Netflix's spy thriller Black Doves, with Keira Knightley as the lead, started streaming on December 5, 2024. The show follows Helen Webb, a politician's wife who has a double life working undercover for a secret organization.
The series currently has six episodes released. Helen's lover, Jason Davies, is murdered, and she takes revenge and fights for the protection of her family, taking the help of an assassin, Sam Young, played by Ben Whishaw.
The show has impressed reviewers with its sharp writing and compelling performances, and the dynamic between Knightley and Whishaw has been lauded. It has been critically acclaimed for its mix of action, humor, and emotional depth, with an IMDb rating of 7.2/10 and 94% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Black Doves involves the Clark family, one of London's most powerful organized crime syndicates, at the center of the story, run by a matriarch named Alex Clark, played by Tracey Ullman. Their rivals are the Newmans.
The Clark family operations get interwoven in Helen's mission, after she uncovers evidence showing Alex's son, Trent Clark, was behind Jason's killing. A chain reaction sets off, driving the leading tension and conflict.
The Clarks in Black Doves
The Clark family is a powerful organized crime family that runs London. Matriarch Alex Clark controls a great deal of the city's crime syndicates and the organization.
This includes everything from narcotics and weapons transportation to corruption of political figures, touching both political and law enforcement circles to make sure the family can conduct its illegal business with ease.
There is a plot divergence in the series when Alex's son, Trent Clark, through his negligence, sets off a chain of events that forms the core conflict of the story. Trent accidentally kills Chinese Ambassador Chen, which translates into a series of cover-ups and retaliation.
To keep his mistake a secret, Trent sends his people to kill witnesses who could potentially expose him, including Helen Webb's lover, Jason Davies.
This act entangles the Clarks with Webb's quest for justice, placing them as central antagonists in the series. The involvement of the family adds layers to the already complex storyline, pointing toward the themes of power, corruption, and retribution.
The Clarks are responsible for much of the tension and conflict throughout Black Doves. Rivals of the Clarks are the Newmans, another feared and dangerous London-based criminal family organization.
Newmans are introduced first in the series in a flashback scene involving Sam, several years before the main events, where he kills three out of four Newman brothers who were about to make a name for themselves in the drug industry. In contrast, the Clarks are portrayed as a much bigger conglomerate with international ties and connections in several countries, including the US.
The Clarks and the Newmans are rival gangs fighting for control over London's organized crime throne, which puts an additional layer of competition in the mix and complicates Helen's mission.
Who are the Newmans in Black Doves?
The Newmans are a powerful family in Black Doves, and one of the major contributors to the development of tension in the underworld within this story. Their rise, under the rule of Henry Newman, was based on ruthlessness and a takeover of the drug trade in London.
While the Clarks base their domination on political ties and international influence, the Newmans hold it on the streets, among low-ranking enforcers and other gangs.
The family is exclusively based in East London and stands as the Clarks' most formidable rivals. They're violent and ruthless, almost to the point where even their allies fear them.
Sam, one of the lead characters, who used to be affiliated with the Newmans, killed three of their four brothers years ago. During this mission, he encounters Hector Newman, the youngest brother, who is a child at the time. Unable to carry out the assassination, Sam spares Hector's life, a decision that leads to severe repercussions.
Hector, upon growing up, becomes a significant figure in the family's operations, seeking revenge against Sam for the past incident that left scars within the family and cemented their vendetta against Sam.
Episodes and viewing options for Black Doves
Black Doves is a six-episode spy thriller that premiered on Netflix on December 5, 2024. The episodes are:
- Episode 1: To Love Then
- Episode 2: A Little Black Dove
- Episode 3: The Coming Night
- Episode 4: Go Bang Time
- Episode 5: The Cost of It All
- Episode 6: In the Bleak Midwinter
All episodes are available for streaming on Netflix. In the United States, they were released at 3 am Eastern Time (ET) and midnight Pacific Time (PT) on December 5, 2024. In the United Kingdom, the release time was 8 am Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
For viewers in India, the episodes became available at 1:30 pm India Standard Time (IST). Please note that release times may vary by region, so it's advisable to check Netflix in your local area for precise availability.
Stay tuned for more updates on Black Doves.