Forget Slow Horses, Netflix's 12-Episode Hit Is The Best Spy Thriller On Streaming

Published Nov 14, 2026, 11:00 AM EST Memory Ngulube joined Screen Rant in April 2024 as part of the Movies and TV team. Since then, she has written for the Perennials and Streaming team, covering a wide range of topics from new releases to old movies and TV shows. Memory is currently a Classic TV writer. Before joining Screen Rant, Memory was a freelance copywriter who specialized in email marketing and social media management. While she enjoyed her job, her true passion was always movies and TV. When she isn’t writing for Screen Rant, Memory can be found reading, baking (which is one of her passions), or watching her favorite K-drama. Slow Horses has, without a doubt, earned all the praise it has received. With a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score, the Gary Oldman-led spy thriller continues to prove that audiences love reinvented genres. While every season of Slow Horses has been 10/10, no notes, Netflix has a spy thriller starring Keira Knightley that is just as good, and some might say, even better than Apple TV's beloved series. Netflix’s vast library houses myriad great TV shows. Some become immediate hits, while others struggle to keep audience attention. In 2024, the streaming giant added Black Doves, a high-stakes spy thriller that serves as Netflix’s answer to Slow Horses, to its platform. While Black Doves and Slow Horses are fundamentally different espionage TV shows, they share unmistakable DNA. Both series focus on individuals who don’t fit the typical definition of a spy and have a dry sense of humor. Black Doves is a great show, as seen by its two seasons, and has what it takes to surpass Slow Horses’ popularity. However, the Netflix spy series still has a long way to go. With Black Doves season 2 delivering incredible twists and even better character dynamics, the show keeps proving why it might be coming for Slow Horses’ crown. Black Doves Season 2 Is Even Better Than Season 1 Netflix Black Doves season 1 was a critical darling with an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, audiences didn’t universally love the espionage thriller, giving it a 64% rating. Nevertheless, the Netflix original series’ debut installment is everything a spy thriller should be: dangerous, tense, and full of twists and turns. Season 1 might not have been perfect, given its repetition of spy tropes viewers have seen time and again, but it laid the foundation for an even greater follow-up. When Black Doves season 2 premiered earlier this month, two years after its debut, it proved it could be a more layered, complex series, earning a 96% critical rating and 67% from the audience. With Helen (Knightley) now living at Number 10 as the Prime Minister's wife, the stakes are higher than ever for the Black Doves, especially when she gets into a mess that threatens to blow her cover. From its inception, Black Doves understood that Sam (Ben Whishaw) and Helen’s dynamic was the glue that held the show together. Without them, it wouldn’t have the depth that makes it a joy to watch. The show’s first season did an excellent job establishing Sam and Helen’s relationship, but it's the second run that homes in on what makes them tick, both individually and as a duo. With all these factors combined, it's easy to see why audiences too have come to hold the show in higher regard. Keira Knightley And Ben Whishaw Are A Remarkable Duo Image via Netflix Helen and Sam are easily one of TV’s greatest duos, even though their relationship hasn't gotten the credit it deserves. Like any spy thriller, Black Doves doesn't shy away from blood, gore, and high-octane action, which is why the characters' dynamic often serves as a palate cleanser. The dynamic duo follows in the footsteps of other remarkable TV pairings by being inherently different — where Sam is calm, Helen is a force of nature. These differences make them magnetic, mostly because their loyalty to each other can be seen from a mile away. The series, though dark at times, is also hilarious and witty, thanks to the character work that shines through whenever the two are in a scene together. Scratch & Peek Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as possible. It also helps that Sam and Helen have a connection that isn't weakened by distance or time. Even after spending years apart, when they reunite, they pick up right where they left off. Thankfully, Black Doves season 2 recognized the power of their relationship and thus gave it more time to shine and grow. Release Date December 5, 2024 Network Netflix Directors Lisa Gunning After discovering her lover's murder, a spy masquerading as a politician's wife joins forces with an old assassin associate to uncover the truth and seek revenge.