Show recommendation alert! My favorite new show on Netflix is a spy thriller starring none other than Keira Knightley.
And I’m not alone in loving it, as the show has been hovering at the top of Netflix’s most popular shows list since it dropped on December 5 (it previously hit number one but is now currently sitting at number four). The action-packed series in question? Black Doves. (Keep reading for my honest review.)
Knightley leads the mystery-thriller series as Helen Webb, a spy who also happens to be a mother to two kids and wife to a prominent politician. Covertly, Webb is part of the spy organization The Black Doves, who steal secrets and sell them to the highest bidder. But when Webb’s lover is murdered (yes, she’s also having an affair), she’s assigned an old friend (played by Ben Whishaw) to protect her.
First of all, the performances from Knightley and Whishaw are top notch. If I’m being honest, I don’t think Knightley’s ever been better (and she’s already got the Golden Globe nomination to back me up here). She is absolutely magnetic as a politician’s wife, harboring deep secrets. Her smiles contain multitudes—and her thirst for revenge against those who killed her character’s lover is palpable.
Whishaw, who you may recognize as Q from the James Bond movies opposite Daniel Craig, pairs perfectly with Knightley, as an assassin who tries to keep her character safe and investigate the murder.
Another face you might recognize? The fabulous Andrew Buchan, who previously yanked at my heartstrings in the Olivia Colman-led murder mystery series, Broadchurch. Here, he’s excellent as Helen’s husband, the fast-rising politician.
Ludovic Robert/Netflix
The plot of the series is exciting and twist-filled, as Knightley and Whishaw’s duo begin to uncover a vast conspiracy. The show is fast-paced, and I found it very difficult to keep from diving into the next episode each time I finished one. Unfortunately, there are only six 55-minute episodes so it’ll be over before you know it. But on the upside, Netflix’s Tudum revealed, “During Edinburgh TV Festival, Netflix announced that the upcoming spy thriller produced by SISTER and Noisy Bear will return for a second season.”
Black Doves is now streaming on Netflix.