Additional Responses

Whilst we have published the official 86-page document, we have kept a Google Form open for people to continue submitting responses.

If you have already submitted a response but wish to say more, you are also welcome to submit another!

We plan to update this page weekly to keep the wave going.

Please note that any threatening language is subject to review and possibly being removed.

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LuAnn, 60
U.S.

I still feel a bit silly being so upset by a television show, especially at my age! The intensity of my feelings have softened but the feelings of betrayal and hurt persist. The allure of the show was the tension and anticipation: the what if’s. I could have (reluctantly) accepted V & E not ending up together if it was written well and true to their characters. I’d be sad, but able to put it in context. I might have been able to watch the whole series again and look for clues in previous seasons because a well written ending would have made sense. The final 2-minute ending (most of S4 really) is so out of character and nonsensical that I’m left seething and walking away from the whole series. That’s what really sticks with me - in 2 minutes, they ruined a truly great, original show. A damn shame.

It’s Silly to be This Upset Over a Show, Right?

No, And Here’s Why…

Representation

The fact that so many of us are enraged speaks to the impact this show has had. It’s far more than a TV show or a piece of fiction. It’s representative of something much larger and deeper to a fandom of young queer or questioning teens to old dykes like me.

Never have I devoted myself to a show or set of characters like I did for Killing Eve. It wasn’t intentional. I was drawn in and held spellbound for 3 seasons. There was no representation of strong women, let alone lesbians, on TV when I was growing up. Maybe that’s why I was drawn to this show. Villanelle was unabashedly comfortable in her sexuality. Eve was allowed to explore her own sexuality and mix of feelings. We all identified with some or all aspects of these characters, whether in our current stage of life or looking back.

Betrayal

I’ve seen twitter posts of young people who invited their parents to watch a queer show with them – a big step for many even now; who used the show to come out; who identified with Eve’s struggles with her identity. Many of us, young and old, pinned our hopes on Villaneve. We knew they were flawed – you made us love them because of their flaws. We just wanted them to be together. You made us believe it was possible. We were assured we were in safe hands for S4. We were hopeful, optimistic. We believed with all our hearts. In the end, we were betrayed. Disregarded. Dismissed.

I think this is what upsets me the most – you knew your audience and you did it anyway. For what – shock value? How trite. How stupid. How cruel. In what universe did you think this would be a “satisfying” ending?

Gut Punch

Laura Neal’s explanations (read: excuses) are shallow and misguided, as if she were unaware of the previous 3 seasons, or simply didn’t give a shit. In one interview, Laura reduces the intensity and complexity of Villanelle and Eve’s relationship to a phase that Laura wanted Eve to shed and move on to a “normal life” with “human beings.” Really? In 2022, you’re shaming the gay out of a character? At best, this is insulting; at its core it’s homophobic. I fear how some of my more fragile twitter moots will internalize this message.

I feel a deep sense of betrayal – to the storyline, the characters, the actors, the devoted fandom. An unexpected yet all-too-familiar “Bury the Gay” gut punch ended my love affair with the show.

To What End?

Why give Eve the line, “The beauty in your relationship will be found in the ways you reunite,” and have her describe Kintsugi, “a way of bonding to create something new, something completely your own,” only to obliterate their meaning in the end? These aren’t throw-away lines.

Why couldn’t the series have ended with Villanelle and Eve embracing on the boat? You panned away like you wanted to end it there. Why zoom back in and end it so definitively? To what point? The fandom has proven its creativity. Why not leave us an open ending for our collective imaginations to write and dream about for years to come? To conjure a future for Villaneve that WE felt was “satisfying.”

We Wanted to Believe

I believed. We all believed. You made us believe…right up through that final embrace. Then you shot us all. Through the heart.

Shame on you.

Sarah, 45
Female Lesbian, U.S.

My wife and I fell in love with Killing Eve from its introductory scene, which was simultaneously masterful and subversive. We waited patiently, week-to-week, through Seasons 1 and 2, loving every aspect of the show. In our 40s, we had never seen queer women portrayed so normally, so matter-of-factly — where sexual orientation was part of their identity — but not the singular criterion by which they were perceived nor judged, not the singular pole around which their worlds revolved.

My wife was diagnosed with terminal Stage IV breast cancer between Seasons 2 and 3, and as such, we were a little late to Season 3. It started darkly, retained much of that darkness throughout the season, and as such, was much more difficult for us to watch than the preceding seasons. That said, the redemptive arc [of] the last three episodes that season instilled in us some hope. Needless to say, the deliberately-overwrought normalcy of the ballroom scene and the beauty, empathy, honesty, and altruism of the bridge scene left us breathless with hope. The ambiguity was, simply put, sublime — no "Hollywood ending" — necessary, and the open, pulse-quickening tension between them was palpable.

As my wife continued her battle with incurable cancer and her cognition declined to the point that she was unable to watch television, I watched Season 4 alone. I am with fine ambiguity. I am fine with tragedy. I am fine with central characters meeting ends that aren't necessarily audience-pleasing.

What I am not fine with, however, is a season so disjointed, and a showrunner whose organizing quote-unquote thematic was a brazen dose of Christianity, with all its concomitant, ham-handed references and reliance, definitionally, on a binary good/bad judgment call. Tragically, it was the only discernible glue holding the miso-mash of episodes together. Showrunner, know thy audience. To take a show so beloved for its normalization of queer lives – and its previously-steadfast-and-sacred refusal to make binary character judgments – and sacrifice it on the altar of Christian imagery is not fine. For a show that so subversively refused to fall in the good/bad binary trap, for a show that treated queers as normal, first-class citizens, for a show that so vigorously refused to pass judgment on an assortment of characters, all with the flaws and foibles that mark all humans to end as it is a multi-variate disappointment the likes of which I have never experienced in my 45 years. Pass/fail binary judgment passed, punishment allowed, atonement ostensibly delivered.

In essence, the last season expunged three years' worth of good intentions and great work. We queers are just as humanly flawed as our heterosexual counterparts, and it felt intentional and suspicious to have the central queer character to be the one who paid for her sins with her blood, when all of the shows’ characters were equally fraught.

Despite her condition and cognitive decline, my wife desperately wanted to watch Season 4, and I eventually just told her that it wasn't worthy of her time or effort. I can think of no sharper rebuke than that.

The first three seasons of Killing Eve joyfully subverted all stereotypes, all expectations, all cliches, norms. Season 4, conversely, embraced all of the above.

The first three seasons of Killing Eve still stand as my favorite television of all time, but I am now embarrassed to tell people my favorite show. How sullied it was by one woman who valued Christian imagery über alles – like plot and character development – and chose that as the show's throughline, despite the fact that it was nigh-antithetical to the show's subversive lineage.

For me, the tragedy that is Season 4 of Killing Eve isn't just the shoddy finale. The tragedy isn't just yet another example of Bury Your Gays. The tragedy is that Laura Neal diminished the relationship between Eve and Villanelle, and as a coup de grâce applied a rubric of Christian pass/fail morality on a show that had so gleefully resisted that.

My wife died two weeks ago, and for her, Killing Eve ended on the Tower Bridge in Season 3, with Eve finally admitting her feelings for Villanelle, and Villanelle finally doing something altruistic and unselfish. This ambiguity, devoid of judgment or iconographic imagery or the idea of atonement, or the misguided perception that what existed between E and V was merely platonic, was so far the better ending, and I am at least glad – in the scheme of things, this is small and insignificant – that for her, the series ended as it should've.

Marieke, 43
Female, Straight, The Netherlands

What got me hooked from the very beginning of this series were these two women both having issues and both having a darkness inside them. From the very first scene with Villanelle in Vienna, I wanted to know, “Who is she and how did she become this person she is?”

The same thing happened with the character of Eve. You get to know her as a person living a normal life, but something is pulling her into danger and a more exciting lifestyle. And when the series continues, you see E seeking the thrill, so she is not happy with the comfort zone she is in, and V realising that she is not happy with her own comfort zone as well. She just wants to be loved and do the normal stuff. That's what got me hooked from the beginning, because at one point, we all wonder: are we really happy with the life I'm living? And maybe even questioning ourselves when we have a darkness of our own. Can I still be loved?

So for me, they kinda grew towards each other, not really knowing if it was just the thrill, the comfort, the admiration, friendship or perhaps, … love??

So in three seasons, I fell in love with both characters. First, I thought I was an Eve, but leaving the killings behind, I felt I was more like a Villanelle, if that makes any sense. Anyway, I was rooting for them to somehow have a relationship, because there sure was something there.

And then Season 4 happened. Sure, I understood that Eve wanted to show that she could be a good person, and that Eve was on a revenge mission. But what happened between them after the lovely ending of Season 3? So many questions. I even started to question myself. Had I completely misunderstood the meaning of this series from the beginning? Did I [not] get it from the start? [I] felt confused most of this last series, but then they do come together. Yes, I sigh [in] relief, cried when they had that sleeping bag moment, feeling that both of them felt comfortable in each other's company. This is a lovely friendship I thought, when they were joking around in the van.

And then there was the kiss. The most beautiful kiss. Wow, wait. This sure is more than just a friendship. Finally, Eve and Villanelle seem to be at the same level ..... And then bang bang bang....the end.

Never ever have I been slapped in the face by a TV show before. I was in shock. [I] could not believe what I'd just witnessed. Too shocked to cry, too angry to believe this is what the writers came up with. So once a bad person, you deserve to die? And Eve? This is not a rebirth. The kiss was a rebirth. So many questions but the most important one was WHY.

Two days after the finale, I saw an alternative ending written by a guy from Melbourne. And in only seven tweets, he wrote the most beautiful ending that had me in tears. if that was the actual ending, we would all have cheered, and Killing Eve would always be the best series ever. But that's all destroyed now.

And that still makes me so, so, sad.

Anonymous, 20
Female Bisexual/Lesbian,
The Netherlands

Killing Eve hurt me so much. But at the same time, it made me understand things I never understood before, and it helped me to become a truer version of myself. Villanelle and Eve changed my view on certain topics, and most importantly: myself. As a 20-year-old who is growing up in an environment where there are multiple different reactions to my coming out, including negative ones, Killing Eve was my escape, because watching people be as free as you would like to be? That’s amazing.

