Julie Delpy & Suranne Jones | New Netflix Drama

When the Netflix spy drama treason premiered in 2022, its reliance on in medias res openings felt like a tired trope. It’s become difficult to recall the specifics of Treason, a show with a generic title and a familiar structure, ultimately fading into the background of an era saturated with forgettable dramas.

Netflix’s new drama, Hostage, faces a similar fate. this London-based five-part series,burdened with an unmemorable title and a predictable plot,wastes a talented cast on flimsy characterizations and illogical actions. The ending, borrowing heavily from A Few Good Men, borders on parody due to its lack of purpose.

Both Hostage and the aforementioned Treason originate from creator Matt Charman, suggesting a talent for initial concepts that require further progress to realize their full potential.

Hostage hinges on the potential clash between stars Suranne Jones (Gentleman Jack) and Julie Delpy (the Before trilogy), a promise that remains largely unfulfilled.

Jones portrays Abigail Dalton, the recently elected British prime minister. Dalton’s key campaign pledge involved bolstering the National Health Service (NHS) by reducing military spending.While she succeeded in the latter, the NHS faces a critical shortage of medical resources.

Dalton seeks assistance from French President Vivienne Toussaint (Delpy), who is in London for a summit. Toussaint, navigating her own re-election campaign and pressured by the French far-right, is willing to exploit England’s need for her own political gain.

The summit takes a turn when Dalton’s husband,Alex (Ashley thomas),a Doctors Without Borders physician,is taken hostage in French Guiana along with three other doctors. The kidnappers demand Dalton’s resignation, a seemingly simple request to Dalton’s teenage daughter, Sylvie (Isobel Akuwudike). However, as is typical in political thrillers, Dalton refuses to negotiate with terrorists.

The kidnapping,riddled with illogical elements,is revealed to be part of a conspiracy that implicates Toussaint.

Dalton and Toussaint face vaguely complex moral challenges, presented in a way that Hostage fails to adequately explore. the show hints at double standards faced by women in power but lacks the depth to truly engage with these issues. Hostage touches upon relevant themes but ultimately lacks substance.

The series relies on the inherent interest of the dilemma, providing Jones and Delpy with intriguing material. However, the dilemma overshadows individual character development. The women are defined by their positions of power and the vulnerability of their spouses (Vincent Perez plays Toussaint’s media mogul husband),rather than distinct personalities. While the initial episodes explore the projection of power, the characters fail to behave as believable humans outside the confines of the plot.

The show lacks depth in its supporting characters as well.Sylvie’s introduction involving a perhaps embarrassing night out is never revisited. Toussaint’s step-son, Matheo (Corey Mylchreest), is introduced as a leftist protesting his step-mother, but this detail is quickly abandoned. Kofi (Lucian Msamati), one of Dalton’s advisors, has a key detail revealed late in the series, which ultimately proves irrelevant.

These are the series’ most developed characters. While Msamati remains watchable regardless of his limited role, Dalton’s aides are largely nameless and traitless. Toussaint has only one aide, Adrienne (Jehnny Beth), whose ubiquity serves as a spoiler, yet she remains devoid of defining characteristics. Even Dalton’s husband, whose kidnapping drives the entire series, is simply “doctorly.” Despite being kidnapped with three colleagues, none of them possess any sympathetic qualities.

With underdeveloped characters,it becomes difficult for viewers to invest in the story,especially when the plot demands sacrifices to simulate stakes.

While additional episodes might have allowed for greater character development, the series already feels stretched thin. The hostage subplot, filmed in the Canary Islands, offers little visual excitement or variety. the UK interiors, resembling generic government buildings, are equally uninspired. London location work is limited, and crowd scenes appear to consist of a mere dozen extras.

From characters to action, Hostage feels sparse. beyond the simplistic notion that “people like honest politicians,” the series lacks ideas, resembling a half-developed spin-off of The Diplomat, a show with a more nuanced perspective on women in power.

Hostage feels like a rough draft that could have been refined into a more substantial series. Delpy, Jones, and viewers deserved better than this forgettable show.