Killing Eve Review: I Hope You Like Missionary! (Season 2 Episode 6)
Now that Villanelle and Eve are working together, their relationship feels more turbulent than ever. Killing Eve Season 2 Episode 6, “I Hope You Like Missionary!,” puts them in close corners without a threat, and it’s still just as compelling.
The dynamic between Eve and Villanelle is so complex, and so much happens within “I Hope You Like Missionary” that it’s hard to distill it down to one sentence.
On Killing Eve Season 2 Episode 5, “Smell Ya Later,” the writers started to hint about something under the surface of Eve’s “good and decent” exterior. With “I Hope You Like Missionary!,” the writers continue to pull that layer back. We established that Villanelle is a sociopath and in one of the AA scenes, she talks about not feeling anything.
While Villanelle does think that Eve is like her, there is one fundamental difference, which is that Eve does have feelings, but exactly what they are isn’t easily communicated.
This really comes through in her relationship with Niko. They’ve been having a rough time this season, and now that Niko is living with Gemma it doesn’t look like that will get any easier. When Eve goes to see Niko and starts rifling through Gemma’s stuff, it’s fueled by anger, and perhaps a bit of jealousy.
And it’s not hard to spot that parallels this scene has to Killing Eve Season 1 Episode 8, “God, I’m Tired,” when Eve trashed Villanelle’s apartment. The reactions she gets are night and day to one another, but in each instance, it was fueled by deep emotion.
What this means for Eve, I’m not sure, but with Carolyn concerned and evaluating Eve, it does feel like this will have some potentially devastating repercussions.
When it comes to Eve and Villanelle one-on-one, “I Hope You Like Missionary!” does show that they can be good partners. But something that Villanelle said can’t be ignored.
VILLANELLE: Don’t forget, I’m the most interesting thing about you.
At the start of Killing Eve Season 2, Eve and Villanelle were separated and Eve was on the hunt for the ghost. Those episodes did have a different feel to them largely because of the magnetism that exists between Villanelle and Eve. Seeing their push and pull in this episode feels really rewarding.
“I Hope You Like Missionary!” also settled a few of my concerns regarding where this season of Killing Eve would go after the apprehension of The Ghost and seemingly putting to bed the likes of Aaron Peel. Simultaneously, it kept its theme going.
There are truths revealed for each of these characters throughout the episode, and for Eve it shows her exactly how dark the intelligence can get, and it seems to frighten her. It’s also bringing out some differences between her and Villanelle, which include their different work styles.
Eve is a meticulous planner, whereas Villanelle prefers to fly by the seat of her pants.
For Villanelle’s mission, a sustained cover is required and it’s not something that Villanelle enjoys. In the dinner and card game scenes, when Villanelle is tested on her background, it shows the low boredom threshold she has for this kind of work. (Or any prep if you remember the museum in “Desperate Times.”)
Eve, on the other hand, understands just how important this kind of cover is to survival. This kind of drama and headbutting makes for good conflict and the way the writers weave these details into the scripts makes it feel natural.
The other thing that this episode points out is exactly how dark work in the intelligence industry can get.
This comes out in how Villanelle deals with Amber’s “handler.” That moment, when Eve sees how far she’ll go to get to her mark is scary. Following that with her nonchalant conversation with Carolyn, and Eve gets a really good look at exactly how the intelligence industry operates.
Seeing Villanelle take on Aaron doesn’t disappoint either. We already established that Aaron Peel is a jerk in Killing Eve Season 2 Episode 4, “Desperate Times,” but seeing him in a sustained conversation gives us more on his psychology. He knows that information is power and that he can get a leg up on whoever he is sitting across from if he has enough dirt on them.
It’s a dirty tactic, and I can’t say that I don’t blame Villanelle for the way she reacts to his constant questioning. I’d have hit him with a book as well.
The question of exactly how this new line of work will influence Eve and Villanelle’s relationship remains to be seen, but in the final shots as she walks to the fish and chips place it feels like Villanelle was jonesing for a murder. To do something she’s good at.
There are two more episodes left in Killing Eve Season 2, and with the Peels back into the picture it definitely feels like we’re in for some good conflict.
Stray Thoughts:
- The opening scene between Eve and Niko was not where I expected that confrontation to go.
- Kenny’s reaction walking into the kitchen with his mom’s two “friends” is such a mood. I really hope we get to see the three of them in the same space again. Maybe he’s involved in Eve’s evaluation?
- Eve’s observation that rich people sound like children feels very on brand.
- Eve’s interest in what the shop was serving makes me wonder if maybe she’s formulating a plan to rid Amber of Aaron Peel? I mean, she did kill one abusive man in Killing Eve Season 2 Episode 2, “Nice and Neat,” already.
What did you think of this episode of Killing Eve? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Killing Eve airs Sundays at 8/7c on BBC America and AMC.
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Lauren Busser
Lauren Busser is an Associate Editor at Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer of fiction and nonfiction whose work has appeared in Bitch Media, Popshot Quarterly, Brain Mill Press Voices, and The Hartford Courant.