A War Of Meanings: Killing Eve Is Definitely Queerbaiting
Now that all has been said and done, it must be recognized that Killing Eve is unequivocally guilty of queerbaiting.
Killing Eve is queerbaiting because both within the show and in its marketing (promos, interviews, ect) it misleads and teases us, the mainly queer audience, about the principal relationship, Villaneve, without ever explicitly following through with it in any meaningful way.
Moreover the producers’ intent (namely Sally Woodward Gentle and Sandra Oh) was for the queer audience to view Villaneve in a very narrow, specific way that clearly diverges from what the show and the marketing led queer fans to expect.
As I will demonstrate, Villaneve is not endgame in practice, only in fan interpretation (i.e. it is “fanon”) and that’s the crux of this horrible queerbaiting issue: Villaneve was never meaningfully and clearly realized-instead the show relies heavily on individual interpretation, mere symbolism, ongoing teases, and possibility rather than on screen representation. Consequently, Villaneve was never allowed to evolve as the principal romantic, same-sex relationship.
All this encompasses the very definition of queerbaiting.
In fact, my analysis provides:
31 examples of Killing Eve queerbaiting in marketing, from 2018-2022.
35+ examples of queerbaiting within the show itself, from 2018-2022.
And yet, too many fans don’t recognize it. Part of the reason why is because they don’t actually know what queerbaiting means. To define it fully, I will reference the comprehensive academic definition provided in Emma Nordin’s thesis From Queer Reading to Queerbaiting: The battle over the polysemic text and the power of hermeneutics (2015, Department of Media Studies, Stockholm University).
This thesis draws upon the historical context of queerbaiting from the 1950s to the present, in particular highlighting fandom discourse that was originally sparked on Tumblr, as well as situating the reality of queerbaiting within the scholarly works of feminist and queer theory. Several legal texts, as well as literature covering television culture, fanfiction in the age of the internet, and sexual politics also provide the context for Nordin’s definition of queerbaiting.
Moreover, her thesis studies queerbaiting patterns and debates found across fandoms for the following shows: Supernatural, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, NBC Hannibal, BBC Sherlock, Once Upon A Time, Vikings, Xena: Warrior Princess, Shameless, and The L Word.
It’s important to point out that, as Nordin notes, one of the very first definitions of queerbaiting appeared on Tumblr in this post, and it has to do more with queerbaiting being a writing practice, not just a deceitful marketing practice:
“Queer-baiting is a writing practice that contributes to the exploitation of queer people through mainstream media.”
Further to this, Nordin demonstrates that there are several practices of queerbaiting that contemporary queer audiences tend to ignore or just do not identify because, as times have changed, queerbaiting has also evolved. Since Nordin’s definition necessarily includes several practices, I will be presenting them in turn along with direct examples from Killing Eve’s marketing and the show itself.
Nordin’s thesis defines queerbaiting as: “the practice of intentionally adding homoerotic tension between two characters to lure in an extended audience without any intention of turning the homoerotic tension into overt homosexual action.”
To highlight this, Nordin identifies and defines the following interrelated queerbaiting practices:
Queerbaiting exploits and manipulates the grey area between visible and invisible, what is overtly acknowledged and shown, and what is not shown and left up to interpretation. This allows an “all meanings/interpretations are valid” approach.
In turn, queerbaiting enables producers to push for a preferred meaning, and anything that falls outside of that is relegated to “fanon.” Although producers aren’t the only ones who create meanings since fandoms exist, producers overwhelmingly have the power to deny and correct “false” meanings.
Queerbaiting is expressed through noncommittal producers, who will neither confirm or outright deny the principal relationship. Indeed, the very issue is that there is a lack of meaningful, explicit acknowledgment.
As a result of this queerbaiting that makes a myriad of interpretations possible, the principal relationship (as well as all related queer characters and content) becomes just another viewpoint-in other words, it is only one possibility instead of the only reading that makes sense and the only realistic one.
Queerbaiting is not always a denial of the principal relationship, especially since it is often the main bait. Frequently in contemporary shows, queerbaiting takes the obvious form of the principal relationship having considerably less kisses, sex scenes, and other expressions of homosexuality than other straight or even queer characters.
