Netflix Debuts ‘Hostage’ Political Thriller With Suranne Jones

Netflix on 21 August premiered “Hostage,” a five-episode political thriller that centres on newly elected British Prime Minister Abigail Dalton (Suranne Jones) whose husband Alex (Ashley Thomas) is abducted in French Guiana by mercenaries demanding her resignation. The crisis forces Dalton to juggle national emergencies, including NHS drug shortages and a defence-budget fight, while partnering uneasily with French President Vivienne Toussaint (Julie Delpy), who faces her own political pressures. Created by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Matt Charman, the series pairs high-stakes diplomacy with family drama as the two female leaders navigate blackmail, internal betrayals and media scrutiny. Reviewers from Tom’s Guide and TechRadar describe the show as tightly paced and bingeable, noting unexpected twists and strong chemistry between Jones and Delpy, although ARY News finds the plotting formulaic and supporting characters underdeveloped. Overall, early reactions highlight standout lead performances against an otherwise conventional thriller framework.