Episode Guide
Big Eden is a small, isolated community in the middle of nowhere. The Reunion Snow is a beautiful sight, but it’s also dangerous. The Minister Uwe Object Else is a strange man who always seems to be looking for something. The Snipe and the Clam are two of the town’s most popular animals, and they often get into trouble. But even they can’t help but worry about what’s going on around them.
Kleo is set in the small town of Kleo, Bavaria, and revolves around the relationship between a young woman, Anna (Lena Headey), and her father, Hans (Jörg Müller). Anna is a struggling artist who has to find ways to make ends meet while her father tries to keep up with the demands of his job as a lorry driver. The show opens with Anna being kidnapped by a group of men who want to sell her into sexual slavery. She is freed by her father and they return to Kleo. There, she meets new friends and starts to piece together what happened to her previous kidnappers. Meanwhile, Hans tries to keep up with his job and try not to think about what could have happened if he didn’t take care of Anna.
However, Kleo’s life takes a turn when she is tasked with assassinating the East German leader, Erich Honecker. Unbeknownst to her, her target is also the father of her best friend and love interest, Jens. As Kleo starts to unravel the secrets of her mission and those around her, she must decide who she can trust and whether or not she’s willing to take on the mantle of Stasi assassin for good. ..
After killing a man in a West German nightclub, Kleo is arrested and charged with his murder. When she’s subsequently heavily pregnant, with her grandfather and everyone she works with testifying against her, Kleo takes the fall and is sentenced to life in prison. That’s not good, and the heartbreaking betrayal continues when Kleo loses her baby too. ..
Kleo is consumed with anger and vengeance after the Berlin Wall falls and all political prisoners are free to go. She sets out on a bloody revenge mission to gain some sweet payback from those responsible for putting her in prison.
The second half of the season is more mysterious and suspenseful, with Kleo struggling to find out what’s inside the red suitcase and who is behind it. This could mean the end for Germany if they don’t find out soon.
This season has been strange in many ways, with an unlikely alliance working surprisingly well to shake up the tone and pace of the series.
There are some definite similarities to Killing Eve here, in both the dark comedy and the visuals. Kleo is an aesthetically stylish and impressive venture, with a consistent motif of yellows, blues and reds used throughout. Once you notice this, it’s hard to ignore it with the creative team working really well to weave this into the story in a natural way.
Episode 6 of “The Crown” is a beautifully hedonistic episode that focuses on Kleo’s past and childhood. This episode also provides a lot of backstory for Kleo and her ties to the red suitcase.
Despite its many positives, Kleo suffers from a few shortcomings. It ventures beyond Germany’s borders in only a few short episodes, and these could have been further developed. Ironically, this would have benefited from more episodes. ..
Kleo is a dark and violent show, but it’s also surprisingly funny. There’s a real desire to add some light bites of levity to the plot, and for the most part Kleo achieves that. However, there are a couple of jokes that don’t land, but if you liked the humour of Killing Eve and Quentin Tarantino’s play with violence, then you’ll be right at home with this one.
Kleo is definitely one of the dark horse contenders this year for great shows. Despite a slightly rushed screenplay and a need for more episodes, Kleo is a solid, well-written revenge thriller. The visuals are fantastic, the humour is well placed and the story has enough twists and turns to keep you watching until the end. This one’s a must-watch! ..
