Black Doves Season 2 Is Even More Of A Blast
Keira Knightley shines in this slick spy thriller’s triumphant return.
Spy thrillers are really having a moment now — especially as we patiently wait for the reveal of a new Bond. But they also pose an interesting question. How do you wrap up the story enough that audiences are satisfied, while still keeping the door open for more adventures in a possible sequel? If done poorly, a second season can feel like just a repeat of Season 1, and in the worst cases, a poor imitation.
But Season 2 of Netflix’s spy thriller Black Doves is just the opposite. It’s not trying to copy its previous story; it’s trying to learn from what worked best then. It’s growing and evolving, and it’s exciting to watch from the first moment.
It’s okay if you haven’t seen Black Doves Season 1. Its Christmas-centric story premiered in December of 2024, so it may have gotten lost in the rush of the holidays. It’s absolutely worth watching, though. The series follows Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), the wife of a prominent politician and mother of twins, who hides a dark secret: she’s secretly a member of Black Doves, a group of female spies and information brokers who are trained specifically to become significant others of powerful people.
By her side is “triggerman” Sam (Ben Whishaw), who is still trying to untangle his personal life and his murderous career, something not helped by the fact that his father taught him everything he knows. In Season 1, he was often paired with assassins Williams (Ella Lily Hyland) and Eleanor (Gabrielle Creevy), and that blessedly continued in Season 2.
In fact, the comic relief element of Season 1 was by far the highlight, so it’s really doubled down on in Season 2. Even if Helen is dealing with higher stakes than ever as she tries to figure out who is threatening her handler, Mrs. Reed (Sarah Lancashire), she’s also bickering with Sam about whether spies should ever pursue love or how she doesn’t really have a taste in music. If you’re a fan of the classic “bored assassins carrying on a mundane conversation while in a shootout” trope, you’ll find plenty to love here.
Black Doves Season 2 doubles down on the best part of Season 1, the funny bickering lady assassins Eleanor and Williams.
But that’s not the only improvement on Season 1. By diving deep into the past of Mrs. Reed, we can learn exactly how Black Doves have been lurking in the background, including, as we learned at the end of Season 1, in Helen’s own home — a reveal that gets a delicious payoff this season. There’s also a romance, a confession, and Kathryn Hunter being menacing, and that’s always a winning formula — just look at Andor. There’s even Neve Campbell appearing as an American aide to the president, a cameo that’s random but appreciated.
Even if you missed out on Black Doves the first time around, you’re going to want to catch up now. Season 2 just makes Season 1 better in comparison. With six episodes in each season, you can easily watch both in the span of a weekend, and by the end of it you’ll be even more pumped to see where this show could go in the Season 3 it rightfully deserves.
