"Hostages" Premieres Monday Night On CBS

MIAMI (CBS) - "Hostages" stars Oscar-nominated Toni Collette as Dr. Ellen Sanders, a surgeon whose family is held captive in their home by a rogue FBI agent played by Dylan McDermott.

"Hostages" is the story of an American family that gets thrust into the middle of a big political conspiracy in an attempt to assassinate the president, according to the show's executive producers Jeffrey Nachmanoff and Rick Eid.

When Sanders chooses to operate on the president her family is taken hostage by McDermott's character Agent Duncan Carlisle, who threatens to kill them if she doesn't help them assassinate the president.

"It's a very big wake up call," said Collette.

"He's doing something which we can't reveal for a good reason but he is definitely doing bad things," said McDermott.

When presented with the extraordinary situation, Sanders relies on aspects of her personality and character which she never knew existed.

"Yeah, I can see how Duncan might think that Ellen was initially a bit of a push over, someone that he could easily manipulate," said Collette.

"The essence of the series is really her and I going at each other and sort of topping each other in many ways," said McDermott.

"Each week you see these two very similar people actually at odds with each other, trying to outwit each other, manipulate each other, hide things from each other and it's really intriguing to watch," said Collette.

"Hostages" premieres Monday night at 10 p.m.