'Killing Eve' Season 3 is a drag after brilliant first two seasons but will it pick up?
'Killing Eve' has set foot into Season 3 and the show seems to have lost its edge. The threat of violence is no longer a sinister shadow hanging over the show. Now it's a sidebar to a rom-com.
The show revolves around two women, bound by a mutual obsession and one brutal act: Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), an MI6 operative, and Villanelle (Jodie Comer), the beautiful, psychopathic assassin that she has been tasked to find. While the first and second seasons had a razor-sharp script with fierce and funny dialogues, relationships seem to have taken the center stage in season three and that has made the show a bit of a drag.
The first two episodes — 'Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey' and 'Management Sucks' — started pretty slow and didn't have much meat. The suspense factor was missing as fans already knew Eve was alive after the trailer drop despite the hair-raising cliffhanger at the end of season two. In the third episode titled 'Meetings Have Biscuits', Eve and Villanelle's paths finally crossed and the two shared a kiss or rather, a peck on the lips. But is that enough to keep fans glued to their screens?
Don't we miss the violent streak that has captivated fans' hearts? Aren't we all craving to see the two top-notch actresses — Emmy winner Jodie and Golden Globe winner Sandra — get brilliant scripts to match up to their remarkable performances? To keep viewers interested, the makers may have to delve deeper into Villanelle's past, make her attraction to Eve more aggressive and passionate and also spell more trouble for other characters who seem to have become inconsequential over the last few episodes.
Fans are pretty much on the same page. "It pains me to say, but I'm really not feeling this new #KillingEve series. Jodie Comer, and the rest of the cast, are pretty much faultless but both episodes so far feel like a drag. Fingers crossed it picks up," one fan wrote and another said, "I already feel like it's dragging out, so yeah, it should end at 3."
Another posted, "Yes. This show IS Eve + Villanelle. Most of the other characters are flat or inconsequential, exempting maybe Carolyn and Konstantine. With how volatile V is, it wouldn’t be good past 3-4 seasons. I think 4 is the golden number for most shows. 5 tops."
One fan wants to see Eve and Villanelle's happy ending and doesn't mind if the show ends after three seasons. "So I've binged this show watching 2 seasons in a matter of days!.. loved every minute of it, great acting and a great story. Do we need to face the facts that is Villanelle likely to do a 4th + series, as I think this show is gonna put her on the big stage of movies? So do we wrap up the whole story by finishing it on the 3rd rather than potentially drag it out when all the stars don't commit? I want that happy ending with Villanelle & Eve!"
In fact, this was the case after Season 2 itself. In a Reddit thread, one viewer posted, "It seems, KE is following the steps of GoT—a poor writing problem has raised its ugly head. I've got the impression that the scriptwriters just don't know what to do further."
The fan further added, "MI6 and V+K teaming together? Come on... Firstly, that has effectively killed half of the intrigue, nobody's chasing anybody anymore. Secondly, I do understand the concept of suspension of disbelief, but really—are you serious? Not just Carolyn's double play but the whole MI6 unit not batting an eyelid at working with V+K who killed Bill, a witness and guards in their safe house? IMO, that's a bit over the top. Sure, there are still great moments—literally every scene with E and V interacting with each other—but it's a shame to see two great actresses with so poor a script to enact. Of course, I will continue to watch the show, E+V being pure enjoyment to look at, but I'm just a bit put off by the clumsiness of the overall story."
One fan rightfully said, "The show needs Eve to reach a certain place of darkness to move forward with its plot. This season, Eve has lost Elena, Kenny and now Niko Polastri. She almost pushed a man in front of a moving subway. She witnessed a cold-blooded murder and barring the initial shock, didn't bat an eye. We're getting there. The Peels are just a plot filler for now."
Another viewer said, "You are right that the plot is weak - and they are just relying on the fact that Carolyn is shady to coast through everything -- but, I think the showrunner has made the conscious decision of keeping the focus of the show solely on the leads, and use everything around them to propel their narrative forward. It seems to be a conscious decision, and they seem to be delivering on that thread. I also agree that even ridiculous plots can sometimes be executed more smoothly; but I think they have such a goldmine with these two characters (and actors), that they rely on their dynamic, chemistry, and intrigue almost entirely. I don't blame them. I think they can still find a way to tie it all together without making plot seem like an afterthought, they've left themselves enough legroom for that."
Only time will tell if the makers have something big planned in the next few episodes. God forbid if not, the BBC America show could turn out to be another disaster after a good start. The series airs every Sunday at 9 pm ET.
