There is nothing more hateful than a despised spy. Keira Knightley stars in “Black Dove,” which is bound to be a Netflix hit. But she doesn't just play a run-of-the-mill spy.

Knightley plays Helen, who, in addition to being a generic savage villainess, is also a doting mother, adding nuanced depth to the character. She is an odd choice for an undercover role, since she is the wife of a politician and public attention generally does not lead to keeping her identity a secret. Nevertheless, she is in a much better position to obtain government information. Then Helen's lover is assassinated, and she puts her job in jeopardy in order to get revenge.

“Black Dove” not only stands out as a fascinating female-driven series in the thriller spy genre, but it even has a sprinkling of Christmas revelry (unusual for the genre) to keep it from getting too serious. Of course, the stellar cast doesn't hurt either. Produced by Joe Barton, the show features names like Ben Whishaw (Sam), Sarah Lancashire (Reid), and Andrew Buchan (Wallace). Fortunately, “Black Dove” is not the only female-led spy thriller on the list. After you've seen one, check out shows like “Black Dove.”

Like “Black Doves,” the 2018 British series “Killing Eve” opens with an assassination. This setup sounds really familiar. In this case, it's a cat-and-mouse composition, with Eve (Sandra Oh) pursuing the psychopathic and very appropriately named killer Villanelle (Jodie Comer).

As one can imagine from the premise, “Killing Eve” is a tongue-in-cheek dark comedy. Nevertheless, it contains many of the standard elements one would expect from a spy thriller. And the chaotic chemistry between the leads is fascinating to watch, while still maintaining the action and gore portrayal expected of the genre. But the best part of the show is its gradual exploration of queer identity, which is groundbreaking for the genre.

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Like “Black Dove,” the Marvel series “Agent Carter” is a bit ...... Quirky. Given that Hayley Atwell reprises her popular role as Peggy Carter from “Captain America,” “Agent Carter,” like “Black Dove,” is a little more ...... than the other series. Quirky: Given that Hayley Atwell, who was popular as Peggy Carter in “The First Avenger,” is reprising her role, it's no surprise that this was a highly anticipated film for fans.

The show stands on its own even if you haven't seen a single other Marvel/MCU project. For hardcore fans, however, the appearance of Tony Stark's father Howard and his butler Jarvis is a nice bonus, as are the other Easter eggs and Marvel lore that appear in the series. But despite being in the Marvel universe, it has the feel of a classic detective/spy show from the 40s, with a film noir vibe that is far superior to the insufferable one-shot noir episodes that most long-running shows attempt these days.

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We love a compelling story about a turned assassin, and the 2010 CW show “Nikita” is an adaptation of the 90s film and subsequent TV show “La Femme Nikita.” As such, the screenwriters have a lot of lore. Naturally, the series centers on Nikita (Maggie Q.), an assassin bent on revenge against the organization that created her weak teenage self. Oh, even I might turn against those who raised me to be a killer.

Given the whole series' aspect of manipulating childhood trauma, it is a bit harder than the other titles. As is customary with these types of shows, Nikita's revenge story comes after the assassination. In her case, it was a civilian fiancé.

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It's never fun to realize that you got a big job not because of your superior skills, but because of someone in your past. Newcomer Annie (Piper Perabo) thinks she is the agency's brightest new hire because of her skills as a linguist. But in reality, it's more complicated than that.

Some exes leave with their baggage, while others leave with their spy credentials. In the spy game, discovering the suspenseful origins of someone you once knew (or dated) is seldom a good sign. That's where a lot of action, drama, and Annie's false identity comes in.

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It's an old story: an evil spy ring kills your fiancé and you become a double agent. That's the original story of Sydney (Jennifer Garner) in “Alias.” To make matters worse, she discovers that the CIA was not her actual employer. Instead, she was being taken for a ride by a vicious terrorist organization bent on world domination (super exaggeration, people, give me a break).

Of course, that little realization actually led her to work for the CIA and crush the fake organization. Did anyone else get a migraine headache here? Alias” also has the added element of a double agent family business. Because who wouldn't want to take down an evil organization with their estranged father? There must be such a Hallmark card somewhere.

The 2001 series ran for five seasons, continuing through 2006. Alias was one of J.J. Abrams' earliest projects, and it is not surprising that it remains a fan favorite nearly 20 years later.

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