Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s smash hit “Killing Eve” came in and went out with a bang. When we first meet Eve (Sandra Oh), she’s living a humdrum life. Bored of her job with M15, her interest in female assassins leads her to join MI6. Eve’s new position leads her to Villanelle (Jodie Comer), a highly skilled and elusive assassin who immediately becomes an object of obsession for Eve. As the chase evolves, the lines between good and bad, cop and criminal, and love and hate begin to blur.
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“Killing Eve” garnered a rabid fan base when it was on-air, as viewers clamored for more and quickly began “shipping” the two lead characters. For many fans, their investment in the series ended in disappointment following its much-hated series finale. Still, the love for the show was real, and its conclusion left a serious gap in the TV lineup. If you’re looking for something to fill that knife-shaped void, here’s a selection of shows that might do the trick.
Orphan Black
“Orphan Black” is the kind of show that only arrives once in a blue moon. At once a sci-fi mystery, a family drama, and a psychological thriller, the series deftly balances its darker elements with moments of humor, much like “Killing Eve.” The series follows Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany), a grifter who witnesses her doppelganger jump in front of a train. While trying to entangle that mystery, Sarah discovers that she is one clone among a larger group, later called her “sisters.”
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As we get to know the other clones (Cosima, Alison, Helena, and Rachel), questions arise about nature vs nurture, along with the biggest questions of them all: who made them, and why? That mystery drives the series plot-wise, but the soul of the show is the relationship between the clone sisters, as well as the rest of Sarah’s family.
As in “Killing Eve,” the series contains the perfect mix of thrilling plotlines and nuanced character work, as well as a queer romance. If that’s not enough of a reason to watch, consider the fact that Maslany plays more than five characters throughout the series, delivering one of the greatest television performances of all time.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
While the 2005 “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” features two A-list actors playing married spies who don’t know their spouse is a spy, the Amazon television series takes a different approach. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine (who was cast after “Killing Eve” creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge left the project) also play married spies, but this time they’re fully aware of each other’s occupation. In fact, they agreed to the arranged marriage when taking a spy job from a mysterious organization.
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The film lives and dies on the chemistry between the two leads, and so does the cleverly updated series. Though Glover and Erskine are best known for their work in comedy, (Erskine played a cringey middle-schooler on “Pen15”), they prove themselves more than up for the job. As John and Jane, their partnership begins strictly professionally. But as they spend more time together, the lines between reality and fiction grow blurry. Like “Killing Eve,” the show’s action-packed, high-stakes moments become more meaningful as the two characters start to care about each other, resulting in a series that packs a spicy punch.
The Americans
Perhaps the greatest spy show of all time, the FX series “The Americans” delivers six seasons of intense interpersonal drama and dangerous political espionage. As in “Killing Eve,” the distinction between protagonist and antagonist becomes muddled as the series wears on, and morality is far from black and white.
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“The Americans” follows a seemingly normal American family: parents Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Phillip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), who run a travel agency, and kids Paige (Holly Taylor) and Henry (Keidrich Sellati). Their secret? Elizabeth and Phillip are actually KGB spies, sent to America years ago as sleeper agents. Their marriage was arranged (neither had any choice in the matter), and the kids were a part of the mission too.
One of the most fascinating married couples ever captured on screen, Elizabeth and Phillip start as colleagues, and only begin experiencing something akin to unconditional love years into their marriage. The series features plenty of violence and clever cons, but every action they take as agents becomes more meaningful as their relationship grows deeper.
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Doctor Foster
Though it aired on the BBC, a network associated (at least in America) with quality programming, “Doctor Foster” doesn’t aim for prestige. Rather, it’s a mystery and revenge plot that gets zanier each episode. Suranne Jones, who brought us lesbian chaos in “Gentleman Jack,” plays Dr. Gemma Foster, a woman who seems to have it all. Things begin to unravel for Gemma when she suspects her husband is having an affair and begins a dangerous investigation.
