Just in case you’ve been living in a cave or something, there’s a new season of the brilliant Killing Eve out, with all eight episodes available to stream on the BBC iPlayer.
Although technically a spy show, the first series did not dwell on this aspect of the narrative, instead focusing on the relationship between Sandra Oh’s Eve, an MI6 Agent, and Jodie Comer’s serial killer Villanelle.
In this latest season, the spying really coming into the fore, with Fiona Shaw getting a much larger role (thankfully!) and delivering both laughs and shocks. I’ve always been a bit annoyed by spy novels or shows that try to bring in too much of a human element to their narratives, as if plot and spying aren’t as relevant or interesting.
Season two offers both a closer look at this, frankly unhinged relationship and the role MI6 plays in tracking down criminals and security threats. Villanelle is both brilliantly witty and expertly playing the system as she overcomes her dramatic stabbing from the end of season one and enters the real fray, working against the organisation that employed her previously.
Later episodes show the real power of MI6, and any Fiona Shaw fans will be impressed by her exquisite performance. She offers her lines with relish and there’s something uniquely powerful about her, even when she’s in vulnerable positions.
As well as being a great thriller, Killing Eve is also deeply feminist, and it’s a real pleasure to be able to see women in positions of real power, working alongside men and being respected. Eve and Carolyn are not in their roles because of diversity: they are there because they are bloody good at their jobs, and that’s refreshing, even in 2019.
Personally, I binge watched the entire second season in one day pretty much as soon as it came out, but if, unlike me, you have an actual life and don’t want to waste your precious free time on a show that sucks, please, take it from me, this one really doesn’t.
At the end of the day, Killing Eve has everything you could possibly want from a spy thriller: death, international terrorists, security services, guns, sex, violence, the lot and more. Throw in some truly fabulous fashion, great writing and beautiful locations and you something genuinely spectacular.
The Dorset Book Detective 