Move over Wednesday: Hostage is the new Netflix hit
After two and a half years of waiting, the second season of ‘Wednesday’ finally premiered. Once again, it was such a success that the series immediately landed at the top of the Netflix top 10; and that didn't seem to change anytime soon. Anyone wanting to dethrone ‘Wednesday’ had to bring something substantial to the table. Yet one series succeeded: ‘Hostage’, and that's not so surprising. This British thriller tells a story full of kidnapping, blackmail, and political drama. And believe me: once you start, you can't help but binge.
Hostage: how the chaos only grows
These are tough times for British Prime Minister Abigail Dalton (Suranne Jones). England is struggling with a major medicine shortage, and that isn't doing her popularity any favors. A visit from the French President Vivienne Toussaint (Julie Delpy) is supposed to provide a solution, if she wants to strike a deal. Toussaint has her own agenda and is running a tough campaign around the refugee crisis to be re-elected in her own country. Their interests clash, and the negotiations seem to be at a standstill. Until chaos breaks out and Dalton will have to give in: her husband, who is a doctor for Doctors Without Borders, is kidnapped in French Guiana.
The kidnappers threaten to kill him if the Prime Minister does not resign. Dalton refuses to give in to terror and enlists Toussaint for a rescue mission. But that also goes wrong. The French president is blackmailed herself and has no choice but to cancel the mission. Both women are left to fend for themselves and must protect themselves, their families, and their country. Meanwhile, one question lingers: who is behind this?
The real-life inspiration behind Hostage
The story of ‘Hostage’ is fictional, and perhaps that's for the best. However, creators Matt Charman and Suranne Jones, who is also a producer alongside her lead role, drew inspiration from real life. Since a school trip to Downing Street 10, Charman has been fascinated by the life of a prime minister. “I still remember standing there and realizing that the address is both a home and an office. I've always wanted to tell the story of the reality of life as a prime minister, where you are tossed back and forth between your family and your country.” To tell this story as accurately as possible, the creators spoke with various female politicians and former prime ministers to learn from their experiences. Other cast members also prepared well for their roles. For instance, Ashley Thomas, who plays Dalton's husband, spoke with people from Doctors Without Borders about their work and read books about doctors in conflict zones. That thorough preparation clearly paid off.
Filming locations that almost feel real
A large part of the series takes place at Downing Street 10. But as you might expect, the real British Prime Minister wasn't waiting for filming to take place in his office/home. Even measuring the building to recreate it as accurately as possible was not allowed. To make the set realistic, the production team used Google Maps to determine the dimensions. And for that, believe it or not, every stone was counted. Filming was also not allowed in the House of Commons, so this was also almost recreated one-to-one. For the scenes in French Guiana, the cast and crew didn't actually go to South America, but to Las Palmas on the Spanish island Gran Canaria. A significant challenge; the narrow streets were not exactly suitable for all the chase scenes. But hey, they made it work.
This Bridgerton star also appears in Hostage
Most cast members of ‘Hostage’ may not seem familiar to you right away. Except for one. Fans of ‘Bridgerton’ can spot a familiar face in the trailer: Corey Mylchreest. We know him as King George in ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ and more recently from the Netflix hit ‘My Oxford Year’. This time he plays the role of Matheo Lewis. He is the stepson of the French president but also a member of a refugee organization. And with that, he directly protests against his stepmother's campaign. That alone already causes significant unrest. But it gets worse when Matheo turns out to have a role in the reason why Toussaint is being blackmailed. We won't reveal exactly how that is; you really don't want spoilers for this series.
Will Hostage get a season 2?
‘Hostage’ is considered a mini-series within Netflix terms. This means that the story is essentially told within this first season. In most cases, it ends there. However, it wouldn't be the first time a mini-series is extended after great success. So we don't have to give up hope just yet. Creator Matt Charman isn't giving up either. He is open to thinking about new storylines and working with Suranne Jones again. The big bosses at Netflix usually need a bit more time to make a decision. So we have to wait a little longer. ‘Hostage’ is now available on Netflix.
Image/Source: Cr. Des Willie/Netflix © 2025 Netflix
