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Entertainment Now | February 26 - March 4, 2022 By Dana Simpson TV Media A esop, master of the mo- rality tale, is often cred- ited as the author of a particular story involv- ing a scorpion and a frog. While the true origin of the story re- mains unknown — some specu- late it may, like a certain show's main character, have originated in Russia — and many versions of it exist, the fable seems to be the driving force behind the fourth and final season of a much-beloved BBC America se - ries, "Killing Eve." Premiering its final season on Sunday, Feb. 27, on BBC America and AMC, and for streaming on AMC+, "Killing Eve" has earned a reputation for its complicated plots involving espionage, at - traction, human nature and ob- session. Now, not unlike the scorpion that asks the frog for help crossing the river, it's time to see who, if anyone, comes out on top on the other side. First hailing from BBC Ameri- ca in 2018, the series, led by Sandra Oh ("Grey's Anatomy") and Jodie Comer ("Free Guy," 2021), is based on the Villanelle novel series by British author Luke Jennings. It didn't take long, however, for the TV series to eclipse the books and rise to immense popularity among Brit- ish and North American audi- ences. The series came in hot with a 98% approval rating on the popular ratings site Rotten To- matoes, and while its approval has, as with many series, borne witness to a slow decline over time, leading lady Comer seems to have no doubt that Season 4 will wow fans right off the bat. "We have definitely got off to an exciting start," Comer told NBC in a recent interview. "I think now, because we know it's the final season, they are defi- nitely pushing boundaries, espe- cially with Villanelle. Where we open with her [Villanelle] is to- tally bonkers and brilliant. I hope people finally enjoy it when it hits the screen." Following the emotional cul- mination of Season 3, AMC, par- ent company to BBC America, released a statement announc- ing Oh's Eve, Comer's Villanelle and Fiona Shaw's ("Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," 2001) Carolyn are all in "very different places" heading into the final chapter, saying, "Following Eve and Villanelle's exchange on the bridge, Eve is on a revenge mis- sion, while Villanelle has found a brand-new community in an attempt to prove she's not a 'monster.'" This "new community" will likely lead to new characters for the show's fourth season, and — dare it be said — perhaps create new opportunities for a possible spinoff if all goes well. Just about anything is possible in the land of "Eve." The same AMC release also alludes to Carolyn's quest for vengeance for Kenny (Sean Del- aney, "Venom: Let There Be Car- nage," 2021), stating she "goes to extraordinary lengths to con- tinue to chase down The Twelve" and restore order to the chaos that has been brewing over the past three seasons. De- spite having been relegated to an embassy role by MI6, she is doing everything within her power to get back in the field as quickly as possible. With new series writer Laura Neal ("Sex Education") at the helm this season (following the one-season reign of "Fleabag's" Phoebe Waller-Bridge), the "Kill- ing Eve" trend of having women write powerful stories about powerful women continues. But despite the new voice behind the plot, AMC assures fans that every bit of the "passion, re- venge and obsession" viewers know and love will build to "a messy, nuanced and totally glo- rious series finale." The first episode of the eight- part season, "Just Dunk Me," sees Eve on the same mission as Carolyn: hunting down The Twelve. Following a lead by reaching out once more through a network of assassins, Eve hopes to find more information on Hélène (Camille Cottin, "House of Gucci," 2021), the high-ranking member of The Twelve who was introduced to viewers during last season's battle against Dasha (Harriet Walter, "Succession"). Meanwhile, Villanelle finds some solace in religion and finds herself about to take the next step towards truly immers- ing herself in her new life: a baptism. Though, as she admits to a therapist in the trailer, it hasn't exactly been a clean break away from her old life. "I don't like the way I feel," Villanelle says to a disembodied voice, later assumed to be that of a mental health professional. "I killed two people last night after I tried really hard not to." The second episode, which is available exclusively to AMC+ subscribers on Feb. 27 (it airs March 6 on BBC America and March 7 on AMC), is titled "Don't Get Eaten" and finds that Hélène may actually prove useful to Eve in her and Caro- lyn's mutual quest to destroy The Twelve. It also continues the plots that were established for Villanelle and Carolyn in the season's first episode. Of course, all eyes will be on Eve and Villanelle when they fi- nally meet again — and they will. Though, in typical "Eve" fashion, we just don't know when. Don't miss the highly antici- pated premiere of "Killing Eve's" fourth and final season, premiering Sunday, Feb. 27, on BBC America and AMC, and for streaming on AMC+, because while there are several ways the series could end, many of us know what befell the scorpion and the frog. Sandra Oh stars in "Killing Eve" The end of 'Eve': Comer, Oh return en route to final hurrah 2 | Cover story A/Grindstone Charlie's B/Norris Insurance 1 x 4" Moore's Home Health 5 x 2"

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