death on this show, but it mostly seems contained to characters you barely know or care about. I’m not advocating for an all-out cleansing of the cast, but if they have nothing to add to the plot, they need to be written out somehow.
Since the show is based on the Villanelle novels, and that character is so delightfully unhinged, it is not surprising that the show leans even more into her exploits this season. She is the reason people tune in, as her role in the show is an agent of chaos. A highlight of the season is an episode dedicated to returning home to her long-lost family that gives you a nice dose of backstory and more emotional depth to the character that benefits the series as a whole. What is more problematic about the focus on Villanelle is the way that Eve seems to be relegated to an afterthought. Eve is in every other episode, but almost nothing she does this season amount to anything of consequence. You can point to a much more compelling arc for Carolyn this season, which seems like an odd development considering the title of the show. The latter half of the season does offer up some decent intrigue, and the season leaves off in a place that has me more eager to continue than I have been since the first season finale. There is room for the show to return to its former glory, but the writers really need to focus on what makes the show compelling.
Video Quality
The third season of Killing Eve comes to Blu-Ray with an eye-popping 1080p presentation that pushes the format to its limit. The series is filled with intricately curated sets and gorgeous cinematography that is presented with perfect clarity on this disc. From the many brightly lit scenes to the darker, shadowy sequences, the skin tones and facial details are incredibly rendered in a way you could almost mistake this for a 4K disc. Subtle facial features are readily visible, such as Villanelle’s clown costume disguise that lends itself to intricate texture. Colors from the blood and costumes pop off the screen alongside the varied lush landscapes. Black levels are very deep and never betray the objects on screen. No instances of compression artifacts crept up during the viewing. This is an immaculate presentation that perfectly showcases a beautifully shot series that deserves such treatment.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that is quite lively. The series is primarily dialogue driven, but there are also fairly frequent action-packed sequences such as hand-to-hand combat that kick this track into overdrive. There is some nice ambient activity in the rear channels, especially during crowded sequences at the subway or at the town fair in Russia. The dialogue primarily stays in front center channels and is reproduced clearly. The track does a good job of making sure neither sound effects nor the score ever overpowers dialogue. The score brings a richness to the series that fills up the room on this track. When the action kicks in, there is some heft to the low end that is appreciated in a series such as this one. This track has a substantial dynamic range that should please fans of the series.
Special Features
Disc One
- Closer Look: Four brief featurettes totaling twelve minutes are included here which take a look at the rough and tumble spice kill, the organization known at “The Bitter Pill,” new and returning talent behind-the-scenes and the character of Konstantin. They may just be quick bites, but they are quite interesting.
Disc Two
- Closer Look: Four brief featurettes totaling twelve-and-a-half minutes are included here which take a look at Villanelle’s return home, the different filming locations in season three, the character of Dasha and the psychology of Villanelle. These feature participation from a wide range of cast and crew members, which make these an entertaining bit of content.
Final Thoughts
The third season of Killing Eve finds the show trying to rebuild from an inconsistent second season, but it takes a bit too long to get their head above water. There are some decent thrills throughout the season, and Villanelle is as engaging as ever, but the writers need to get back to what makes the show compelling moving forward. RLJE Films and AMC have delivered a Blu-Ray with an excellent A/V presentation and some interesting featurettes. Fans of the show will find this a worthwhile package.
Killing Eve: The Complete Third Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: RLJE Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
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Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
