Binging Eve

Does it have to be over? Does it really? Can’t we just bask in the wondrous afterglow a little bit longer? The finale of “Killing Eve” only made me love this wickedly clever and super sexy cat-and-cat (because, trust me, neither Eve or Villanelle are mice) thriller more.

[Spoilers for the “Killing Eve” season finale follow, so act appropriately]

No show on television has so thoroughly surprised and enthralled me as “Killing Eve” has its first season. My obsession with it is well documented (thanks, Autostraddle). Each time I thought I knew which way it was zigging, it would zag on me. But these weren’t just twists for twists sake. These were unpredictable moments grounded in the fundamentally unpredictable nature of humankind. We are wild, mercurial, selfish creatures at our core who can occasionally be tamed by the transformative power of the human heart.

Watching Eve and Villanelle’s relationship (because, come on, at this point it basically is one) unfurl itself has been an absolute delight. It’s also a reminder that a certain magic can happen when two extremely talented, charismatic and intelligent women are asked to engage with one another repeatedly about something other than men or motherhood (not that there’s necessarily anything wrong with either – or at least not motherhood).

And, yeah, it was also queer as fuck. In fact, this may be one of the only shows in which I genuinely think having the “villain” being an LGBTQ character is in no way problematic. Jodie Comer makes Villanelle so mesmerizing, so magnetic you kinda/definitely root for her. Like, how do you make a psychopath empathetic? It’s witchcraft, I tell you. Well, witchcraft and brilliant writing and impeccable acting.

Was I expecting Sandra Oh to be magnificent? Yes, don’t ask stupid questions. Was I expecting the rest of the cast to compliment each other so stupendously (particularly Fiona Shaw and Kirby Howell-Baptiste)? Not exactly, but I was hoping. Was I expecting Eve to trash Villanelle’s apartment, have a heart-to-heart with her, then almost kiss only to straight-up stab Villanelle and then experience instant remorse? No, of course not, who could’ve guessed that, don’t ask stupid questions.

Look, I had no idea where “Killing Eve” was going most of Season 1. And I have no idea where it’s going in Season 2. And I couldn’t be happier about it all.