Sarah Lancashire's new Netflix show is not to be missed (2024)

If you're a fan of spy shows and you think you know exactly what to expect from the genre, Black Doves is here to shake things up.

The Netflix series comes along with a lot of promise: Joe Barton (of Giri/Haji and The Lazarus Project) is behind the wheel, and it boasts the same production company responsible for HBO's critically-acclaimed Chernobyl and Sky's multi-season hit Gangs of London.

And we're here to report that Black Doves follows through: it really is a great bit of telly, bringing something fresh to the table while hitting familiar beats and carrying an atmosphere befitting any good, modern gangster movie.

Black Doves sees UK television's darling Sarah Lancashire, fresh off her BAFTA win for Best Actress in the BBC's Happy Valley and being awarded Special Recognition at the NTAs, in her first foray into the world of streaming.

Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw round out the leading cast, while Andrew Buchan (Broadchurch), Omari Douglas (It's a Sin), Adeel Akhtar (Fool Me Once), Paapa Essiedu (Gangs of London) and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Misfits) also pack out the absolutely stellar list of names attached.

The scenes where Sarah Lancashire and Keira Knightley face off are really something to behold – two phenomenal actors at the height of their game bouncing off one another with ample room to really flex their talents.

Usually one for a period drama, Knightley is as you've never really seen her before. Splattered in blood and not too shy to wield a kitchen knife, her no-nonsense character Helen perfectly straddles the two worlds of doting mother and fearless spy. This is keenly illustrated in one of the first moments we see her in action on screen, warding off some baddies like it was a casual Wednesday-evening activity while taking a FaceTime from her daughter who is struggling to sleep.

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We use "baddies" instead of "hitmen" intentionally here, because these assassins are also women. Black Doves treats every character as an equal and isn't interested in pigeonholing.

While we've seen a move away from gender sterotypes in more recent years, it's still a genre that has traditionally boxed its female characters into either glamorous seductress roles or damsels in distress. But there's a breadth of different characterisations to be seen here, and each of them have more than just a singular dimension or purpose.

Through artfully-placed flashbacks we slowly start to peel back more layers about our central protagonists. We learn how Helen became a "black dove" in the first place and why "trigger man" Sam (Whishaw) is so hung up on a man named Michael (Douglas).

These two form the romance that you really wind up rooting for, with Helen's grief-fuelled affection for her assassinated former lover Jason (Andrew Koji) taking a back seat despite it driving the central, vengeful plot.

The chemistry between Omari Douglas and Ben Whishaw truly is rom-com-worthy, and their story unfolds in such a way that it overshadows many of the storylines – in the best possible way.

Black Doves largely does away with the idea of "good" versus "evil", and even the more peripheral characters are awarded depth and nuance, forcing you to consider who, if anyone, has the moral high ground. While this might make the show sound a little academic, there are plenty of well-timed laughs to be had and it's a genuinely fun viewing experience.

If we were to find fault with Black Doves, the plot does start to buckle a bit under the weight of all of its intricate threads. As a result the show loses its way a little by the final episode. The climactic reveals – no spoilers here – might also feel a little disappointing to some after so much build up, particularly now audiences have become accustomed to shock twists.

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It's Black Doves' relationships – whether they be romantic, a place of safety or rooted in deep bonds of friendship – that keep you gripped to the screen. The action scenes, while brilliantly executed, are but a bonus.

As it turns out, Black Doves is much more character-driven than you might have expected and it is best watched through that lens. It's this trait, in our opinion, that makes this series stand out from the crowd. Oh, and it's surprisingly Christmassy too...

Black Doves will be available on Netflix from December 5.