Villanelle was unapologetically herself, even when making mistakes, and Eve was such a good example of becoming a better and truer version of herself. Seeing Villanelle being killed off in the end, without explanation, was the most fucked up thing that could’ve happened. We knew there was a possibility of one of them (or both) dying, but hoped for a fair end that we could still be proud of and rewatch in the future, as you do with your favorite shows. I wish I could thank Jodie and Sandra for giving us the characters we all loved so much — two characters who, in my imagination, are living together happily ever after. There is so much more I want to say about this, but most importantly: I am prouder than ever of myself, my sexuality, and everyone who was hurt and disappointed by this end. Thank you so, so, much Vil and Eve <3.

Anonymous, 48
Female, U.K.

Killing Eve is finally (after 48 years) what allowed me to be truthful with myself and my loved ones, and allowed me to acknowledge my bisexuality. That’s how powerful the show was.

At the beginning, I didn’t expect to like it. [I] didn’t think it would be my sort of thing but I was captivated. The multi-dimensional, complicated, messy, beautiful characters who didn’t apologise for who they were. Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer, and Fiona Shaw portrayed them incredibly. I will forever be a huge fan.

The finale hit harder than I expected it to. It didn’t make sense, ESPECIALLY after the writers’ interviews. Eve had dark impulses and could be incredibly cruel and selfish right from the beginning in Episode 1, so it wasn’t as simple as a “phase.” And according to them, Villanelle was doomed from the start — evil — and therefore, would never be able to change. Is that really what we want the world to believe? It’s a very fundamentalist view!

The finale was rushed, poorly executed, and cruel. If she was going to have to die, at least let her hold Eve’s hand instead of resorting to religious symbolism for shock value.

I loved the show. I will immerse myself in fanfiction for the alternative ending(s) we all deserved.

Manu, 29

Hello there and good day,

I hope you are doing well! This is an amazing project, I’ve got to say. Thanks for being so dedicated and doing this.

I never usually feel the need to express my opinion on media and the decisions that were made as art is such a complex, personal and individual thing for everyone which I wholeheartedly believe in and support. Having said that, after so many weeks of the finale episode of Killing Eve airing, I still find myself shaking my head at the ending of the series. The nuanced approach to good and bad, the female gaze and the multidimensionality that made the series special seemed to have gone into a not very innovative direction. It feels like what could have left a great legacy became tainted by writing that felt disconnected from the audience and also the development the characters went through in previous seasons.

I am not sure at this point if it is necessarily the death in itself that feels troublesome but the way it was executed and the storyline leading up to it. From what I have observed, it mostly left the audience with a bitter taste, feeling betrayed by a show they supported for a number of years. It actually felt quite cruel and violent when I was watching it so I couldn't even go back and watch the show anymore without being reminded of this frustration.

I think we arrived in a time that enters a new paradigm of storytelling which challenges productions to acknowledge the audience as as much part of a creational process as the actively creative part. Of course that does not mean needing to cater to their audience and giving them exactly what they want - that is impossible and not desirable - but more about being mindful of the execution and making sure that (even in big productions) the love and connectedness does not fade away. I think audiences feel that when they consume art - even if it is in an unconscious way - they believe we have come to a point in time where stories should be filled with love for their viewers just as much as viewers love a story. Somehow it did not feel like that at all in the last season. And again, that does not mean not being able to make bold choices, killing off characters etc. but extending awareness onto the place where storytelling meets its audience. Especially when the production is aware that a story will come to a close. Being aware when personal or collective ego takes over feels crucial in that context because to me it feels like ego took over a bit, which is just sad. When dealing with complex (historical) issues such as LGBTQ representation - even if it is not the main part of the show and the audience much more heterogeneous - it shouldn't be overlooked. Extending awareness in that aspect only means inclusion and could, in my opinion, never take anything away from someone.

What Villanelle represented - the dark hidden parts in the collective and therefore individual psyche - was much more interesting and full of more potential than the last season recognised. Talking about her being a celestial being just feels strange and quite disconnected to me.

I believe that behind the entertainment aspect of storytelling, as basically in any place in life, there is something more profound that can help us stay connected to truth, to each other and to the unconscious. The uproar behind the finale episode might have exactly highlighted this and in my opinion the backlash is justified. The disconnect cannot continue anymore and a modern way of storytelling needs to be embraced as we go along. I think if productions don't grow with the sign of the times, it will only create more disconnection. It is sad that a show that once drew people in for the complexity of female characters, the female gaze and an out of the box relationship between the leads came to an end like this.

It was a great production up until the end, and I want to acknowledge that of course, but also feel like expressing the bitter taste it left behind that tainted what could have been great.

It is just sad to see Killing Eve falling prey to outdated tropes and contributing to trauma rather than helping it heal. It will stick with me in a rather unpleasant way - as an example of how not to do things.

Mandy R, 40
F Lesbian, U.K.

I’m an older lesbian who had read the books first, so I was excited and expectant when I saw it advertised. It was everything and more, that first season. It gripped me, and the chemistry between Eve and Villanelle was sublime. That Villanelle was unashamedly openly queer was refreshing because it was just there, unapologetic and bold. I had very high hopes that this was going to the representation we/I had longed for. I related to Eve too — the messy life, the struggle with convention, that this was an older woman being totally thrown and uprooted by a look in the mirror.

So, I’ve been invested in them. In their beautiful, complex and darkly humorous moments I’ve truly loved and loathed both Eve and Villanelle. At times, they were cruel to each other. But behind everything, I knew they belonged together. They had a path, a destiny. The fact we got only three kisses in four seasons would normally have me screaming at my TV. But you know what? I could have accepted it if they just let Villanelle live. I will never get over the senseless writing bridge —from yes, the bridge scene — to the start of Season 4. We needed more: more talk, more details, more intimacy.

I just would like it to be recognised that mistakes were made in the writing and ending of what was THE coolest, cleverest and most outwardly inclusive show in S1. This is so damaging for LGBTQ+ representation. People are genuinely feeling traumatised and are mourning the senseless death of Villanelle. Nobody dies in the books, so why did you (the writers/show-runner) feel that someone needed to here? I read the decision that Eve couldn’t die [was] because she was ‘every woman.’ Well, so was Villanelle. [She’s] every woman who’s had a bad past, every woman who’s trying to change, every woman who finds real love for the first time. You could have given her the one thing she did deserve: hope.

Julia K, 19
U.S.

I feel like my life is before and after watching Killing Eve, and that’s because it gave me something where I felt so innately connected — like I’ve always known it, but it also gave me everything that I didn’t know yet. I didn’t know how much I could be understood, or rather how much something could help me understand myself. I’m grateful that I’ve gotten to experience that feeling. It’s something special that you just can’t quite describe to anyone else. I didn’t know how precisely my thoughts, desires and longings could be represented in subtle ways that seemed like only I could ascertain, but also in clear and innovative ways that made me feel more visible in the world.

The thing about Villanelle and Eve and how they intertwined was that there were nuances and layers to it that I could make mine. I didn’t have to explain why I felt so much love for it, I just did. What they meant to one another was pain, it was love, and it was transcendent. I’ve been trying to grapple with why everything hurts so bad. Sometimes, I just feel lucky to have been a part of all the magic of Eve and Villanelle. Other times, I’ll think of that happiness that I have for them and feel a heaviness in my chest. I’ll cry but it doesn’t feel like sadness; it feels like a release of overwhelming emotions that I can’t place. I think that’s what hurts the most. The confusion and denial over something that seems empty now but that at one point had been so very much. With the last few minutes of the finale, it felt like everything that I had made mine was taken away from me, and I had no way of protecting it. It was real, and it’s a grief that I’ve never felt before. A type of grief that feels isolating. A loss that meant that I had to go back to feeling isolated and misunderstood and contained in my own life, and I couldn’t prevent it. I couldn’t stop the fact that there was a place in my soul that shattered that nobody else could possibly know how to put back together. But watching Villanelle and Eve orbit one another and find themselves in all the ways, that the other one made them feel whole and understood filled me with something that even I can’t understand. I just know that I was meant to be a part of it. Fated for it. The ending of their story didn’t feel tragically beautiful, it felt like a reflection of everything that didn’t have the capacity to grasp the beauty and ugliness of their story. It felt like undeserving disrespect and taint on the love that so many of us hold for everything that this show meant.

Anonymous

The plot was full of holes and lost all of its magic from Season 1. The last season was a missed opportunity to continue a thoughtful storytelling

Zoey, 27
Female Gay, China

When I first saw Killing Eve, I was quickly crazy about Eve and Villanelle's relationship, which gave me so much powerful inner-strength to look deeply into my heart and find who I was. So I know there are so many people like me [who have] the same passionate way of looking at our worlds.

I see myself in Eve. because I often felt conflicted thoughts in my mind. Be normal? or go on an adventure. Villanelle is my favorite character in this show. She means so many things, doing things intuitively — the pursuit of feelings, and a brave heart. I love Villanelle.

I think the final episode made me heartbroken. The writer's irresponsible behavior, and arrogance of significance, are completely useless. Total disrespect for the LGBTQ community. We wanna see Eve and Villanelle live a normal life and be happy just like everyone deserves.

KC, 25
Female

I actually started watching KE last year and I found it to be my happy place immediately. Watching Villanelle not care about what people thought, being who she was and fearing nothing makes me be a little bit braver in my life and encourages me to try and live with my truth. Even though it’s still hard for me, at least I’m trying. But the finale…It hurt me so bad, like it’s telling me it’s not worth it, it’s gonna end badly, but I won’t stop trying to be fearless like Villanelle.

Sums, 20
Female Pansexual, U.K.
(Previously responded)

Killing Eve killed me and any hope for the future and them not wanting to fix this with an apology or an Episode 9 is the real problem and where the hurt starts to begin.

Tommy, 23
She/Her Gay, China
(Previously responded)

Around 2020 — due to COVID-19, [I was] staying at home and being unable to go out, plus there were no TV dramas to watch — I turned my attention to Killing Eve. I didn't want to watch this drama because of the name of the drama, but now I want to say I'm an idiot. As you can imagine, this show means a lot to me. It takes me into that colorful world and brings back withered flowers to life.

Villanelle also took me to the crazy and real world of KE from that moment. Eve showed me the power of an Asian woman. I grew up with them. For two years, my love for them has surpassed the world. A lot of things, in a way I love that feeling that I can never get in real life.