Queerbaiting is an overreliance on teases, insinuations, off screen references, interpretations, and symbolism. Most notably, where it is clear the principal relationship has, or ought to have, progressed into overt territory. In other words, the relationship retreads old ground to avoid being meaningfully and explicitly realized (i.e. made canon as opposed to fanon)
Even in cases where the principal relationship has some overt homosexual action (i.e. kissing, declaring I Love You, ect.) the context of these actions is played off as teasing and hints, insincere or a joke, or only offers the possibility of a same-sex romantic/sexual relationship but refuses to grant it.
Even when I Love You scenes are not insincere, they can still be problematic, with the most common result being the principal characters end up dead or the relationship is otherwise broken up.
The existence of queer content and other queer characters is simply not enough because it doesn’t reinforce the principal relationship but rather takes away from it.
Queerbaiting is the result when teasing, hinting, interpretations, and symbolism allow for connotation. This is how straight culture uses queerness for pleasure and profit in mass culture without admitting to it since connotation allows deniability.
Queerbaiting does not allow overt queer action in the principal relationship. It enables producers to use visual signs to hint and tease, only appearing to provide representation, when in the end it is denied. Along the way, producers guide and signal how the principal relationship should be interpreted by fans, only to fail in fulfilling what was signified to the queer audience.
Nordin does not require every single practice to be present in order for queerbaiting to exist; any one of them indicates queerbaiting on their own, but especially when taken together.
Despite the above points, the bigger reason why too many in Killing Eve’s fandom so vehemently deny the show’s blatant queerbaiting is because: it’s easier to deny any queerbaiting has ever occurred at all–than it is to confront the heartbreaking fact that a show we’ve poured so much time, energy, emotion, and interest in has actually done the worst possible thing it could to us.
It’s important to immediately clarify, as Nordin notes, that queerbaiting is not only about representation. That is, just because a show has queer characters and content, doesn’t mean it isn’t queerbaiting.
Killing Eve is touted as a “queer show” and fans point to the queerness of several characters, most notably Villanelle, as evidence that it cannot possibly be queerbaiting.
Unfortunately, contemporary queer audiences misunderstand the use of “representation” as it relates to queerbatiing.
Representation is simply not enough. Queer content and characters are not a defense against queerbaiting.
This is because in a show such as Killing Eve, literally based on queer martial that is explicit and meaningful in Luke Jennings’ Codename Villanelle book series, queer content and queer characters are the absolute bare minimum threshold that can be met in order for the show to exist at all. It’s no great achievement of representation nor is it a defense.
As Nordin explains, “representation” is not an issue of if the characters are queer or how many there are…but whether the particular principal relationship (i.e. Villaneve) is actually represented on screen, explicitly acknowledged, and acted upon by the principal characters involved.
In other words, what is done to the queer characters and their relationship, to reify it?
To be absolutely plain, calling Killing Eve out for its queerbaiting is not being “negative.” It is challenging a harmful, negative practice that is symptomatic of horrible writing.
Nordin declares that “queerbaiting is war of meanings.”
Her thesis is unique not only because it explores queerbaiting academically, but because it’s rooted in feminist and queer theory and proposes that challenging queerbaiting is one of the most effective and needed forms of online queer activism. It isn’t negative, it is necessary. In actual fact, Killing Eve is the ultimate source of negativity.
Those fans that refuse to entertain the idea that Killing Eve is queerbaiting have taken a multifaceted, concerning topic and trivialized it with their dismissal and lack of good faith engagement.
So I firmly maintain that Killing Eve’s queerbaiting cannot simply be dismissed with “you’re just mad you didn’t get what you want!” or “this show is complex beyond Villaneve!” or “they were never going to get a happy ending!” or even “I liked this season!” I will address common counter arguments against Killing Eve’s queerbaiting as well, but here I’ll simply say this:
Queerbaiting harms fandoms and queer communities. If we stay silent, we risk that harm being repeated over and over. So we definitely should be debating the queerbaiting issue at the heart of Killing Eve. It allows us to be thoughtful about the show we’re passionate about, to digest media critically, and to stand up against exploitation.
