Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy navigate a political minefield with flair in the tense thriller 'Hostage'

Since Friday, most viewers have been binge-watching “Beauty and the Bester” on Netflix. Aside from the massive interest around SA’s Bonnie and Clyde - Dr Nandipha Magudumana and Thabo Bester - the urgent court interdict to stop the three-part docuseries from airing only fuelled curiosity. 

The true-crime offering delves into Magudumana’s picture-perfect life, rubbing shoulders with Mzansi’s celebrities, and how it changed when her path crossed with Bester. 

The story, a shocking collision of love, manipulation and corruption, unfolds through courtroom footage and previously unseen investigative material. It culminates in a sensational incident that captivated global attention. 

Exclusive interviews with friends and family offer insights into the unsettling relationship between a respected doctor and her convicted criminal partner, Bester, as they try to comprehend their strange bond.

I’ve yet to watch it, but like the rest of South Africa, I can’t wait. 

Meanwhile, I enjoyed “Hostage”, a tense political thriller on the same streaming platform. 

If you were a fan of “House of Cards”, “Homeland”, “The Diplomat”, “Paradise”, “The Recruit” or “The Americans”, then watching this five-part series is a no-brainer. 

With a stellar cast and dexterous direction, the narrative skillfully navigates between politically charged, angst-ridden scenes and poignant, heartfelt moments. It masterfully explores the catch-22 situation that arises when the demands of work and family collide.

Set against the backdrop of an international summit where Abigail Dalton (Suranne Jones), the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, attempts to reach an agreement for medical aid with Vivienne Toussaint (Julie Delpy), the President of France.

Formidable women in their own right, they are fighting different battles to stay in power. 

Dalton is in the hot seat for failing the people, as the NHS is in desperate need of medicine. The situation snowballs into a media circus when a young boy becomes a casualty in the ongoing struggle. 

Meanwhile, Toussaint is looking to run for re-election and is being very calculated in what she does for fear of falling out of favour with her people. 

Toussaint is only willing to sign an agreement if Dalton agrees to French soldiers being posted on the UK border to help curb illegal migrant crossings. 

While at a stalemate over the terms, Dalton and Toussaint find themselves grappling with a major crisis when Dr Alex Anderson (Ashley Thomas), who is Dalton’s husband and a member of Doctors Without Borders, is kidnapped with a few other colleagues in French Guiana.

The demand is clear - Dalton must resign within 24 hours for the hostages to be released. Toussaint agrees to dispatch the French Foreign Legion to retrieve the hostages if Dalton agrees to her counterproposal. 

However, Toussaint is forced to cancel the extraction when she receives a blackmail video of her in a compromising position with her activist stepson, Matheo Lewis (Corey Mylchreest).

This leaves Dalton and Toussaint in a terrible predicament.

And so the British Prime Minister makes the tough call that she will not negotiate with terrorists, despite the concerns of her teenage daughter, Sylvie Jane Anderson (Isobel Akuwudike), while also making Toussaint’s extortion saga public. 

As such, the two women, while putting out personal and professional fires, ally to help one another. 

However, much is at stake as Dalton realises that a call she made many years ago has come back to haunt her. Even worse, there is a conspiracy in place from within to oust her.

“Hostage” is a fast-paced thriller, where conspiracy, corruption, terrorism, cover-ups and patriotism dovetail. 

Rating: *** solid and enjoyable, though not groundbreaking.