So when they took V away, I was in so much pain, I felt like my life was over, my world — No more color. I really don't know how to get through every day without fans joining me to discuss Laura Neal's crimes. We can't see V anymore. I'm more sad than the finale that we can't see fresh KE anymore. I miss them all the time until I die. I will always remember that V who illuminated my life, and also thank Jodie Comer for her wonderful performance. V's kindness, innocence, cuteness, and truth are worth learning for each of us. When we are old, we must also remember this feeling, this feeling of love.

Kim C
Female Gay, U.S.

What was so frustrating for me in Series 4 wasn’t just limited to the disturbing choice to kill the gay, but also the disjointed story lines, the uninteresting characters, the time wasted focusing on bits that did nothing to enhance the gift of storytelling that Series 1 and 2 had delivered to us & the really bad writing & horrible choices made. In a nutshell, Laura Neal & her team really took an incredible gift of storytelling and for whatever reason reduced it to [REDACTED], angry (for unknown reasons) sinister employees, wasted story lines and/or inexplicable story lines.

The ending was ridiculous, but the whole season made Season 3 look good and that’s quite a task.

To be forever defined now as the series that made the Game of Thrones ending look good isn’t exactly the kind of imprint the cast and crew deserve, nor should they bear responsibility for [it.] But unfortunately, unless they pull something unprecedented like a redo or an extension of plot, this is how Season 4 will leave its mark.

I feel bad for everyone who worked so hard on this series. They really deserve better as do we the public. The arrogance of Neal. but also the leniency from the producers to allow this insulting outcome, is unforgivable.

Dear producers, your fans did not deserve this.

Eve S, 25
Female Bisexual, U.K.

I've changed how I see myself, which is something I've been struggling to do since I was a child. Because of V and E, I feel more confident in my own skin, and I feel powerful (empowered?) I see myself in both E and V; in V's fashion sense and humour, alongside both Eve and V's obsessive nature.

The final episode really upset me, as it felt almost insulting that V was killed at a gay wedding, and in such pathetic fashion. Eve can not live a happy life without V, as 'fate' kept them together. Eve has nothing left. What was the point of letting the viewer develop a personal bond with V and her past, if only to finish her off in an unjustified way? What was the point of V doing anything for herself, if the plan was to just nullify any character development with a quick death?

Marjet, 40
Female Bisexual, The Netherlands

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

At the beginning of the series, Eve seems to be mostly trying to make sense of it all. Once she deeply realizes what's going on, she goes for it. I guess I can relate to this, when I look back at how my life developed.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

The need for basic things. Just hanging out, talking about things that seem to be irrelevant for some, but are essential in gaining happiness. Further into the series, she even is more determined in leaving the past behind and to go for a happy life (given the turbulent circumstances.) Maybe that should be the main objective for us Killing Eve fans and people in general, no matter how hard it can be.

What has this show meant to you?

The series had so much impact, it's kind of hard where to start. First of all, Killing Eve got my attention when I suddenly stumbled across the program (during the first episode of Season 2.) I was just randomly scrolling from channel to channel on Dutch television. It's safe to say it got me hooked instantly. Finally, a TV series had all the ingredients I was looking for: action, romance (between women), fantastic characters/actors - not only the two leading stars - great music and a unique atmosphere. This is what I missed all those years. I wasn't fully aware - in the beginning at least - that I suddenly also became part of a huge fanbase. A fanbase with so much love and attention for all who are part of it. Especially after the disappointing 'ending', many found support from others. Most of all, I gained strength from the main characters in the series (be who you are, you can't deny who you are) and the lovely fans in this rich community.

In the years the series was broadcasted, I also battled for sobriety, after 15 years of addiction to alcohol. Watching the series helped me a lot. The conclusion 'be who you are, you can't deny who you are' has always been the underlying strength of Killing Eve, in my humble opinion. It's even more sad to realize that Season 4 tried to undermine that very crucial message. I said ‘tried,’ because I still hope and feel this ain't over.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

First of all, I appreciate and I am grateful to the fact that the writer of the novel (Luke Jennings) introduced Eve and Villanelle and their love story into our lives. There's an ongoing lack of representation when it comes to LGBTQ+ characters and that always has an immense effect on all of us who are part of that group. The series did do justice to the novel, at least from Season 1-3. Suddenly - after the wonderful bridge scene - it all changed.

During the last season I got the feeling that the ending could be a disaster and totally different from the novel, which ended like it should be. Many negative reactions on social media came before Dutch television showed the last episode. In short, I was warned and I turned off the television around the first shot that would hit Villanelle. But, I'm aware of what happened further on in the scene. The possible message/conclusion that Eve is free, relieved and liberated, makes me sick. It's a clear example of the times we are living in: a continuous attack on the LGBTQ+ community. 'If you are part of it, you will end up in a bad way' and the others (society) are liberated from you. That's what I distilled from Season 4 and especially the ending. I'm not the only one. To make it even worse, some crew members reacted disrespectfully towards the grieving fanbase, who supported the series for many years. Especially (!) during the pandemic. Killing Eve had the chance to be different, but somehow along the way, decided not toeb. I still urge someone to fix the mess. Not only to stay true to the Jennings novel, but as an honorable signal to the fans. As long as things stay where they are now, all the million followers and fans around will end up feeling disillusioned forever. I can't imagine that even one person involved with Killing Eve, would accept that kind of legacy.

Mia, 19
Non-binary Lesbian, U.K.

Killing Eve taught me that it was okay to be myself, whether that be in the way I express myself (taught by Villanelle’s bold nature and pure unwillingness to conform,) the way I was taught it’s okay to let go of heteronormativity or the way society has taught me my life has to go (through Eve finally accepting her own queerness as well as her feelings towards Villanelle.) It showed me that i could find love, especially queer love, not even in spite of who I am, but rather because of who I am.

This show did more for my identity, at a time when I was drowning in mental health issues and grief from losing other LGBTQ+ friends and finally accepting that, than any other show has before. But the ending crushed me. The Bury Your Gays trope is exhausting, overused and down-right vile. It shows queer people, especially WLW and NBLW, that they don’t deserve a happy ending and that even attempting to achieve one will ultimately result in pain and punishment created by outdated and homophobic media. Killing Eve doing that for shock value and taking such little care with their characters and their queer audience only confirmed that belief for me. It sounds dramatic but Killing Eve, Villanelle and Eve saved me. They’re fictional characters but they represent so much more to me. The finale and the following interviews by Laura Neal completely destroyed that and I will never be able to forgive the writers for that. The anger, even now, still hasn’t gone and I genuinely do worry that it never will. Queer people have always been othered in society and especially in the media. Killing Eve broke those boundaries and could have paved away for a new type of media that allowed new stories and exciting and passionate love but it didn’t. The potential it had will likely never be replicated, especially in a WLW or NBLW show (it isn’t a secret that they don’t do as well as MLM or NBLM shows,) which is probably the biggest betrayal of all. It could have done something, it could have been the cause for change but simply due to homophobia and ignorance it never did, which is downright wasteful and shameful.

Summer, 20
Female, U.K.

Killing Eve has impacted my life in so many ways, all positive. It gave me so much joy and hope at a time I was really struggling with anxiety and depression, and Killing Eve freed me from it. It gave me so many laughs and happiness. Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh delivered these characters exceptionally. Without them, the show wouldn't be such a success.

However, the final episode has given me nothing but despair and sadness, as I can no longer rewatch my comfort show that was Killing Eve. Villanelle was my favourite, like many others, and seeing her not get a chance at love when she finally found it and had it reciprocated — it was definitely a Bury Your Gays trope. I had hoped and thought we had moved on from a conservative outlook on the LGBTQ community, but I was wrong. Laura Neal ruined Series 4 with her religious ideology, [and] the way she refers to Eve being baptised in The Thames and washing away her gay in a sense. And that Villanelle needed to die as she was beyond saving so why refer to her as Jesus in drag — it was all very offensive. She made a mockery of the show and characters, and as a Christian, my faith. God loves all and teaches to love everyone, no matter how bad or good, Laura didn't understand the main concept of her own religion (which is quite embarrassing.) The only way they can fix this for all the fans who are traumatised by the finale is [release] a special episode or another series and follow the books' ending at least.

Claire O, 24
Female Bisexual, China

What has this show meant to you?

The relationship between Eve and Villanelle, represents to me how attractive and moving it could be when you find someone who can really understand you, no matter how crazy or weird your thoughts might be like. The settings of their characters are on the opposite side. But this contradictory character relationship could never prevent them from being drawn to each other. I think the creation of the role, Villanelle, is one of the most successful decisions of this show.

This character, Villanelle, can be phenomenal. The presence of Villanelle makes Eve shine. Eve is so focused, appealing, and dynamic when she is involved with affairs about Villanelle. They are indispensable to each other, just like the show Killing Eve (except from the final episode) is to me.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

For a long time, nothing had depressed me that much for days. Then, the final episode of KE did it. I’m not angry for the death of Villanelle, but angry for the reason for her death. Even though Season 4 of Killing Eve is filled with logical loopholes and cannot fit well with the first three seasons, I did not quit because of the love between Eve and Villanelle, and the excellent performance of the actresses. However, the final episode just proved to me that no matter how amazing the chemical reaction is between the leading roles, no matter how much Eve and Villanelle understand and love each other, they can never end up happy. Most ironically, the gay couple got married happily in the final episode, while Villanelle died in a silly and unreasonable way, leaving her beloved alone in the world. After removing all the potential obstacles that could stop the two of them from being together, Villanelle died, for no reason. I'm angry and sad.

Anne, 50
Female Lesbian, France

I'm a 50 years old French lesbian. During all my adult life, I saw my share of bad lesbians, expendable lesbians, murdered lesbians, etc. in fiction like in reality.

We're in 2022, so I hoped when I watched Killing Eve, portraying a growing love story season after season without any judgement about them being lesbians, that I could enjoy it until the end without fearing for a bad end. How wrong was I?! And in the final minutes! I'm so so angry!

As a woman and as a lesbian- Stop! Stop killing us, mistreating us and shaming us. Believe me, our real lives do that enough. Like anybody else, let us dream, even a little bit, that in fiction at least we can have a good ending, even for the bad seeds.

Thanks for reading but not for the end of the show.

