Since its monumental debut in 2018, Killing Eve has garnered a mountain of critical praise and built a devoted fanbase. And with its wide collection of pulse-pounding episodes, it’s hardly a surprise that fans are interested to pinpoint the cream of the crop.
The series notably follows Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), a British Intelligence agent who unexpectedly finds herself caught in a cat-and-mouse game with Villanelle (Jodie Comer), a skilled assassin working for a secret organization. Over time, the two develop an unhealthy obsession with each other, which eventually drifts toward a complicated relationship of deeply-rooted affection and admiration.
Created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge based on a series of novels by British author Luke Jennings, the enticing spy thriller has since garnered a multitude of accolades since its groundbreaking first season. In doing so, the show has included a female showrunner for each of its four seasons. Its erratic nature, abundance of creative kills, and colorful characters keep it a favorite among fans around the world.
And with the award-winning series now available to stream in its entirety on Netflix right now, a plethora of episodes from prior seasons have shaped its enticing premise. So, let’s dive in and share our picks for the 10 best episodes of Killing Eve.
10. “Are You From Pinner?” (season 3, episode 5)
Arguably the most gut-wrenching chapter thus far, the fifth episode of the third season thoroughly dissects Villanelle’s origin story. During the episode, the deadly assassin travels back to her homeland of Russia with the intention of reuniting with her family. Unbeknownst to her, her estranged mother is remarried and has a new family, which Villanelle understandably struggles with. The episode’s climax is a superb rollercoaster of emotions and truly changes the depth of Villanelle’s character overall.
9. “Don’t I Know You?” (season 1, episode 3)
The wheels are fully turning by the third episode of the first season, where an unexpected character death completely alters Eve’s motive. The episode sees Eve, along with her best friend and colleague Bill Pargrave (David Haig) traveling to Berlin after Villanelle’s latest kill. The episode catapults the toxic dynamic between Eve and Villanelle, and undoubtedly establishes their mutual obsession after Villanelle murders Bill in a nightclub.
8. “Are You Leading Or Am I?” (season 3, episode 8)
The finale of season three opens an entire realm of possible love for the Killing Eve fandom, as Eve and Villanelle experience several moments of tenderness together. From memorably sharing a dance floor, to silently proclaiming their desire to be in each other’s lives, the episode faithfully unfolds these characters’ layers and shows how beautifully captivating the central focus of their relationship is. Additionally, Fiona Shaw and Kim Bodnia absolutely shine in their roles as Carolyn and Konstantin, respectively.
7. “Nice Face” (season 1, episode 1)
The pilot episode of the spy thriller initially laid the groundwork for the engaging plot. “Nice Face” perfectly introduces Eve and Villanelle as separate characters, though immediately builds anticipation revolving around their complicated connection and the undiscovered similarities they share. The opening episode of the series features plenty of comedic bits, along with memorable dramatic subplots, setting the show on a course for success.
6. “Sorry Baby” (season 1, episode 4)
The fourth episode of the first season features an abundance of genuinely funny moments, especially between Villanelle and Diego (Edward Akrout), a fellow assassin for The Twelve. After killing Bill and causing a stir, Konstantin forces Villanelle to undergo a mission with both Diego and Nadia (Olivia Ross), who happens to be Villanelle’s ex from prison. The comedic bits add an extra element of excitement to the show, all while still managing to further intensify Eve and Villanelle’s relationship.
5. “Smell Ya Later” (season 2, episode 5)
By the middle of the second season, the dynamic between Eve and Villanelle is in full swing. Desperate, Eve enlists the help of Villanelle in order to learn more about The Ghost, a quieter assassin that seemingly won’t budge. On the other end, Villanelle believes that Eve is her next target. The dialogue and character exploration in this episode borders on perfection, especially when Villanelle travels to Eve’s home, where fans experience a second tension-filled kitchen scene.
4. “Wide Awake” (season 2, episode 7)
The seventh episode of the second season fully explores the mangled psyche of Eve Polastri, who is slowly coming to terms with her explosive obsession with Villanelle, so much so that she outright admits that she spends most of her days thinking about the Russian assassin. In the episode, Villanelle evokes her “Billie” persona, which aids in gaining the trust of Aaron Peel (Henry Lloyd-Hughes), a tech CEO that Eve and Carolyn are thoroughly investigating. The episode is dramatically tense and features some memorable moments.
3. “I Have A Thing About Bathrooms” (season 1, episode 5)
Much like its season two counterpart, the fifth episode of the first season features a string of highly-intense moments as Eve and Villanelle officially come face-to-face in Eve’s kitchen. The two have dinner together, with Eve probing Villanelle on several topics, including The Twelve organization, and her murder of Bill. The confrontation includes several comedic bits that feel incredibly natural to the show’s pacing, while ultimately highlighting Eve and Villanelle’s relationship with plenty of tension and drama.
2. “God, I’m Tired” (season 1, episode 8)
“God I’m Tired” resulted in the culmination of tension and drama built around the entire premise of the first season. After Eve, Carolyn, and Kenny fail to capture Villanelle, Eve takes it upon herself to explore the tendencies of her obsession by visiting Villanelle’s Paris apartment on her own. In an intimate meeting, Eve and Villanelle both express the lengths of their obsession to each other, including Eve admitting that she thinks about Villanelle all of the time. Despite the intimacy, Eve enacts revenge by stabbing her adversary, much to Villanelle’s surprise. The season one finale perfectly executed the toxicity of the duo’s relationship, and the rest is history.
1. “You’re Mine” (season 2, episode 8)
Much like season one’s finale, the finale of season two brought an unexpectedly wild ride to the show as a whole. Throughout the duration of the episode, the beloved duo faced their biggest obstacles when working together to complete the operation of stopping Aaron Peel. The finale ended on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger, which saw Villanelle proudly confessing her love to Eve only to shoot her enemy-turned-lover in the end. The captivating finale left dedicated viewers simply guessing, and for many, it felt like the perfect ending to a fantastic season.
