REVIEW: Killing Eve’s Third Season is its Most Visceral Yet

If you thought shooting the protagonist at the end of season 2 of Killing Eve was wild, season 3 says “hold my champagne.” 

Yes, that’s a Killing Eve spoiler. And if you’re reading a review of Killing Eve season 3 without seeing seasons 1 and 2… what is wrong with you? Go at least watch season 2! It’s actually really important in understanding season 3. 

Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri, Chang Woo Lim as Ki-Nam, Anthony Shin as Ho-Sung. Photo Credit: Laura Radford/BBCA

Killing Eve stars Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri, an MI6 expert in female assassins, and Jodie Comer as Villanelle — the ruddy queen of all assassins. The mother of all psychopaths. 

Eve and Villanelle are engaged in a cat-and-mouse psychological game. And within the first four episodes of season 3, it’s apparent that we are really going to drill down into the layers of Eve and Villanelle’s complicated relationship.

Eve (who is alive after Villanelle put a bullet in her in Rome and walked away at the end of season 2), is trying to maintain life after MI6. She’s cooking at a restaurant and trying to get estranged husband Niko back (he’s still dealing with trauma from season 2). 

But Eve’s new dull life can’t last for long, no matter how hard she tries. With a fresh tragedy, Eve has to take on a new investigation, with a new team.  

Jodie Comer as Villanelle. Photo Credit: Laura Radford/BBCAmerica/Sid Gentle

Villanelle is out of the biz too, though, could she ever really just settle down to the sweet life? An old trainer appears to convince Villanelle to come in from the cold. But Villanelle wants more than just her old job back. She wants power. 

Season 3 of Killing Eve feels more cohesive than season 2 did, at least within the four episodes I previewed. It certainly moves at a faster pace, in some moments so fast that it elevates the shocking moments. The violence is more shocking than played for shock value, like some of the violence of last season (Amsterdam, anyone?). 

The dialogue is as snarky and witty as ever, one of the things I love on the show. But there are also moments where not a word is spoken and you feel everything that’s happening in a scene. As usual, Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer are both in fine form. In fact, they may be at their best. 

Fiona Shaw as Carolyn Martens. Photo Credit: Des Willie/BBCA

Also at her best is Fiona Shaw, back as MI6 agent Carolyn Martens. The fallout of the Rome mission has hurt Carolyn careerwise, and she’s taking that hard. But it gets worse for her, and it allows Fiona Shaw some of her most raw and emotional acting moments in the series (well, as emotional as Carolyn gets). 

Returning for season 3 are Owen McDonnell as Niko Polastri, Sean Delaney as Kenny Stowton, Eve’s co-worker and Carolyn’s son, and Kim Bodnia as the shady Konstantin also return. 

Joining the show this season are Dame Harriet Walter (Downton Abbey, The Spanish Princess), Danny Sapani (Harlots, Penny Dreadful) and Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones).

Suzanne Heathcote is the new lead writer and executive producer for season 3, working with executive producers Sally Woodward Gentle, Lee Morris, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Gina Mingacci, Damon Thomas, Jeff Melvoin, Suzanne Heathcote and Sandra Oh.   

Season 3 of Killing Eve premieres April 12 at 9/8c on AMC and BBC America. Follow along with our coverage here.