Killing Eve season 4 episode 2, BBC review ★★★★★

Ok, this is becoming silly – even by Killing Eve standards. Following the almost murderous conclusion to last week’s episode, the ex-assassin-turned-devout-Christian Villanelle (Jodie Comer) goes camping with her church.

And that tented congregation includes May (Zindzi Hudson), who was enamoured with Villanelle until, you know, Villanelle tried to drown her with holy water. But May doesn’t tell anyone because why would she? It’s not like she has an over-protective father, a vicar, who’s looking for any excuse to excommunicate this fatally ambiguous woman from his parish… Oh, wait a minute…

It also transpires that the vicar (Steve Oram) isn’t the only Villanelle-sceptic in the group. Strange, then, that she’s given one of the biggest tents in the camp: looking like something from the Quidditch World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.


Photo: BBC

Pitched on top of all of this, Villanelle is regularly visited by a version of herself draped as Jesus Christ. It’s a curious joke, but one that inspires easy psychological decoding rather than raucous laughter. On the one hand, it’s showing her intense narcissism: she can only imagine a higher power if it’s made in her image. On the other, this bearded, androgynous prophet is meant to be a ‘spiritual guru’, the manifestation of whatever conscience she has left.

But the process leads to a return of the character everyone actually wants to see. This plot of Villanelle trying to be good is a predictable and tedious one, transparently functioning as filler. (Really, who wants to experience a repressed Villanelle?) The episode ends with another striking image that’s hard to shake away, and it might well offend a few Christian viewers. It’s bravely written, but a bit much.


Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri... in disguise! Photo: BBC

Meanwhile, the former MI6 agent Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) is busy being the world’s worst spy, stalking Twelve member Hélène (Call My Agent’s Camille Cottin). Expect blonde wigs, big sunglasses, and a tampon tracker. The first two are embarrassing, but the latter device is a potentially genius idea that deflates with disappointing speed. Eve resumes her riskier instincts, jumping the gun to confront her enemies. Although it raises the thrill factor, her stupidity is difficult to accept.

As for Carolyn (Fiona Shaw)… well, it’s not entirely clear what she’s up to. After being severely demoted by MI6, she visits her Russian contact Vlad (Laurentiu Possa) who we haven’t seen since the first season. It seems like a clumsy attempt by writer/showrunner Laura Neal to resurrect the spirit of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, reminding you of Killing Eve's former quality. The direction might be necessary, as this season isn’t achieving much so far – and this week’s episode is among the worst of the whole series.

Killing Eve season 4 continues on Mondays from 6am on BBC iPlayer.