Killing Eve: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Killing Eve: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Oh, she's hot but a psycho.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III April 24, 2019

Does Killing Eve, a BBC series that just started its second season earlier this month, qualify as a cat-and-mouse thriller if both leads are cats? Developed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) and based on the Codename Villanelle book series by Luke Jennings, it stars Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri, a suppressed MI5 officer who connects a recent string of bloody murders to an as-yet-unknown assassin. In Eve’s mind, this killer is believed to be female with psychotic tendencies -- a tiny fraction of documented cases, ignoring “crazy ex-girlfriend” stereotypes -- but stuffy supervisor Frank Haleton (Darren Boyd) disagrees. There aren’t many in her corner aside from dutiful husband Niko (Owen McDonnell), but Eve’s suspicions are confirmed by the sole witness of a recent murder in Vienna that follows similar patterns. Nonetheless, Eve’s rule-breaking investigation of said witness earn her an immediate dismissal, along with her young assistant Elena Felton (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) and like-minded associate Bill Pargrave (David Haig). Almost unwittingly, the three form a rogue partnership under the direction of MI6 operative Carolyn Martens (Fiona Shaw), who takes notice of Eve’s good instincts, and they pursue the mysterious female suspect known only as “Villanelle” (Jodie Comer).

Of course, we know the suspect is trouble from Killing Eve’s opening scene, in which Villanelle purposefully knocks a little girl’s ice cream sundae right into her lap. It’s an unexpected but laughably over-the-top moment that’s next to dog-kicking and nun-punching in the Beginner's Guide to Writing Villains, which doesn’t exist but would be a fun read. Villanelle, whose name is the show’s second eye-rolling hurdle to overcome, is depicted as a completely off-balance and unhinged individual, but her disturbing behavior thankfully isn't glamorized as Killing Eve’s story unfolds. We get a few flashes of sympathetic behavior, as well as hints of her past extrapolated from Villanelle's conversations with handler Konstantin Vasiliev (Kim Bodnia)...but we also get an equal amount of crocodile tears. For better or worse, she's placed on nearly equal footing with Eve herself, a protagonist whose only apparent flaw is an infatuation with the abject chaos that Villanelle brings into her otherwise ordinary life. If only the assassin’s social graces didn't resemble a dumpster fire -- or she hadn’t murdered more than a half-dozen people in cold blood -- things might be different.

Despite the series’ borderline embarrassing collection of thriller clichés -- on-the-nose psychological profiles, perfectly executed crimes, “enhanced” surveillance footage, and even an expert hacker -- Killing Eve, like the assassin herself, avoids punishment for its unpredictable nature, take-no-prisoners attitude, international destinations, and the early revelation that Villanelle is just as infatuated with Eve, if not more so. This is hardly new territory for psychological thrillers (and perhaps most similar to the relationship between Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs), but it’s pulled off in a way that doesn’t feel as telegraphed as it sounds on paper. All the warning signs of this mutual attraction can be spotted along the way, from Villanelle’s near-captures to the gradual disintegration of Eve’s marriage and personal life, but no one is safe once the story narrows its focus as both sides gradually converge. So while Killing Eve’s pulpy subject matter make it much more “guilty” than “pleasure”, it’s still an extremely entertaining ride that carves out its own identity long before this first season’s eight episodes wrap up. The performances, music, and cinematography are all first-rate. Still, its more clichéd elements can't be ignored no matter how entertaining...so at the very least, the recently-started second season will hopefully shed some of this excess baggage.

At this point, BBC’s two-disc Blu-ray release of Killing Eve: Season One primarily exists for those who, like myself, showed up a little late to the party. Since the series is only three episodes into its second season (as of this writing), it’s easy enough to get caught up via binge-watching, as the non-stop twists and turns make Killing Eve a solid -- if not slightly overwhelming -- candidate for back-to-back viewing. Featuring a great A/V presentation and an assortment of brief but welcome behind-the-scenes featurettes, it’s a low-priced package that'll get you up to speed in no time.

