One of Netflix’s most acclaimed original thrillers in recent years will return in early November for a second season.
Black Doves, the spy thriller series created by Joe Barton (Amadeus, The Lazarus Project), features a star-studded cast led by Keira Knightley (Love Actually, Bend It Like Beckham), Ben Whishaw (Paddington, This Is Going to Hurt), and Sarah Lancashire (Julia, Happy Valley).
Black Doves Has Drawn Favorable Comparisons To ‘Slow Horses’
In Black Doves, which returns for Season 2 on November 5, “Helen (Knightley) is still betraying her nation’s secrets to the covert organisation she serves: the Black Doves. But after the misadventures of last Christmas, and with her husband Wallace (Andrew Buchan), preparing to become Prime Minister, she is walking a more treacherous line than ever,” according to Netflix’s official synopsis for the upcoming episodes.
“As Helen’s enigmatic handler Mrs Reed (Lancashire) is ensnared in a ruthless plot to undermine her position in the Black Doves, Helen is reunited with her best friend Sam (Whishaw). The once high-end triggerman is now reduced to lonely drinks in Soho bars and low-rate hits,” the synopsis continues. “As they search for answers, loyalties are weaponised, trust is shattered, and the fight to protect the people they love could cost everything. With all the explosive wit of Series 1, Helen and Sam’s mission leads them back to old friends and enemies, through the dark decisions and painful sacrifices of their pasts, and right to the heart of the Black Doves.”
With a mighty 311.2 million viewing hours under its belt with Season 1 alone, Black Doves has been compared to fellow British spy thriller juggernaut Slow Horses, Apple TV’s crown jewel led by Oscar winner Gary Oldman and James Bond frontrunner Jack Lowden.
Black Doves also boasts an impressive 92% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Tim Lowery from The A.V. Club praising the Netflix show as “very well written” with “Slow Horses vibes.”
Black Doves season 2 arrives on Netflix U.S. on November 5, 2026. International territories may vary.
