Keira Knightley and Ben Winshaw together in Black Doves season 1, episode 6 Black Doves creator Joe Barton teases his plans for season 2 of the Netflix spy thriller. Consisting of six episodes, Black Doves stars Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw, and Sarah Lancashire to tell a story of triggermen and espionage, detailing how four mysterious murders accidentally set the course for a global crisis. Black Doves season 2 was renewed in August, prior to the show’s premiere.

In an interview with Netflix’s Tudum, Barton teased that things could get more complicated for the characters when the thriller returns. The creator, who wrote each of the thriller’s six episodes, particularly cited trouble for Helen Webb (Knightley). But it’s not just Helen, as several of Black Doves‘ characters could be in trouble, including Sam Young (Whishaw). Read Barton’s comments below:

Helen [gets] pulled deeper into the world of spies having been so close to leaving. Increases the pressure and the danger on her as a spy. Just seeing the tension of that, seeing Sam back in London … I would like to see more Eleanor and Williams, Kai-Ming, all those people. I’d like to start to throw them up against one another again, and maybe make things more dangerous and challenging for them.”

What Barton’s Comments Mean For Black Doves Season 2

It’s Not Quite A Cliffhanger

Keira Knightley hides behind a wall in Black Doves Ben Whishaw as Sam Young in Black Doves Andrew Buchan as Wallace Webb in Black Doves Andrew Koji as Jason Davies in Black Doves Kathryn Hunter as Lenny Lines in Black Doves Paapa Essiedu as Elmore Fitch in Black Doves Luther Ford as Hector in Black Doves Keira Knightley hides behind a wall in Black Doves Ben Whishaw as Sam Young in Black Doves Andrew Buchan as Wallace Webb in Black Doves Andrew Koji as Jason Davies in Black Doves Kathryn Hunter as Lenny Lines in Black Doves Paapa Essiedu as Elmore Fitch in Black Doves Luther Ford as Hector in Black Doves

By the time the Black Doves season 1 ending unfolds, it’s clear that the central death of the series is little more than a tragic accident. The incident is handled, and the main trio goes off in separate directions. Helen is inevitably facing becoming the U.K. Prime Minister’s wife, while Sam finds that he can’t leave the life of being a hitman behind. As for Mrs. Reed (Lancashire), she’s seemingly recruited someone new to join the ranks of her secret organization.

It’s a finale that teases more ahead but can stand on its own. With the benefit of getting a pre-release renewal, viewers won’t have to wonder whether they’ll get to see Helen struggle with the upgrade in her life. But at the same time, there is a pleasant lack of urgency in where Barton leaves the Black Doves cast. They’re stable for the moment, seemingly happy, even as danger lurks ahead.

Our Take On Black Doves & What Comes Next

The Brits Might Do It Better, Actually

Ella Lily Hyland as Williams in Black Doves Gabrielle Creevy as Eleanor in Black Doves Omari Douglas as Michael and Ben Whishaw as Sam Young in Black Doves Luther Ford as Hector in Black Doves Paapa Essiedu as Elmore Fitch in Black Doves Ella Lily Hyland as Williams in Black Doves Gabrielle Creevy as Eleanor in Black Doves Omari Douglas as Michael and Ben Whishaw as Sam Young in Black Doves Luther Ford as Hector in Black Doves Paapa Essiedu as Elmore Fitch in Black Doves

Given how likely they are to be canceled, one of the common complaints about streaming series is that new shows should deliver a satisfying debut season without throwing in a bunch of cliffhangers and teases that may never be addressed if the series gets axed. Black Doves season 1 is very satisfying on its own, with six episodes that mostly zoom by, allowing the viewer to feel like they’ve watched a complete story rather than just a bridge to the next chapter. It’s likely part of why reviews of the spy thriller have been so good.