Viewers Praise New Netflix Thriller: 'Best Limited Series Since Adolescence'

Netflix has just released a new British political thriller miniseries called Hostage, starring Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy as the British Prime Minister and the French President. The show premiered on August 21, 2025, and fans have already taken to social media to praise it.

Hostage centers around an international summit between Britain and France that goes terribly wrong. The Prime Minister’s husband is kidnapped while the French President faces a blackmail scheme.

Suranne Jones plays Abigail Dalton, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and MP for Oldham, who previously worked as junior Foreign Minister.

Julie Delpy stars as Vivienne Toussaint, the President of France running for re-election. Corey Mylchreest appears as Matheo Lewis, Toussaint’s activist stepson, while Lucian Msamati plays Kofi Adomako, the Downing Street Chief of Staff.

The British Prime Minister (Suranne Jones) is forced to choose between her country and her family when her husband is taken hostage.

HOSTAGE, a new action-packed political thriller, comes to Netflix 21 August. pic.twitter.com/6h3i0BqmLQ
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) July 14, 2025

The story also features Ashley Thomas as Alex Anderson, the kidnapped husband and a member of Doctors Without Borders. James Cosmo appears as Max Dalton, Abigail’s terminally ill father.

Other key characters include Jehnny Beth as Adrienne Pelletier, the Secretary-General of the President’s Office, and Martin McCann as John Shagan, the leader of the kidnappers. The series also explores the political and personal pressures faced by Abigail Dalton through her teenage daughter Sylvie, played by Isobel Akuwudike.

The series was written by Matt Charman and produced by Netflix in collaboration with Binocular Productions. Filming started in March 2024 under the working title The Choice and took place in the UK and on La Palma in the Canary Islands. The final title, Hostage, was announced in January 2025.

Fans have been quick to express their excitement about the show. They have praised the writing, the acting, and the high-stakes political drama, saying that it is one of the best British Netflix series in recent years.

Many viewers highlighted the tension and suspense, as well as the strong performances of Jones and Delpy, as standout elements that make the series so engaging.