The fourth season of Killing Eve has finally arrived, and whilst our friends over the pond may have been treated to two episodes at once to celebrate its return, us Brits will have to wait a dreaded full week before we get to see exactly what our titular anti-hero (Sandra Oh) and her sparring partner, Villanelle (Jodie Comer) get up to, after a frankly bonkers opening episode.
A lot has already been said about the direction in which this concluding season seems to be headed. Some are celebrating the outlandish narrative, as it reflects the utter chaos and madness we have seen in all of the episodes which have come before. Others reckon that the shark has well and truly been jumped, with showrunners struggling to tie up their loose ends and give the story not only a satisfying end, but one that the loyal fans will appreciate.
As for the truth of the matter? That probably lies somewhere in the middle.
We never wanted Villanelle to come back subdued, for example. It would have been a strange change of pace for the character and so instead, we see her struggling to keep her murderous ambitions at bay, whilst praying to a god that she doesn't believe in, all in the hopes of bringing Eve back into her life; and this time for good.
Where things start to go awry however, is when we see Comer dressed up as Christ himself, with a thick Russian accent, eating popcorn on the sofa, as Villanelle has a very literal 'come to Jesus' moment. Hilarious? Sure. Unneccessary? Absolutely.
Fortunately, this season so far looks to be drilling in on the more realistic psyche of Eve. She's somebody who has also changed; she's hardened and unafraid to get her hands dirty in the search for answers about The Twelve. Though she has now picked up a job at a local security firm, where career perks seem to include casual sex with her hunky coworker, it's all a front.
That ambition to help be the one 'set the chess board on fire and watch the critters burn' is very obviously going to consume her; it may even be what kills her.
Fiona Shaw is back and once again, delivering one of her career's finest performances. Carolyn Martens is a complicated woman and one we're sure we'll never completely know everything about. If this closing season does anything right though, audiences will hope that it's giving Carolyn at least a taste of what peace of mind really feels like.
Then there's Konstantin (Kim Bodnia), who was criminally underused in Episode 1 of this new season. Fingers crossed his appearances in future episodes will be a little meatier, as we learn exactly how his new role as a Mayor in Russia has shaped his new world.
Mystery lies at the heart of Killing Eve. There was a lot to digest with this opening episode and as we move forward, writers will have had to sharpen their wits like never before to ensure there's payoff for viewers. We know there's plenty of talent behind-the-scenes capable of doing that; will they knock it out of the park, or fumble at the final hurdle?
Killing Eve Season 4's premiere episode is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. It will go out on BBC One at 9.15pm on Saturday, March 5th, 2022.
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