We may be into the final stretch of 2024, but one of Netflix’s top-rated shows of the past year has only just arrived on the platform.
On Thursday, the much-hyped spy thriller Black Doves was made available to stream, with Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw taking the lead in the twist-heavy Christmas story with a difference.
The show also features British telly legend Sarah Lancashire in what could well be the biggest international role of her career – and it’s safe to assume that Black Doves is going to be a big hit.
For one thing, at the time of writing, it has an enviable 100% score on the reviews website Rotten Tomatoes, and Netflix renewed it for a second season before the first had even arrived.
Intrigued as to what critics are saying about Black Doves? Here’s a selection of the glowing reviews before you dive in and try it for yourself…
“Much to my happy surprise, creator Joe Barton has found novel ways to humanize his secret agents. On Black Doves, matters of the heart stand toe-to-toe with (and demand just as much care as) all the bloody intrigue. Characters’ idiosyncrasies, their pert humor in the face of mortal risk, are charming where so much else in the spies-with-personal-lives mini-genre feels canned.”
“How is this thriller different from other thrillers? It does what most do, in terms of action and suspense and complicated plotting, and does them very well, but what’s more interesting is that it’s also what might be called a ‘thriller of the heart’.”
Entertainment Weekly (A-)
“Knightley, whose exquisitely angular face moves fluidly between angelic and menacing, clearly revels in her role as Helen — a character requiring lively comedic flair, action-hero swagger, and heartfelt emotion. Whishaw makes Ben believable as an efficient killer but also a gentle, sad-eyed sweetheart who could really use a hug.”
Empire (4/5)
“None of this is stuff we haven’t seen before, but it’s the tone that makes it feel fresh. There are similarities with Slow Horses, the darkness of the story frequently punctured by a very British withering humour. Bickering insults are exchanged mid-shootout. If it’s not quite as good as Slow Horses – a very high bar – the potential is there.”
“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.”
“It’s enormously enjoyable and, with compliments to writer Joe Barton, boasts a little more subtext — and, well, thought — than you might anticipate of a Netflix Christmas cracker.”
The Time (4/5)
“Though it isn’t as sophisticated as Slow Horses, it is pure festive escapism, a lovely aesthetic and an engaging ride that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It is telling that a glittering array of top-notch actors [...] have signed up to play relatively small parts. “
“Joe Barton and his exceptional cast [bounce] between a probing psychological examination of the human toll of espionage, a semi-satirical exploration of the expectations of a suddenly oversaturated genre and a lovingly corny Christmas drama. That Black Doves is this all over the place yet this frequently satisfying is some triumph.”
“The plot, when it finally unravels, is not especially satisfying – and I am sure there are more holes than your childhood stocking – but that’s beside the point. The appeal here is in Knightley and Whishaw, two actors who are very watchable on their own but compulsively so when they are on-screen at the same time.”
The Standard (4/5)
“It’s great, escapist fun and the wintry capital looks almost as gorgeous as Knightley’s sharpened, angular beauty and Whishaw’s elegant dishevelment. Part of the enjoyment, of course, lies in the subconscious awareness that it’s Elizabeth Bennett and Paddington offing baddies with shotguns and throwing knives.”
Radio Times (3/5)
“Uncovering the secrets of Helen and Sam – how they came into this dangerous line of work and how their journeys intersect – is genuinely fascinating, and their chemistry and depth keeps Black Doves an engaging watch in spite of its underwhelming backdrop.”
Black Doves is now streaming on Netflix. Watch the trailer below: