Friday, April 27, 2018

My Weekend Kill

Dear, sweet Lesbian Jesus, I hope you are watching “Killing Eve.” I am not kidding, as I would never take Lesbian Jesus’ name in vain, especially not about that most sacred of topics – excellent TV shows with complicated female leads and overt queer themes.

If you haven’t been watching (and, again, you should) here’s what you need to know. The new series on BBC America stars the always-stupendous Sandra Oh (which, come on, that alone should be enough reason for you to watch) as Eve Polastri, a normally desk-bound agent who is recruited into a clandestine MI6 team to help chase down a psychopathic assassin named Villanelle (played by the absolutely riveting and chilling Jodie Comer) who has been murdering people all across Europe.

The two women become – and stay with me because this might sound weird – but mutually obsessed with each other in a way that only women can become obsessed with each other. There is respect and curiosity and longing and a burning desire to know everything and anything about her life. Except one of these people is a cold-blooded serial killer who takes pleasure in watching to life drain from her victims’ eyes and the other is trying to stop said killer and the sad eyes thing.

The series also stars out actress Fiona Shaw as Eve’s stoic division chief who is heading up the team, if you were looking for some additional lesbo street cred.

Speaking of the queer stuff, Villanelle appears to have sex with men and women, but has started to pay special attention to women in particular after meeting Eve. I have no idea where it will take her same-sex desires as the series moves on, and that’s great. Because it’s so well done, I just want to come along for the ride. And, the best news is, it has already been renewed for a second season.

The show is fascinating and proof positive that there should be more layered leading roles for women opposite one another, period. This show, with men, would be just another cat-and-mouse catch the killer game. But when you switch the dynamic and allow two women to show the full complexity of their lives and minds and hearts and homicidal tendencies, it’s just fucking amazing television. It really, really is. I cannot wait for the next episode Sunday night. I really, really can’t. Happy weekend, all.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really love it too - and love the refreshing discussion of one male character's sexuality. I particularly love a snippet of an interview I read in which she got the script and thought she was up for some minor role and was shocked when she heard they wanted her to read for Eve. It's really great that they cast a woman of her age in that role.

Wally

Helena said...

Brilliant news , thank you for keeping me up to date :)

Carmen SanDiego said...

Ive been meaning to watch it but you just increased the urgency. Have to figure out how to stream it. Have a great weekend DS

Anonymous said...

I was also very pleased with the series. I love that they have so much comedy in the show even with the gruesome premise.

Tanzania said...

It. Is. SO. GOOD!!!!

Obsessed!

January said...

So happy you, too, are enjoying Killing Eve. As cat and mouse crime thrillers go, it's first rate, and that it has two female leads is terrific. I am also a fan of Eve's sidekick, Elena, played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, not only because she liked one of my tweets (lol), but because of her crack comic timing. She and Sandra Oh play off each other beautifully. Find Killing Eve on Twitter Sunday nights.

nautstars said...

It’s a fantastic show, I’m already a little obsessed with it!

Unknown said...

Oh, this looks fantastic! Wonder if I can find it to stream this side of the pond!

surfix67 said...

Did you noticed that the shitty boss that fired her in the first episode is Cooper (Darren Boyd) from "Imagine me and you". I am sure you did noticed right?