Killing Eve Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Nice Face
Carissa Pavlica
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Sandra Oh picked the perfect role for her full-time return to television.
As Eve Polastri, Oh is portraying an MI5 employee who works on the boring side of the business but desperately wants to find herself thrilled and chilled by the work instead.
When Eve gets caught up in a case that she feels she can solve and sets out to prove it on Killing Eve Season 1 Episode 1, she has no idea it's one of MI5's hottest.
Killing Eve is from Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who is also responsible for Fleabag, a series NOTHING like this one, but available on Amazon. Killing Eve is based on a series of novellas from Luke Jennings, which might be why the shows feel so different, but I can still feel Waller-Bridge's touch on the show.
Eve is immediately likable, something her character was not on Grey's Anatomy. It doesn't take any time to warm up to Eve at all, as her sense of humor and desire to get more out of her job, among other things, are so relatable.
Related: Sandra Oh to Lead New BBC America Thriller Killing Eve
Eve is the kind of person you'd want to take out for a drink after work. If you met her on your first day at the office, you'd think, "Thank goodness, there are normal people here I can enjoy!"
What's going to make Killing Eve so good is the same can be said for Villanelle.
Your killer was a small-breasted psycho, apparently.
Niko
For a psycho killer, Villanelle is awesome. If Eve thought her kills were impressive, she's going to shite her pants when she gets to know the woman a little bit. Chasing down Villanelle for capture, I think, will be genuinely difficult for Eve.
Perhaps the game of cat and mouse that is about to take place will continue not only because the two women will undoubtedly be worthy adversaries but because they're going to admire each other quite a bit.
I daresay they're about to become the best friends adversaries have ever been.
Eve didn't get the respect of her bosses until Fiona Shaw appeared on her doorstep. When matched with another woman, suddenly Eve was given the consideration she deserved. She was heard.
Villanelle hasn't had that problem because she uses every wile she has to complete her jobs. She'll wear every angle of a smile to win over whoever she needs to impress.
Related: Killing Eve Gets Early Season 2 Renewal at BBC America!
The opening in the ice cream shop was only a small indication of what to expect from her. As she peered around the room making eye contact with everyone, she managed to engage everyone in the shop differently and successfully.
But when it came time to walk out, she pulled her welcoming demeanor back by smacking the ice cream bowl into the little girl's lap, tossing everything we thought we learned about her in the minutes proceeding into the trash.
Now we know that nothing Villanelle does is to be trusted, and it's beautiful.
She's everything for everybody.
When she spotted Eve doing her hair in the restroom, I wondered if Villanelle was taken with her a little bit. But more likely, she was only playing Eve like anyone else.
I didn't pay close attention to the name of the designer her mark in Tuscany noted, either, until I realized that the penned name she put on her hand wasn't a message to be left in the moist skin of the man's face, but for her to recall what cover to buy for her bed.
Villanelle has so much fun with her kills and even manages to recall details to keep herself happy in the meantime. It's almost ludicrous if the people weren't being treated so poorly before getting murdered.
Eve was going to great lengths to understand the assassin, even putting a deep hole into her thigh to see how it would bleed. That should lead to a lot more interesting scenes as she discovers more about Villanelle.
How far will she go to understand the woman she's tasked with tracking? Given the humor of the premiere and the strength of the two women, I'd bet we're in for quite an exciting chase between the two.
It should also get personal fairly fast. Fiona said Eve should get Niko to think she's having an affair. In this case, I think it would be better to straight up admit to being a secret agent because Eve's going to be crushing on Villanelle soon enough.
Why lead poor Niko down two fake roads of infidelity when her mind will be wrapped around the bright and breathtaking assassin soon enough?
"Nice Face" was sensational. The writing is witty and the casting is great; when the characters start moving in the same orbit I expect the results to be electrifying.
What did you think? Will you be tuning in again? Hit the comments and share your thoughts below.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
