Don't I Know You?

Synopsis

Eve describes the woman she saw in the bathroom to a police sketch artist with vivid details, showing a close interest in Villanelle; the artist asks for simpler physical detail. Villanelle, dressed as a nurse, arrives at a Berlin sex clinic and tells the staff she is a temp called "Eve Polastri." She treats Chinese diplomat Zhang Wu, who requests "something special" for his birthday; Villanelle clamps his scrotum past his safeword and increases the gas flow to his mask, killing him.

Eve shows tension in her marriage, questioning Niko's choice of food and not sharing when he tries conversation. She leaves to help Bill; they are met by Carolyn, Elena, and Kenny, who reveal that Villanelle knows about their task force. Eve decides to go to Berlin and asks Bill to join her; Bill jokes he'll die, but Eve assures him Villanelle has likely fled. Villanelle playfully begins an intimate encounter with a Canadian tourist who has curly hair similar to Eve's, calling her "Eve" and asking to be chased.

In Berlin, Eve and Bill visit the clinic with German agent Weber, which Villanelle is staking out. Villanelle had replaced the gas with carbon monoxide to poison Zhang; another Chinese official is concerned about the cause of death, so Eve must consult him to get the autopsy report. She calls Kenny to locate the official, asking Bill to watch her suitcase; she returns to find it taken.

Production

The Berlin train station scene between Bill and Villanelle was shot at Friedrichstraße station for the exterior, while the interior used the Weberwiese U-Bahn platform. Condé Nast Traveler noted that the station’s canary yellow trains and matching yellow-tiled platform create a perfect monochromatic backdrop. The nightclub scene was filmed at Fabric in London, famous for its bass transformers beneath the dancefloor that vibrate with the music. Director Jon East explained that to capture Villanelle turning to make eye contact with Bill across the dance floor, the crew developed specific choreography and used slow motion.

Villanelle’s brocade suit, designed by Dries Van Noten, became Jodie Comer’s favorite outfit; she planned to take it home but decided it felt too much like her character. The fitted suit initially appears patterned with red hearts, but closer inspection reveals interlocking red and blue geometric shapes. Costume designer Phoebe de Gaye wanted a “mannish look” for Villanelle, choosing a suit with shape and a low front to appear sexy rather than businesslike, contrasting with Eve’s “Uniqlo mixed up with charity shops” suits.

The bright colors worked well under the nightclub’s pink and purple strobing lights and the Berlin U-Bahn’s bright lights, while the metallic sheen made it gleam in a slightly sinister way during external night shots. IndieWire noted the suit is both comfortable for Villanelle’s job and attention-grabbing, showing how cocky she is about not getting caught despite standing out.

Reception

Critics flagged the episode for relying on the "Bury your gays" trope, noting that Bill is stabbed to death with over a dozen deep chest wounds just minutes after his sexuality is revealed. This violence is unusually brutal compared to Villanelle’s typically elegant kills. Several reviewers found Bill’s death poorly handled and contrived, though they acknowledged it deepened the co-dependency between Eve and Villanelle. Despite this, the episode was praised for its LGBT+ representation: Bill casually discusses his fluid sexuality, Eve’s erotic description of Villanelle is acknowledged without concern, and a female tourist’s spontaneous sexual encounter with Villanelle is portrayed with easy excitement. The episode holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from five reviews.