Ep 2. Nice and Neat

As the second season of Killing Eve continues to unfold, we find the ever-elusive assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) still on the run and on the hunt for her former MI6 handler, Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh). In the second episode of the season, titled "Nice and Neat," the two women are once again circling each other, but this time their paths will cross in an unexpected way.

Villanelle has been living it up in Paris under the guise of a rich socialite, attending fancy parties and lounging in her luxurious apartment. But even as she enjoys her decadent lifestyle, the pull of her work is never far away. In the opening scene, we see her donning a pair of red, elbow-length gloves – always a harbinger of things to come – and heading out into the night.

Meanwhile, Eve is back in London, mired in the bureaucratic minutia of her job at MI6. But her mind is constantly on Villanelle, and she's become obsessed with figuring out the assassin's next move. When a lead presents itself in the form of a dead woman found with a gunshot wound to the head, Eve senses that Villanelle may be responsible and pushes for an investigation.

As the case unfolds, we see glimpses of Villanelle's handiwork – her unique flair for the dramatic and her penchant for leaving her mark. But as Eve and her team try to unravel the mystery, they find themselves stymied at every turn. All the while, Villanelle is getting closer and closer to her ultimate goal – finding and getting revenge on Eve.

The tension in "Nice and Neat" is palpable, with Comer and Oh both delivering nuanced performances that keep us guessing at every turn. We're never quite sure what Villanelle is up to – whether she's playing a game with Eve or pursuing a personal vendetta – and the inscrutability of her character only adds to the intrigue.

But while the cat-and-mouse game between Villanelle and Eve forms the backbone of the episode, there are other plotlines at play as well. One of the most intriguing involves Carolyn Martens (Fiona Shaw), Eve's enigmatic boss at MI6. Carolyn's motivations have always been murky, and in this episode, we start to see cracks in her cool exterior. Is she a woman with something to hide, or is she simply indifferent to the world around her?

The episode also introduces us to a new character – Hugo (Edward Bluemel), a cocky young MI6 agent who sees Eve as a threat to his own ambitions. His presence adds a bit of levity to the proceedings, but he also serves as a reminder of the way male egos can get in the way of real progress.

Overall, "Nice and Neat" is a gripping episode that keeps us on our toes from start to finish. The pacing is taut, the performances are excellent, and the twists and turns keep us guessing until the very end. Fans of season one will appreciate the return of familiar themes and motifs, but the episode also manages to push the story forward in unexpected ways.