Black Doves creator Joe Barton has addressed comparisons between his Netflix thriller and the acclaimed spy series Slow Horses, describing them as a "double-edged sword" while revealing that work on a potential third season is already underway.
Creator addresses Slow Horses comparisons
Speaking to Metro, Barton acknowledged that the tonal parallels with Jack Lowden's Slow Horses are inevitable, but he sees both benefits and risks in the comparison. "Slow Horses is an obvious tonal comp. I always think it can be a double-edged sword. It's such a loved show, Slow Horses, and it's been around for a long time and it comes back every year," he said.
Barton noted that being compared to a much-loved series can lead viewers to judge a new show harshly, but he is pleased when audiences enjoy both. He highlighted a key difference between the two programmes: "I feel the big difference is Slow Horses is basically set in the real world, whereas we're not essentially. They do things that we wouldn't do, and we do things that they wouldn't do."
What makes Black Doves unique
While Slow Horses follows disgraced MI5 agents in the Slough House department led by Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb, Black Doves centres on a fictional spies-for-hire organisation. The series title was inspired by the Black Dove pub in Brighton, which Barton used to visit regularly.
Barton explained that his creative approach was simple: "Would I enjoy watching this? That's essentially all you can do, is write something that would entertain you."
In season two, Keira Knightley's spy Helen Webb continues to feed information to the Black Doves, now as the wife of the Prime Minister with direct access to Downing Street. Her best friend Sam, played by Ben Whishaw, remains a loyal but cut-throat assassin.
Chemistry and friendship at the heart
Barton praised the on-screen partnership between Knightley and Whishaw, saying: "I feel very lucky to get to work with actors of that calibre. If Keira and Ben didn't have chemistry, the show would be in trouble. Luckily they're amazing together. Their dynamic is so interesting and beautiful to me."
The creator emphasised the importance of the platonic friendship between a gay man and a straight woman at the centre of the story. "That was really interesting to play with. They're just two people that love each other platonically. I think that platonic love is such an important, interesting thing to explore," he stated. "The idea of just mates, and they would die for each other. In your life the most important relationships you have are often with your friends, and so it was really fun to explore that."
Season 3 prospects and fan reaction
Netflix renewed Black Doves for a second season before the first had even been released. The second season ends on a tense cliffhanger, including a confrontation between Helen and her husband Wallace, played by Andrew Buchan.
Barton confirmed that work on a third series is in progress, though it has not been officially greenlit. "We're in a writers' room now. It's not officially greenlit, but we're very hopeful. So fingers crossed," he said. "We're definitely working on one, and there's a lot of support from Netflix."
Fan reaction to season two has been strongly positive, with one Rotten Tomatoes user, Claire, writing: "Even better than the first series and prob one of the best series I've watched in a long time. Loved it." Another user, Paul, added: "For once I completely agree with the critics. This season was even better than the first season. It was an absolute hoot from start to finish! I highly recommend this show." Dylan also commented: "Great season. Binged it in a day. Hoping for Season 3."
Black Doves seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Netflix.
