The Damned’s Rat Scabies is in new Netflix spy series ‘Black Doves’

Punks are turning up all over the place in filmed entertainment this fall. Paul Weller has a significant role in Steve McQueen’s new WWII drama Blitz, and now here’s The Damned drummer Rat Scabies in the first episode of new Netflix spy/thriller/action series Black Doves.

Rat plays Bingo, the owner of a music shop who may sell more than just guitars. The shop is visited by Sam (Ben Whishaw) who has need for Bingo’s more specialty items. He gets a nice little scene and more than holds his own with Wishaw who is one of our finest actors under 40.

Black Doves is a entertaining and surprisingly satisfying series. Mild spoilers ahead: Keira Knightley as Helen Webb the wife of England’s Secretary of State of Defense (Broadchurch’s Mark Buchan) who may or may not be a member rogue spy organization Black Doves who find and sell information to the highest bidder. Ben Whishaw’s Sam is a freelance trigger man who returns to London after seven years to help when Helen gets in over he head. Creator Joe Barton (Girl/Haji) weaves together a complex — convoluted but fun — plot and if you like Slow Horses but wish there was more John Wick-style action and some of the pizzaz of screenwriter Shane Black’s work (Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang), Black Doves has that mix. It’s quippy but most of the plot turns on emotional decisions, it’s a tightrope act of tone that is hard to pull off but Black Doves never falls off the wire. The cast is great, including Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley, Julia), Finn Bennett (True Detective: Night Country), relative newcomer/scene-stealer Ela Lily Hyland, and a few surprises along the way. Plus it’s all set during Christmas which makes for appropriate, if often bloody, holiday viewing.

You can watch the trailer for Black Doves below.

Rat Scabies will be with The Damned on tour this spring with The Adverts and The Bellrays along for the ride. The tour kicks off in Jersey City on May 1 at White Eagle Hall.

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