Picture: Netflix
Intense and compelling, Netflix’s latest British drama is Hostage, which follows the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who’s forced into the ultimate dilemma when her husband is captured and held hostage.
Netflix has been on a winning streak so far in 2025 when it comes to British dramas. From Toxic Town to the global phenomenon Adolescence, there’ve been many excellent shows. Next up is the 5-part political drama Hostage, starring Suranne Jones as British Prime Minister Abigail Dalton and Julie Delpy as French President Vivienne Toussiant.
Hostage pulls back the curtain on British politics, delivering an immersive, insightful, and rather plausible story of the prime minister, who finds herself in a position where her hands are tied. It all begins in 10 Downing Street, where Prime Minister Abigail Dalton (Suranne Jones) meets with French President Vivienne Toussiant (Julie Delpy). Dalton is under immense pressure from her peers and the British public for austerity and cuts to the British National Health Service (NHS) — which has caused many members of the general public to suffer immensely. President Toussiant offers her assistance to Dalton, and in exchange, the French people would be positioned on the English border.
While in a summit to address diplomatic concerns, Dalton learns that her husband Alex Anderson (Ashley Thomas), who’s on a campaign in French Guiana to provide medical support, has been captured. The perpetrators of his capture use their leverage to attempt to force Dalton to step down as prime minister; otherwise, they’ll kill him. Meanwhile, Toussaint is blackmailed into submission with threats to release a scandal involving her to the public.
Hostage feels entirely plausible. It’s intense, compelling, and makes viewers constantly sympathise and criticise its complex and morally grey characters. I particularly loved the delicate portrayal of Prime Minister Dalton; she’s a strong-willed leader, but a mother and wife first and foremost. And at times, she finds herself more committed to her job than to her family. The dynamic between Jones’s Dalton and Delpy’s flawless President Toussaint is excellent. The two actresses build tension and bounce off each other. They are both strong, ardent women who are unwavering and steadfast in their principles.
The writing by Matt Sharman is sharp, twisty, and intelligent, delivering a narrative that’s compelling. Whether it’s blackmail or a rare yet poignant action sequence, the pacing never lets you sit back. It focuses primarily on psychological tension, but when the action strikes, it hits hard in both emotional height and scale.
Picking out criticisms is particularly difficult, which is a testament to how good this series is. It constantly keeps up the suspense, but there’s certainly a predictability about how things will play out. It’s a twisty series, but so many of the key twists feel more inevitable than shocking. Overall, however, Hostage is a series that Netflix subscribers — especially British viewers — simply can’t miss. It’s thrilling, scarily plausible, all wrapped up in some outstanding performances.
Hostage Ending Explained
In the beginning of Hostage, newly-elected British Prime Minister Abigail Dalton’s husband Alex is kidnapped while providing medical support during his Doctors Without Borders campaign in French Guiana. His captors use Alex as leverage, forcing Abigail into a moral dilemma: either she steps down as Prime Minister, or they kill him and others they’re holding hostage.
Interestingly, the motive behind the kidnapping is not money, but to see Dalton step down as Prime Minister. When Dalton hears the news, she’s massively shaken, but chooses not to heed the request, lest she let them win. The series drops numerous hints as to why they want Dalton to step down, such as NHS cuts and further austerity throughout the nation. However, for the ringleader Shagan, the motive is a lot more personal. A former military officer stationed in Belize, Shagan held a long-standing grudge against Abigail after she ordered British troops to withdraw from the country. Shagan was forced to withdraw from the country, leaving behind his pregnant fiancée.
Dalton is not alone in her pursuit of the perpetrators of the kidnapping. She’s also helped out by French President Vivienne Toussiant. After arriving in England for a summit with Dalton in which they work towards a political deal that would see England receive more supplies, but French troops on the English border, Toussiant becomes tied up in the situation. She attempts to send military aid to French Guiana to rescue Alex, but pulls out in the final moments after receiving blackmail. The kidnappers are in possession of footage containing intimate moments between herself and her step-son; a scandal big enough to jeopardise her position if made public
With her hands tied, Vivienne Dalton goes public with the situation and vows not to stand down in the face of terrorists. Her national address is met with public outrage, only exacerbated by Shagan and his group’s violent intervention. Not long after this, she steps down as Prime Minister following a vote of no confidence.
The intricate plan to remove Dalton from her position as Prime Minister not only takes place in French Guiana, but conspiracies are spun from within 10 Downing Street. There are a few moles pulling strings, such as Saskia — who kills Abigail’s dad in his hospital bed — and Adrienne, the chief of staff to the French President. In addition, military General Joseph Livingston, who was a commanding officer in Belize, is also one of the masterminds behind the crime. He is ultimately arrested for his involvement.
Before long, Alex is saved from his captivity and returns to reunite with his family in England. However, his return does not stop Shagan and the terrorist group from their target of taking down Dalton. In fact, they double down on their efforts. The series reaches a climax when Shagan orchestrates a bomb attack on 10 Downing Street. The bomb blows up the residence, killing French President Vivienne Toussaint — but Abigail Dalton survives the blast. Dalton and her family are transported to a safe house in the countryside, but Shagan is one step ahead. The series reaches a head when Abigail’s daughter, Sylvie, kills Shagan in an act of self-defence.
While Dalton is eventually reinstated as PM, she decides to call a general election, putting the vote to the people to decide her future as prime minister.
Netflix’s Hostage is very much intended to be a limited, 5-episode series. It tells a complete story, leaving no major loose ends. It was written with the intention of being a one-and-done, so no, there will not be another season. While there have been a few isolated cases where limited series have been renewed, this is highly unlikely to be one of them.
Watch Hostage on Netflix if you enjoy:
- The Capture
- Luther
- The Night Agent
- Treason
Hostage is now streaming on Netflix.
Rating: TV-MA
