Following an extended hiatus, Killing Eve returns to our screens for its fourth – and final – season. As new showrunner Laura Neal takes over to close out the series, fans have just one question for her: Will you give me everything I want?

A Quick Personal Background on Killing Eve

While I didn’t have the privilege of reviewing the first three seasons of Killing Eve, I’ve been a huge fan of the show from the beginning. Since I’m immersed in this fandom, I know opinions about each season of the show vary pretty wildly among fans. So, I want to kick off this review with a quick summary of my feelings for the previous three seasons, so you can get a feel for how I view the show.

Season 1: Freakin’ phenomenal. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, my beloved. The Eve/Villanelle dynamic was undeniably compelling, the humor was spot-on, and the twists and thrills delivered. The first season of Killing Eve remains one of my absolute favorite seasons of television of all time. 

Season 2: In a word? Messy. The Twelve plot became convoluted, and the series missed a lot of opportunities to explore interesting avenues, like with The Ghost. The Eve/Villanelle dynamic didn’t always land. It’s definitely my least favorite of the seasons.

Season 3: Better than season 2 overall, but doesn’t hold a candle to season 1. The Twelve plot got a little clearer, but took up more of the focus than I would have liked. (Why did Geraldine get so much screen time?) Eve and Villanelle largely had separate and somewhat uneven journeys, but ultimately I do think their overall character arcs made sense.

So, now that you have an idea of my Killing Eve opinions, let’s dive into the final season.

Killing Eve Season 4 Premiere Review

**The following is a spoiler-free review of the first three episodes of Killing Eve season 4.**

Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri - Killing Eve _ Season 4, Episode 1 - Photo Credit: Anika Molnar/BBCA

First things first… When we last saw Eve and Villanelle, the duo apparently resolved to go their separate ways after the bridge. 

Did they secretly reconvene and finally get that cabin in Alaska? Well, no. (Or at least, not on screen.) But it probably comes as no surprise that they haven’t exactly washed their hands of each other, either. I mean, come on – even if there wasn’t a whole additional season of the show to fill, you don’t really think these two could stay apart, do you?

I will say that Neal’s approach to weaving Eve and Villanelle’s stories together feels more natural than some of the previous showrunner’s approaches. So far, season 4 isn’t giving us the “buddy cop” constantly together teamup of season 2, but it’s also not leaning so heavily into separating these characters that it feels forced, like times in season 3. Whether this specific dynamic continues and supports an entire season remains to be seen. But, I think the groundwork here demonstrates a good balance between the character arcs for Eve and Villanelle and the reason we all watch the show (to see them interact with one another). 

Speaking of character arcs, Eve and Villanelle are both solidly traveling down paths into uncharted territory. Eve embraces greater agency and power, leaning more into her darker side while also getting back to her investigative roots. Villanelle, meanwhile, struggles to understand her own actions and determine the kind of person she really wants to be.

The season 4 trailer revealed a scene in which Eve compares her relationship with Villanelle to that fable of the scorpion and the frog. That’s really been at the heart of their dynamic all along. Who has power over the other? Are either of them really the innocent party? Is Eve stepping into darkness while Villanelle tries to step into the light, or were they both always existing in the gray shadows in between?

Jodie Comer as Villanelle - Killing Eve _ Season 4, Episode 1 - Photo Credit: Anika Molnar/BBCA

But season 4 doesn’t just need to tie together Eve and Villanelle’s stories. We’ve also got the Twelve to deal with. Carolyn, effectively demoted/blacklisted by MI5, continues to exploit her web of personal contacts to get answers. Helene becomes a much bigger player in this season as well. Konstantin is still kicking around, doing his thing – although what that means for Eve, Villanelle, or the Twelve, no one can really say. There’s also a new up-and-coming assassin in town; I’m not sure she’s really the best use of screen time at the moment, but hey, maybe the show has big plans for her coming up.

The season premiere ends with a scene that either marks one of the funniest things the show has ever done, or will be cited as the precise moment it officially jumped the shark. (I’m landing in the former camp, but if you land in the latter… well, I get it.)

Long story short, I’m cautiously optimistic about this final season of Killing Eve. So far, it seems like my assessment of our lead characters aligns with Neal’s vision. There have been enough thrills and mini-twists to keep me intrigued in each episode. I don’t think Killing Eve will ever rise to its season 1 heights, but – as I say a little prayer to Villanelle – I think the show can still finish strong.

Hopefully that doesn’t make me the frog in this scenario.

Spoiler-Free Highlights From Episodes 1-3

Now, I know this is a spoiler-free review and you’re not getting a ton of details about these new episodes. So to give you a little more to latch on to, here’s who should be excited for each episode.

Jodie Comer as Villanelle, Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri - Killing Eve _ Season 4, Episode 1 - Photo Credit: Anika Molnar/BBCA

401 Just Dunk Me

Who this episode is for:

  • Dark!Eve fans
  • People who knew that bridge split couldn’t last
  • Fans of iconic Carolyn-isms
  • Writers of self-insert / Villanelle fanfic
  • People who love bizarre last minute twists

402 Don’t Get Eaten

Who this episode is for:

  • People who have a complicated relationship to Christianity
  • People who love camping, and also people who hate camping
  • Eve/Helene shippers
  • People who stalk their ex online
  • Fans of Sandra Oh speaking French

403 A Rainbow in Beige Boots

Who this episode is for:

  • Soft!Villanelle fans
  • Fanfic writers ready to create content to fill the gap between the S3 finale and the S4 premiere
  • People who use Rock, Paper, Scissors to settle arguments
  • Adults who eat Lunchables
  • People looking to recapture the S1 finale energy

Killing Eve season 4 premieres on BBC America and AMC on February 27. AMC+ subscribers can also catch episodes a week early after the premiere airs.

Until then, drop your predictions, hopes, and dreams for the final season in the comments below. And check back to THS for more Killing Eve news and reviews.