--- title: "Killing Eve: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/killing-eve/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/killing-eve" critics_score: 82 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Killing Eve (2018): what the critics said Critics' score 82 from 13 reviews: 12 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics are enthusiastic about Killing Eve, with praise clustering around Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer’s performances and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s darkly comic writing. The leads’ obsessive cat-and-mouse relationship gives the spy thriller its pull, while Comer’s shifts between humour and menace receive particular attention. The reviews also welcome the series’ female-centred approach to espionage, finding its flawed characters compelling and its handling of comedy and violence unusually assured. The spread is wide, though the disagreement is largely between degrees of enthusiasm, with one negative review. Variety finds the blend mostly entertaining despite some wobbles, while Paste notes a slow start and convenient plotting before the suspense builds. The i Paper is the clear dissenter: it finds the characters detached and unsympathetic, and the series short on heart and laughs. Where most critics enjoy the darkness, that review finds it limits the appeal. ## The Telegraph Rating 5/5. 15 September 2018. The critic calls the series an absolute peach generated with style and verve, highlighting Jodie Comer's hot-cold psychopath Villanelle and Sandra Oh's desk-bound box-ticker Eve, plus the multilingual dialogue that fizzes and sizzles. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2018/09/15/killing-eve-review-killer-drama-fizzes-intensity/) ## Empire — Olly Richards Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2018. The critic praises Waller-Bridge for nailing the tone and creating brutally honest yet self-deceptive characters in another hit. The performances, especially Jodie Comer's wild and controlled Villanelle, are singled out as exceptional. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/killing-eve-review/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 September 2018. The critic praises the show's perfect command of comedy and tragedy in the script, its off-centre approach to every moment, and how it wears feminist credentials lightly while delivering pitch-perfect performances in the cat-and-mouse dynamic between the two leads. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/sep/15/kiling-eve-review-spy-series-phoebe-waller-bridge-fleabag-writer-feminist-credentials) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 April 2018. The critic calls it the latest must-see show of 2018 for its entertaining gender-flipped spy-assassin tale with strong performances. The standout element praised is Jodie Comer's magnetic, funny and dangerous turn as the assassin Villanelle. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/killing-eve-review-1100292/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 April 2018. The series is instantly addictive television with a distinctively feminine pulse. The critic singles out the strong performances of Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer along with the witty, subversive take on the spy thriller genre. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2018/04/killing-eve-review.html) ## Radio Times — Sarah Doran Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). The review calls it an addictive, darkly comic cat-and-mouse thriller that manages to make a psychopathic assassin laugh-out-loud funny. The witty writing, strong cast and addictive quality are highlighted for praise. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/killing-eve-an-addictive-darkly-comic-cat-and-mouse-thriller/) ## The Times — James Cowen Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2018. The critic notes the blade-sharp adaptation feels like a glittering act of subversion from the opening scene, praising the nervy brilliance of Sandra Oh and the emotionally complex, funny, vertiginously surprising drama from the writer of Fleabag. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/tv-review-killing-eve-trust-the-deuce-black-earth-rising-strangers-7cvns5jkw) ## Variety — Maureen Ryan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 April 2018. The review finds the series attempts something rare, wild and risky in blending espionage, assassins and humor, making it mostly entertaining despite some wobbles. The critic singles out the complex, compelling portrayals of the two obsessive female leads as the key strength. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/tv/reviews/killing-eve-review-sandra-oh-bbc-america-phoebe-waller-bridge-1202745151/) ## The i Paper — Daisy Wyatt Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 15 September 2018. The critic wanted to like it but finds it much darker than Fleabag and not as funny, comparing it to a slick all-female Bodyguard remake lacking heart. The unsympathetic, detached characters are singled out as the main complaint. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/killing-eve-phobe-waller-bridge-fleabag-review-197839) ## Collider — Allison Keene Rating ★★★★★. 5 April 2018. The critic finds the series a gloriously fun spy story and character drama driven by the obsessive cat-and-mouse dynamic between two women. She singles out the playful, unpredictable performances and the show's blend of humor, seduction, and murder for particular praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/killing-eve-review/) ## Consequence Rating A-. 28 May 2018. The critic calls the first season remarkable for its rich, weird, character-driven storytelling that surprises even in familiar genre moments. She singles out the exceptional cast, especially Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, and the show's commitment to complexity and tone for praise. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2018/05/breaking-down-killing-eve-season-one/) ## The Ringer — Alison Herman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 5 April 2018. The critic hails Phoebe Waller-Bridge as an auteur of female dysfunction whose new series is one of the best of the year so far. It centers on the cat-and-mouse game between a bored intelligence agent and a psychopathic assassin, revealing insights into why women are drawn to such flawed characters. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2018/04/05/tv/killing-eve-phoebe-waller-bridge) ## Paste — Amy Amatangelo Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 6 April 2018. The critic notes that the series starts slowly but builds suspense through its central hunt and strong lead performances. She highlights the flawed, fully realized characters and the gallows humor as elements that make the show compelling despite some plot conveniences. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/killing-eve/killing-eve-bbc-american-sandra-oh-phoebe-waller-b) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/killing-eve.md