Dee, 55+
Female Lesbian, Canada

I don't understand why they had to kill Villanelle at the last moment and goad the audience with it. It was unnecessary, nonsensical, and cruelly petty to a fan base that was mostly 2SLGBTQI+. They should have not given us a slice of domestic life in the same episode if they were going to kill off either character. It was homophobic, rude, and cruel.

I also didn't get why Carolyn didn't die, because she was a traitor with no home, begging for the smallest part to play with the Russians, and almost killed by Villanelle in a hit by The 12. Carolyn was self-reflecting alone in that dirty, smelly safe-house and the music underlying those scenes was sad and foreboding. She should have been killed off. She was a snake and an arrogant, unfeeling, manipulative woman who double-crossed everyone and never thought of anyone but herself, despite seeking revenge for Kenny. In my opinion, wanting to find the killer/s of Kenny doesn't make up for what an unsavoury person she was.

I never liked or trusted Carolyn and far too much time in most seasons was spent on her! Carolyn was a tertiary character and got predictably boring after the second season. No one is that together and calm all the time and in all circumstances of high-stakes violence. She was the real monster as far as her interactions and behaviour are concerned with Villanelle and Eve.

Although I enjoyed the freshness, acting chemistry, and lesbianism in the show, it made me realize how difficult it still is to live your lesbian or gay or trans+ life fully freely and without fear today. Mainstream media continues to betray us, but why? (We are no threat!). There really is no excuse anymore!

Al, 32
Female Gay, China

[This show] inspired me a lot in writing. PWB thank you. You are the best.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve and/or Villanelle?

Before I came out of the closet to my parents, I pretended to live a 'normal' life like E, but I actually relate more to V- crazy and borderline personality disorder. I'm so obsessed with V like Eve. I feel like she is me, but a crazier version.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

I see in Villanelle an unabashed self love that I could only hope to emulate. Despite her trauma, despite her circumstances, she is the best version of herself and knows it. She unapologetically loves women without any religious guilt (VERY rare for a lesbian character) and with no reservations about society’s judgement. It’s beautiful. It’s comforting. It makes me want to live more true to myself and pursue the things that make me happy. If she can find/deserve happiness despite all the darkness in her life, then any single one of us can too.

What has this show meant to you?

Season 1 is the best. I'm in love with the way they portrayed V – a fancy, charming, glamorous and merciless character. I have never seen such a vivid yet dangerous assassin on the screen. Villanelle is my favourite ever. Like Eve, I couldn't stop thinking about her. The tension between two women, like I mentioned above, inspired me a lot. After S4, I rewatched S1 again and again and again.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

FURIOUS! This industry definitely needs more LGBTQ+ writers. People just fake Political Correctness without doing anything practical. Why not have a female gay writer be in charge of Season 4? Only LGBTQ+ people can really understand the chemistry between the two characters. LN knew nothing about it. As a woman, no matter gay or straight, it would be easiest thing to portray how you wanna be loved. I don't understand why S4 ended up like that.

Sakura, 21
Woman Bisexual, China

Killing Eve further confirmed my sexual orientation. The role of Villanelle is unprecedented for me.The love that killed Eve is hard to meet in my life, which is one of the reasons why I am so obsessed with them.

Arui, 25
Female Lesbian, China

For certain reasons, I have had to stay at home and Killing Eve has given me a lot of spiritual support. I absolutely love the world created by this show. What especially attracts me are some expressions of love by Eve and Villanelle. Love does not take only one form. Eve taught me the many possibilities of love and gave me the courage to face myself. Villanelle taught me to be true, brave, and bold to love people. There is more than that, but I can't describe it in words. To me, Killing Eve is not only a drama, but a fascinating world that I yearn for but cannot reach.

The last episode really made me sad. I understand that Eve and Villanelle may not necessarily live a happy life like ordinary people, but they have overcome so many difficulties and defeated so many enemies together- they deserved to live a new life together. Maybe they don't need much romance, as long as they are by each other's side, that would be a happy enough ending for them. Villanelle's death is not a new life for Eve, but a devastating blow. For us too. I really can't accept this ending, and the writers of the final season don't understand Eve and Villanelle at all. I hope that in parallel universes, Eve and Villanelle can reap the happiness and fulfilment of each other.

Tanya M, 38
Female Bisexual, Canada

First of all, as soon as Villanelle got shot, a part of me shut down. I became depressed and it actually affected my real life work (a client noticed I wasn’t my usual self.) And then I stopped eating. I just couldn’t eat. Ironically, an apple was the first fruit I ate after 36 hrs (wasn’t even done on purpose, it was just because my hubby gave it to me in sliced pieces.)

Second, I saw myself a lot with Eve, even though I’ve never got a Villanelle to myself, I do relate to both very well. Eve reminds me of me in my domesticity and day to day things in S1 but as she is growing and evolving, I switched and also related to Villanelle for her need to be seen/loved. These two characters will have a special place in my heart.

And lastly, this show meant the world to me because for once… I was truly seen. I saw myself in them and I really thought that this show would be different from all the other bad endings for WLW characters. Gawd, I’ve seen that ending so many times and I’m tired of it. The heartless ending for “shock value” is so outdated. These writers/execs need to stop living in the past but try to keep up with the year they are living in. It blows my mind that this BYG trope STILL keeps happening after what happened with Lexa. How stubborn/tone deaf/closed minded can you be to keep repeating the same killing ending? I still just don’t get it and I’m getting old and tired of it.

No matter what we do, if you love the same sex our faith is to die. It doesn’t matter if it’s the hero or the villain, if you are part of the LGBT community, your faith is already written: you must die to give more screen time to straight characters… and your happiness can only last 5 minutes because if it is more than that…the straight writers will come and destroy that happiness .

I’m tired of being seen as a dead corpse floating in the river or seeing the person I love die only to live in pain and with only the memory of the person I love instead of actually living with them and making memories together.

Why couldn’t we have a more Imagine Me & You ending?

In my head: Villanelle is alive.

Leslie, 33
Female Lesbian, China

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

She can show empathy with extremely accurate perception.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Professional, and stylish. She knows the ways of the world but chooses to act more childish in a positive way, which makes her way more fascinating and humorous.

What has this show meant to you?

I absolutely love V and love Jodie Comer. This is the first female villain I've fallen in love with for 4+ years. V&E provided me with a different way of thinking about life and the work we have in normal life. Sometimes we need to break the shackles to find what we want or who we are passionate about. It's not easy to have a meaningful life, but V&E give us an example that no matter what background you are from, it's never too late to start a new one and fulfill it along with your true loved one.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

You can say it's an LGBTQ+ issue related, but I think Season 4 failed in so many ways, Episode 08 makes it unbearable, furious, and outrageous. Especially V being killed while a gay couple was having a wedding on the upper floor of the boat. KE is a show, fiction. Our audience doesn't need someone to infuse personal beliefs into KE and ridicule our feelings about the KE ending. We see KE as a love story- two unlikely people together, working through all the difficulties, adapting for each other, and just wanting to be together. It’s breaking my heart to see when they couldn’t make it.

The ending didn’t just kill V, it killed another ten thousand people in China, it kills people's hope for being gay, it kills the dream of women who do not want men to define their happiness. KE was supposed to be a woman's fairy tale in this harsh world.

Xiaoyu L, 27
Female Lesbian, China

This is my favorite show. It almost changed my life. Villanelle is such an excellent female role who shows the power of women. Extraordinary, hardworking, exceptionally bright and determined...she has all these beautiful qualities which encourage me in real life.

In E I saw contradictory psychology, and in V a longing for happiness and a normal life.

Honestly, I hate the end.Why do V&E end so badly? There's no point! Why do the gay men get married but the lesbain is dead in the water? Why can't they be happy??

Laura Neal ruined everything. She might think she is the God of the KE universe, and so could define who is right and who is wrong, but what is the point??? Killing Eve is a show of moral nihility. Why did LN have to end it "correctly???” We don't need the 'right' ending...But we need it to be reasonable. Why did LN erase all the beautiful things? Villanelle died for NOTHING. I'll always regret that Villanelle didn't get "normal stuff" in the end.

It's been 45 days since the finale and I'm still angry. Not only was the ending bad, but the whole of S4 was bad...Many details can't be explained. If only the s4 script could be rewritten. I've watched KE S1-3 at least 30 times. But I'll never watch S4 again (except the road kiss) because it's not worth it.

ANYWAY, LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS DESERVE BETTER!

YYB, 29
Female Lesbian, China

I've been watching this show from S1. I can really relate to Villanelle in how she reacts to the world. Being an Asian lesbian, I feel suppressed under the pressure of fitting the social norm. I tried very hard to seek approval and to find self-identity. I struggled because I always cared about what others might think about me. Villanelle taught me "the important thing is not what they think of me, but what I think of them." I really changed my attitude towards life and other people.

The ending is a disaster, not to mention it was rushed in the first place. It was so brutal to the LGBTQ community. Especially in lesbian television works, characters always end up miserable. We know it's a reflection of past and present reality, but in 2022, I think we deserve more recognition and happy stories. The ending is so bad. Not only is it not well plotted, but it’s also a denial and destruction to what they did in S1, 2 and 3, as well as with all the characters in the show. I’ll really be cursing for the rest of my life.

Tracie N, 42
Female Queer, U.S.

I swore I already did this but I didn't see it so I am doing it now.

Killing Eve is the first and only show that I have been this attached to. The part of myself that I see in Eve is that person who is neurodivergent but has been conditioned by society to appear "normal", and push down my true self, until, like Eve, I was finally able to just accept who I truly am. Through Villanelle, I saw the part of me who enjoyed living certain aspects of my life freely, including in my sexuality, without having to worry about consequence (or so I thought, until Laura Neal told me otherwise.) Through Killing Eve, I was able to see representations of how complex people really are, including the effects of mental illness and trauma, dealing with my own feelings about my sexual orientation, love and neurodivergence. People can and do change and can learn to accept some parts of themselves whilst changing other aspects.

