Monday, August 28, 2023 3:33 pmSunday, August 27, 20233 Comments

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The Apple TV+ show “Hijack” is the latest and biggest example of a streamer leaning on an A-list star for a throwback series that prioritizes pulp thrills over prestige; i.e. “mid-TV.”

Executive producer Idris Elba stars in “Hijack,” the upcoming thriller set to debut June 28, 2023 on Apple TV+.

Told in real time, “Hijack” is a tense thriller that follows the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers. Elba will star as Sam Nelson, an accomplished negotiator in the business world who needs to step up and use all his guile to try and save the lives of the passengers — but, his high-risk strategy could be his undoing. Panjabi will play the role of Zahra Gahfoor, a counterterrorism officer who is on the ground when the plane is hijacked and becomes part of the investigation. The series also stars Christine Adams, Max Beesley, Eve Myles, Neil Maskell, Jasper Britton, Harry Michell, Aimée Kelly, Mohamed Elsandel and Ben Miles.

Jake Kring-Schreifels for GQ:

When Succession ended its four-season run in May, fans of the HBO drama felt a bit like Kendall Roy: depressed, distraught, lost. The prestigious show about petulant people had seized the monocultural moment (on Twitter, at the very least) and left a glaring question: What would fill its void?

Enter: Hijack, the seven-episode Apple TV+ series, which debuted at the end of June and quickly became the latest form of addicting television. It stars Idris Elba as Sam Nelson, an expert corporate negotiator who must use his particular set of verbal skills when his seven-hour flight from Dubai to London gets hijacked. As the series unfolds, it toggles between the tense chaos up in the air and government officials on the ground, racing to prevent a massive tragedy from occurring. In direct contradiction to the platform’s niche and highbrow lineup, Hijack revels in its half-brained caricatures, ticking-clock melodrama, and cliffhanger plot twists. In effect, the throwback “what would you do?” thriller turned into the improbable show of the summer.

[S]treamers have admitted interest in producing more “second-screen” content, creating a sort-of ambient television experience. As reported recently in The New Yorker, “network notes now request that shows be less engaging so that distracted audiences won’t lose track of the plot and turn them off.” Breaking out within the watch-at-home landscape has proven to be a daunting challenge.

But Hijack seemed to find a middle ground and cut through the clutter.

MacDailyNews Take: If you haven’t yet seen “Hijack,” here’s Apple’s trailer:

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