The MI6 team make a pact with the devil in order to get information from The Ghost. A visitor from Broadmoor comes with a dire warning. Eve and Villanelle find themselves closer than ever.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of BBC America's Killing Eve.
"Smell Ya Later" was written by Freddy Syborn and directed by Francesca Gregorini
The audience has long been asked to see Eve and Villanelle as kindred spirits. The attraction exists between them because they fundamentally understand each other in a way they have never been understood so deeply before. They have become entangled in the lives of each other in ways that have changed who they are as well. They have become more like each other. Eve was willing to stab Villanelle in order to stop her. And now, she is willing to hire her to get the information she needs from Ghost over the latest killings in London. It's brutal and unlawful. The MI6 team tries to talk Eve out of it. She does so anyway. She does so at the risk of great personal harm to herself. She doesn't know how Villanelle will react. The audience has seen just how much these two women have evolved over the course of the season. Kenny warns Eve that this could be a massive mistake because this is the first meeting between them since Eve stabbed Villanelle. This assassin could still have a lot of pain and resentment towards her about that. It's dangerous for her to go into this situation with no backup whatsoever. She just wants a car to take them away to the black site to conduct this brutal interrogation. Eve wants to believe she is still a good person doing whatever it takes in order to get the job done. She is working to expose an entire criminal organization and the ways in which they are trying to manipulate the world to their personal benefit. Villanelle was just one lowly cog in that system. She had the flare to be noticed and appreciated. Ghost knows to fear her. And yet, Ghost doesn't see any difference between Eve and Villanelle. Eve may not be the interrogator screaming at Ghost trying to make her confess. But she is the woman who condones torture that will have lasting repercussions. Eve is grateful to get the information. She learns that it was actually the son, Aaron Peel, who ordered the hit on his father and associates. It's all because he is selling a weapon that has many shady organizations of the world including the Twelve interested. That's dangerous and will give MI6 a new mission to focus on through the remainder of the season. This could help expose the overarching conspiracy that has been happening and what it all potentially means. However, it's a deeply personal investigation for Eve because she is willing to make this move. She doesn't want to be in the room while the torture is happening. But she is still just as complicit. Villanelle says she only did what Eve hired her to do. She didn't follow through on the hit ordered on Eve. She certainly made Eve believe it was real to prove just how serious she was taking all of this. It's more than Eve simply hiring Villanelle for a job. It's the twisted tale of these two women and how they are slowly morphing together. It's enough for Carolyn to be warned that Eve is too personally connected to this case and may also be exhibiting some psychopathic tendencies. That too would be very frightening. But again, it all works out in the end here even though Eve has to compromise her values further in order to produce this new lead. She may have the freedom to do so as a covert asset in MI6. Carolyn continues to protect and cover for her. And yet, there are some actions that simply can't be condoned by the government. It should be fascinating to see how far she will push things before ruining every relationship in this line of work.
Meanwhile, Villanelle is no longer the killer she used to be. She didn't care about the targets of her various jobs. She could kill them without feeling anything. She just wanted to have fun while doing so. And now, she has become fascinated with Eve to the point where she is essentially toying with her life. That's an aspect of this relationship that she loves to indulge in. Everyone knows that it's troubling for Eve and Villanelle to grow even closer. They just accept it as a necessary burden in order to get to the truth about what's been going on with Ghost. It could create more freelance work for Villanelle and Konstantin. It would eliminate one of their competitors. It also brings Villanelle back to the woman who has consumed her thoughts and changed her perspective on the world. Everything is boring in comparison to the bond that they share. Villanelle is excited to be around Eve once more. She is doing so openly too. She is no longer just watching from the shadows to see if Eve picks up on the hints that were left behind. Some of them were subtle while others were incredibly bold and blunt. At first, it's miraculous timing that Niko happens to be out of town when Eve wants to arrange this meeting with Villanelle. It once again creates an intense encounter in her kitchen as the two women figure out just how far they can go with their trust of each other. They do feel comfortable. But they also have to prove just how lethal and serious they are as well. Villanelle is open to everything that Eve suggests here. She never feels like her safety is in danger. She is working with MI6 without the expectation or fear of being arrested when it's all done. She is allowed to go back to her work with Konstantin. This is just a one time thing. And yet, Villanelle doesn't escape to another job killing a man who hurt the woman he was with. Instead, she reaches out to Niko for the first time. He isn't safe in any of this. He just wants to be happily married to the woman he's in love with. Eve's obsession with Villanelle has compromised their marriage. It can still be passionate as seen here. They understand each other remarkably well too. However, this hour is building to that moment where Niko finally understands who Villanelle is and the threat she poses. He is no match for her. She is only armed with information though. She hopes to undermine the relationship he has with Eve in the hopes of getting closer with her. She knows the secrets that Eve has kept from her husband. That could be a huge wake-up call for him. It will force a confrontation. That's what Villanelle is capable of now. She only acts this way because of her intense feelings for Eve and not wanting to kill her despite all the directives to do exactly that.
Meanwhile, Villanelle is no longer the killer she used to be. She didn't care about the targets of her various jobs. She could kill them without feeling anything. She just wanted to have fun while doing so. And now, she has become fascinated with Eve to the point where she is essentially toying with her life. That's an aspect of this relationship that she loves to indulge in. Everyone knows that it's troubling for Eve and Villanelle to grow even closer. They just accept it as a necessary burden in order to get to the truth about what's been going on with Ghost. It could create more freelance work for Villanelle and Konstantin. It would eliminate one of their competitors. It also brings Villanelle back to the woman who has consumed her thoughts and changed her perspective on the world. Everything is boring in comparison to the bond that they share. Villanelle is excited to be around Eve once more. She is doing so openly too. She is no longer just watching from the shadows to see if Eve picks up on the hints that were left behind. Some of them were subtle while others were incredibly bold and blunt. At first, it's miraculous timing that Niko happens to be out of town when Eve wants to arrange this meeting with Villanelle. It once again creates an intense encounter in her kitchen as the two women figure out just how far they can go with their trust of each other. They do feel comfortable. But they also have to prove just how lethal and serious they are as well. Villanelle is open to everything that Eve suggests here. She never feels like her safety is in danger. She is working with MI6 without the expectation or fear of being arrested when it's all done. She is allowed to go back to her work with Konstantin. This is just a one time thing. And yet, Villanelle doesn't escape to another job killing a man who hurt the woman he was with. Instead, she reaches out to Niko for the first time. He isn't safe in any of this. He just wants to be happily married to the woman he's in love with. Eve's obsession with Villanelle has compromised their marriage. It can still be passionate as seen here. They understand each other remarkably well too. However, this hour is building to that moment where Niko finally understands who Villanelle is and the threat she poses. He is no match for her. She is only armed with information though. She hopes to undermine the relationship he has with Eve in the hopes of getting closer with her. She knows the secrets that Eve has kept from her husband. That could be a huge wake-up call for him. It will force a confrontation. That's what Villanelle is capable of now. She only acts this way because of her intense feelings for Eve and not wanting to kill her despite all the directives to do exactly that.