For me, the final episode was utterly traumatic and I can't really watch it. It is so painful to even see pictures of Villanelle in the water and even seeing Tower Bridge, which I had the chance to visit for the first time ever very recently, but just couldn't do it because of how painful it was. In Killing Eve, both men and women were killed, but I didn't feel like I had to worry about a woman being raped, or that she was killed because she was a woman. If she was killed, she just happened to be a woman. But in light of the final episode, I don't feel that way about the LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent communities. I try to be a good person and live a life without judgment, and I know that I'm on this earth to love. Despite this, I have always been told (and definitely believe) that because I am queer and neurodivergent, I don't deserve love. The Killing Eve finale, and the subsequent horrendously-offensive interviews that Laura Neal has given, has only cemented that belief and left me filled with pain and worry. For me, the moral of Laura Neal's story is: unless you're heteronormative and neurotypical, you don't deserve happiness, love nor empathy.

It is time to bury the Bury Your Gays trope, and end the stigma.

Aimee, 38
Woman Grey Asexual, Canada

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

I see a mid-aged woman discovering that she is different, accepting it, and then feeling liberated. When I was younger, I thought there was something medically wrong with me for not feeling primary (sexual) attraction most of the time. It was only later in life that I realized I fit the definition of 'grey asexual' and I accepted that I would always be different. Most importantly, I was fine the way I am and this knowledge liberated me; I was much happier in life (dancing to the music like Eve).

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

I see the inability to feel (except under certain circumstances.) Although I rarely feel primary attraction and display physical intimacy, I do feel secondary (romantic) attraction to people I get to know. E: "XX" V: "I feel things when I am with you," just resonates with me in my everyday life!

What has this show meant to you?

May be an unpopular opinion as this went on for four seasons, but I liked that Eve and Villanelle were not so quick to just ‘be physically together.’ I like that scenes existed of other forms of physical and romantic intimacy (and I could feel these as a grey asexual): thoughtful gifts, emotional staring, slow dancing check-to-cheek, moving hair out of the face, touching of scars, etc. When that kiss did happen, it felt so natural and I had a sense of euphoria. I also liked that no one cared about the age, race, gender, or law-criminal differences; they were just two people who started out obsessing about each other and then fell in love with each other. I also thought Carolyn was great and funny (until the last few minutes.)

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

This was my first exposure to the BYG trope and it is wrong for LGBTQ+ mental health (as well as the fans more broadly!) I was riding an emotional high from the kiss scene onward that just came crashing down in the last few minutes. The worst part of it was that Eve could not reach Villanelle's body; it is at the bottom of the Thames! Eve's scream symbolizing a 're-birth' is unrealistic; no one just moves on without having some baggage of the love for the person and the trauma of how this person was lost. When 'THE END' came on screen, it was too fast as there was no time to process what just happened.

Any additional info you would like to share?

I am still in emotional pain because of the death of Villanelle (i.e., going from emotion high because of the kiss to emotional low from the traumatic death.) Twitter has helped me because of the community also feeling the same way. However, I have not completely moved on. I am writing my story here hoping it will help. Ultimately, the Killing Eve team acknowledging that the ending was harmful and the industry striving to do better is the step needed for me to move on.

Jo, 36
Female Lesbian, Sweden

Think about what you've done Killing Eve, not only did you kill Eve, you killed the spirit of many of us who belong to a marginalized LGBTQ community by choosing an unnecessary violent death shortly after rewarding a queer couple with love in the final episode after 4 seasons. Traumatizing many of us in a way that felt both targeted and personal. You left us in a similar state as Eve, screaming in agony, alone, watching our beloved dead show, a show that symbolized a safe-place for many of us for many years, float away after an out-of-nowhere sniper attack. One that was ordered by incompetent and heartless writers and show-runners, who much like Carolyn, it turned out, never answered to anyone but themselves, who never cared about us and treated us as pawns. It matters how characters representing marginalized communities are treated. You KNOWINGLY chose this ending without a single care or consideration for how viewers might feel. Yeah, I’ll let you figure out how that affected our psyche. Think about that.

THE END

Verna, 20
Female Lesbian, Austria

Killing Eve was for me amazing, as it was the first big TV Show I discovered which treated queer sexuality not as something "different,” but rather accepted it as part of its characters by continuing their relationship like a regular romance. I think such representation is important - too often are lesbian relationships in media taken as either a thing to be hidden in a background character, or something played up to be THE most important plot point and information in a main character.

Killing Eve was none of this. Killing Eve was amazing and I loved it for its unpredictability, its directness and the unique, complex characters. I fell in love with Villanelle, with her courage and her "I don't care what you think about me" attitude towards most characters.

Honestly, I wouldn't have minded if one of them had died in the end. No, what hurt me was the absolutely unnecessary, brutal way in which it was done. Deaths can be made into something artistic. They can be a great way for a show to end with an emotional response, to close a character arc or to underline the relationship between characters.

V’s death was none of the above. Instead, it felt as if the show had suddenly been canceled, and in a struggle to finish off a story the last few minutes of the episode were hastily rewritten to give some sort of end to the show. It didn't feel necessary. It wasn't expected - and not in the "good" way, as the show has managed to be in the past. It wasn't even an artistic murder, as some others in this series. It didn't feel like it made sense plot-wise. It didn't feel like it gave any of the characters closure.

Instead, it felt like a cruel joke, and something that was used to prematurely close a story which did not even need a closing - open endings can be just as strong as closure in some cases.

I don't need V and E to live. But if they go, they should go in a manner fitting to them.

Alexandra, 18
Female Bisexual, U.K.

Since its release in 2018, I fell in love with not only the characters but the story. As the seasons went on I felt that the writers diverted from the show's original goals. I had never heard of the 'bury the gays' trope before the finale, and upon reading about it my heart sank. It was devastating to see that this show, that had shaped my teenage years and been the focus of my entertainment for four years, fell into this upsetting trope. Representation on screen is so important, especially for WLW and it is even more important for us to see that we are able to have happy endings.

Now we are at a time in society where we should see that people on the LGBTQ+ spectrum are not persecuted, but are able to have happy endings. Nobody expected Killing Eve to end with Villanelle and Eve living happily, due to the nature of the show, but nobody expected the ending to be rushed and fall into a harmful trope. What is even more upsetting to me, and many of the audience, is to find the writers not embracing the relationship of the main characters. It is common knowledge now that Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh resorted to improvising many of the scenes we saw between the two characters, and while these were the best fitting scenes of the series, it is disappointing that the script didn’t have the ability to engage the audience (pre improvisation.) The ending was unfulfilling, and leaves an empty hole in my heart.

Jess, 24
Female Lesbian, U.S.

In general, Killing Eve as a whole is unlike any other show I’ve ever seen. I only started watching it this past March, however I quickly found myself thinking about it “all of the time.”

I saw myself best represented in Villanelle’s character. Even amidst the chaos around her, all she wanted at the end of the day was “a nice life, cool flat, fun job, someone to watch movies with.” That really resonated with me (as well as her being super gay.) Her humour and innocence made her so relatable.

The show brought me an immense amount of joy in the past few months that I’ve been watching it and I’m heartbroken to say the least that it ended the way it did. It just shows us LGBTQ+ fans that we don’t deserve a happy ending. That even if we get a brief moment of happiness, it can ultimately be ripped from us at any given moment. There’s nothing more traumatizing than that, especially in trying times like this where we need something positive to boost morale.

Summer, 20
Female, U.K.
(Previously responded)

Killing Eve, in the end, killed me. [It was] a show where I found comfort and safety from the world we live in, and now I can no longer feel safe in reality or fiction. Sometimes, shows like Killing Eve [are] all some of us had. I really think it's up to them to fix our hearts by ending this show on better terms, otherwise they have ruined the legacy of once an amazing show and broken a lot of people’s hearts. Villanelle deserves to live, not to die. Everyone deserves love. Remember: forgiveness is one of the best things to give, so I will forgive those in charge who allowed this to happen if they fix this homophobic ending to Killing Eve.

Tracy G, 60
Female Lesbian, Canada
(Previously responded)

Killing Eve was an edgy, pleasingly chaotic show that was so different from other shows. I do love to watch it over again, (except S4), because the amazing and unique feel of this show just can’t be found in others. The relationship between E & V meant the world to me. It was so satisfying seeing a familiar mainstream actor like Sandra Oh, (also one of my faves), being so emotionally intimate with another woman. I see myself in Villanelle, the deep desire for love and for a place where she belongs. Eve is that place. I guess it affected me because some of my needs were being played out by V. That’s what we do, right? We identify with characters.

The final episode was so frustrating, even in the time given to them together. V & E didn’t really say anything to each other, but so much needed to be expressed. It did feel like queer baiting. I waited 4 years for something substantial to happen/be said between them. After S3, I looked forward to that for all this time, only to see their character arcs denied at the end. As if Eve would go back to who she was, and as if V would continue to kill even though love was evolving within her now. She was ready to go in a new direction. The most preposterous thing though, was to kill off one of the most iconic female characters in television history - it’s truly unbelievable. This anti-hero was a hero in her own right to many - women, lesbians and people who want to break free of the norm, (from being beige.)

Anonymous, 23
Lesbian, U.S.

Eve and Villanelle represent self love. I see myself in both of them in very different ways. The love and respect they have for the not-so-normal parts of each other has been so important and impactful to me and to so many.

Killing Eve truly was a show for those of us who live outside the boundaries of ‘normal.’ It hurts so much that the networks who brought it to us decided it needed to be squeezed back into those boundaries before the end. We deserved better no matter what, but it's especially baffling because the mainstream knew what this show was– people either instantly connected with this show, let it teach them about themselves, or were content with being fascinated by what it showed them. There was no need to give this show an ending palatable for the mainstream because it was already there, and people were already onboard with what it was.

The only silver lining here as a queer person is that the media reporting on this finale were almost unanimously on our side, it was such a blatant betrayal of the people it was meant to be representing that somehow the only ones who didn't see it were the networks that put it out.

Sarah, 40+
Female, Bi, Ireland

This show has been groundbreaking in LGBTQI representation for strong queer female leads in a mainstream TV show, and as such to me I've followed with great interest. I thought that the days of the female gay character dying at the end of a show were a thing of the past but apparently not. And once again viewers were subjected to an age old, tried and tested homophobic ending where the gay character gets her "comeuppance" and dies at the end. Why do this to a character who has developed and grown from psychopath to lovable but misunderstood over the show's seasons? Villanelle was reduced to a badly dressed mess with a storyline that, instead of redemption, led to demise. It also deviated from the original book ending for no apparent reason just to cruelly take away any chance of happiness or redemption for Villanelle and Eve.

