| Black Doves | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | |
| Created by | Joe Barton |
| Written by | Joe Barton |
| Directed by |
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| Starring | |
| Ending theme | "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" byRaye |
| Composer | Martin Phipps |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Harry Munday |
| Production location | London |
| Cinematography |
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| Editors |
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| Running time | 52–56 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | 5 December 2024 (2024-12-05) – present |
Black Doves is a Britishspyaction thriller television series created byJoe Barton. The series, starringKeira Knightley,Ben Whishaw, andSarah Lancashire, is developed bySister and Barton's production company Noisy Bear forNetflix. The series is about a spies-for-hire organisation that obtains secrets for the highest bidder. Ahead of its premiere on 5 December 2024, it was renewed for a second series.[1]
The series was well received by critics, and Knightley was nominated for theGolden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her performance.
Helen, the wife of theSecretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom, learns that her secret identity as a spy is in danger after her lover is killed by London's underworld. Her employers, "the Black Doves", a 'Spies-for-hire' organisation – that retrieves industrial, political or diplomatic secrets for the highest bidder – send Sam, an old friend, to protect her.[2][3]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "To Love Then" | Alex Gabassi | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05) | |
Helen Dawson is married to Wallace Webb, the Secretary of State for Defence. Unbeknownst to Wallace, Helen is a "Black Dove", a spy who has been giving information to amercenary organization that buys and sells information. At a Christmas party, Helen'shandler Reed informs her that Jason Davies, a civil servant and Helen's lover, has been murdered along with tabloid reporter Phillip and store clerk Maggie. Helen believes his death is unconnected to her, though Reed is not so sure. Reed calls in Sam, a hitman who has been absent for seven years, to protect Helen and investigate Jason's murder. Sam discovers that shortly before his death, Jason was calling Kai-Ming, the daughter of the late Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom. The latter's death may have been more complicated than originally reported. | |||||
| 2 | "A Little Black Dove" | Alex Gabassi | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05) | |
In 2014, Helen, going by the name of Daisy, is recruited by the Black Doves. On her first job, she has a one-night stand with Wallace but returns to his place after realizing that she left her deceased mother's lighter in his room. In the present, Helen learns that Jason was killed by a sniper named Elmore Fitch. He attacks Helen in her home seeking information about Kai-Ming and a mysterious video, but Helen fights and ends up killing him. Meanwhile Sam is approached by his former boss, Lenny Lines, who threatens to kill his ex-lover and daughter unless Sam finishes an assassination he abandoned seven years ago. | |||||
| 3 | "The Coming Night" | Alex Gabassi | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05) | |
In 2014, Sam begins working as a trigger man for Lenny. In 2017, he is assigned to assassinate the four Newman brothers, but fails to complete the job fully when he discovers the last of them, Hector, is a child. Later on, Hector himself sends assassins after Sam at the flat he shares with Mike. While heavily pregnant, Helen rescues Sam and Mike, staying with Reed's organisation to ensure their further safety, as Sam flees the country. In the present, Sam teams up with Williams and Eleanor to kill Newman and rescue Kai-Ming. Helen discovers that her friend Yarrick might be involved with Jason's murder. She sends a message to a mysterious number on Yarrick's phone, but as a result - Yarrick is captured and killed. His captors threaten to come after Helen. Wallace learns through private Chinese backchannels that the ambassador to China may have been killed by the Americans with support from Britain. It is revealed that Sam's first hit was his own father, who had also been an assassin. | |||||
| 4 | "Go Bang Time" | Lisa Gunning | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05) | |
Sam is able to save Kai-Ming, whom he leaves in the care of Williams and Eleanor. They realize they are being watched. Sam visits his ex-boyfriend. Helen learns Jason may have had another partner. Reed convinces her to infiltrate the American embassy to bring CIA agent Cole Atwood an envelope with an offer of money to betray his country. Cole reveals he did not kill Kai-Ming's father but was instead using the young woman to access her drug connection, Trent Clark, who is part of an international crime family. When Cole asks for his family to be released, Helen realizes that Reed's envelope contained a threat, and she was set up. Wallace learns that Yarrick is dead and struggles with what that means. Wallace’s recently hired secretary Dani, who Helen suspects was planted by Reed, flirts with Wallace. Dani alludes to Helen’s affair with Jason without naming him. | |||||
