Kidnap and Ransom

Although not intended as such the incompetence of the lead actor as a negotiator is so overwhelming I could only laugh. Whilst taking himself so serious he makes moronic decision after moronic decision making each situation worse and causing damage and tragedy left and right. The law enforcement agencies he engages with are equally incompetent and ill equipped to deal with any thing at all. Saving grace is some nice scenery.

Disagree with the top review and the filmography, needless camera angle switches 3 angles to watch him do anything. Dizziying and distracting like a College student was filming it. I get its a few years older but not a fan (includes action movies) trying quick camera BS. The rest is great so far.

Dominic King is sent in to dangerous situations, when only the best hostage negotiator will do.

This is a series that grows on you, I spend the whole of the first episode moaning about how Waking the Dead had been axed, and how Trevor Eve was being wasted in this show, by episode two, I had forgotten that, and become engrossed in the story.

It's perhaps a little guilty of being a one trick pony in parts, they seem to force the kidnap and ransom scenario into the plot a few times, but it helps keep the show interesting.

Three episodes per series is about right, it allows it to progress at a nice pace, it looks great, the location work is superb, it's superbly acted, and gives you lots of twists and turns.

I'm glad they didn't try and run it for too long, the format is very limited, but both series are worth watching. 7/10.

No doubt about the theme of this series as the title tells you all you need to know about the subject matter. There were just two series of three episodes each and both are excellent. Trevor Eve, who first came to my attention as Eddie Shoestring over forty years ago, plays a hostage negotiator in a very calm and controlled manner, he is great in the role and incidentally, his real life wife, Sharon Maughan, has a small part in the first series as an executive in a pharma company. The first series is set in South Africa and the second India, making for plenty of exotic location shots. The story's are fast paced with twists along the way. A great watch, a pity they stopped after six episodes.

I do agree one or two parts are on the far-fetched side, and the ending could have been more. But Kidnap and Ransom made for quite gripping television and I was really impressed.

Visually it is very striking, not just the photography which is skillful and the lighting which adds to the atmosphere but also the locations which are well chosen and used to great effect. The story is well paced and very gripping with some suitably tense moments, there is a cracking script and good direction.

The acting also impresses, Trevor Eve is excellent in the lead as is John Hannah as the main villain. Emma Fielding is also smashing, evoking genuine emotion when she needed to. The characters are credible too, there is the odd cliché here and there, but with the writing and acting as good as they are I actually didn't mind.

Overall, a very gripping, interesting and well-acted series drama and definitely worth it. 8/10 Bethany Cox