Killing Eve Season 4: New Lead Writer, Same Badass Matriarchal Energy
(Des Willie/BBC America)
**SPOILER ALERT: This post discusses the season 2 finale of Killing Eve.**
Fans of murder and sizzling queer chemistry rejoice! Killing Eve returns for a third season on April 26th, bringing with it our favorite love/hate duo: Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) and Villanelle (Jodie Comer). The series has dropped a new teaser, as well as several new images from the upcoming season.
Rejoice! #KillingEve pic.twitter.com/XfUCAqHEc5
— Killing Eve (@KillingEve) February 14, 2020
In addition, Killing Eve has been renewed for a fourth season, with staff writer Laura Neal (Sex Education, Secret Diary of a Call Girl) stepping up as lead writer and executive producer. Sarah Barnett, President, AMC Networks Entertainment Group and AMC Studios, released a statement saying, “We have a remarkable squad of ferociously smart women writers passing the baton to each other on this show, aligned around a coherent vision but bringing it to life with their own specific sparkle and brilliance. Laura Neal is the latest incredible leader of the pack on Killing Eve.”
Neal will be the fourth woman to helm the beloved series, following in the footsteps of series creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Emerald Fennell, and Suzanne Heathcoate. Heathcoate said of Neal, “After the most incredible year on Killing Eve, I’m so excited the next season is going to be led by such a brilliant talent … I cannot wait to see what amazing things Laura’s going to do with this world and the characters in it.”
Killing Eve‘s tradition of passing the torch to a new female head writer each season is a bold and exciting initiative for the often male-dominated field of television. And it’s a refreshing change of tone, given the “sexy female assassin” trope that the series subverts.
The tradition was also one born of necessity, as creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge quickly became a hot commodity, and was unable to continue running the series. Waller-Bridge, who just wrapped up an epic run of trophy collecting for Fleabag season 2, has been tapped to brush up the script for the latest James Bond film No Time to Die, as well as working on the new HBO comedy thriller Run.
Barnett remarked on the series of female lead writers by saying, “I love the fact that it is the anti-‘myth of male genius’ show—both as a story and how it’s made behind the scenes.” Barnett lavished praise on Neal, saying, “Laura just shone like a sparkly jewel in the season three writers room, … She had a real understanding of the essence of the show that Phoebe created, and yet it didn’t feel slavish to it. She came at it with her own freedom and verve. That’s what we always look for when we think about who’s going to take over.”
(Des Willie/BBC America)
Season three will pick up six months after the events of the season 2 finale, where Villanelle shot Eve in the back. Will Eve survive the attack? Most likely, considering she’s A) the title character and B) in images for the new season. But both women will have to face the consequences of their actions as the thriller moves forward.
Jodie Comer discussed her character’s journey with Entertainment Weekly, saying, “A big theme for Villanelle is her trying to gauge some sense of control … She is a very free spirit, and she always seems to be under the thumb of this higher entity, whoever that may be. She’s really trying to shake that off.”
The cast and crew have been tight-lipped about the plot developments for the new season, but I’m most excited for this spoiler, which is Fiona Shaw’s Carolyn Martens with a giant foam finger. Whatever is going on here, I’m on board.
(Nick Wall/BBC America)
Are you excited for Killing Eve season 3?
(via Vanity Fair)
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