Hostage Reviews: Critics Are Saying Suranne Jones' Netflix Drama Is Your Next Binge-Watch

Suranne Jones plays a different kind of prime minister in Netflix's HostageFollowing on from the huge success of British originals like Baby Reindeer, Toxic Town, Black Doves and, of course, Adolescence, Netflix has now unveiled its latest UK-centric drama.Hostage has all the makings of yet another huge hit for the streaming platform, featuring Suranne Jones in the lead role of a British prime minister who has to make some pretty hefty decisions when, as the title suggests, her husband is abducted and held at ransom.Critics so far are in agreement that the show is destined to find a huge audience, with its most glowing reviews hailing it as “fascinating” and “captivating”.Meanwhile, even the reviews that are more critical of Hostage – questioning how memorable it is compared to other meatier political thrillers, and suggesting some of its plot-points are a little on the far-fetched side – have still said that it’s ideal binge-viewing.Here’s a selection of what critics are saying about the new show…The Guardian (4/5) “It’s a rollicking, propulsive and compulsive yarn that also manages to give two great parts to two women of a certain age then leaves them to get on with it as characters rather than symbols.”The Standard (4/5) “The plotting is breathless, packed with cliffhangers and switchbacks – cabinet coups, social media firestorms, moral compromises – always only a twist away from disaster. If some beats veer slightly into pulp, the propulsion makes it compulsively watchable.”Suranne Jones shares the screen with Oscar nominee Julie Delpy in HostageVariety“Though the structures and stresses of government are fascinating to watch, what makes Hostage captivating is seeing two women as heads of state who are vilified and undermined at every turn due to misogyny and any perceived weakness [...] Jones and Delpy are fantastic in their respective roles, but Hostage has a soapy quality to it, preventing it from being elevated to true high drama.”The Independent (3/5) “It is, if nothing else, enjoyable to watch our chic leads strutting around the halls of power in their beautifully tailored coats and trouser suits, looking every inch the heads of state as they exchange frosty smiles and handshakes for the camera, each trying to out-alpha the other. The trouble is, beneath the series’ slick exterior lies a slightly wonky storyline…”Radio Times (3/5)“Hostage is surely a good time – it’s a series that is entertaining, has some fine performances, is slightly surprising in parts and fits the binge-watch model perfectly. It just won’t be one that you’ll likely remember after watching.”The Telegraph (2/5) “Jones does an excellent job of looking battered, bruised and relentlessly defiant at the centre of a political storm. So if you’re prepared to suspend a platoon’s worth of disbelief, then Hostage is not without adrenalin-rush entertainment value. The interplay between Jones and Delpy raises the intensity whenever they are together.”The Hollywood Reporter“In the case of Hostage, the potential stems from the tantalising prospect of watching stars Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy in an acting power struggle – a promise that isn’t quite an empty tease, but never gets delivered upon fully.”The AV Club“Hostage feels like The Diplomat lite [...] the latest Netflix UK import about the intersection of political crises and personal dilemmas sounds promising enough on paper, with the makings of a miniseries that could be gripping and gobbled up over a late-August weekend. But sadly, Hostage is the kind of show you’ll forget by Labour Day.”All five episodes of Hostage are now streaming on Netflix.MORE TV NEWS:These Are Our 12 Top Picks Of The New TV Shows And Films To Stream On Netflix In August 2025Netflix Has Finally Made An Announcement About The Future Of Dept. Q11 Behind-The-Scenes Secrets You Probably Didn't Know About How Wednesday Season 2 Was Made

Comments

Breaking news

Moment ‘murdered’ ice cream man ‘argues with customer’ before stabbing

Metro

Vance says it’s up to Europe to provide Ukraine security guarantees with Pentagon confirming U.S. involvement will be ‘minimal’

about 2 hours ago

Man fires crossbow at police officer after stabbing neighbour

Independent

Comments

Similar News

Hostage review: Suranne Jones does her best, but this woke Netflix thriller is over-egged nonsense, says CHRISTOPHER STEVENS

Israeli Amb.: We Have Intelligence that Macron's Palestinian Statehood Remarks Embolden Hamas to Keep Hostages

Photos of Israelis demanding the release of hostages and an end to the war with Hamas

Hamas accepts peace deal and hostage return proposal - as Israeli PM Netanyahu vows to go ahead with Gaza City offensive

Hamas 'agrees to ceasefire-hostage deal' with Israel, senior official says

Huge crowds gather in Israel calling for hostage deal and end to Gaza war

Netanyahu: Calling for Immediate End to War Helps Hamas, Hurts Hostages

Protesters go on strike in Israel demanding ceasefire and release of Gaza hostages

Israelis Join Nationwide Rallies to Call for Release of Hostages

Protestors go on strike in Israel demanding ceasefire and hostage releases

Israel Gears Up for Nationwide Strike to Support Hostages

Gaza talks to focus on releasing hostages all in one go, Netanyahu hints

Netanyahu hints that Gaza ceasefire talks now focus on the release of all hostages at once

