Black Doves arrived on Netflix in December 2024 as a surprise hit with both critics and audiences. Created by Joe Barton (Giri/Haji, The Lazarus Project), the series offered high stakes, tight plotting, and brutal action in a bingeable package. Its real draw, however, was the pairing of Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw as Helen and Sam. She operates as a spy for the black-ops organisation known as the Black Doves; he is her friend, mentor, and freelance assassin. Helen had also embedded herself in the upper levels of British politics, going deep undercover and starting a family with politician Wallace Webb (Andrew Buchan), who stood on the verge of becoming Prime Minister by the end of season one.
Following a two-year hiatus, viewers may want a refresher on the first season’s scandals that propelled Wallace to 10 Downing Street. That is practically the sole drawback of a second season that clearly grasps what worked before and delivers more of the same with energy. These six hour-long episodes are sharp and fast-paced, with even more explosive action than the debut. The show remains easy to binge thanks to its funny, likeable leads: tough, conflicted Helen and soulful Sam, whose quick-witted banter persists even amid heavy gunfire.
This season also deepens the characters. Helen is navigating a relationship built on lies yet containing genuine feeling, while Sam remains haunted by his past, unable to commit while living out of hotels.
Sarah Lancashire returns as Reed, Helen’s handler, bringing a froideur as blunt as her bob. Beneath her glacial surface lies more to manage this season, and her arc pays off satisfyingly. Returning assassins Williams (Ella Lily Hyland) and Eleanor (Gabrielle Creevy)—stone-cold killers dressed like This Is England extras—are a highlight in expanded roles, while Ambika Mod joins as Laila, a Dove with insouciant sass. Neve Campbell and Sam Riley round out the cast, adding to the production’s premium-TV polish.
Little can be said about the plot without giving away key details, but an upcoming defence summit organised by Wallace serves as the starting point. Momentum builds immediately across six well-structured episodes that function as a cohesive series rather than an overstretched film. There is no real slack, and even the flashbacks feel essential rather than filler.
The series evokes the Bourne films and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo through its skilled assassins, sprawling conspiracies, and shadowy organisations. Its preposterousness is part of the fun, though it requires considerable suspension of disbelief—especially regarding how Helen finds time for so many dangerous excursions despite her prominent political position. Still, it is easy to set those concerns aside and enjoy this dangerously entertaining ride.
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