A World of Espionage Grounded in Reality with 'Black Doves'

Spy thrillers aren't a novelty in the entertainment industry, and some might say they're overrated and overdone with recycled storytelling, but they still manage to intrigue audiences, especially when the plot reflects real-life events. Netflix's latest spy thriller, Black Doves, is about a woman named Helen (Keira Knightley) who gets entangled in a passionate affair with a man dealing in the criminal underworld of London. Helen, however, has a mysterious past, and it comes back to haunt her, endangering her lover. The six-episode series was created by Joe Barton, and joining Knightley are Ben Whishaw, Andrew Koji, Sarah Lancashire, Andrew Buchan, and Tracy Ullman.

"I had been reading as well about those spy cops...a really horrific story," Barton said. "But I was like...that duplicitousness of having a pretend marriage lasting years and years...that was really part of the inspiration for it as well."

The creator mentioned the incident from which he drew inspiration for this series and how dark the true events were. He referenced "spy cops," which he revealed were undercover Metropolitan Police officers who would form relationships with people from protest groups they were targeting. These individuals would go as far as marrying and having children with the people they monitored. Legal action was taken against these officers causing quite a scandal in Britain.

Black Doves being grounded in reality and focusing on the duplicity of espionage life is refreshing and exposes viewers to a different facet of that world. The series' realism might have a different impact on British viewers who lived through that event.

A Relationship Rarely Seen in Spy Thrillers

Aside from the real-world inspiration for the series, Barton focuses on relationships within espionage. The chemistry between Helen and Sam (Ben Whishaw) is palpable and just as compelling as the spy plotline. Their friendship brings lightheartedness to the story.

"I always wanted to set something at Christmas...It's so sugary and cheerful but actually quite a dark time," Barton explained his desire for contrasting ideas around Christmastime setting.

Barton manages to pull from different genres creating this thrilling series for Netflix that's revitalizing the spy thriller genre with exciting twists leaning into grittiness.