I also feel it was an injustice for the actors who were so incredibly invested in their characters. It was such a frustratingly disappointing ending for no good reason and to be honest felt like a betrayal for viewers like myself.

All responses above were submitted with the new Google form.

All responses below were submitted through the original Google form.

L. Elisa C.S, 36
Woman Pansexual, Spain

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

Being a POC myself but of African descent, navigating a heterosexual world and trying to acknowledge my sexuality as a pansexual woman. I am working on self acceptance as well as not waiting to fulfil others’ expectations.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

The urge to be seen, feel truly loved and pursuing a way to call someplace home or feel safe.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

It helped me during the first wave COVID-19 when I was in my isolation room. Sometimes I watched in the living room with my small family and my mask on. There was a way I could feel through these characters whereas in my life I had to deal with medical issues as a physician myself and try to survive/mourn my own patients dying from covid complications.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

The show was racist and homophobic. It didn't care about representation or a message to the queer community that have been there this entire time. They wanted to get away with white feminism and didn't hear any feedback from our voices. The show has damaged our mental health and safety being careless not addressing it was an actual show about WLW romance as a true transforming force and POC struggle to make themselves visible to the world as queer.

Any additional info you would like to share?

We need to stay strong and ask for accountability.

Syd, 17
Female Lesbian, U.S.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

We are both sapphic women of color, who were at first very hesitant to accept that we like women. We both feel something vaguely different within ourselves from the rest of the world, maybe an inexplicable feeling, and want to explore that more and more, but are afraid to (this is mostly S1-S3 Eve) because of the expectations of society. We are both also pretty unapologetically mean girls! lol.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

She is a little bit lost in the world it seems like, even though she’s sure of herself. With S4 V, I relate to her wanting to change to fit some idea of the world/reality she’s put in her own head, but just can’t because that’s not who she is. She doesn’t always say the right things or have a filter. I like attention just as V does, though probably not as much as her (I definitely don’t have her flair for eye-catching fashion.) and we both love love love women.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

KE is the first and only shown of its kind. I remember first watching it in February of 2022 and being so shocked that a show like this even existed. It's given me something to treasure - two wonderful unique female characters and an unbelievably wild love story between them. Fair sapphic romances are hard to find - especially in an instance where both characters are complicated, complex, “can’t stand each other,” but also can’t live without the other. V and E are the most beautiful and unique WLW relationship the world will ever see, and I'm glad I got to enjoy them for a little bit. The show as a whole has shown me that a little weirdness can be celebrated, and that you truly have to walk your own path/form your own life. Also, that you can be a little bit of an oddball and attractive at the same time.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

That we truly don’t matter and media will never give a fuck about us unless it’s for clicks and money. How could you write two beautiful characters and their amazing love story for years just to throw it down the drain after having both of them suffer so long without the other? Why is it so hard to just let women be in love with each other? If any show had the potential to give us the most powerful, nuanced, and out-of-the-box take on queer love, it would’ve been Killing Eve. It hurts that they did V and E so wrong in the series finale, and has really tarnished all my hope for real love of lesbian and bi female characters. WLW characters will never be treated properly in mainstream media. Why not? Why does everything have to be tragic? Our lives as lgbt people are already so tragic. Why can’t I see someone who represents me and loves me, be happy, even if it’s just on the goddamn TV?

Any additional info you would like to share?

Thanks for making this form <3 I really love V and E in so many ways that are hard to explain. As a young lesbian with a complicated relationship with myself, my life, my family, and the world KE (and especially Villanelle) has meant so much. I'm glad to see that there are so many fans like me out there.

Anonymous, 20
Female Bisexual, Germany

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

The drive to explore her true self further.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

The funny, energetic and childish aspects of her.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

It helped me to figure a lot out about my identity and also always brought me joy watching it.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

It tried to avoid the obvious WLW relationship right until the end and robbed us of some amazing moments between the two MAIN characters which should have been the focus of this season. I don't really mind that Villanelle died, but the way they killed her off in such a meaningless way, really hit me and I can understand why it is considered to fit right into the Bury Your Gays Trope.

Annastiina, 43
Woman Lesbian, Sweden

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

She is determined, passionate and true to herself.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Having been different-than throughout all of my life, having been different for living among strangers always abroad, having been queer, having been in love painfully but not having been moved back…so so so many things.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

It has been the only TV show that has truly engaged me. And this is only due to the love story (or so I thought) between these two women.

Having known that the source material (Luke Jennings’ book) sort of promised a happy ending for these two, I “trusted” to keep watching even when it felt like “queer-baiting.” I trusted the show to deliver on the epic love story they were creating (or so I thought) also because the writers were women. Surely they would know better…God how disappointed I was.

Now to hear all these comments from both the writers as well as actors to simply neglect this story has been truly awful. I feel completely misguided (almost gaslighted) on what I thought I saw on the screen. I really feel this is a typical case of homophobia. I was dragged along 4 seasons with the false pretence that this was a love story between two women… Not only did they not get to each other in the end (one HAD to die.. dunno why really) but also that the comments from the actors and creators completely downplay that love story I saw. It is so disrespectful towards the queer audiences.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

It is okay to kill off the gay character(s) for shock value simply because they are less relatable for the main stream (majority) audience.

The insistence of “can’t please everyone with the ending” is also a very problematic statement. Like why? The overwhelming majority of the audience rooted for this couple, wanted to see them survive in the end.

So, you simply don’t want to please most of the audience and you want to “spice things up for the ending,” so you take down at least one of the characters (and separate them by death) AND you don’t want to take out the straight “everywoman” who is relatable for the majority so naturally you kill off the gay one. I mean it is a textbook example of homophobia. The message that is heard loud and clear is “you as gay do not have the same value as straight people.”

Any additional info you would like to share?

So disappointed. I actually understand how angry I still am now that I am finally writing stuff down.

I am not a typical TV-viewer, I don’t follow shows on a regular basis. I am 40+ and mum of a toddler, I don’t even have time to watch TV. I am not interested in popular culture, don’t “follow” any celebrities, not interested. But OMG, the Killing Eve insult of an ending felt personal, like a slap in the face. And the after comments from writers and the actors even more so.

I don’t care if it is simply not knowing better or pure homophobia and evil, but shame on all of them. I am sick and tired seeing gays killed for advancing the plot for straight characters (Eves rebirth of Villanelles death.” STOP freaking killing us!!!!

Also I donated to the Killing Eve billboard-project and so hoping to see that the creators of the show face some feedback from the queer audience they dragged along for 4 seasons to ensure ratings.

Alicia D, 23
Female Lesbian, U.S.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

She's trying to be her authentic self.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

She just wants love!

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

This show meant so much to me, when I first heard it was being made I read the summary and thought to myself, "this is too good to be true." And then it was BETTER than I expected.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

It is not surprising that a person with extensive childhood trauma would learn that violence and love are two sides of a coin. That said: Most of what Villanelle does (especially in the early seasons) is an elaborate performance, hiding the real emotions she feels because she doesn't fully understand them and therefore can't process them. A good writer makes the audience empathize with these characters by showing us how they see each other, for Eve that means seeing underneath the performance. A good example of this is when Villanelle sees the disturbing painting in the museum, she finds it beautiful and interesting, so she sends a postcard of it to Eve. Most people might see this as some sort of threat, but what it really is is a romantic gesture- sending something you find beautiful to someone you care about. This is what the whole show was based around, these two characters being on a whole new level of understanding with one another. The murder and stalking and gift giving is just surface level shit, it's the meaning behind these actions that has ALWAYS mattered most in this show. So to boil Villanelle down to just her actions is taking away all of the dimension from that character that Jodie worked so hard to build, and it also changes the entire central thesis of the show. Eve learning to accept the seed of darkness inside herself, and being freed from the constraints of society and (yes) heteronormativity by Villanelle, who in turn learns to accept the seed of GOODNESS in herself and allow Eve to have an intimate power over her, becoming something more than just the dangerous little pet of The Twelve.

Eve is radically accepted by Villanelle and through this she learns her own power. Villanelle is radically accepted by Eve and through this she learns she is deserving of love. They are two sides of a coin, and this was completely lost in the final season, which I MIGHT have forgiven if it had found a way to do them justice in the end. But to deny your main characters the happy ending they have been working towards from the start is cruel and punishing, and for the life of me I can't believe they wanted to go out on that note.

Kaz, 31
Non-binary Lesbian, U.S.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

Genuinely not much, boredom in life perhaps.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Freedom, exploration, curiosity, humor. Wanting to be better.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

Quite a lot really. V gave me more confidence, to be who I am and not be ashamed of it. Yet she also showed me I can still continue to grow to be a better person as well.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

Happiness = Death. Yet this was even worse than Lexa. With The 100, Clarke at least got closure. It was absolute shit regardless but she still got closure. Eve gets none of that. Also what’s terrible is V was still trying to be a decent person in her own way. Minus the super Christian nonsense, that’s super harmful in its own way. Regardless, she was trying to be better, got to take out the bad guys and still they shot her too? So is that to say no matter how much good a queer person (especially lesbians) does, it doesn’t actually matter and they should die anyway!? Utter rubbish.

Francesca, 23
Woman, Bisexual, Italy

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

Trying to fit in what is considered right by society, adapting to a normal life because you think that’s all you’re supposed to do and what you’re destined to do.

It’s been refreshing to see that, no matter the age, you can fully accept yourself and your potential to a point that your life can change completely. If not for the better for the truer form.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

The boredom of emptiness. Even though I don't really see myself as Villanelle, that's what made me so keen on her.

The fact that she would act the way I would like to (except for the killing part lol), to be so completely unique and funny and quirky, the way she lived her sexuality so freely.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

This show had been comforting me for so long...until Season 4. It taught me that it’s never too late to discover yourself, that you can and should embrace the parts of yourself that you consider wrong because there’s always someone else around the world that feels the same and can understand you.

It made me (briefly) believe that I can find someone who can love me for who I am because I'm worthy of love no matter what.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

That we don’t matter. That our point of view doesn't matter. That we are as disposable as trash and we can’t be comprehended. That lesbian love is impossible.

There could have been a happy ending, OR A SAD ONE BUT WELL WRITTEN… But it didn’t matter because it was more important for the writers to create a surprise effect (even predictable, but so badly written that shocked us anyway.)

It made me feel used and stupid.

Embarrassing.

Any additional info you would like to share?

