Netflix‘s new political thriller series has won over the critics. Just one day after its release, Hostage boasts a stunning score.
The political limited series Hostage debuted with a thrilling score of 86% from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The score comes out of 22 reviews, and has already received a Certified Fresh badge. Hostage debuted on Netflix on Aug. 21, and it doesn’t feature an audience score at the time of writing.
Out of the 22 reviews available at the time of press, only three of them are negative. So far, critics loved the five-episode limited series, which proves the perfect replacement for Apple TV+’s Slow Horses and Netflix’s The Diplomat. Heaven of Horror’s Karina Adelgaard pointed out Hostages “isn’t one of those Netflix series that drags on for too long. Instead, it’s all very fast-paced and intense in a way that leaves both its characters and us, the audience, breathless.”
Collider‘s Isabella Soares acknowledges the “complex storyline is enough to make it captivating minutes into Episode 1,” but the review points out “it is the cast that elevates Hostage‘s final product. Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy are particularly excellent,” and that “Hostage‘s supporting cast is nothing short of entrancing.”
TV Guide’s Gavia Baker-Whitelaw writes, “Hostage introduces more than enough twists and red herrings to keep us coming back for more. Like many contemporary political dramas, however, you may find it more enjoyable if you politely hand-wave its relationship to real-world politics.”
Among the negative reviews, RogerEbert.com’s Nandini Balial wrote that the political thriller sent her into “critic purgatory,” because “the series inspires nothing. Neither impressive nor dreadful, the series is adrift in the doldrums of artistry. If they handed out Emmys for dull television, then I am certain Hostage, a limited British series now airing on Netflix, would make a clean sweep.“
What Is Hostage About?
The gripping limited series follows Abigail Dalton, the Prime Minister, who is set to have a historic meeting with the French President. Just ahead of their meeting, Dalton receives the worst news anyone can have: that her husband has been taken hostage, and the kidnappers are asking her to resign immediately if she wants her husband to survive. This leads to a very serious choice between her oath to serve her country, and her family.
Matt Charman (Bridge of Spies, Treason) created and wrote the political thriller, which stars Suranne Jones (Gentleman Jack, Doctor Foster) in the leading role. “I’m thrilled to be on Netflix, in something I’m really proud of,” Jones told Tudum. “It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. We’d talked about projects previously, but for me, it was about finding the right thing. Hostage was perfect — me and Matt together, backed up by this brilliant, supportive team. I loved it.”
The limited series also stars Julie Delpy (The Before trilogy, the Three Colors trilogy), Corey Mylchreest (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, My Oxford Year), Lucian Msamati (Conclave, Gangs of London), Ashley Thomas (Them, 24: Legacy), James Cosmo (Braveheart, Troy), Martin McCann (The Pacific, Say Nothing), and Jehnny Beth (Anatomy of a Fall, An Impossible Love).
Hostage is streaming on Netflix.
Hostage
- Release Date
-
August 21, 2025
- Network
-
Netflix
-
Suranne Jones
Abigail Dalton
-
Julie Delpy
Vivienne Toussaint
-
-
Source link
