Keira Knightley's duality makes 'Black Doves' a can't-miss series

The series’ success earned it a second season.

"Black Doves" Season One World Premiere
"Black Doves" Season One World Premiere | Samir Hussein/GettyImages

How do you come up with a spy/action series set in the Christmas season that skips the cliches and works?

Well, you pick up all the right cues from Guy Richie’s films, from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on (somewhat toned down in craziness, though), inject it with an equal dose of intrigue and action and subdued satire, and engage a good cast, including at least one big acting name - in the case of the new series Black Doves, that would be Keira Knightley.

The plot loosely has been done before, but has enough twists to make it interesting to follow - a dedicated housewife with two children (twins) who is married to a high-ranking politician in a British government is actually a spy for a shady, who pays better agency, whose secret lover is assassinated for reasons yet to be defined.

What makes Black Doves work so well?

To find out the truth (and avenge her lover’s death), Helen Webb (Knightley’s character) is helped by a former freelance accomplice, gay ‘triggerman’ Sam (Ben Whishaw), and along a cast of merry (and not so merry) characters, runs through a continuously thickening plot of action, mystery a geopolitical crisis, criminal gangs to boot too. 

The plot evolves with a myriad of developments, and with all of the plot moving forward and backward in time is still easy to follow, making the six episodes of season one a binge-worthy watch.

Those who are familiar with Knightley’s previous work, starting with The Pirates of The Caribbean, might find this role somewhat unusual for her, but supported by an excellent cast (along with Whishaw, Sarah Lashire and Andre Buchan stand out), she shows that she can easily expand her range.

With the success Black Doves has had with the viewers so far, it is no wonder Netflix has decided to extend it for a second season. This promises that the plot will thicken further.

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