Williams (Elia Lily Hyland) and Eleanor (Gabrielle Creevy) breaching a door in Black Doves During the holiday season, audiences are always looking for something with a clear festive spirit to make their Christmas-watching fun and nostalgic. Ironically, one of this year’s most popular options is Netflix’s Black Doves, a gripping espionage thriller series starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw. Although its story is quite dark and gritty at times, Black Doves’ soundtrack features some classic holiday songs that help create a wintery atmosphere throughout the story.

Hawkeye is another recent example of a streaming-released festive TV show that became essential viewing for the holiday season, and this year, it may be competing with Black Doves for those viewing numbers. These are two excellent series, and while Hawkeye certainly ranks among the MCU’s best TV shows, Black Doves is an equally strong option for this year’s Christmas viewing parties.

Keira Knightley’s Black Doves Is An Action Series That Takes Place Around Christmas

Black Doves’ Festive Season Is Important To The Story

Keira Knightley standing on a bridge with the wind in her hair as she looks over her should in Black Doves Sam Young (Ben Whishaw) walks out of Regent Sounds London in Black Doves Sam Young (Ben Whishaw) walks into the Liberty London department store in Black Doves A statue in London in Black Doves season 1 Wallace Webb (Andrew Buchan) and his aide walk along the bank of the Thames in Black Doves The Eye of London in Black Doves season 1 Helen Webb (Keira Knightley) shoots a man in an alley in Black Doves season 1 Keira Knightley standing on a bridge with the wind in her hair as she looks over her should in Black Doves Sam Young (Ben Whishaw) walks out of Regent Sounds London in Black Doves Sam Young (Ben Whishaw) walks into the Liberty London department store in Black Doves A statue in London in Black Doves season 1 Wallace Webb (Andrew Buchan) and his aide walk along the bank of the Thames in Black Doves The Eye of London in Black Doves season 1 Helen Webb (Keira Knightley) shoots a man in an alley in Black Doves season 1

While Black Doves may not seem like the most Christmas-y and sentimental of shows on the surface, its setting of Christmastime does play a role in the otherwise gritty and intense story. The narrative centers around two ex-spies, played by Knightley and Whishaw, whose old lives finally catch up with them when the former’s lover is killed by a mysterious hitman with apparent connections to their past. What ensues is a deadly game of cat-and-mouse as the main characters try to solve the mystery in the shadows.

The story of Black Doves takes place just before Christmas, with Knightley’s protagonist Helen being torn between enjoying the festivities of the season with her family and exacting revenge against the people who’ve put their lives in danger, even if it means being absent. It creates plenty of interesting drama among the characters, speaking to the importance of family during the holiday season, a recurring theme in Christmas offerings.

Hawkeye Is A More Christmas-Themed Show (But Black Doves Could Pull A Die Hard)

The MCU’s Hawkeye Is A More Traditional Holiday Series

Kate Bishop in street clothes in Hawkeye Kate Bishop and Clint Barton fighting together in Hawkeye Yelena Belova eating mac and cheese in Hawkeye Maya Lopez talking in sign language in Hawkeye. Lucky getting strokes in Hawkeye Kate Bishop in street clothes in Hawkeye Kate Bishop and Clint Barton fighting together in Hawkeye Yelena Belova eating mac and cheese in Hawkeye Maya Lopez talking in sign language in Hawkeye. Lucky getting strokes in Hawkeye

Admittedly, those looking for something more traditional for their holiday watch party would likely be more interested in Hawkeye, which places the holiday season front and center of the narrative. The show follows Kate Bishop upon her encounter with Clint Barton, an old member of the Avengers, and her becoming his pupil when dangerous forces begin to hunt them from the shadows. But despite the danger, Hawkeye always maintains a comedic tone and keeps the story lighthearted, which makes it a fun and breezy Christmas watch.

However, that doesn’t mean that Christmas films and series have to be lighthearted. Black Doves is dark, but so are films like Die Hard and Black Christmas — but these make for great holiday screenings all the same. Die Hard is also famously the ultimate “Christmas movie that isn’t really a Christmas movie,” another theme Black Doves could tap into. It merely comes down to preference, as these two shows have both sides of the holiday coin safely covered.