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Hostages, Wednesday 8:30pm on Nine

Simeon takes a first look at new suspense drama Hostages, starring Toni Collette

Much as expected, this spring brought the end of some favourite TV
Series (Goodbye, Breaking Bad!) and the beginning of some new. And although it
is not likely that all of the new series are going to be worth watching, I
always try to give them equal chance to impress me. Thus I watched the Pilot of
‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’ and I was captivated by everything. However, I
decided not to neglect the other new series – ‘Hostages’, and I think that the
show have the potential to become a blockbuster, although there are some weak
moments in the production.

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To acquaint you with the show, here are the most important things of
the plot: Dr. Ellen Sanders (Toni Collette) is a famous thoracic surgeon chosen
to operate on the USA President. She seems to have the perfect life – good job,
a living husband and two nice children. The problem is that someone doesn’t
want the President to live – FBI Special Agent Duncan Carlisle leads a team
that keeps the Sanders as hostages as a part of a conspiracy that may cost the
President’s life. Everything seems simple – Dr Sanders fails the operation and
the President dies – her family lives; she refuses to obey and saves the
President – her family dies. However, things are actually not so simple when
Agent Carlisle and his team start dig up the personal life of the Sanders and
we see that not everything is as perfect as it looks and everyone keeps his own
unpleasant secret. So the question is will Dr Sanders remain true to her
principles and save the President, or will she sacrifice him for the lives of
her family?

 Toni Collette
Toni Collette

I will tell you about the things I didn’t like first, because they
are less than what I loved about the show. First of all, I don’t like the so
strictly specific frame in which the plot will develop – everything is focused
on the president. As long as he is sick, the show will be on, if he dies or
gets well, the show’s over. In other words, I don’t see how there could be a
second season – unless the President dies and the new President has the same
health condition. Another thing I don’t like is the motive of Agent Carlisle –
he has an ill wife and her health depends on the success of his mission. Having
this in mind, I can imagine how the episodes will look like – Agent Carlisle,
driven by his personal motives, will make everything to convince Dr Sanders to
kill the President. She, on the other hand, will always find ways to postpone
the surgery till she finds a way to save both her family and the president.
What is left a mystery are their exact moves and actions – that’s what we are
going to see.

Now, why I think the series is worth watching. First of all, I love
the selection of actors. Toni Collette in the role of Dr Sanders is one of the
best modern Australian actresses – we remember her from ‘The Sixth Sense’ with
Bruce Willis (she got an Academy Award for her role there) and now she is as
perfect as always. I loved her playing in the Pilot and I am sure she won’t
disappoint us in the next episodes. Then there is Dylan McDermott, who had a
secondary role in the first season of ‘American Horror Story’ – there he played
one of the homosexual partners who lived in the house before the Harmons. I
like him very much as an actor – he really plays his roles with devotion and
that’s why he is so good. The others of the crew also suit their characters –
the secretive daughter and the mysterious son, the husband that keeps secrets
and the trained crew specialists under the command of Agent Carlisle, and, of
course, the dignified USA President – they all fit remarkably well.

 Toni Collette & Dylan McDermott
Toni Collette & Dylan McDermott

Another thing I like about the series is the suspense. I really love
shows with high levels of tension, where the good have to be bad and those who
are really bad make it worse for everyone else. In other words, the stress
under which we see the main characters will face them with serious moral
dilemmas – dilemmas that are as old as the world. The show really has a sense
and we will expect to see whether Dr Sanders will do what she is required to in
order to save her family or will decide to obey her Hippocratic Oath. Of
course, another possible outcome may be a resignation from Agent Carlisle – he
may understand that this is not the way to achieve what he wants and to decide
to give up. Well, I guess we will have to watch the series to find out!

To cut a long story short, although ‘Hostages’ has a few drawbacks,
the plot gives some space for more thriller and suspense and eventually – some
unexpected development. The crew is superb and Toni Collette is at her best, so
we can expect to see even better future episodes. I think the show has the
potential to become something really good and will give it a chance – I
recommend you try it out, too – you may find something you like in it!

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Kevin Perry
Kevin Perryhttps://tvblackbox.com.au/author-kevin-perry/
Senior Editor and Co-Owner of the TV Blackbox website, Kevin Perry is an experienced media commentator focused on TV Production, Consumer Tech, SVOD & Sports Broadcasting. Media enquiries please Call or Text 0428-275-111
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