Killing Eve season 3 being planned, though renewal not official

Even though Killing Eve still hasn’t premiered its second season just yet (that will begin next month), the buzz is certainly out there already for it to be a blockbuster hit. It’s hard not to have these expectations when the first season set the bar incredibly high! The goal is for this show to be one of television’s next great cable shows and the foundation is certainly there. You have a brilliant cast led by Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh, and then add to that the beautiful settings and a dark, gritty story. The juxtaposition between the two is quite nice, as this show reminds you that murder and other unspeakable things can and does occur everywhere. Everything within the landscape finds itself with a thick coat of blood on it – you just don’t always see it. Blood can be a concept, a manifestation of pain or of obsession, just as much as a reality.

Now, let’s move into what is the news of the day — it is possible that a season 3 renewal is imminent for the BBC America series, which is also being simulcast on AMC?As a matter of fact, the production seems to be circling it already on the calendar. Per a new report from the Sunday Times, the producers for the series have already contracted Comer, Oh, and Fiona Shaw to appear in upcoming episodes of the show. Beyond that, production is slated to take place in the summer — though we hardly think a season 3 could premiere this year. A show like this takes it’s time with filming and post-production and that’s part of why it is as good as it is.

Why not go ahead and confirm a renewal? Consider this the network taking the “I want to be really cautious” approach. Odds are, they’re ready to keep this ball rolling; they may just want to see some premiere ratings first so that they can boast about the renewal in tandem with it. After all, signs point already to the season 2 premiere being one of the biggest episodes of the show ever. Season 1 grew its live viewing audience for the majority of the season; as a matter of fact, the finale drew a record 700,000-plus people per Nielsen’s somewhat-antiquated-but-gotta-use-it-anyway ratings system. That may not seem like much, but remember that BBC America is hardly the home to enormous ratings. This is a great network, but one known for under-the-radar hits and co-productions more so than anything else. That being said, if they keep producing content like this they may quickly rise in the ranks.

With the AMC simulcast and awards-show buzz in the rear-view mirror, expect Killing Eve season 2 to top 1 million viewers for at least a few episodes — and that is a trend that could hold (in theory) moving into season 3. The only way it couldn’t is in the event season 2 turns out to be a steaming pile of garbage and there’s little reason to think that it would. For the “new hit TV show,” the trajectory is generally positive until around season 4 or so, and then at that point everyone turns their eyes to the newer, flashier hit. The only exception of this seems to be Game of Thrones, which seems to have some White Walker brainwash thing going on.

The Sunday Times report notes that Killing Eve could end with season 3, which is an idea so shocking that we have a hard time accepting it. Then again, if you want to ensure that you never hit that saturation point when critics get bored, the best thing to do is probably just end before you get there.

Excited already about the idea of a Killing Eve season 3? Be sure to share some of your thoughts in the comments. (Photo: BBC America.)