We’d like to believe that our leaders are above scrutiny, representative of the best qualities of humanity rather than vulnerable to the same vices that plague those without responsibilities quite as weighty. Beyond notions of discontent and disappointment, the idea that elected officials have things to hide means that the discovery of those missteps can be used to exploit them, creating a deeply worrisome scenario where they can be compelled to do extraordinarily destructive and dangerous things.
Hostage begins by introducing UK Prime Minister Abigail Dalton (Suranne Jones) and French President Vivienne Toussaint (Julie Deply) as they prepare to meet for an important summit. When Dalton’s husband Alex (Ashley Thomas) is kidnapped and Dalton is told she must resign if she wants him released unharmed, she turns to Toussaint for help, only to find that avenue blocked when Toussaint is contacted with incriminating photos that she’s told will be leaked if she intervenes. The two leaders must figure out a way to work together to save their families and reputations – and to determine who in their ranks might be working to bring them down.
This series comes from creator Matt Charman, whose past credits include the Netflix series Treason and the Oscar-winning film Bridge of Spies. It belongs to a genre of conspiracy thrillers that have enthralled TV audiences for decades, first popularized by 24. It’s the kind of world that is full of deceit at every turn and imagines glaring gaps in security precautions that allow for these types of scenarios to occur. It may not be entirely credible, but it does make for solid, suspenseful entertainment that means danger could be lurking around any corner or, better yet, show up completely unannounced in the middle of a seemingly safe moment.
Hostage, which runs just five roughly forty-five-minute episodes, is most reminiscent of Bodyguard when it comes to its pacing, with multiple shootouts and life-or-death situations contained in each installment. It’s a perfect fit for Netflix, since audiences will immediately have access to the entire season and be able to binge their way through the stressful nature of these two intelligent and powerful women as they find themselves under attack, targeted by saboteurs who have some vendetta against them and whose identities or exact motives remain unclear.
The occasionally over-the-top nature of this show’s premise and setup is balanced out by strong performances from its two leads. Neither leader is portrayed as unimpeachable, and Delpy in particular gives Toussaint, as the visiting dignitary, an edge and competitiveness that speaks to how she was able to get to where she is. She’s not into playing nice, whereas Dalton seems much more concerned with a close relationship with her family and not upsetting anyone. Both Jones and Delpy offer compelling and engaging reactions from their characters when their leadership roles are threatened, making this thriller feel especially human, even if their experiences are far beyond what most viewers will ever endure.
This show’s title – not the first project to use the word either in the singular or plural form – seems on its face to refer to Alex’s predicament. But one poster for the show features the tagline “I will not negotiate. I will not be held…” above the title, correctly indicating that this is much more about how Dalton and Toussaint act in the face of unfair challenges to what they’ve worked so hard to accomplish. This is above all a fast-paced conspiracy thriller, but there are layers of meaning about being a woman in the workplace – which in this case involves running a country – that help elevate it from pure popcorn fare to an occasionally weighty critique of the way we assess, idolize, and condemn our leaders.
Series Rating: 7/10