| 5 | "The Cost of It All" | Lisa Gunning | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05) | |
The Clarks kidnap Eleanor and Kai-Ming. Sam, with Helen, Cole and the wounded Williams, flee to Michael's apartment. Reed tells Sam to kill Alex Clark. Dani tells Wallace that Helen is having an affair. He tells Helen that he has always loved her. Later, Helen realizes that the video recording everyone is looking for, might be at the jewellery shop where Jason bought her Christmas present. She locates the recording in the shop safe and discovers Dani waiting at the front of the shop. She confirms to Helen that she is also a Black Dove, and is training to be Helen's replacement with Wallace. Dani and Helen get into a knife fight, with Helen winning, but sparing Dani's life. On watching the recording, Helen discovers that Trent is the one who killed the Chinese ambassador, albeit accidentally. The recording reveals that the British Prime Minister was involved in covering up the crime. | |||||
| 6 | "In the Bleak Midwinter" | Lisa Gunning | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05) | |
Helen takes the recording of the murder to crime family matriarch Alex Clark in exchange for freeing Sam, Eleanor, and Kai-Ming. Helen is about to kill Alex but discovers that she didn't order the hit on Jason and that it was Trent, trying to cover his tracks. To save Helen, Sam kills both Alex and Trent. He is warned by an anonymous voice that his executions have been seen. Helen gives the recording of the ambassador's death to the CIA, who use it to clear themselves to China. It is implied that Wallace, who truly knew nothing of the Prime Minister's involvement, will be his replacement. Reed welcomes Helen back to the fold, and informs her that Jason was actually a spy forMI5 sent to investigate Helen – Maggie was working for him, and selling gossip to Phillip, with Phillip revealing all to Yarrick, thus setting in motion the first four murders. Though Helen confessed to Jason she was a Black Dove, his final report cleared her of any wrongdoing. Sam tries to reunite with Michael, but is offered a job by Hector Newman (who Sam refused to kill when Hector was still a boy), which he accepts. Helen invites him for Christmas, and he finally meets her family, including her two children with Wallace. He warns her that people like them do not get happy endings. Williams, Eleanor, and Kai-Ming are seen spending Christmas together, while Reed celebrates with her daughter – who is revealed to be the nanny of Helen's children. | |||||
The project was announced by Netflix in April 2023.[4] Barton also produces through Noisy Bear, alongside production company Sister.[5]
Filming began in London in October 2023.[6] That month,Sarah Lancashire andBen Whishaw were added to the cast, along withAndrew Buchan,Omari Douglas,Andrew Koji,Kathryn Hunter,Sam Troughton,Ella Lily Hyland, Adam Silver,Ken Nwosu andGabrielle Creevy.[7] In March 2024,Adeel Akhtar,Tracey Ullman,Finn Bennett andLuther Ford were added to the cast.[8] In August 2024, ahead of its première, Netflix renewed the show for a second series.[9]
Barton derived the series name from the Black Dove, his localpub inBrighton.[10]
The series premiered onNetflix on 5 December 2024.[11]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 94% of 70 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Blending multiple genres into a truly unique action-thriller,Black Doves hits its target dead on."[12]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 78 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[13]
Writing inThe Guardian, Rebecca Nicholson described the series as "gleefully pulpy" and was mildly critical of Knightley and Whishaw's portrayals, but praisedcameo appearances by numerous well-known actors in supporting roles.[14] InDigital Spy, David Opie singled out the on-screen depiction of Sam havinggay sex in the first episode, stating that the series "ventures whereJames Bond would never dare go".[15]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globe Awards | January 5, 2025 | Best Actress – Television Series Drama | Keira Knightley | Nominated | [16] |
| Critics' Choice Awards | February 7, 2025 | Best Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated | [17] | |
| Royal Television Society Programme Awards | March 25, 2025 | Leading Actor – Male | Ben Whishaw | Nominated | [18][19] |
| GLAAD Media Awards | March 27, 2025 | Outstanding New TV Series | Black Doves | Nominated | [20][21] |
| Gotham TV Awards | June 2, 2025 | Breakthrough Drama Series | Joe Barton,Jane Featherstone, Chris Fry, Keira Knightley | Nominated | [22][23] |
| Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama Series | Ben Whishaw | Won |
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