DISCLAIMER: This recap of Killing Eve episode “Management Sucks” contains more spoilers than the amount of wine Eve can consume in one sitting. She’s a vino connoisseur, that one. You’ve been warned. Proceed with caution.
Welcome back, Killing Eve babies! This episode brought forth the aftermath of last week’s gut-punching cliffhanger. Kenneth Alfred Stowton, we miss you so. One of the most fascinating aspects of this episode was watching Carolyn’s grief process unfurl. Her knee-jerk reaction was to dive headfirst into work, to suppress whatever uncomfortable emotions bubbled to the surface. Fiona Shaw is absolutely captivating. Every movement, every blink of the eye is meticulously calculated. Another episodic highlight is Eve and Villanelle discovering the other is alive and kicking. Konstantin surreptitiously planting a London double-decker bus magnet armed with a microphone in Carolyn’s home. We know he’s still working for the Twelve and MI6, which makes this move all the more interesting.
Alright, ready to delve into “Management Sucks?” Let’s get to it.
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Now, we open with Eve (Sandra Oh) lighting a cigarette in the rain. It’s all very film noir-esque and chic. She meets a man named Jamie (Danny Sapani), who Eve perceives is overtly flirting with her. Both head inside a building and we see it’s poor Kenny’s wake. RIP sweet, sweet Kenny. Konstantin (Kim Bodnia) attempts conversation with the volatile (and slightly inebriated) Eve. He believes, like many others, that Kenny committed suicide. Eve, on the other hand, knows for certain that Kenny was murdered. She’s not afraid to shout it from the figurative rooftops either.
Next, Eve encounters Kenny’s coworker Audrey in the loo. The young girl is sobbing uncontrollably. It would appear she was very close with our Kenny. Eve pops into a stall and procures Kenny’s cellphone. Carolyn (Fiona Shaw) also enters the bathroom but, upon seeing the weeping Audrey, she exits. Emotions are uncomfortable for Carolyn. We meet Carolyn’s daughter Geraldine (Gemma Whelan), who is very much pro-blatant grieving. Geraldine and Konstantin bond over an encounter between them when the former was a child.
Meanwhile, Eve overhears Kenny’s coworker Bear (Turlough Convery) chatting about the dearly departed. Eve tries to extract more info from Bear, but Jamie steps in and introduces himself as Kenny’s boss: the Editor-In-Chief of Bitter Pill. Eve flees. Apparently, this Jamie fellow is a perfect Eve-repellent.
Next, Carolyn and Eve have a run-in. Carolyn tells Eve that she attempted to reach out but her efforts were futile. Eve drunkenly gives her condolences and tries to leave, but not before a good screaming session. She’s clearly still angry at Carolyn for what went down in Rome last season.
Later, we see Villanelle (Jodie Comer) in Spain. She waltzes into a decadent mansion with all the fixings – beautiful, soft lighting, enormous pillars, prime water pressure – everything. Dasha (Harriet Walter) makes her grand entrance. Of course, the mansion is courtesy of the Twelve, a gift for Villanelle’s hard work. However, now it’s time to get down to brass tacks. Dasha reveals that Villanelle is to take a newbie under her wing. His name is Felix, and the Twelve believe he shows promise in the assassin field. Villanelle is not looking forward to managing an underling, but it’s all part of the job.
Then, Carolyn returns to work, much to everyone’s bewilderment. We see her temporary replacement gently urge her to sit out for the remainder of her work leave. Naturally, in true Carolyn fashion, she wants to get back to the grind. But her office would rather to properly grieve.
Meanwhile, Konstantin meets with a nondescript agent. He proffers a fake name and gives her an update. She reveals that the higher ups want him to stay in London. Keep an eye on things – especially his “MI6 friend” Carolyn. Konstantin is not a fan of wiling away his time in foggy London, but he does as he is bid. I’m still curious as to who sent him the fishing message in last week’s episode. Are they Team Twelve or Team MI6?
Later, Carolyn pays Eve a visit at the latter’s restaurant job. Carolyn wants to delve deeper into Kenny’s death, and even admits that she believes he was murdered. However, her lofty position prevents her from overtly opening a case. Eve reiterates that she no longer works for MI6. Carolyn brings out the big guns – she reveals that Villanelle is back at it again. We see a photo of the shop worker killed in Girona – she’s covered in paprika. In addition, we learn she was offed by Villanelle for being an “agitator.” Even this knowledge isn’t enough for Eve to take the bait. After Carolyn leaves, Eve vomits. I would too if I learned the person who tried to kill me is back to killing people.
