‘Killing Eve’ Recap: ‘Just Dunk Me’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season four premiere of ‘Killing Eve’. To revisit the season three finale, click here.
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For the most part, the final season of a television show, is quite epic in nature. For this is it, the end of the line so why not go all out and tell us a story that features epic moments and twists that leave us beside ourselves? For there really is nothing for the creatives behind the show to lose at this point, since the endgame is in sight, and they know where they are headed, and that really has led to a bevy of final seasons in the past few years that have left the internet buzzing with awe. But some shows, don’t follow this mantra in the slightest. Because they’re eager to stand out for different reasons or to stay true to the formula and concepts they established from the get-go and one such show that meets that particular criterion is Killing Eve on BBC America.
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Because last night’s season four premiere, which signaled the beginning of the end for this series, was about as low key and chill as it gets. In fact, there was little action and adventure to be found in ‘Just Dunk Me’, outside of the opening of the show… wherein Eve gave Konstantin the business. All because this premiere was eager to focus on the characters and their growth and where they’ve been since the season three finale, since character development is indeed a true tenant of this series and has been from the beginning and well… learning what everyone is up to after the search for the Twelve came to a close, was fascinating to say the least. Since it turns out that everyone is in some supremely unique places mentally.

Eve for instance, is in an angry place. One where she wants nothing but revenge on the Twelve for taking everything she held near and dear from her and she is going to get what she wants, regardless of what MI-6 thinks should take place with this chase and when we catch up with her, here, she’s opted to join a private security force. In part to pay the bills, of course. Because revenge requires food and a place to sleep. But also, because this gig affords her a great deal of spare time. Wherein she can in fact, carefully keep an eye on people that might have ties to the Twelve and well, her efforts pay off in spades since she is able to tie a mortician to Hélène, a high ranking member of the Twelve and former handler to Villanelle and well… this was just incredible to watch since it informed us of the fact that Eve is in dire need of closure and victory, and is determined to find it.

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Speaking of not letting go, well she wasn’t the only one suffering from that problem in this story. Since we also caught up with Carolyn here and well, she was mired in misery. For her role in the whole mess last season, regaled her to desk duty at an Embassy. Wherein her days were now filled with the thrills of boring parties and other social activities when she wanted nothing more than closure regarding the death of her son, Kenny. But alas, being stuck on Ambassador duty would never provide her with that, and that motivated her to make some tough decisions. The kind that involved recruiting Eve back into the fold once again by giving her precious intelligence and by also… making nice with Russian Intelligence, a move that could prove quite costly since she was referred to as a traitor upon arriving in Moscow. But this really does speak to how much Kenny’s death impacted Carolyn and how far she will go to find justice for her boy.
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But while those two intimate plot threads were powerful in their own right, we would be foolish to not catch up with Villanelle, who seemingly underwent a powerful transformation following that powerhouse finale. For we learn here that she’s found religion and moved in with a priest and his daughter. So that she can understand the teachings of the Bible and be baptized and wash away her sins. Making it genuinely seem as though the only person that had moved on from the past was Villanelle. But a demand from her for Eve to attend her baptism made it clear, that she only partly wants holy redemption. For she also wants Eve and wants to be seen as wonderful in her eyes and that might not be possible. Since Eve cared not about the ceremony and Villanelle has a long way to go, as evidenced by the near murder she committed after her baptism. But perhaps not all hope is lost for Villanelle. After all, she is now taking council from an apparition of Jesus that resembles Villanelle, speaking to a conscience being present within her, after all.

But while we wait to see how she handles rejection and this new twist in her life, and how Carolyn and Eve will handle their respective quests in this tale, we can offer up a round of applause for one incredible premiere. For this one not only plunged us back into this world in the smoothest way imaginable, but it also established that the final season of this show will not change anything about the show format wise, for its farewell tour. It will instead, take us to a logical conclusion, one that uses the characters to drive the story to its end and judging from how much time was spent on everyone’s pain and their hopes for closure and redemption in this tale, it is quite likely that everyone will receive some kind of resolution there as well, and all that does is leave us eager to bear witness to the rest of this final season. So, we can see how one of the most original and unique shows on television, brings this incredibly journey to a close. Until next time.

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