Caught (2023 TV series)

Caught (stylised as C*A*U*G*H*T) is an Australian television hostage comedy series for Stan, released on 28 September 2023. Produced and directed by Kick Gurry, the series follows four Australian soldiers trapped after a secret mission to Behati-Prinsloo, mistaken for Americans spies with no way home after their government abandons them, who take it upon themselves to make the ultimate hostage video for the public.

Plot
Four Australian soldiers Rowdy (Ben O'Toole), Dylan (Kick Gurry), Albahnis (Lincoln Younes) and Phil Choi (Alexander England) are trapped during a secret mission to war-torn Behati-Prinsloo are captured by the island's Director Bustard (Fayssal Bazzi) and are mistaken for enemy spies, when they realise the government has no interest in saving them, who take it upon themselves to create the ultimate hostage video for the public. With the media back home in Australia watching every single video, the boys realise that this may have been the best thing to have happened to them.

Cast
The cast for the series was announced 29 September 2022.


 * Ben O'Toole as Rowdy Gaines
 * Kick Gurry as Dylan Fox
 * Alexander England as Phil Choi
 * Lincoln Younes as Albahnis
 * Fayssal Bazzi as Director Bustard
 * Rebecca Breeds as Josie Justice
 * Bella Healthcote as Jemima Justice
 * Matthew Fox as Lieutenant Pete
 * Bryan Brown as Warren Whistle
 * Erik Thomson as Colonel Bishop

American actor and director Sean Penn and Australian breakfast television hosts of Nine Network's Today program Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon make cameo appearances as themselves in the series. The series also includes cameo appearances from Susan Sarandon as Alaska Adams, Silvia Colloca as Princess Depinder and Travis Fimmel as The Dingo.

Production
The series was filmed in different locations around Sydney and at Fox Studios.

Reception
ITVX in the UK had secured the rights for C*A*U*G*H*T in 2023 but before it was set to be released in the UK it had been delayed by ITVX. C*A*U*G*H*T aired from 13 June 2024.

The series was pulled from international release In October 2023 due to sensitivities around the Israel–Hamas war, as it was due to be shown at MIPCOM.

David Knox of TV Tonight gave the series 3 out of 5 stars. Stephen Russell of ScreenHub gave the series 2 out of 5 stars, Russell criticized the subplots and the stereotypes that were present.