BBC America president explains how Killing Eve became a breakout hit

Decider

"I think there are two reasons why the show has seen unprecedented growth since the premiere," BBC America president Sarah Barnett tells Decider. "First, and the main reason, is that the show is so original and fresh. It subverts tropes in a way that audiences have found delightful, and it has extraordinary performances. I give a lot of the credit — most of the credit — to the show. It has to be exceptional to break out in this media environment today. Second, I think the team at BBC America did some smart things. We knew we had a great show on our hands from the anecdotal responses of people who had seen it — my bosses, people in the industry, people at the network — and really responded well to the show. That made us approach the launch in a particular way." Barnett notes that despite it being set in Britain, Killing Eve won't premiere on the BBC until later this year. ALSO: Killing Eve is coming to Hulu later this year.