RECAPS

Killing Eve Season 3 Episode 2 Fashion Recap: Clowning Around

Villanelle tries—and fails—to be a manager, terrifying kids in the process.


Villanelle and Felix in Killing Eve
BBC America

Things just keep looking bleaker and bleaker for Eve in season 3 of Killing Eve. Episode 2 begins with her standing on the sidewalk in the pouring rain, clutching a glass of red wine. She goes to smoke, but drops her cigarette. It’s soaking wet, but she still puts it back into her pack. To her chagrin, a man approaches her to tell her she needs to “go electric,” gesturing with his vape. Observing that she’s been drinking “a lot,” he also predicts that Eve will be drunk by the end of the night.

He’s wrong; it only takes about 20 minutes for Eve to get full-on wasted. In her defense, she was the last one to talk to Kenny—and see his dead body. Now, she’s at his memorial service, getting louder and louder each time she asks the most taboo of questions: “Why is everyone saying he jumped?” To make matters worse, she’s wearing a blue rain jacket amidst a sea of black. Finally, she storms out, but not before causing one last scene: Her old boss Carolyn—who was also Kenny’s mom—approaches her, prompting Eve to repeatedly scream “no.”

Fiona Shaw as Carolyn and Sandra Oh as Eve in Killing Eve season 3 episode 2.

Nick Wall/BBCA

Meanwhile, Villanelle is romping around Barcelona in florals, wearing a dress with exaggerated shoulders, a pair of Loewe-esque heels, and a headband. Sipping lemonade, she bursts into grin after grin as she explores her new apartment. (Especially when testing the water pressure, which is “excellent.”)

Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve season 3 episode 2.

Des Willie/BBCA

“You ask Dasha for the best, Dasha gets you the best,” Dasha says, taking Villanelle by surprise. As usual, Dasha is wearing a delightfully kitschy ensemble: a cheetah-print t-shirt, a chain belt atop a pair of eccentrically patterned jeans, several more gold chains, and a necklace with a charm of the letter “D.” She’s there to assign Villanelle her new kill, but needs a bit of vodka to explain the catch: The next step of The Twelve’s hiring process is to try mentoring an aspiring assassin.

Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve season 3 episode 2.

Willie/BBCA

“So I just watch him and give him a grade? A for excellent killing, B for could do better—that kind of thing?,” Villanelle asks back at her apartment, where Dasha has switched to beer. Both have also changed clothes—Dasha into a new cheetah print t-shirt and pair of loud pants, and Villanelle into a silky chartreuse pajama set by Olivia von Halle. “Management is not easy,” Dasha says. “It’s watching someone do a job worse than you. That’s why it sucks.”

Harriet Walter as Dasha and Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve season 3 episode 2.

Des Willie/BBCA

As a manager, Villanelle also sucks. She frowns the moment she sees Felix, her baby-faced mentee, declining his handshake and asking “What are you, 10?” His outfit—a tank top, gold chain and crucifix, and a baseball cap—prompts her to issue her first order: “Take off your hat.”

“Just so you know, I’m kind of a big deal in this industry,” Villanelle tells him as they wait for the bus. Then, she shares a few tips, and they bond over the pain of loving someone who doesn’t love you back. It would be touching, except for the next scene. Disguised as a clown, Villanelle sucks helium and shares zingers like “life is shit” with the little kids at the birthday party, making them gasp. Meanwhile, Felix the clown heads inside. He gets the murder started, but makes such a mess of it that Villanelle whimsically shoots him along with the target. “Management sucks,” she mutters, with barely an iota of regret.

Jodie Comer as Villanelle and Stefan Iancu as Felix in Killing Eve season 3 episode 2.

BBC America

Back in Barcelona, Villanelle looks sunny as ever in Golden Goose cowboy boots and a marigold La DoubleJ shift dress. Once again, she has a surprise visitor. Realizing that Konstantin is splayed out at the foot of her bed, she springs into action, kneeing him in the balls and pelting him with everything in reach. In a classic Villanelle move, she then calmly resumes arranging a fresh batch of flowers. And then, she freezes. “Eve,” Konstantin says. “She is alive.”

Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve season 3 episode 2.

Des Willie/BBCA

Related: Killing Eve Season 3 Premiere Fashion Recap: And the Bride Wore Black