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Christmas is the backdrop to Black Doves, Netflix’s new spy series. But will it continue in Black Doves Season 2? The show’s creator says it’s all about timing. Ahead, another holiday that could serve as the setting in Black Doves Season 2. Hint: It takes place in the first half of the year. Plus, why the people behind Black Doves may not be excited if it’s once again set during Christmas. 

‘Black Doves’ Season 1 is set at Christmas

Somehow Christmas carols, buying presents, espionage, and hails of gunfire all go together on Black Doves. Keira Knightley plays Helen, a politician’s wife and spy. As the holiday season gets underway, her lover is mysteriously killed along with two others. With the help of her gun-for-hire bestie, Sam (Ben Whishaw), Helen sets out to get answers and revenge. 

All the while there are Christmas parties, meetings with mysterious spy handler, Mrs. Reed (Sarah Lancashire), in festive places—a church with a picturesque Christmas tree, a Christmas tree lot—and mentions of popular seasonal movies, including The Holiday and The Santa Clause, while being held hostage.

At one point, Helen even lies to her husband, Wallace (Andrew Buchan), about where she’s been—ahem, unraveling a tangled web of lies and nearly dying in the process—by saying she was out getting him a Christmas gift. Why no bags? She bought something for him. 

‘Black Doves’ Season 2’s release date will determine if it’s set at Christmas again

Asked if Black Doves will be set at Christmas again in season 2, creator Joe Barton explained to Variety that it depends on when it premieres. “It’s all about when it would be released. It doesn’t need to be constrained by the Christmas holiday,” he said. “So it might be that there’s a different [holiday]—Easter maybe?” 

The Black Doves creator continued, sharing that while he personally enjoys a Christmas setting, it might be too much for the rest of the people behind the series. 

“I don’t think it has to necessarily always [be Christmas] which I’m quite sad about, because I love writing stuff set at Christmas,” he said. “There’s a part of me that’d be like, ‘Yeah, let’s always do it at Christmas!’” 

“But also it slightly sent everyone crazy to be stuck in a permanent Christmas state for six or seven months,” he added. “Then in the edit, I mean, we were listening to “Good King Wenceslas” in July. And I don’t know if you want to put people through that again.”

‘Black Doves’ Season 2 is already in the works

Luther Ford in 'Black Doves' Season 1, which is set at Christmas, sits on a couch.
Luther Ford in ‘Black Doves’ Season 1 | Netflix
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Unlike other Netflix shows, such as Nobody Wants This, fans of Black Doves didn’t have to anxiously wait to see if it would be greenlit for a second season. Why? Because, in an unusual move, Netflix renewed the spy show before it even premiered. 

However, that doesn’t mean the final touches are being put on Black Doves Season 2. Barton is “still early in the process” of writing new episodes. “I’m writing the first episode still, and we’re kind of feeling our way through it,” he told the outlet.

As for what to expect, there could be more looks at the past. “We filmed some flashbacks, which didn’t make the final cut, of young Helen and her stepdad and her sister Bonnie,” Barton said. “I think that would be really interesting to find out more about.” 

“With the second series, I think it’s quite interesting to discover more about the characters, and Sarah’s character. We know quite a lot about Sam, but there’s always more. And just the opportunity to open the scope up a little bit, but that’s all kind of TBC at the moment.” 

Watch Black Doves Season 1 on Netflix. 

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