Killing Eve Season 1

In my comments about the Emmys, I mentioned how disappointing it is that Killing Eve didn't get a nod for best series. I realize many people haven't watched the show, so I'm here to try and change that.

Images are promotional materials released by BC America
Killing Eve is the story of two women. The first is Eve Polastri, UK born, American raised, and working at the start of the show at MI5, the British FBI to MI6's CIA, in USian terms. She's good at her job, but she isn't excited by it. And she has a strong suspicion that a series of murders throughout Europe have all been perpetrated by one person, and that the one person is a woman.

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The second woman is Villanelle, the woman who is, indeed, committing all of those murders. Her culpability is never in doubt. This show isn't a whodunit, it's more of a whydunit. As Eve is tasked with finding Villanelle, the assassin finds herself fascinated by Polastri. And the two go after one another in various ways.

Both characters have their supporting cast. For Eve, there's her boss - at the start of the show - Bill, and co-worker Elena, as well as husband Nico and master spy Carolyn. For Villanelle, there's mostly her handler, Konstantin, who sends her on her various assignments.

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While Eve is the show's protagonist, Villanelle is just as important, and gets similar airtime. Psychopaths are difficult characters to write and play. They tend to have this superficial charm that seems at odds with their terrible deeds.
Jodie Comer handles the part with aplomb. She can be incredibly sympathetic, but she is always a murderess, always dangerous.

But the star of the show is Sandra Oh as Eve. After years of playing roles that could be described as "The friend," she gets a chance to shine in this role, and really does. Famously, when Oh got the script, she just didn't understand what role she's supposed to play. Surely she's too old to play Elena, the funny sidekick. But series creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge had her in mind when she wrote the script, and that choice paid off in a big way. Eve is vulnerable and strong, volatile and steadfast, and she is brilliant.

I also want to shout out Fiona Shaw as Carolyn. If you know her as twitchy witch Marnie from True Blood, as I do, her assured performance here is a revelation.

I have a theory as to why the show isn't nominated for Best Drama in the Emmys: It's too much fun. The shows nominated are just so damn bleak. This may be a show about murder, but it is written and performed with a light touch, which makes a huge difference. It's frequently funny. There's no sexual assault. Just... you know. Murder. So much murder.