Black Doves: Season 1 – Review | Netflix

BLACK DOVES on Netflix is a new Spy Thriller series starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw. Admittedly, I expected to like this series but didn’t expect to love it. It has just six episodes and I cannot recommend it enough.  Read our full Black Doves Season 1 review here!

BLACK DOVES is a new Netflix series with six episodes and I promise you, it’s extremely binge-worthy and will leave you demanding a season 2. I watched all six episodes for this review because I could not stop. And I am desperately hoping that a second season will be announced fast.

Each of the six episodes moves the story along nicely while always leaving room for character portrayals. Amazingly, I loved something about every single character in this Netflix series. However, I will gladly admit that I especially loved Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw in the lead.

Continue reading our Black Doves Season 1 review below. Find the series on Netflix from December 5, 2024.

The most elegant and entertaining spy story

From watching the Black Doves trailer, I expected that this would be an entertaining little series that I’d enjoy watching, but would quickly forget. Well, color me surprised when I found myself absolutely in love with this new spy thriller.

The story that plays out in season 1 of the new Netflix series is set against the backdrop of London at Christmas. That alone made me happy as I really dislike when a series taking place during Christmas is released during another season. I mean, planning isn’t that hard.

Anyway, Black Doves is a spy thriller and as someone who loves everything from Mission Impossible to James Bond and movies like Salt or Black Widow, I was very for that. What I wasn’t ready for was the dark humor and wonderfully laidback and realistic take on being a spy.

The story follows Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), who everyone knows as the quick-witted, down-to-earth, dedicated mother and wife of a politician husband. She just happens to also be a professional spy on assignment.

Just your normal everyday spy

For 10 years now, she’s been sharing secrets with the shadowy organization she works for. She is a “Black Dove” and the spies are known as the Black Doves. Her spymaster is the enigmatic Mrs. Reed (Sarah Lancashire), who immediately reminded me of Fiona Shaw in Killing Eve. All while being very much her own woman still.

When Helen’s secret lover Jason (Andrew Koji) is assassinated, Mrs. Reed calls in backup in the form of Helen’s old friend Sam (Ben Whishaw). All to keep her safe as it’s obvious Helen is determined to find out who killed Jason.

This may sound kind of bland and full of “drama”, but I assure you it is so much more. When together, Helen and Sam, head out on their mission to investigate who killed Jason and why, they uncover a vast, interconnected conspiracy.

One that links London’s underworld to a very delicate looming geopolitical crisis. Before long, everyone from the CIA to Chinese government agents are working on different aspects of what may be the same case. It’s a mess so Helen and Sam need to get to the bottom of everything fast!

Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw as partners

What I discovered very early on was that Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw were the brilliant duo I never knew I needed. In this Netflix spy thriller series Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw are perfect partners. They come across as siblings almost and it’s perfect for this story.

Every single scene with Keira Knightley (Boston Strangler) and Ben Whishaw (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer) simply sings and you never want it to end.

Fortunately, the two actors also work brilliantly in scenes separately. Also, this is a very action-filled series, so we get to see them do amazing stunts. This leads me to another thing I adored about the pace and style of Black Doves.

Any scene with a fight or a shoot-out (and there are quite a few) never goes on and on and on, as we see far too often. I mean, it does also take place in London, so everyone needs to leave the scene of the crime quickly.

I thoroughly enjoyed how the action scenes were so well-timed and tight-paced. Not with crazy quick edits and crazy stunts that leave hardly any bruises. No, instead the scenes felt realistic which isn’t exactly normal for spy thrillers.

Amazing supporting cast of Black Doves

While the two stars of Black Doves are definitely Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw, we do get a full cast of amazing actors. Even in smaller roles that may only be in a few scenes in an episode or two. Okay, I should probably add Sarah Lancashire as second-billing to the two stars.

Not least as she literally does have second billing after the first two are always heading the cast.

In any case, Sarah Lancashire (Julia, The Accident) is who I would mention first. She is so fierce as Mrs. Reed in charge of the Black Doves. A character forced to constantly make some very hard choices for business or even world peace. Argh, who am I kidding, it’s always business with her!

Other key characters are portrayed by Andrew Buchan (Apartment 7A, Broadchurch), Andrew Koji (Boy Kills World), Omari Douglas (It’s a Sin), and Finn Bennet (True Detective: Night Country).

Also in very memorable supporting roles are Kathryn Hunter (Grotesquerie, The Front Room), Paapa Essiedu (Black Mirror, Men), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Femme, Azrael), and the iconic Tracey Ullman.

Finally, I must mention Ella Lily Hyland and Gabrielle Creevy, who portray very interesting assassins. Both are simply brilliant!

Watch season 1 of Black Doves on Netflix!

The creator of Black Doves is Joe Barton who previously created the Netflix series The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself. Also, he wrote the horror movie The Ritual (2017) and the sci-fi thriller Encounter (2021).

The directors of the Netflix series episodes are Alex Gabassi (The Frankenstein Chronicles) and Lisa Gunning (The Power).

Releasing this series in December is perfect as it plays out during Christmas in London. For me, this was like the perfect early Christmas present I never knew I needed. If it wasn’t so darn binge-worthy, you could use it as an advent calendar. Slowly counting down the days until Christmas Eve.

Fortunately, Keira Knightley also made the genre Christmas movie Silent Night (2021). So, you can always watch or rewatch that one. Of course, it’s essentially about the end of the world so it’s quite dark.

Anyway, just a little tip if you need something to watch while we wait for Black Doves season 2 to be announced. For the record, in the screener letter we received, this was referred to as “Season 1” which certainly points to more seasons, so it’s hardly a stretch to expect a second season.

Black Doves Season 1 is out on Netflix globally on December 5, 2024.

Details

Creator: Joe Barton
Cast: Keira Knightley, Sarah Lancashire, Ben Whishaw, Andrew Buchan, Andrew Koji, Kathryn Hunter, Sam Troughton, Ella Lily Hyland, Adam Silver, Ken Nwosu, Gabrielle Creevy, Omari Douglas