Black Doves Episode 1 recap: Jason gets killed, Helen fueling in revenge

Netflix’s Black Doves debuted in December 2024 and was praised for its gripping, atmospheric spy thriller narrative involving Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw, and Sarah Lancashire. The series world is wrapped in a festive but deadly Christmas setting, with intense plot twists making the show stand out.

Keira's character, Helen Webb, leads a double life: to the outside world, she’s a seemingly ordinary woman, but she’s actually an undercover agent working for a covert organisation called Black Doves. As the episode progresses, global war looms, and her undercover world starts to collapse. She ends up in a dangerous web of conspiracies spanning professional and personal stakes.

Read on for the full recap of episode 1 of Black Doves titled To Love Then.

Here is what happens in Black Doves Season 1 episode 1

The series opens with an action-heavy scene showcasing a Christmas pub scene in London contrasts with the ominous news of the Chinese ambassador's death. Three spies, Jason Davies, Phillip Bray and Maggie, appear to be on edge, monitoring the fallout. Maggie had to sacrifice her life in between calls while Phillip was strangled in his apartment. Jason us shot dead by the river after reaching out to someone saved as Soft Play.

This chain of events triggers an investigation for Helen while also portraying a glimpse of the dangerous world she is getting into. Helen momentarily slips into the role of the doting wife and mother, offering a hot drink to her husband, Wallace, who is on a high-stakes call. Wallace is eventually confirmed to be Britain’s Defence Secretary. He is fielding diplomatic fallout over the Chinese ambassador’s death, rumoured to be from a drug overdose, which he believes is simply a lie to cover a violent assassination.

At a political event hosted by Helen and Wallace, a mystery woman arrives unannounced. She refers to Wallace as the Defence Secretary—a reminder of their elite status—then walks off. Wallace and Helen have no idea who she is, yet she clearly knows them.

Jason gives Helen a mysterious bag while Reed questions this behaviour. The confrontation turns physical and deeply personal. Reed suggests pulling Helen from the field, fearing she’s compromised the entire operation. While Helen draws a knife to her neck threatens that she shouldn't interfere with her family matters. It’s clear Helen’s motivation is now protecting her children over any ideology or national duty.

Sam returns from London to safeguard Helen from any threat in Black Doves episode 1

Sam emerges in the scene, a London returnee with a deep bond of friendship with Helen. Reed reveals Helen has been leaking secrets to the Black Doves for a decade. She tasks Sam with protecting Helen and eliminating any threat against her.

Wallace grows suspicious as the Chinese government doesn’t believe the overdose story about their ambassador. Helen finally opens Jason’s “Christmas present”: it’s just a bracelet—or so it seems. This leads Helen to visit Jason's apartment with answers and finds Jason dead. Helen is fueled with revenge and confides in Sam with the responsibility to take care of her family in this journey.

Helen digs into Jason’s data and finds he has been calling someone mysterious. Sam retraces the assassin’s path and finds a bullet casing on a ledge near the scene. He takes it to a contact, George, at Liberty London, asking for DNA and fingerprint analysis.

Meanwhile, Helen hacks into her husband Wallace’s computer while asking Sam to have Reed trace the mysterious number from Jason’s call log. Helen sees some flirty messages on her husband's computer from his new assistant. She eventually finds out that the bullet belongs to Elmore Fitch, who could be Jason’s killer. Sam also confirms the unknown number belonged to Kai-Ming Chen, the Chinese ambassador’s daughter, who is in hiding.

This heavily implies Jason was investigating the ambassador’s death and possibly had Kai-Ming as a source, or was protecting her.

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Helen is determined to kill Elmore and takes a gun from her secret stash and heads out, setting up more drama for episode 2 of Black Doves.

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