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When Gemma uncovers the truth about her husband’s infidelity, other, darker secrets come out along with it, and Gemma’s life quickly spirals out of control. Gemma’s behavior becomes increasingly unhinged and violent in each episode. Though over-the-top at times, “Doctor Foster” is great fun and a perfect binge-watch. Jodie Comer also stars in the show as a college student, and she, along with the entire cast, commits fully to the craziness. If that doesn’t sound quite up your alley, you can also try “The World of the Married,” the most-watched K-Drama on cable based on “Doctor Foster.”
Hannibal
Probably the most famous fictional serial killer in literature and film, Hannibal Lecter appeared on screen several times throughout the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, including three films starring Anthony Hopkins as the cannibal killer. In 2013, showrunner Bryan Fuller injected new life into the franchise, bringing Hannibal Lecter to television for the first time in the NBC series “Hannibal.”
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Mads Mikkelsen, playing the titular character, takes a very different approach from his predecessors. While Hopkins’ Hannibal was visibly unhinged, Mikkelsen’s version is well-mannered, suave, charming, and the epitome of calm. Hugh Dancy plays Will Graham, the man hunting Hannibal, but this relationship treads new ground as well. Hannibal is Will’s therapist, and the two develop a very close bond. Hannibal even helps the FBI with their investigations.
As in “Killing Eve,” the relationship between the killer and the cop remains ambiguous until the darkly romantic “Hannibal” finale. If you’re in the market for moral gray area, a cat-and-mouse game, and complex psychology, “Hannibal” fits the bill completely.
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Luther
“Killing Eve” isn’t the first show to entertain the idea of a detective becoming so obsessed with a serial killer that it turns into love. Another show that does this brilliantly? “Luther,” a BBC One series starring Idris Elba. Elba plays DCI John Luther, a genius detective with unconventional methods and a penchant for psychoanalyzing the killers he chases. In season one, Luther takes a case involving a former child prodigy and her dead parents. Luther quickly surmises that the daughter, Alice Morgan (the outstanding Ruth Wilson), is actually the killer, but her crime is too perfect to convict.
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Much like Villanelle in “Killing Eve,” Alice becomes obsessed with Luther and begins an investigation of her own. As Luther’s situation at work becomes more dire, he’s forced to lean on Alice for help. But can he trust her? And are his feelings for Alice real?
Over the course of several seasons, Luther and Alice’s connection deepens but also grows more complicated. As a psychological thriller, “Luther” will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you guessing until the very end.
The Fall
Though there are many great ones out there, detective shows often follow a similar premise: A man, haunted by his past, becomes obsessed with catching a killer, whose victims are usually women. “The Fall” differs from these shows due to one difference. Our lead detective is Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson), a single-minded woman who suffers no fools. Our killer is Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan), a well-liked family man leading a double life.
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Unlike some of her male counterparts, Stella isn’t impulsive or unstable. She’s extremely good at her job and knows what needs to be done to catch the killer. Meanwhile, Dornan is well-cast as her psychotic nemesis precisely because he doesn’t seem psychotic. (Dornan is best known for the “Fifty Shades of Grey” series, after all.)
Their cat-and-mouse game isn’t a simple case of love and obsession, either. Because Stella is a female detective chasing a man who kills women, she empathizes with the victims in a way that her male colleagues might not, and understands the danger Spector poses on a visceral level. One of the best detective dramas in the last two decades, “The Fall” will satisfy “Killing Eve” fans looking for brilliant women traversing a dark, dark world.
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Inspector Koo
Supposedly inspired by “Killing Eve,” the K-Drama “Inspector Koo” is another serial killer drama in which both the detective and the killer are women. Lee Young-ae plays Koo Kyung Yi, a down-on-her-luck ex-cop who becomes embroiled in a murder mystery. Her apartment is a mess, she never brushes her hair, and she’s addicted to video games and drinking. But she was once a brilliant detective, and when an insurance investigator asks for her help in exposing a fraudulent life insurance claim, she agrees.