Next, we see Eve sitting in a bar. She has Kenny’s phone, and she’s attempting to unlock it. Suddenly, the phone rings from an unknown number trying to call it. Then, said number sends a multitude of texts. Eve answers the second time, and we hear Jamie from Bitter Pill on the other end. He’s tracking Kenny’s phone, and it’s Eve’s responsibility to hand it over. Especially since Kenny’s phone contains sensitive information that could be beneficial to his case. Eve relents and heads to Jamie’s office. We see the Editor-In-Chief and Bear are waiting for Eve when she arrives.
Meanwhile, Villanelle is waiting at a bus stop in France. Felix (Stefan Iancu) is greeted by a disinterested Villanelle. She doesn’t believe he’s suited for the task at hand. However, after diving deeper into his past, she slowly changes her mind. They bond over unrequited love. Villanelle still loves Eve…this is abundantly clear. And my heart breaks into a million tiny little pieces.
Later, Konstantin has an envelope in hand and he’s ready to mail it when he stumbles across Geraldine. Somehow this looks staged. Konstantin obviously ran into Geraldine on purpose after stalking her. Not creepy at all. He gifts her with a London double-decker bus magnet that was initially a present for his daughter. Geraldine accepts said present with a show of emotional gratitude. We must protect her at all costs.
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Then, we see Villanelle and Felix donning clown costumes – the latest in French fashion, apparently. They’re pretending to be party clowns for a children’s birthday party. Suddenly, Villanelle sends young Felix to saunter after their target. Said target rounds a corner alone, so Felix follows suit. Villanelle urges the newbie to stab the target behind his ear – clean and quick. Our favorite psychopath waits a while and grows increasingly impatient when Felix fails to return in a timely fashion. She finds Felix struggling with the target. Blood is spattered everywhere. Both parties are battered from a presumed physical brawl. Villanelle shoots the target point blank in the head and then she shoots Felix. “Management sucks,” she mutters. Such a brilliant scene.
Meanwhile, Eve discovers that Audrey, Kenny’s female coworker, was in a relationship with the deceased. Carolyn meets with Audrey at Bitter Pill headquarters. Audrey reassures Carolyn that Kenny loved her dearly. Oh, and that sometimes being overly critical on someone you love is just what the doctor ordered. Carolyn, in turn, urges the young woman to never be embarrassed of her feelings. Be vulnerable. Now, take some of your own advice, Carolyn!
Later, we see Carolyn sitting in her car blasting music and munching on a sandwich. Her assistant urges her to march inside to her office. However, Carolyn replies that she’s simply adhering to her work leave orders. She also reveals that she cannot delve deeper into Kenny’s death, despite being his mother. It’s altogether beautiful and painful to witness. Shaw is exquisite here. She has the ability to convey so much without uttering a word. Her eyes truly are windows to Carolyn’s soul.
Then, Eve pays Carolyn a visit at the latter’s home. Eve proposes they research Kenny’s death. Figure out who killed him. Carolyn is reticent, but I believe she’ll hop on the bandwagon. Eve reveals that Kenny was working on something significant when he perished, and the police are holding his files. They need only gain access to said files and they’ll have a window into who potentially killed him. We see the London bus magnet is on the refrigerator, and we hear the reverberation of a microscopic microphone inside it. Dammit, Konstantin!
Later, Konstantin surprises Villanelle in her Spanish mansion. She’s infuriated and begins chucking vases and glasses in his direction. She’s still angry with him regarding his devastating betrayal. However, Konstantin is gonna do what Konstantin needs to do. Villanelle begrudgingly allows him to stay. She reveals that the Twelve are promoting her to keeper according to Dasha. Konstantin isn’t buying it especially since, at one point, Villanelle claimed she was going to kill Dasha. Then, he drops the truth bomb to end all truth bombs: Eve is alive. Villanelle is incredulous. Konstantin chastises her for not following up to ensure Eve was in fact dead. Before he departs, he reveals that he never stopped working for the Twelve.
Now, we see Villanelle unraveling. This information, the knowledge that Eve is alive, is life-changing.
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“Management Sucks” does a brilliant job of keeping the momentum from last week’s episode going. MVP is, unquestionably, Fiona Shaw. Such a massive talent. She even had some of the best lines: “Why can’t we be sad together and listen to good music?” and “I like it like that,” with the latter being in reference to her unkempt shirt at work. Konstantin’s story is intriguing this season. You never know what side he’s truly on, which leads me to believe that Konstantin is merely following the money. He’ll go wherever the Benjamins flow.
Do you think Konstantin truly cares for Villanelle? Who is he really working for? What will Eve and Carolyn discover amid their research into Kenny’s unexpected death? Join me next week as I recap Killing Eve, here on Geek Girl Authority.
Killing Eve airs Sundays at 9pm on your BBC America affiliate.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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