TV Recap: Killing Eve – Nothing Good Happens In Berlin …

Killing Eve
“Don’t I Know You?” (Episode 103)
April 22, 2018

A game changing episode of Killing Eve – and when you only have 8 episodes, a game changer can come in episode 3.  The take away from tonight’s episode  is that the stakes are real, the stakes are are high, and the stakes come at a cost. Also, maybe, no one is safe in this world of spy versus assassin, prey versus predator.

Our Deep Dive Recap & Review … After The Jump! (Spoilers Ahead, Be Warned!)

We begin the episode with Eve at a precinct giving Villanelle’s description to an officer. This description isn’t your average one though, the way that Eve describes her you can tell there is more to it. She has a fascination with her.

A Chinese Colonel goes to a medical facility to have a procedure done. We switch to the procedure room and see many medieval-style medical tools.  Welcome to the freaky deek sex parlor.  Villanelle is there, not the normal technician, so this is bound to be good. She gives the man “special treatment” like he requests … well that special treatment is death.  During this, we see that Villanelle really does get enjoyment out of her kills. You see the gears turn and the glimmer in her eyes.

Bill and Eve discuss the female that Villanelle murdered last week (you remember, “the breathy one”), wanting to add her to the Wall. When they enter their war room, Martens is there to fill in Eve about the Chinese Colonel and at the end, Martens tell her that Villanelle used Eve’s name when she entered the medical facility. Dun Dun Dunnnnn. Now they have to figure out how they are going to proceed.

Eve twists Bill’s arm into going to Berlin with him so she can do an investigation on this on her own. Bill jokes to his infant daughter, which he happened to have brought to work with him, that he’s going to die on this trip. Eve isn’t having it as Villanelle should be long gone.

Villanelle is making moves on a woman to pass the time until her “friends” get to Berlin. She’s named this woman “Eve”… obsessed much? Again we are seeing the slightly concerning side of Villanelle’s personality, is this what makes her a good assassin or a dangerous assassin?

Eve and Bill are now in Berlin and at the medical office to see the crime scene. In the distance we see Villanelle watching Eve arrive and she has a cheeky grin on her face. After they see the room and where the murder took place they plan their next course of action. In the mean time, while they are outside, Eve’s luggage goes missing. Villanelle took it … surprising exactly no one.

Back in Villanelle’s apartment, Konstantin starts to break down things with Villanelle as to what is happening and what her end game is. Why does Eve think that it’s Villanelle doing the killing? Villanelle plays dumb. Konstantin wants Villanelle to watch Eve. But, she has to promise not to do anything stupid. Villanelle is clearly intimidated to a degree by Konstantin.

Photo: BBC America

Eve and Bill meet with a man who is doing the investigation for the Chinese to try and find out more information. They are trying to find out more from a second autopsy. Turns out, the Chinese are going to cover up the story and say it’s a heart attack due to shock of pain from testicle clamping. As they are leaving the meeting, Bill crosses path with Villanelle.

Now they know she is still there.

Photo: BBC America

Eve is in a department store trying to find something to wear to a fancy dinner with the Chinese contact and Villanelle is in the distance … watching. Always watching, this one.

Eve’s luggage is returned to her and we learn that Villanelle placed a listening device inside of it. Villanelle is studying her.

Photo: BBC America

Eve has to go to a fancy dinner with the Chinese attache, while Bill will be at a restaurant near by waiting to call to give Eve an out from the dinner. Off they go to their prospective destinations. At the train station, Bill sends Eve on her way, as he is walking away, he spots Villanelle watching her. Now Bill is watching Villanelle watch Eve. Bill stops Villanelle from getting on the train to follow Eve. Sir, you work with MI-6 — what the hell are you doing?!? This is the OPPOSITE of stealthy, Bill!  Villanelle is clearly annoyed.

Eve arrives at her dinner while Bill is (unwisely – can we all agree, unwisely) following Villanelle throughout Berlin. She pauses for him to catch up to her before continuing. Villanelle is getting enjoyment out of the stalking. Bill tries to call Eve but she ends up putting her phone back on the table. He informs Eve that he believes a woman was following her and he is now trailing her and following her into a club.

Photo: BBC America

During the dinner, Eve is given a ring box and inside she finds a USB drive. Switch back to Bill following Villanelle, we now see that she knows he’s been following her. She’s watching him move through the crowded club scene with a grin on her face. You know the one.

Bill is now panicked; Villanelle starts moving towards him and he tries to run. The over crowded space doesn’t allow him to go anywhere.  She has a blade and catches up to him and stab stab stab stab with the music that started to play. She leaves him in the crowd for Eve to find him. Eve spots him as he falls to the ground knowing what happened to him. “BILL!” – end episode.

Bill joked he was going to die in Berlin, bet you didn’t actually think that would happen.

Thoughts. Even with the strong foreshadowing, I couldn’t bring myself to think the episode would end that way. Just vicious and violent and it really sets a tone that no one is safe.

I appreciate a show that has the courage to kill a lead (I think we can say Bill was the main male lead) though I do take issue that an experienced spy like Bill would have carelessly placed himself into such a predicament.  Does he want to protect Eve at all costs? Yes.  But, to do so at the expense of his safety? At the expense of dying and leaving his child orphaned?  That seems a bit deus ex machina for me as a way to get Eve into full fledged hunter mode.  This has to take her from passive information gatherer to actively pursuing Villanelle.  The cat and mouse game is now properly afoot.

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