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The premise of “Inspector Koo” is nominally similar to that of “Killing Eve,” but the two shows diverge from there. There are no romantic undertones to the relationship between cop and killer, and amusing, madcap adventures drive the series, which has a quirkier tone than “Killing Eve.”
Like its English-language counterpart, “Inspector Koo” features a messy, sometimes unlikeable protagonist. Lee Young-ae, best known for starring in “Lady Vengeance,” the conclusion of Park Chan-Wook’s neo-noir vengeance trilogy, delivers a compelling performance that toes the line between goofy and serious. With just 12 episodes, there’s no harm in trying this one out.
Barry
One of “Killing Eve’s” most impressive qualities is its ability to hold humor and hijinks alongside murder and tragedy. “Barry,” another show that brilliantly pulls off the high-wire act required of a dark comedy, takes this dichotomy to the extreme. Bill Hader plays the title character, a hit man who decides he wants to be an actor. This wacky premise leads to one of the most inventive television shows of all time.
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Indeed, what makes “Barry” so great is how it pushes the limits of what’s possible -– and expected -– from a show like this. While it begins as a Hollywood satire and a metaphor for Hader’s dissatisfaction at SNL, the series becomes more existential as it wears on. Through acting, Barry learns to understand himself and his actions better and attempts to become a new man.
Genre-wise, “Barry” has no master. When it’s funny, it provokes full belly laughs. When it’s scary, it will give you heart palpitations. When it’s action packed, it will have you on the edge of your seat. Over the course of its four seasons, the series darkens, but it never loses its narrative direction or the development of its characters. Dark humor has never been better than this.
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The Tunnel
The odd couple trope delivers endless delights. “Killing Eve” began by highlighting the strangeness of Eve and Villanelle’s dynamic, only to hone in on their similarities in later seasons. “The Tunnel,” a British/French crime drama, is a much more straightforward show, but no less satisfying in its depiction of two very different people forced together.
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Based on the Swedish/Danish series “The Bridge,” “The Tunnel” centers on a murder victim found inside the Channel Tunnel. With jurisdiction in flux, the case becomes a co-investigation between British and French police. Stephen Dillane plays British detective Karl Roebuck, an inattentive womanizer used to getting his way. Clémence Poésy plays his foil, Elise Wassermann. She’s uptight, serious, and has no social skills (it’s implied that she’s on the autism spectrum).
Obviously, they don’t get along well at first, as neither likes nor understands the other. Still, their pairing makes for compelling television, and Dillane and Poésy bring an astounding amount of depth to their roles. Though often bleak, powerful performances, fascinating characters, and compelling mysteries make “The Tunnel” a must-watch for “Killing Eve” fans.
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Nikita
While the CW series “Nikita” had plenty of fans when it was on air, it never got the recognition it deserved and has since faded almost entirely from view. That’s a shame, as the show has a lot to offer and was unique within the TV landscape of the era. An adaptation of “La Femme Nikita,” the series follows a woman who was taken from prison and trained to be a spy and assassin by an agency called Division. The woman, Nikita Mears (the criminally underrated Maggie Q), escapes from Division and returns to take them down.
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Nikita recruits Alex Udinov (Lyndsy Fonseca), a young woman connected to one of Nikita’s past missions. Nikita trains Alex and has her infiltrate Division as a mole, gathering intel and sabotaging their operations, but Alex doesn’t know the truth about Nikita’s connection to her family. Nikita also recruits Michael (Shane West), another agent with feelings for Nikita.
Though Michael is Nikita’s main love interest, the most important pairing on the show is Nikita and Alex. “Killing Eve” fans will appreciate the complexity of their relationship, sometimes filled with love, and other times driven by hate.
