Spoilers ahead for Killing Eve's Season 3 premiere.
Over the past few years, Phoebe Waller-Bridge has become a household name for her work on the big and small screen. On TV, she's got two hit shows in Fleabag and Killing Eve, both of which have won Emmy Awards. The latter show just returned to BBC America and AMC, the joy of the many fans who missed seeing Eve and Villanelle on our screens every week. The Season 3 premiere of Killing Eve just aired, but there was some thing crucial missing for me: the two leads didn't actually interact.
The wait for Killing Eve's return has been excruciating for fans like me, especially given the wild cliffhanger of Season 2. In a moment of cyclical storytelling, Villanelle shot Eve in the finale, and fans were left wondering if she managed to survive. Luckily she did just that, and was shown living in alcoholic isolation. Meanwhile, we saw the bonkers way everyone's favorite killer has been coping since her "breakup" with Eve.
The episode functioned like a typical installment of Killing Eve. There was a mixture of drama and humor, as the cast of characters' relationships continue to grow in the wake of crime solving and murder. But it was hard not seeing the two leads meet. Furthermore, it seems like their fascination with each other has really slowed down... and that's a big missing piece for me.
What makes Killing Eve such a fascinating watch (besides Villanelle's utterly awesome kills) is the dynamic between Sandra Oh's Eve and Jodie Comer's Oksana. While they are foes who are on opposite sides of the law, they're also drawn to each other in an almost primal way. Seeing their game of cat and mouse is what hooked me on the show, especially as their personal connection deepened. But the Season 3 premiere was wholly lacking this aspect to the story.
The only real indication we had of Killing Eve's two leads being drawn to each other was in Villanelle's hilarious wedding sequence in the premiere's first act. It looks like Oksana found a rebound after shooting Eve in the Season 2 finale, and speed tracked their relationship to marriage level in just six months. But Villanelle acts utterly bizarre throughout the reception, and even goes on a rant about her ex. As for Eve, she doesn't seem to be feeling the same way.
Obviously Killing Eve's title character has every right to abandon her fascination with Villanelle. After all, she was shot in the finale and has been struggling with the physical and emotional toll of that near death experience. But Kenny's death was a shocking button for the episode, so clearly Eve is still in grave danger. Might this be the reason for a reconnection with Villanelle? Only time will tell.
Killing Eve airs Sunday nights on BBC America and AMC. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
