Drama
The Acolyte
The Acolyte takes Star Wars fans into a time when the Empire didn’t exist. But that doesn’t make everything rosy—in that galaxy or on this show.
“Do not get on that plane,” Sam’s ex-wife texts.
He should have listened.
Sam Nelson boarded the plane for what would seem to be honorable reasons. He was flying from Dubai to London to reconnect with Marsha, his ex-wife. But on his flight, something feels fishy. Maybe it’s just nerves. But then again, why are those strange men whispering? What was that about a “five-minute warning?” And why do only some passengers have a special washbag?
“Everybody down!”
Sam’s suspicions are confirmed. What he expected to be a peaceful, seven-hour flight turns into a fight for survival when a group of hijackers usurp Flight KA29.
But Sam is not interested in dying today. He will do whatever it takes to land in London with the 200 other passengers. He will do whatever it takes to see his family again.
And it seems some people back at mission control feel the same way. In Dubai, despite reassurance from the captain, flight controller Abdullah suspects foul play. And in London, an airline employee named Alice, insists on further investigation.
Based on what they find, it seems this hijacking isn’t sequestered to the skies. Something much bigger is going on here.
As the title suggests, the driving plot force here is a hijacking. As such, plenty of violent and potentially triggering scenes occur. On the flight, men, women and children are threatened with guns, and both men and women are the victims of physical violence. Hijack does an excellent job of drawing its viewer into the action, but sometimes this attachment can make the show feel a little too realistic.
While Sam’s primary focus is this predicament on the plane, he’s also considering his reunion with his ex-wife. Marsha has a new boyfriend who regularly spends the night. While she seems quite content with this new relationship, Sam supposedly still loves Marsha and is not willing to move on.
And of course, families will want to consider the harsh profanity in Hijack. Characters regularly use the f-word and misuse God’s name. And often, these expletives amplify the show’s other content issues.
Hijack’s fascinating story might keep some viewers on the edge of their seats. But its language and violence will have others bracing through the turbulent themes.
After hijackers take over his flight from Dubai to London, Sam has one goal: get home to his family.
Throughout the episode, characters threaten people with guns, including a scene where a man puts his weapon directly on a woman’s head. A man physically fights a woman. He chokes and punches her, and he later he hits her head with a metal water bottle. We see her face covered in blood after the fight. A teenage girl finds a bullet on the ground.
Sam is divorced, and his ex-wife, Marsha, is in a new relationship. On the flight, a woman reveals she is having an affair with a married man. Another character refers to the woman, saying she has a “sugar daddy.” An apparently undressed couple lies in bed together, but nothing critical is shown. Characters kiss throughout the episode.
Characters use harsh profanity, including nine uses of the f-word, one use of the s-word and several misuses of God’s name. One character uses a crass term for testicles.
A man offers an older woman medicine to help with her flight anxiety, and people mention champagne. In London, a character mentions that the police might pull him over due to his race, and in Dubai, women are seen wearing hijabs. Men on the plane plan to overtake the hijackers by attacking anyone who looks Arab.
After claiming that he plans to help the hijackers, Sam covertly works with another passenger to inform the outside world of their dire situation.
Characters fight, and we see someone get punched and choked. Later, we see two passengers tied up and gagged. The hijackers threaten people with guns, and at one point, we hear a gun go off. A man suffers a large cut in his arm, and we also see a woman’s face covered in blood. Characters mention terrorism and 9/11. In one scene, we see the bodies of people who have been killed, and we also see a character get shot. In both of these instances, blood is shown.
Plenty of profanity is used, including 11 uses of the f-word, two uses of the s-word, one use of “bulls—” and one crude use of Jesus’ name.
In one scene, a man who is in a relationship calls his ex-girlfriend. In another, men exchange a religious greeting.
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