Revenge
Though it aired in the evenings on ABC, the TV lineage of “Revenge” can be traced back to the topsy-turvy world of soap operas. But what makes “Revenge” great is that it’s not a soap opera –- it’s serious, tightly plotted, and deliciously fun network television. Emily VanCamp plays Emily Thorne (or so everyone thinks), a woman who grew up in the Hamptons. She left town when her father was framed for a crime he didn’t commit and returns in disguise, intent on taking down the people who wronged her family.
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Emily finds herself a nemesis, Victoria Grayson, the matriarch of the family who took down her father. Victoria suspects Emily, while the latter wants to enact her revenge on Victoria and her family. Despite its campy premise, the plotting of “Revenge” is a marvel. Each character’s motivations and intentions become gradually clearer as the series goes on, and the narrative never loses focus.
“Killing Eve” fans will appreciate the show’s portrayal of a devious, manipulative woman and plenty of shocking secrets and lies. Though not a detective show, “Revenge” does contain elements of a cat-and-mouse story, as Emily and Victoria circle each other like hungry predators.
Bodyguard
In the British series “Bodyguard,” Richard Madden plays David Budd, a police sergeant and army veteran suffering from PTSD. In the right place at the right time, David witnesses the onset of a terrorist attack, preventing the would-be bombers from carrying out their plan. Now considered a hero, David gets promoted to the personal detail of tenacious Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes).
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David abhors Julia’s politics — she supported the War in Afghanistan and wants to expand government surveillance -– and isn’t thrilled by his new detail. Soon, their mutual annoyance turns to attraction, and a workplace romance blooms. Things get increasingly dangerous as more bombs go off and interconnected terrorist attacks are uncovered.
At only six episodes, “Bodyguard” progresses at a fast clip as the stakes increase exponentially. While it doesn’t have time to develop the characters as much as “Killing Eve,” each episode will have you on the edge of your seat as you await its conclusion. The series succeeds in keeping the viewer entertained while also upending your expectations, another quality found in the subversive “Killing Eve.”
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The Night Manager
One of the few successful projects based on the work of John le Carré, whose works are famously difficult to adapt, “The Night Manager” wowed viewers with its stacked cast and stylish thrills. Tom Hiddleston plays Jonathan Pine, a hotel worker and a military veteran. Intelligence agent Angela Burr enlists Pine’s help for a special mission, as he has a hidden talent for espionage due to his dual personalities: the polite hotel clerk and the tough military officer.
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Pine and Burr’s target is arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), also known as the “world’s most dangerous man.” Tom Hollander plays Roper’s right-hand man, and the glamorous Elizabeth Debicki plays Pine’s love interest. The impressive cast delivers stellar performances, committing fully to their intense roles.
As Pine becomes more embroiled in the mission, the multiple identities he takes on start to overtake his real life, and the man behind the disguise becomes harder to reach. This psychological dilemma brings to mind Eve’s duality in “Killing Eve.” Initially, we witness her public self, but her encounters with Villanelle drag her private self, driven by violence and anger, out into the open. Pine faces a similar problem, coming off as a sort of James Bond without the clarity of mind.
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Alias
Though Jennifer Garner is most associated with heartwarming roles, as in “13 Going on 30,” the ABC series “Alias” is perhaps the best representation of her talent. Garner plays Sydney Bristow, a spy working with the CIA, or so she thinks. As Sydney learns more about her work as well as her family history, shocking truths are revealed, leading her to question which side she’s on and who she can trust.
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Garner gets to play both sides of the coin in “Alias,” both the good-natured woman we expect from her and the dedicated, dangerous spy. She’s given plenty of exciting fight scenes -– as well as an impressive rotation of brightly-colored wigs –- that allow her to flex her action prowess.
As in “Killing Eve,” “Alias” lives and dies on the strength of its lead performance(s). While Villanelle is deranged but somehow lovable, Sydney is an extremely likable character faced with difficult choices and demented enemies. If you liked the shadowy organizations and tragic betrayals in “Killing Eve,” you’ll love the shocking developments in “Alias,” including the requisite star-crossed romance. Solana Token Creator