I really do hope that these kinds of narratives no longer get portrayed because we are tired of suffering. These TV series are our way to escape reality, to feel seen and loved and worthy of love. To be represented. In a world where you don’t feel right, where you don’t have hope, one right story that proves you wrong can help you immensely.

It’s not just fiction.

Cristina, 34
Female Bisexual, U.K.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

A woman who perhaps has felt forced to comply with societal norms, but deep down is only fulfilled when being true to herself (even if that meant giving in to loving someone who is seen as deranged or a psychopath.)

The constant inner battle between being "normal" and being "yourself.”

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Trying to be different than what others are telling you to be. Going against everything you were taught to do or say to forge a new path for yourself. Letting yourself love and be hurt and vulnerable.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

It was really good watching an LGBTQ+ relationship develop and unfold without catering to the straight norms of society. It felt true to the characters (almost until the end.) It was also refreshing to have a TV show without labels, where we didn't need the writers to explicitly tell us it was a queer relationship or that a "straight" woman was coming out or finding herself. It wasn't a TV show about lesbians, it just happened to have a queer relationship woven into the major plot, while superbly conveying that said relationship was the narrative that was holding it all together. But I personally love that while it is considered a major LGBTQ+ show, it never really had to specify it.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

Bury Your Gays is a major problem in mainstream media. Writers and show runners shamelessly cater to society and what has been ingrained in us for centuries.

Moreover, the final episode didn't even stay true to the story. Their relationship and how they got there in the end was supposed to mean something. For a shock factor, we got to witness the death of a character whose development deserved more than that, and the emotional death of the other character who had worked so hard to finally accept the darkest parts of herself.

We have to stand up and tell these people that audiences do not always thrive on shock and death. That we can and should have representation in media that is true to what is happening in the real world. There actually are queer people who live happily ever after.

Any additional info you would like to share?

This TV show ending broke me, emotionally. The book ending was so much better and truer to all the characters and it did not deserve to be butchered for the sake of mainstream media. Maybe a little more research is warranted.

Nicole, 22
Female, Singapore

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

I think the determination of Eve in her pursuit for not just "the truth" but also her attempt in trying to understand herself has inspired me to do the same.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

I think Villanelle's unwavering confidence in who she is has inspired so many and to me, that is the part of her I want to emulate.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

I know it's been a bit over emphasised by a lot of people, but I've never seen a show that was so exciting and illustrated attraction and obsession so well. And for Eve to be portrayed by Sandra Oh really reflected how PWB's vision was not just an overplayed trope of two white (brunette and blonde) couple that many producers and creators try to make in order to target the queer demographic. The voice of the story is so unique and distinct in Season 1 that it has been difficult to replicate. But nonetheless, through this show, I've really found a community of people who appreciate this great show like I do and also exposed us to the great talents of Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

To be honest, I really do think that the change in writers every season was really reflected throughout the whole series. Every season, not only did the characters change, their motivations change as well. And while we got to see the different facets of the different characters, the final episode really reflected the voice of Laura Neal and the season's writers. The final episode really reflected also how different the show was supposed to be and it made me wonder if I interpreted the show the "right" way all along. I think of course, the ambiguity of Eve and Villanelle's relationship showed that not every relationship requires "labels,” but at the same time as the show progressed, I felt like I was hoping for them to get together. And when they did, she died. And I have no idea how her death would have forwarded the story or concluded the ending in a way that was a "good twist,” and I've seen too many interviews and tried so many times to justify how that kill was a good decision. But I really can't. I think Villanelle's death could not be mourned as it happened at the very end. And I honestly felt like it really just cut through all the building blocks that have been created throughout the entire series.

L, 33
Female Bisexual, U.K.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

The desire to escape the confines of socially expected roles, my intelligence being undervalued largely by virtue of me being a woman.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Dark humour, desire to have fun, curiosity.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

Bi representation matters.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

That queer women with difficult pasts don't deserve to find happiness.

Any additional info you would like to share?

I hope the team behind the ending has trouble sleeping at night.

Immy, 15
Demigirl Lesbian, U.K.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

Her logical way of thinking (and great hair.)

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Her sense of humour and the way she admired Eve from afar at the start.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

This show has meant everything to me, it's been so refreshing to have multiple visibly queer characters on screen and not have their sexualities be the focal point of their characters.

I've suffered from a lot of mental health issues, and watching these two unapologetically queer women chasing each other and then eventually finding themselves in the process has seriously helped me escape from reality when things got rough. I don't know if this is because I get emotionally attached to characters way too easily or because of how well the show was written, but at certain points it felt like I was experiencing this turbulent love story alongside them, you know? Like I'm in the action too.

These characters are going to be a part of me forever, Eve's dry humour, Villanelle's childishness, Konstantin's laugh, it's all going to stick with me throughout the rest of my life. This show has been both a blessing and a curse to watch; it's made me laugh, cry, and feel every emotion at any one time - but the finale totally ruined that for me.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

The final episode clearly shows that even the best shows can fall into harmful tropes like Bury Your Gays, and it's seriously disheartening as a lesbian to not be shown a happy ending when there was the opportunity for one.

Eve and Villanelle had just done everything they wanted. They were free. (as free as they could have been) I'm not sure what Laura Neal got out of killing Villanelle in the last 2 minutes aside from shock value. She stated in interviews that Eve was going to be "reborn" after this, that she "wanted normality." Eve didn't want normality, she wanted Villanelle!

Laura Neal's subtle homophobia within the season really manages to come to light with the finale and later interviews - the evil gay woman has to die to let precious straight Eve live a "normal" (read: heterosexual) life.

Eve is not who she was before. She would not be able to go back to the life she had before Villanelle. Eve is traumatised, and a murderer. I think Neal overlooked that when killing off Villanelle, because she was too preoccupied with trying to give Eve a heterosexual ending.

Killing Villanelle, in turn, kills Eve.

Any additional info you would like to share?

Villanelle was a huge comfort character for me, and all I wanted was her and Eve to be happy :(

Jcornelius, 16
Female Bisexual, Vietnam

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

I see a lot of myself in Eve: we both live a normal life and want to look for more thrilling experiences. We also share an unhealthy amount of interest in female assassins. Eve is a strong woman who dared to break out of the norm, out of heterosexuality, and dared to embrace her true identity, which is why I admire her.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Villanelle is my queer role model: she’s witty, charismatic, confident in her to-die-for outfits, multilingual, unapologetic, intelligent, and unashamed of her sexuality. Villanelle was a loner and that’s the part I most resonated with her. Despite surrounding herself with materialistic things, human connection is the thing she has always longed for and she finally found that with Eve, which brings me the hope that I could find that one day too.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

Killing Eve is really a mind-blowing show to me. I first came to it because it’s the combination of everything I love: dark comedy, crimes, murders and queer badass women. It shows a dynamic between queer women never has been seen before. It’s a story about powerful, LGBTQ+ women on their journey to find their identity through love. It really emphasizes that there isn’t only good or bad, gay or straight, virtuous and evil. It teaches me that no matter how bad, or how strange you are, you still deserve to be loved and there is someone out there that can understand your soul. It teaches me to believe in fate. It teaches me to be unafraid to not follow the norms and live my most true self.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

The finale is just a slap on the face to the whole community. The way Villanelle died is unnecessarily cruel for both Eve and the audience. It feels like they're sending the message that queer people don't deserve to live a happy life. It feels like Eve is punished for daring to explore her queerness and her identity. And Villanelle is punished for finally finding love and acceptance, for learning to love and be loved for the first time, for being the empowering and unapologetic woman she is. I’m personally not upset that one or both of the characters could die, but the execution just reeks of homophobia. The writers kept them apart for the whole season, gave them two kisses, and killed them off when they were finally free and had the chance to be together. Villanelle is killed off in the most brutal way possible, with Eve unable to reach her. I felt like my chance of happiness with a woman just died there, the way Villanelle has died.

Katy, 17
Female Lesbianism/Homosexuality,
Hong Kong, China

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

I’m not sure.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Her thrill seeking personality. And also wanting to change.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

It meant everything to me! It made me accept my sexuality because of how it normalized two womens’ relationship without categorising it.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

The Bury Your Gays trope will never be over.

H, 27
Female Lesbian, U.S.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

The denial of queerness, the desire to seek out the most interesting parts of yourself and become the change.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

The mischievous, bold and stylish parts. The romantic, vicarious, feminist, openly queer and free parts.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

It's helped me reflect on how I feel about relationships for the better.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

That queer spaces are dead spaces. It's a blatant slap in the face for whoever wants queer, safe spaces in media.

Linda, 62
Female Lesbian, U.S.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

I'm an older woman who’s also wondering, “What’s the point in life?” Not in a relationship. Focused on work all the time. Scared to do something different. Eve made me really think about my life and changing it to live a life of no regrets.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

20 years ago I loved someone deeply like Villanelle loves Eve. Felt like shit. Hurt deep in my gut. Day and night. Still does. The woman I loved couldn’t commit and I kept hanging on forever. Eight years. In the S3 bed scene I could feel the heartache of laying next to someone all night that you just wish would turn over and kiss you but respecting and waiting for it to happen. Like KE, it didn’t. Devastating. Yep, I had to grow up and move on. No happy ending here or on KE.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

I am queer and find that I am more out at work and everywhere else too. I don’t give a shit who knows I’m queer anymore.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

It was more than LGBTQ+ issues to me. The ending was personal, it was visceral, and gutted me just like my long lost love did. I felt like such a loser for believing that they would live happily together. Hello loser, right? I had put my trust in the show’s writers. I felt like S1-S3 writing had such an understanding of queer life. Oh my god, it was awesome. Then S4 happened. And, the church stuff freaked me out, too. I thought, “Don’t the writers know how beaten up by religion we queers are?” It’s not even funny—religion and gays=suicidal thoughts.

Any additional info you would like to share?

Villanelle can hold her breath a really long time, Eve. She’s coming back for you.

Rien S, 25
Female, Philippines

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

It is rare to see an Asian lead in a series. As an Asian myself, I’ve always admired Sandra Oh’s acting. That was the first reason why I tuned into the show. Then I discovered how in depth her character, Eve, was. A character evolving into something out of the norm was so intriguing. The subtle nuances of seeing her day differently after encountering eccentric Villanelle. Her curiosity of being spontaneous and embracing the dark side of her. How unique that was! I was really hoping for more of that as that was the direction you all were baiting us from the beginning. Even in the books, the plot was going there, so why are we suddenly not seeing that? Very disappointing. The S1-2 tone of dark comedy fiction was already perfect, but still underutilized for Eve.