Killing Eve: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio, the digitally-shot Killing Eve: Season One looks excellent on Blu-ray. There is no shortage of attractive international vistas here -- most of them shot directly on location -- with wonderful architecture and eye-catching landscapes that really give this series a memorable atmosphere. Image detail is quite good in close-ups and wide shots alike, with many scenes showcasing a surprising level of depth and fine detail. This is also due to the striking color palette, which also varies depending on location but is represented well with excellent saturation levels that aren't prone to excessive bleeding. Well-lit interiors and outdoor locations look equally impressive, and even dimly-lit or nighttime scenes don't fall victim to black crush or poor shadow detail. Even some of the potentially problematic locations -- a packed dance club, dense foliage, crowded city streets -- are handled without incident, as I noticed no signs of common digital imperfections such as compression artifacts, edge enhancement, or egregious noise reduction. These eight episodes (roughly 42 minutes apiece) and short featurettes get plenty of room to breathe on two discs, as each maintains a healthy bit rate from start to finish. Given BBC's solid track record for modern-day titles, I expected a lot out of Killing Even and this Blu-ray doesn't disappoint.

Killing Eve: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Similarly, the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix does its job perfectly within genre boundaries. Although Killing Eve is a dialogue-driven affair, its subject matter and strong psychological undertones leave plenty of room for creative sound design such as isolated music cues and distorted effects. Sparse action sequences also sound great with strong channel separation and rear channel support while gunshots pack a lot of punch as well. Low frequency effects are limited but kick in on occasion. Dialogue is crisp and balanced evenly with the traditional and diegetic music. While it doesn't regularly have the big-screen ambitions of like-minded TV shows, this is a pleasing mix that gets the job done.

Optional English SDH subtitles are included during the main feature only, although occasional burned-in subtitles are used to translate certain lines of foreign dialogue.

Killing Eve: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

BBC Video's two-disc release of Killing Eve: Season One arrives in a dual-hubbed eco-friendly keepcase with a matching slipcover and no inserts. Extras consist of eight bite-sized behind-the-scenes featurettes spread across both discs; these include brief comments from key cast and crew members such as executive producer Lee Morris, actress Sandra Oh, actress Jodie Comer, lead writer/showrunner Phoebe Waller-Bridge, producer Colin Wratten, stunt coordinator Paul Kennington, actress Fiona Shaw, actor David Haig, executive producer Sally Woodward-Gentle, actress Kirby Howell-Baptiste, actor Sean Delaney, production designer Kristian Milsted, and several others. In addition to the "talking head" segments, there's an equal amount of on-set footage and other peeks behind the curtain. They're interesting enough on their own but would have been more engaging if edited together as a more thorough documentary. Due to these featurettes' short length and similarity, the titles of each one pretty much tell you all you need to know.

• Villanelle's First Hit in Tuscany (2:35, 1080p)

• The MI6 Team (2:19, 1080p)

• The Locations (2:32, 1080p)

• Creating Villanelle's World (3:04, 1080p)

• Eve and Villanelle (2:27, 1080p)

• Eve's Obsession (2:42, 1080p)

• Art of the Kill (2:12, 1080p)

• Creating the Show (3:06, 1080p)

Killing Eve: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Phoebe Waller-Bridge's TV adaptation of Killing Eve is equal parts sophisticated, globe-trotting psychological thriller and pulp-filled black comedy, and even its most glaring genre clichés aren't troublesome enough to sink the ship. At a lean and mean 42 minutes apiece, these eight episodes remain entertaining through their many twists and turns, with the obvious disclaimer that there's room for improvement during future seasons. The story, performances, music, and cinematography are all quite good and, for many, will be more than enough reason to keep watching. In the meantime, BBC Video's Blu-ray treatment of this first season combines an excellent A/V presentation with a few lightweight but appreciated behind-the-scenes featurettes. It's recommended to established fans and curious newcomers alike.