Killing Eve, season 4 episode 5, BBC review ★★★★★

Last week, this critic remarked upon the crucial turning point in this season of Killing Eve: namely, the quality. This week, in episode five, you experience the enjoyable fruits of that shift with a thrilling, deceptive, moralistic chapter packed with mind-games and revelations. Hopefully, things will stay that way for the concluding trio of episodes.

Don’t Get Attached opens in black-and-white, in Berlin, in 1979, within a gathering of anarchist revolutionaries. They’re all coming up with memorable names on a chalkboard: The Socialist Squad and the like. But then a young British woman enters, suggesting a name based on a number instead. Can you guess the number?

Despite the identity of that woman being immediately obvious – the big reveal is barely necessary – it’s best to keep schtum for now. These monochrome sections reveal blurred origin stories, suavely and quietly told, which might lead to deeper excavations later this season. Needless to say that Lars (Ingvar Sigurdsson), the elusive Twelve member who ran from Carolyn (Fiona Shaw) and Villanelle (Jodie Comer) in episode four, is heavily involved.


Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri. Photo: BBC

Villanelle is left in Havana, still uncertain about who she is but significantly less annoying about it. In this episode, she decides to use her murderous powers for good – emitting major Dexter vibes. But she loses none of her cartoonish methods: a scene involving a fire hose is particularly brutal. Writers Laura Neal and Georgia Lester don’t spend enough time indulging this new angle, but it’s a new angle nonetheless – one that brings an updated thrill to a character that's been worn out.

In Paris, Eve (Sandra Oh) is playing a devious game with Hélène (Camille Cottin) after the latter admitted to releasing Villanelle from jail. It’s a curious and frightening play involving Hélène's young daughter, which shows Eve’s darker side. A lot of Hélène’s sinister aura is removed as a result of these deceptions. Surely, someone this high in the Twelve would have better child protection? But towards the end, she earns back that status in a weirdly shocking final scene.


Konstantin (Kim Bodnia) continues to train Pam (Anjana Visan). Photo: BBC

Meanwhile, in Margate, Konstantin (Kim Bodnia) continues to train Pam (Anjana Visan) as an assassin. His only instruction this time is to find flashy, attractive clothes to charm and entice her victims. Contrary to the extroverted glamour of Villanelle, Pam is an awkward, self-conscious killer – dressing desirably isn't instinctive to her. But will she revel in the new attention she receives? A certain smitten fairground assistant comes to mind.

If Pam is the spin-off hero this critic is hoping for, she’s a great character to follow: lovably different from Villanelle, nowhere near as ruthless and with more moral scruples. Could the profession be turning more altruistic? Maybe like Villanelle, Pam will use her powers for good too.

Killing Eve continues on Mondays from 6am on BBC iPlayer and on Saturdays at 9:15pm on BBC One.