Netflix's 'Black Doves' does one thing so much better than almost every other spy show
I have watched way too many thrillers in 2024 - some good, some bad, and some that I truly want to forget about. The genre I once loved too much has truly tested my patience this year. And so, when 'Black Doves' arrived on Netflix, I was having second doubts. Almost wanting to give it a miss, I somehow ended up giving it a chance.
And oh boy, the show has bowled me over, and how! A new addition to Netflix's already bombarded category of spy thrillers, 'Black Doves' turns out to be a refreshing detour, offering a well-balanced mix of espionage, emotional, and subtle humor. This brings me to revisit some recent releases of the genre and I've finally figured out why I liked 'Black Doves'.
'Black Doves' keeps things simple yet intriguing
Spy thrillers often tread familiar ground. They are all about sneaky operations, gunfights, international conspiracies, and villains lurking in the shadows. With too much focus on action, car chases and combats, these shows skip their focus on emotions, an element that makes us resonate with those characters. And what we get is a soulless story.
Let's start with the most recent release in the spy thriller category. 'The Agency' premiered on Showtime a week ago, on November 29, and I regret wasting my time over it. There was so much going on in the premiere episodes that I was left confused, wondering what on earth was happening. The show did not attempt to give a little clarity and wanted viewers to figure everything out by themselves. Good for them to believe that the audience is smart enough but sometimes we are too tired to put together the puzzle without the picture on the box. Not gonna lie, but I slept during the show.
Keira Knightley starrer 'Black Doves', on the other hand, keeps things streamlined. The plot (even the sub-plots) is easy to follow without dumbing things down. And therefore, the watching experience turns out to be engaging and effortless.
Even the climax lands well in 'Black Doves'. The series doesn't try to overdo the thrill and bombard us with multiple revelations all at once. Instead, it keeps the momentum strong throughout, unfolding one secret at a time.
'Black Doves' doesn't bore us to death unlike other spy thrillers
I'll give additional points to 'Black Doves' for not dragging the plot unnecessarily. The episodes are one hour long and the season ends with Episode 6, unlike many other series that have 8-10 episodes. Take 'The Day of the Jackal' for example. It's a good watch, no doubt. But did it actually need to have ten episodes? I doubt that!
'Black Doves' also uses another smart trick to ensure we don't leave the show in between. It inserts good, subtle humor that makes us chuckle even during the most intense scenes. This reminds me of 2024's earlier release 'Mr and Mrs Smith' that tried too hard to be thrilling, and humorous but ended up being neither of those. It was just a really long couples therapy session we didn't sign up for. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine's chemistry fell flat and the attempts for emotional connection also failed miserably. On the other hand, 'Black Doves' has its moments of love, passion, intimacy, and betrayal.
I would highly recommend you to watch 'Black Doves'. It's isn't just another spy drama full of action. It's about people, their vulnerabilities, and their relationships.
'Black Doves' is now streaming on Netflix