Killing Eve Representation Flashcards
Challenging female stereotypes
-By replacing what are traditionally male roles with women, Killing Eve subverts the machismo of the genre
-The male characters don’t attempt to dominate the narrative (both Bill and Niko are supportive of Eve), and the female characters don’t need to struggle against sexist bosses to assert themselves
Challenging female stereotypes: Villanelle
-Apparently disregarding her sociopathic violence, her fans see her as an empowered and fiercely uncompromising anti-hero, as well as a fashion icon
Killing Eve feminist
Killing Eve is boldly feminist, but it also asks challenging questions about the darker sides of female desire, sexuality, and relationships
Portrayal of female characters
-Complex, three-dimensional people
-They are frequently brilliant, imaginative and daring
-However, these women are also shown to have contradictory and dangerous impulses
MeToo movement
Set out to expose sexual harassment and misogyny in the entertainment industry
-The movement also challenged the patriarchal structure of film, TV, and music institutions
Intertextual references
-In Bond films, the way women are sexualised and objectified has been met with criticism
-Even in ‘cat and mouse’ thrillers such as The Fall, the depiction of women as strong, capable
-Killing Eve is a deliberate attempt to challenge these representations
Feminist theory (Lisebet Van Zoonen)
-Suggested that representations of women would become more positive and authentic if there was more diversity in the production teams of media industries
-Killing Eve has female executive producers, producers, and principal writer/directors, which may explain its progressive depictions of gender
Male stereotypes
-Challenge masculine stereotypes
Representations of ethnicity and age
-Eve is a child-free, middle- aged, professional woman of Asian heritage, married to a British-Polish man
-This is unusual in TV drama but especially in the spy/crime genres
Feminist theory (bell hooks)
-The male and female characters in Killing Eve directly challenge this theory
Gender performativity (Judith Butler) - Villanelle
-In Killing Eve, Villanelle revels in extremely feminine designer fashion
-Yet in later episodes she also dons a beard and long coat to imitate Konstantin, which displays her fluid approach to gender
How Killing Eve challenges bell hooks’ theory
-Frank, seems a little pathetic in his attempts to be authoritative
-It’s made clear that it is Carolyn who holds the genuine status and authority in their workplace
-The victims of violence in the show are mostly men, many of whom are killed by Villanelle.
-Niko and Bill appear happy to avoid a dominating or traditionally masculine role
Challenges masculine stereotypes - Bill
-Bill, though Eve’s superior, is gentle and distinctly ‘unbossy’, he also brings his baby to the office
Challenges masculine stereotypes - Niko
-Niko is a teacher who also acts as a ‘house-husband’ to Eve, doing the cooking and cleaning and other domestic responsibilities
Challenges masculine stereotypes - Konstantin
-Konstantin, Villanelle’s handler, seems more like a caring ‘uncle’ than a dominating authority figure
