She is a gorgeous, merciless assassin from Russia who operates internationally and has been responsible for a number of high-profile murders on the orders of a secret society called The Twelve. She can not only seduce her targets but also smash, shoot and smear them to death. However, is she the only beautiful monster? This is a world dominated by women—the assassin is a woman, the spy is a woman, her boss is a woman and even the top-ranking individuals are women, just that the victims of these murders are men, poor-caught in surprise men—men (and some women) who didn’t expect dying in the hands of a glamorous lady like Villanelle (or Oksana). She’s got style, loves all things material and the killing is just her job, it is all she knows, it is all she has been trained for.
The writer of the show, Phoebe Waller-Bridge brings her obsession with female assassins to life; stirring up the genres, it brings crime, tragedy and comedy together. With a powerful female cast of Sandra Oh, Jamie Comer and Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve makes you wonder who the actual monster is and also perhaps makes you reconcile with the monster within! Eve Polastri (Sarah Oh) is a MI5 agent, a clumsy little woman, caught up in the wrong job, a not-so-exciting-life—except for this one obsession— to study criminal minds and female assassins and her new favorite is this international killer who has caught her eye recently. She has always been interested in criminal psychology and has a secret hobby to collect and investigate information in her individual capacity.
Her intuitions have got her fired from her real job and has landed her in a small apartment dedicated to the lady (or perhaps the killer) of her dreams! The world is feminine, Eve and Villanelle (Jamie Comer) share an intellectual, romantic and a sexual relationship. There is Villanelle’s female gaze replacing the prominent male gaze. The series follows Eve Polastri investigating a psychopath, too-good-at-her-job, Villanelle, who initially have a chase but when they meet, they kiss! (quiet a juxtaposition of interests). The assassin’s character is the most childish, horrifying, hilarious and also, human.
The people in the show are similar—while some know how to control their monster within, the others flaunt it—but all have been the ‘agents of chaos’ throughout the series. Villanelle is the right archetype of the film noir’s concept of the femme fatale—the attractive, seductive and mostly is the reason for the downfall of men who challenge her. With the modern archetype of the concept, Villanelle fits into it perfectly. She can also be seen as the catalyst that brings out the monster in Eve, who recognizes the darkness within her as the series progresses. Even though this modern femme fatale has a few flaws, her character is developed to be human enough.
While most of the series follows Eve and Villanelle, Carolyn is also responsible for many developments. She is charismatic and successful, with a dash of humor behind a strong-straight face. Surrounded by suspicion, her personal links to the Russians and her high-ranking contacts around the globe are important. While she holds a lot of power and is a person of character, her past fames, sexual partners bring in the infamous stereotype with respect to women raising up in the ranks. She certainly is a woman who knows to keep her secrets, does not let everyone know of her business. Yet again, there is a masculine aura about her—why does cinema represent women up in the ranks to be less feminine or motherly?
With a crew of secondary and tertiary characters, it is hard to guess who is the ‘The Twelve’. For most of the series you think Carolyn or Konstantin belongs but the writers so not want us to pry. Everyone works in individual capacity and surely, they leave no trail! We, as viewers never get around the stakeholders of the organization. There are characters that are left hanging with no back-stories and neither background checks! We are accomplices with Villanelle (who does care who she is working for) and Eve who has little information and knowledge that everyone is working for the same group of powerful people—like Villanelle suggests ‘you will find out that we are working for the same people’. But it makes me question—is The Twelve just a façade for the government’s wrongdoings?
Where the series falls short is that it does not focus on the developments of the plot as much as it does on the protagonist and the antagonist and their growing relationship. It does not reveal who the victims are and neither the reasons behind the killings. There are characters that could contribute to the developing events but with the fear of distraction are left out of the main plot.
There monsters are within us, some know how to control them and others let them dominate because that is all they know. While watching the show one can definitely find themselves vouching for the assassin—her style, her lifestyle and her attitude is fascinating! The show also allows you to reconcile with the darkness within yourself. The show is intriguing, ambitious, dramatic and with strong female protagonists, it is a feminist dream come true.