Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Harrowing true stories are violent and sensational.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Hostage Rescue
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
HOSTAGE RESCUE is a docuseries that tells the true stories of people around the world who were once taken hostage, and of those who risked their lives to save them. Firsthand accounts of what happened, along with archive footage and dramatic reenactments, give details about the way people were unwillingly detained, how they survived captivity, and what led to their release. The work of local SWAT teams, U.S. government agencies, and military operatives that went into rescuing them is also highlighted.
Is It Any Good?
The sanitized true crime series shares harrowing details about hostage ordeals from the points of view of the survivors and their rescuers. Despite the different narratives it presents, Hostage Rescue highlights the similar fears and the sense of helplessness detainees feel regardless of their specific circumstances. It also notes the different ways hostages were able to muster enough courage to endure and survive. Meanwhile, rescuers talk about the strategies they used to safely release them, and the pride they feel about being successful. Viewers might be familiar with some of these stories, but this doesn't make these accounts any less distressing. Granted, Hostage Rescue chronicles these events in a way that's intended to entertain, giving it a sensational edge. Nonetheless, it does a decent job of underscoring how often kidnapping and hostage-taking isn't as rare as one would think.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the difference between media outlets reporting events vs. sensationalizing them for entertainment purposes. Why is it important to recognize and understand the difference?
What do the people taken captive in Hostage Rescue all have in common? Why is this important?
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 15, 2024
- Network: CW
- Genre: Reality TV
- Character Strengths: Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: May 31, 2024
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