Hostages is an American drama television series that aired on CBS as part of the 2013–14 American television season. Developed for American television by Alon Aranya and Jeffrey Nachmanoff, it is based on the Israeli series of the same name created by Omri Givon and Rotem Shamir and produced by Chaim Sharir, which premiered on October 13, 2013, almost three weeks after the American version's premiere. Jeffrey Nachmanoff wrote and directed the pilot episode for the American version. The series premiered on September 23, 2013 and ended on January 6, 2014. On May 10, 2014, CBS announced the cancellation of Hostages after one season.
Plot
The family of a doctor is taken hostage by a team led by a rogue FBI agent the night before she is scheduled to perform surgery on the President of the United States. She is ordered by the kidnappers to assassinate the President during surgery in order to save her family.
Cast
Main
Toni Collette as Dr. Ellen Sanders, a well respected thoracic surgeon at the Maryland College Hospital in Washington who is chosen to operate on the President of the United States.
Dylan McDermott as FBI Special Agent Duncan Carlisle, leader of the team that takes the Sanders family hostage. His motivation is to help his sick wife Nina, who has leukemia.
Tate Donovan as Brian Sanders, husband of Ellen Sanders and the owner of a real estate firm in Washington. He is having an affair with his assistant, Samantha.
Mateus Ward as Jake Sanders, teenage son of Ellen and Brian Sanders, and younger than Morgan.
Billy Brown as Archer Petit, a member of the team that takes the Sanders family hostage. He and Duncan met 13 years ago after he was rescued from FARC guerrillas while working at the Colombian border.
Sandrine Holt as Sandrine Renault, a member of the team that takes the Sanders family hostage. She and Archer met while in Afghanistan.
Rhys Coiro as Kramer Delaney, a member of the team that takes the Sanders family hostage and Duncan's brother-in-law.
Paul Calderon as Secret Service Agent Stan Hoffman, a hardworking family man assigned to the joint FBI–Secret Service task force tasked with investigating the threat on the President's life.
The series received generally mixed reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 57% of 42 reviews were positive, with the consensus: "Hostages has an intriguing premise and handsome production values, but its twisty plot sometimes strains credulity." David Hinckley of the New YorkDaily News gave the show 4 out of 5 stars. Robert Bianco of USA Today awarded it 3 out of 4 stars.