Israeli Hostage Families Call for Nationwide Walkout

‘ Every airstrike could cost him his life’: Families of Israeli hostages plead for end to war

Man ‘throws water and grabs throat’ of protester demanding release of Israeli hostages

Scuffle breaks out at march to release Israeli hostages: Counter-protesters shout 'Free Palestine' as thousands take to the streets to demand captives held by Hamas are freed

Demonstrators seeking release of Gaza hostages to march in London as Middle East tensions grip UK

Netanyahu ‘will have blood of hostages on his hands’ if more are killed in Gaza takeover

Photos show Israelis demonstrating for the release of hostages and ending the Gaza war

Breaking news

Moment ‘murdered’ ice cream man ‘argues with customer’ before stabbing

Map shows UK councils that could launch legal challenge against asylum hotels

Red Arrows fly past: Where and when to see this bank holiday weekend’s displays

US hitwoman Aimee Betro who wore niqab in botched assassination jailed for 30 years

Eating These Fats May Protect Women From Dementia

Trump's America Just Gave Putin Another Free Pass On The World Stage

Channel 4 Exec Defends Airing Controversial Bonnie Blue Documentary

People Are Just Realising Why There's A Tiny Black Triangle Above Some Plane Windows, And I Had No Idea

Baby Reindeer Star Richard Gadd Has Undergone A Dramatic Transformation For His New Series

Russian anti-war protester found dead in London after asylum claim was rejected

Airport workers to strike in dispute over ‘poverty pay offer’

Black Cowboy joy is spreading through the ‘Boots on the Ground’ viral line dance

The surprising trick that could help you tackle your daily chores

American students face new phone bans in school – not everyone is happy about it

Huge explosion in Gaza as Israeli military launch next stage of ground offensive

Nexstar Media Group buying Tegna in deal worth $6.2 billion

Vance says it’s up to Europe to provide Ukraine security guarantees with Pentagon confirming U.S. involvement will be ‘minimal’

Man fires crossbow at police officer after stabbing neighbour

Two sailors injured after fire rages on US warship in Japan for more than 12 hours

US woman disguised in niqab whose gun jammed during failed assassination attempt in Birmingham jailed

Met Police handling of Caroline Flack assault case was ‘reasonable and proportionate’, watchdog finds

Which tax rises could fill the £50bn black hole in Britain’s balance sheet?

US sailor convicted of espionage for leaking warship data to China

Ukrainian suspected in the Nord Stream pipeline blasts arrested in Italy, German prosecutors say

Waitrose boss James Bailey to leave supermarket chain in September

Travelodge weighed down by weaker London demand and surging costs

‘Hypocritical’ Badenoch calls for Tory councils to launch legal challenges against asylum hotels

UK business activity rises to one-year high as services sector leads rebound

Inside the Ukrainian factory building drones and cruise missiles to strike Russia

Passengers flee after man sets fire to Milan airport check-in desk

Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 denies role in Congo massacres

Trump touts his peace deal between ‘Aberbaijan and Albania’ – getting both countries’ names wrong

West Lothian's 'pandemic generation' of students 'over-perform' in exam results

New Home Bargains store set to open in West Lothian

Councillors respond to planned demolition of Hamilton's Vogue cinema

Livingston village will see regular bus service restored next month

Ex-Rangers owner Craig Whyte telling divorcing men how to hide wealth from wives

Scots schoolgirl related to Robert Burns examines book he gifted to ancestor

Exact date Haribo's first ever Scottish store will open in Glasgow

Paisley nursery praised by inspectors for “positive and welcoming ethos”

Google Pixel 9 Pro drops to 'lowest price ever' saving tech fans £350

Man, 19, faces charges following village e-bike collision

'Do not pay £2 delivery fee' online shopping warning as bank accounts emptied

Diddy judge urged to reject request for acquittal or retrial

Two major airlines being sued over 'window' seats with no view

Argos and Very slash £100 off Apple Watch Series 10 line-up in rival deals

'I'm an Aussie who moved to Scotland – there are three reasons I'd never go back'

Hundreds of fish set to die within days as Scots reservoir dries up

Suicide prevention initiative The Baton of Hope heads to West Lothian

Glasgow music festival In The City called off days before start of event

Scotland has 7 days left to enjoy hot weather as Met Office gives 600-mile rainstorm verdict

100 Edinburgh Airport workers set for strike action as passengers face travel chaos

Hostage Reviews: Critics Are Saying Suranne Jones' Netflix Drama Is Your Next Binge-Watch

Wicked Shares Behind-The-Scenes Clip Of Man Who 'Played The Broomstick' And We're Obsessed

Putin Is Teaching Russian Children How To Fly Military Drones, UK Says

‘Condescending P***k’: JD Vance’s Zelenskyy-Oval Office Anecdote Backfires Online

‘I’m on the frontline of the shoplifting epidemic – here’s what I deal with daily’