The Brits are taking over 
Netflix, but unfortunately they are doing it with a political thriller series that has been dividing opinions. Released on August 21, Hostage landed on Netflix promising intrigue, action, and some strong performances. While critics mostly decided that this is what it delivered, audiences were much more uncertain about whether the short limited series – which has just five episodes – was actually worth their time.
Hostage stars former British soap star Suranne Jones, who has gone on to be one of the best actresses on U.K. TV in the last decade, and Julie Delpy, along with Corey Mylchreest, Lucian Msamati, Ashley Thomas, and James Cosmo. The plot of the series reads:
“An international summit between the French and British leaders goes awry when the husband of the British Prime Minister is kidnapped and the French president is blackmailed.”
Everyone loves a good thriller, and the short episode count means that Hostage has bingewatch written all over it, meaning that Netflix seems like the perfect home for the show. That has proven the case as millions tuned in to send the series straight to the top of the global streaming chart, easily outperforming Wednesday, Rivers of Fate, and the shocking documentary, Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser. In the U.S., it has so far not been able to surpass the latter of these and sits in second place. Despite the performance of Hostage, audiences really cannot make up their mind whether the series is good or not.
Audiences Don’t Agree With Critics About ‘Hostage’
Netflix’s endless churn of new content means that the streamer often ends up hosting shows and movies that grab views, but seem to please only a portion of those who choose to watch them. Hostage has become the latest in a long line of such releases, as its 85% Tomatometer score has been marred by a 55% audience rating.
So is Hostage worth watching? According to critics, yes it is – but with a caveat that you need to be willing to just go along for the ride and not try to think too deeply about the crazy twists that it throws in as curveballs multiple times in each episode. The Herald reviewer Alison Rowat noted that the series “sets the bonkers bar impressively high.” In another positive review from Dustin Rowles of Pajiba, it is said that Hostage “feels like ten episodes crammed into five, and I mean that as a compliment. It goes, and goes, and goes, and never lets up until it’s over.”
However, viewers were strangely critical of the over-the-top story, saying that it is “totally unbelievable and not in a good way,” or “the plot had me cringing in disbelief.” For those who cannot quite read the room from these comments, Sandra S’ review will clear everything up for you.
“What a load of unbelievable codswallop. I watched it anyway to see how much more unbelievable it could get.”
Perhaps it is the easily digestible, soapy thrills that make this short series a perfect bingewatch for those looking to pass a few hours this weekend. As long as you don’t go in expecting the kind of political powerhouse watch that shows such as House of Cards or The West Wing delivered in years gone by, then there are worse things to do than check out Hostage on Netflix.
