Black Doves, the Netflix espionage thriller, is a twisty series that we're happy to have a part of December's offerings. It's the most wonderful time of the year and nothing makes the season bright quite like spies doing spy things as they seek retribution for the wrong that's been done to them.
Take Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), she'd been living a double life, sure. Her true love wasn't her husband and she was actually using the politician so she could pass on her secrets to her organization, but her holiday season should have been merry not drenched in tragedy. What was she expected to do? Sit back and let her lover's killer get away with it? Absolutely not!
But if you're thinking that her exploits in Black Doves are meant to be a limited run or worried that the show will get canceled once you start it, don't. The series was actually renewed for a second season ahead of its premiere, and it makes sense. Netflix is getting in on the resurgence of love for spy dramas. You've probably noticed they've been popping up here, there, and everywhere. In January, the streamer has The Recruit returning for a second season and the film Back in Action which sees Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz playing married spies coming out of retirement. Of course, they'd continue to capitalize on the genre while it's hot.
In an interview with Deadline, executive producer Jane Featherstone explained why there's a sudden love for stories about espionage: "The world is in a place where you need spies because there are so many barriers and nation state issues it just feels like the time.”
It helps that the series and films we've been seeing release touch on different aspects of the genre. There's traditional takes, corporate explorations, cat-and-mouse narratives, returns to the field for veterans, newbies learning the ropes, etc. In A Man on the Inside's case, a widower is hired to go undercover in a senior living community, so there's a wealth of diverse ways to tell stories involving spycraft.
An early renewal, however, does come with expectations which show creator Joe Barton spoke to when talking to Deadline: "It’s a different kind of pressure now. When you do a show you are always wanting it to do well to get a second season but now they’ve already let us come back, the pressure is about hoping it does well to reward that faith.”
The series may be helped by its short freshman run. It's only six episodes long and it's set during Christmas so it doubles as a holiday pick for those who want to indulge in the season as well as get their fix of action-driven content. Perhaps we can hope for the series to make a return next holiday in 2025. We'll keep you posted as news comes in.
Black Doves is now streaming on Netflix.
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