Killing Eve (Season 1) - A RMNT Review

Killing Eve is the latest series on BBC America that's created, written and executive produced by comedian actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, based on the Codename Villanelle novella series by Luke Jennings, and stars Sandra Oh (who you may remember for previously starring in the ABC hit medical drama Grey's Anatomy) and Jodie Comer as the series' two leading characters. This series has been on my Must-See list for many months and after having finished the entire first season, was it worth the wait? Absolutely! How does one describe the entertainment quality of this elusive spy drama series in a nutshell? Simply put: a fun, but interesting game of cat and mouse between an MI5 officer and a crazy and strangely charming assassin! Is eight episodes sufficient enough to keep audiences invested and can Eve successfully locate the assassin Villanelle before the assassin locates her?!

While this is Phoebe Waller-Bridge's first time doing a drama series revolving around assassinations, international laws, and complex character study, the tone is brilliantly balanced thanks to its clever humor, whether its the memorable lines of dialogue, character moments, which are provided plentiful by Sandra Oh's Eve, and of course, Jodie Comer's scene-stealing charm and dark point of view, as well as their interactions with other characters. Honestly, without that charm, the show would've felt like your typical spy thriller, although a good one, but still typical regardless. With the first season consisting of eight episodes, the story properly well establishes the main story, from the central arcs of the leading characters while also diving into their psyches, from Eve's search and curious fascination of the killer to Villanelle's "fun times" killing people that she's assigned to while also having an attracting curiosity of the person who's tracking her down, all while delivering solid pacing, balanced tone, and even unexpected surprises, including the remaining minutes of the season finale!

When it comes to British dramas, they never seem to disappoint as it always comes to down to the cast, and they may not be the biggest names you've heard of, but their talent is sufficient enough to make this series something special! The characters, especially the ones portrayed by Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, are all fleshed out and have left lasting impressions. Eve Polastri is an officer from MI5 who's smart, committed to her job, and an all-around relatable woman including an ordinary marriage to a teacher, enjoying snacks, gossiping with her coworkers on occasion, and even reading spy adventure novels, but as the season progresses, she makes risks, shows strong determination, resourcefulness, all to find this one individual and to understand why these events are happening, including who hired Villanelle. While Eve is an interesting character, it's Jodie Comer's Villanelle who's the real breakout character of the series from her dark sense of humor, child-like fascination, charming wit, all while despite being a cold-blooded psychopath, making her one of the most interesting characters I've seen on television this year! As for the other characters featured in the series, they're all memorable in their own right thanks to the performances of the rest of the cast, the material they're given to work with, and how each of them have an essential role in the series, whether big or small.

The series captures the feeling of that of a spy novel, particularly the scenic locale of Paris and Rome, and the mixture of bleak and vibrant colors, all captured nicely well from the cinematography. Even the outdoor environments are beautifully shot, especially when Eve reunites with Villanelle in a later episode. Production of the sets, like the headquarters of MI5 look somewhat boring, but I meant that in a good way since the environment is meant to represent Eve's position of having a not-so exciting life, which is further evidenced in her home as it also looks and feels simply normal, which I do appreciate as her job isn't meant to be a high-paying one. Seriously, just look at her clothes and you'll get my point all while Villanelle's home is a small, but nice apartment in Paris, of all places. Point being, the series capture the mood and setting that represent well what the characters are going through, all while giving the series its visual identity.

Who knew an English comedian could pull off such a well-crafted spy thriller that's both intriguing and fun?! Killing Eve is not only a very entertaining first season with its well-thought and exciting premise, but also uniquely engaging thanks to its moments of dark witty humor, gorgeously-shot scenery, and the charming, but strong leading performances of Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer as the two main characters! With the series being renewed for a second season right before it even premiered, I'm very curious to see where their cat and mouse game will take us next and for what new surprises awaits us along the way!

Story: 5 / 5

Characters: 4.5 / 5

Production: 4.5 / 5

Final Rating: 4.5 / 5