After all, part and parcel of queerbaiting is its insidious ability to capitalize on our passionate interest as a queer audience. Baiting translates to payouts and viewership that bolsters a show’s success while leaving us feeling hollow:
Obviously Killing Eve spent far more time trying to get us to buy lingerie and boots (as I critiqued here) than it did staying true to its characters and writing a good conclusion to a beloved story.
Killing Eve was a show running from 2018-2022. It’s unacceptable for a contemporary show like this, particularly a female led show, to refuse to follow through on Villaneve. I’ll be expanding on this point in great detail throughout this analysis.
I’ve set out to show you Killing Eve’s queerbaiting by structuring my analysis (which you can download and share as a PDF) into five key sections:
Defining Killing Eve’s Queerbaiting
Queerbaiting Examples In Killing Eve’s Marketing (Promos and Press)
Queerbaiting Examples In Killing Eve
Rebutting Counterarguments Against Killing Eve’s Queerbaiting
Conclusion: Killing Eve Is Queerbaiting
While I was writing, I saw myself in other dejected fans who felt like they were screaming to the void and no one was listening. I scrolled through the Killing Eve tag here on Tumblr, on Reddit, on Twitter. I saw a fandom bitterly divided by the events of Season 4. I saw a fandom filled with confusion, disappointment, sadness, and anger. I saw parts of this fandom try to shut down debate about queerbaiting because this is their favourite show, and to accuse it of queerbaiting is deeply unpopular.
Consequently, I saw fans who so badly wanted to call out Killing Eve for its queerbaiting, only to censor themselves out of fear of other fans who became furious at even the suggestion, who lashed out by saying those who think Killing Eve is queerbaiting are somehow stupid, and wrong, that their feelings and concerns are not worthy of consideration because they’re being negative, and spoiling the show for everyone else. This level of toxicity is appalling and harmful.
I saw all this backlash and division and heartbreak, and I realized that it’s being misdirected.
We have every right to direct our backlash towards Killing Eve, as a piece of media. It’s meant to be examined and criticized and experienced.
Queerbaiting is not a thing of the past. We shouldn’t be trying to shut each other down in this fandom, to dismiss each other’s opinions on this crucial issue. That’s why I’ve included both sides of this debate. But it’s also why I’ve taken the strong stance, based on the evidence I have, that Killing Eve is definitely queerbaiting.
While I spent weeks compiling research and writing, I appreciate that not everyone has the time and energy to immediately read through this long, layered, and definitive analysis. So here are just a few of the key takeaways for you that you’ll discover throughout this analysis:
Killing Eve has been queerbaiting us since Season 2, through a combination that involves both writing and marketing aspects, working together to prevent the principal relationship Villaneve from ever evolving and being realized.
Sally Woodward Gentle and Sandra Oh are the executive producers responsible for reinforcing Villaneve’s “ambiguous” nature (even after their bus kiss, for example) and keeping the relationship from evolving.
Sandra Oh’s homophobic and dismissive comments after the Season 2 finale did irreversible damage to the rest of the seasons, as did her insistence on Eve constantly rejecting Villanelle as a character choice.
Laura Neal, the showrunner for Season 4, confirmed that Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Luke Jennings were involved. Phoebe Waller-Bridge has actually been heavily involved throughout all the seasons, and Laura ran all the Season 4 scripts by her-except for the finale. Jennings was in the writers room and present for all key decisions in Season 4.
Laura Neal deliberately took one of the most beautiful Villaneve scenes in Season 3, the bridge conversation between Eve and Villanelle, and interpreted it to mean that they reject each other. She chose to ignore widely held audience and critic understandings that this scene was about Villaneve finding mutual acceptance and understanding, preferring instead to make hostility the foundation for Season 4.
Killing Eve’s executive producers were responsible for a fraught environment in the writers room that tugged the final season in many different, opposing directions. In particular, main writer Kayleigh Llewellyn was prevented from writing Villaneve the way she wanted and was literally muzzled.
As you take the time to read through this analysis, I hope you will find it informative, thought provoking, and ultimately convincing. Whatever your thoughts are, please do not stay silent. To stay silent about issues that matter is to implicitly condone the harm they cause.
And as Villanelle put it, “women don’t stay silent forever.”
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