That’s why as an audience, the ending did not make any sense when it’s VERY disconnected with all the promos and episodes. I would have no problem with Eve dying as well, it would make more sense and be resolved actually, by the 12 being as powerful as they were. But seeing Eve, after passionately hunting the 12, not being included in the final scenes was so WEIRD. And being alone, returning to square on, didn’t make any sense at all. The writers dumped and crammed another plot in the finale episode.

It will be maybe a decade or not at all again to have another Eve character on screen. Such a waste.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

I may not be a psychopath but why I admire Villanelle as a fictional character is because we’ve never seen a female assassin decades as good as or even as better acted and fleshed not out since Kill Bill. In a series with a lot of episodes, that is also rare! Just as reading a novel, you want to turn off reality and ride in with the characters' evolution. I’m not a boy and can't have wizardly powers like Harry Potter but I still feel connected with his journey and attitude as he overcomes challenges. In Villanelle’s case, that is finally discovering the years of abuse and standing up for herself to take revenge from the 12. Her quirky attitude was so fun to watch because of brilliant acting by Jodie Comer. Her interactions with different kinds of people were so engaging that you cannot not root for her. Her death was so abrupt and weird, it did not justify the seasons of building her up and having this cat and mouse chase with Eve who was changing but also accepting her as she was. There’s nothing more predictable and lazy than this whole episode. That finale was not that show I fell in love with.

It’s also a disservice of not even following the books. She faked her death, you got Pam to fake it all, you got Jesus V, who could’ve resurrected like Jesus. You can even put an after credits of the aftermath of the Thames. You all got the materials to make it work but still missed. Everything felt disconnected with all you gave to what you’ve delivered. It felt like we had been manipulated and lied to. If you think that’s how the artist should treat its audience, for the sake of artistry, you’ll lose that audience you made you an artist.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

I’ve been tuning in with a lot of shows and we rarely have two female character leads. Sometimes we wonder what the dynamic will be with two opposite characters meeting halfway and discovering how similar they are. That was a fun structure for a story. As an aspiring writer in my own language, I’ve studied intensively the episodes of the first two seasons. From the first episodes to each finale, how the conflicts push the characters out of their boundaries, S1 & S2 deliciously tied them all in. You can actually feel the story moving. I love the dark comedic tone of it all, our country has not produced any of that and I want to learn more about it and write something like it one day. Couldn't believe how I’ve been telling friends, everyone how good the show was. That's why I was so disappointed with the tropes and a too all-over-the-place plot.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

As an artist myself, it’s always nice to create and offer your ideas to the world and accept all the criticisms, may it be good or bad. However, successful writing is not determined by you, but by the reception of the audience. And the word of mouth that it is indeed. That’s why I applaud S1 & S2 a lot.

As you all have also known by then after two seasons, the ratings and wider audience are mostly of LGBTQ+ fanbase. The series wouldn’t be so popular if not for the endless free marketing and recommendations to non watchers of how amazing the show was. They believe it would be none like other WLW or female led shows they watched. In the history of WLW in the media, for decades, most have been produced with sad storylines about coming out or dying at the end. If you’re really a writer passionate about delivering the best to your audience you’d be sensitive enough to learn from it. I learned Bury Your Gays trope frequently happening in WLW media. Wherein seconds after finally embracing happiness, a sudden death comes. Lazy writing that feeds as a shock value. Because of its frequency it’s becoming predictable now and not shocking for the WLW audience.

There is a scarcity of WLW stories that do not involve coming out or happy cheesy endings. The ratio would be 10% happy 90% sad. Would you like all stories to have a Romeo and Juliet Ending every time? No. You’ll find it annoying.

How the finale’s writing was not even leveled with Romeo and Juliet. You had 4 seasons to do that. But it was all crammed in the very last episode. Frustrating. To sum up, the interviews released by the head writer of Season 4 were insulting to the LGBTQ+ community.

Any additional info you would like to share?

A special episode or Season 5 would help this series a lot. The replayability has gone to none, no one would be encouraged to watch it anymore and the show will be remembered as one of the worst series with worse finales instead of the brilliant writing of the previous writers.

Matisse, 30
Female Pansexual, U.S.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

I relate to Eve because I get obsessed with things and have tunnel vision for the things I’m interested in no matter what stands in the way.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

I loved seeing someone live so openly. I try to be like Villanelle in the sense I’ll wear anything or do anything because I want to.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

This show has been a great representation of a bi or bi curious woman; the first I’ve seen not put a label on it. I feel the same. I just want what I want and it’s great writing to see Eve go with what her heart wants.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

It literally feels like LGBTQ relationships on shows always end in tragedy. I thought KE was different or would have something more meaningful to say but it didn’t.

Luísa F, 28
Female Bisexual, Brazil

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

Her fierceness and sarcasm hit very close to home.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

The weirdness of Villanelle made me feel so seen. The fact she was allowed to be weird, funny, awkward, made me feel so much better about myself and being my authentic self.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

The final episode gave me hope and then crushed it in the last minutes. The fact Villanelle was killed in such an unrealistic and sudden way, with no purpose or glory, depressed me for days.

Julie, 27
Female Queer, U.S.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Villanelle’s silliness and unapologetic weirdness is something that is very refreshing and liberating to see.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

Killing Eve has been my comfort show since Season 1. It takes me into a world where queerness and nuance are celebrated in a way that no other show has done. The characters have meant a lot to me and given me license to really be myself, even when I’m scared of what others would think.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

The ending was heartbreaking. As a neurodivergent and queer woman, it was very confusing and triggering for me to see a character I deeply relate to being needlessly and violently taken away because she was “too much for this world.” The inclusive and nuanced world Killing Eve created was shattered by real-world homophobia. We hardly ever get to see sapphic relationships have an opportunity to thrive in television and I thought of all shows, Killing Eve would give us a satisfying queer ending.

Any additional info you would like to share.

I went into the finale thinking it was a possibility that one or both would die, but the way Villanelle was needlessly killed for being who she is was not the way to do it. Why give us a beautiful queer relationship just to rip it away for no reason?

Ashley
Female Gay, U.S.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

I've had a love affair with my TV since I was a young, only child growing up in a small town, and I tend to stick with a show if I get invested in the characters. Wow what a show Killing Eve is -- one of my all-time favorites.

I started watching because I'm a fan of Sandra Oh, and she did not disappoint. Jodie Comer is on a whole other level. I credit her as much, if not more than the writers for giving us one of the all time great characters. I never imagined how enthusiastically I could root for an assassin.

As a whole, I loved all four seasons. But that ending was devastating, not to mention an insult to the LGBT+ community. We deserved better than a Bury Your Gays trope.

It wasn't even a well-written death. I've watched as other characters, who I cared a lot less about, were killed off of shows. And I've cried like a baby. But the way Villanelle was killed didn't bring a tear. Just a numbness and sickness in the pit of my stomach.

But as much as I regret the last five minutes, and some other poorly written bits from season four, I'll always be grateful for the show and the amazing work by Oh and Comer.

Alicia, 23
Female Lesbian, U.S.

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

I understand Eve's chronic boredom, her feeling that something is missing, something she discovers in Villanelle that resonates with her. She becomes her true self.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

Villanelle is different from most people. She doesn't necessarily understand others. But she wants to be accepted by them, she wants to be a part of something.

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

This was the TV representation I could only DREAM of. There will never be another show made like it. At its CENTER this show was about a lesbian relationship, and the writers should've handled that with care. There are thousands of people out there who would've felt honored to be offered a chance to end it right, and who would've done a better job.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

Killing Eve's message was always that conventional "happiness" and "normalcy" are overrated concepts, and you can find your most fulfilling life simply by being your most authentic self and THAT is what they destroyed with that finale.

Any additional info you would like to share?

I'm so tired of being ignored.

Helen K, 30
Female Lesbian, Canada

What part of yourself do you see in Eve?

I really see Eve as the part of myself I had to be before coming out and accepting myself as a gay woman. When the show starts, Eve is not living the life she was meant to live, but rather the life society expected her to live. She was never her true self until she met Villanelle. Once she starts exploring her true nature (with the help of Villanelle) she just blossoms and finds true happiness. It’s a relatable story for any gay woman who spent time closeted and pressured by heteronormative society. The happiness you see her experience in Season Four when she finally embraces who she is (by embracing Villanelle) is just extraordinary and gives gay women hope that the future can be so liberating and joyful when it’s filled with self love and acceptance.

What part of yourself do you see in Villanelle?

What has this show meant to you? Could be identity wise or otherwise.

This show has been life changing. The unapologetically queer characters make me feel like there’s a place in the world for us beyond struggle and judgement. Eve and V’s sexuality doesn’t define them, and in fact it’s not even remotely a struggle for them that they are both women. How refreshing, how important to see that represented on TV. Up until the series ending the show has been a great comfort. A safe space to enjoy seeing two women explore themselves and fall in love.

What has the final episode said to you about LGBTQ+ issues and representation?

The final season has many problematic moments in terms of LGBTQ representation. The use of church and salvation as a way for Villanelle to cleanse herself of Eve is distressingly akin to Christian conversion therapy. Why is Villanelle given a path to redemption through the church? An organization SO traumatizing to the queer community. Although hopefully not the intention of the writers, the implication is that, failing to redeem herself through Christ and resorting to a life of sin with Eve, villanelle must die for her sins. How horrific a message to send to your LGBTQ fan base.

Any additional info you would like to share?

The most painful thing of all has been the statements from writer Laura Neal on the interpretation of the finale. Stating that the character of Eve is now “free” to go back to a “normal” life is incredibly problematic. The implication is that Eve's life prior to Villanelle, her boring life with her hubby in the suburbs, is the only correct way to have a happy ending. Eve didn’t choose that life. She explored her sexuality, her ethics, her morals, and made the choice to be with Villanelle. Maybe they both live, maybe they both die. But for the lead writer to imply that in the death of her beloved Eve is free to return to her life of heteronormativity? It’s insulting. It’s painful. The MAJORITY of fans following this show to the end are members of the queer community and now Killing Eve is no longer the safe space and refuge it once was for us.