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)" by Raye |
Composer | Martin Phipps |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 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 – present |
Black Doves is a British spy thriller television series created by Joe Barton. The series, starring Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw and Sarah Lancashire, is developed by Sister and Noisy Bear for Netflix. Ahead of its premiere on 5 December 2024, it was renewed for a second series.
The series has been met with positive critical reviews, and Knightley received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance.
Helen, wife of the Secretary of State for Defence, learns that her secret identity as a Black Dove is in danger after her lover is killed by London's underworld. Her employers, a spies-for-hire organisation –retrieving industrial, political or diplomatic secrets for the highest bidder –send Sam, an old friend, to protect her. [1] [2]
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
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1 | "To Love Then" | Alex Gabassi | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 | |
Helen Webb is married to Wallace Webb, the Secretary of State for Defence. Unbeknownst to Wallace she is a "Black Dove", a spy who has been giving information to a mercenary organisation. At a Christmas party her handler, Reed, informs her that her lover, Jason Davies, has been murdered along with two others. Jason was a civil servant and Helen believes his death is unconnected to her, though Reed is not so sure. Reed calls in Sam, 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 UK, whose death may have been more complicated than originally reported. | |||||
2 | "A Little Black Dove" | Alex Gabassi | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 | |
In 2014, Helen, going by the name Daisy, is recruited by the Black Doves. On her first job she has a one night stand with Wallace but returns when she realises she left her deceased mother's lighter in his room. In the present Helen learns that Jason was killed by a man named Elmore Fitch. He attacks her in her home seeking information about Kai-Ming and a mysterious video, but Helen turns the tables on Fitch and ends up executing him. Meanwhile Sam is approached by his former boss, Lenny Lines, who threatens to kill his ex and his daughter unless he finishes a job he abandoned 7 years ago. | |||||
3 | "The Coming Night" | Alex Gabassi | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 | |
In 2014 Sam begins working as a trigger man. In 2017 he is assigned to assassinate the Newman brothers, but fails to complete the job when he discovers one of them, Hector, is a child. Hector, though a child, sends assassins after Sam, destroying his life and forcing him to flee. 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 has Sam steal his phone. Helen sends a message to a mysterious number on Yarrick's phone but as a result, Yarrick is killed and his captors threaten to come after Helen. Wallace learns through private Chinese backchannels that the ambassador to China may have been killed by the US with support from Britain. | |||||
4 | "Go Bang Time" | Lisa Gunning | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 | |
Sam is able to save Kai-Ming, who he leaves in the care of Williams and Eleanor. They realise they are being watched. Sam pays a visit to his ex-boyfriend. Helen learns Jason may have had another partner. Reed convinces her to infiltrate the American embassy to give CIA agent Cole Atwood money to betray his country. Cole reveals he did not kill Kai-Ming's father but was instead using her to access her drug connection, Trent Clark, who is part of an international crime family. When he asks for his family to be released Helen realises that she was set up. Wallace learns that Yarrick is dead and struggles with what that means. | |||||
5 | "The Cost of It All" | Lisa Gunning | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 | |
The Clarks kidnap Eleanor and Kai-Ming. With the wounded Williams, Sam, Helen and Cole flee to Michael's apartment. Reed tells Sam to kill Alex Clark. Dani tells Wallace that Helen is having an affair, which leads him to tell Helen he has always loved her. Dani later confirms to Helen that she is also a Black Dove, who is training to be Helen's replacement with Wallace. A suspicious Helen realises that the video recording everyone is looking for might be at the jewellery shop where Jason bought her Christmas present. She locates the recording and discovers that actually Trent killed the Chinese ambassador, and the Prime Minister was involved in covering up the crime. | |||||
6 | "In the Bleak Midwinter" | Lisa Gunning | Joe Barton | December 5, 2024 | |
Helen takes the recording of the murder to Alex Clark in exchange for freeing Sam, Eleanor, and Kai-Ming. Helen tries 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 Alex and Trent, though he is warned by an anonymous voice that this has been seen. Helen gives the recording of the murder 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 for MI5 sent to investigate Helen. Though she confessed to him she was a Black Dove, his final report cleared her of any wrongdoing. Sam tries to reunite with Michael, but is offered a job working with Newman, which he accepts. Helen invites him for Christmas, and he finally meets her family, though he warns her that people like them do not get happy endings. |
The project was announced by Netflix in April 2023. [3] Barton also produces through Noisy Bear, alongside production company Sister. [4]
Filming began in London in October 2023. [5] That month, Sarah Lancashire and Ben Whishaw were added to the cast, along with Andrew Buchan, Omari Douglas, Andrew Koji, Kathryn Hunter, Sam Troughton, Ella Lily Hyland, Adam Silver, Ken Nwosu and Gabrielle Creevy. [6] In March 2024, Adeel Akhtar, Tracey Ullman, Finn Bennett and Luther Ford were added to the cast. [7] In August 2024, ahead of its premiere, Netflix renewed the show for a second series. [8]
Barton derived the series name from the Black Dove, his local pub in Brighton. [9]
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 94% based on 47 reviews, with an average rating is 7.8 out of 10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Blending multiple genres into a truly unique action-thriller, Black Doves hits its target dead on." [11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 78 out of 100 based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [12]
Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Critics' Choice Awards | 12 January 2025 | Best Actress in a Drama Series | Keira Knightley | Pending | [13] |
Golden Globe Awards | 5 January 2025 | Best Actress – Television Series Drama | Pending | [14] |
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