Episode 921 - Hostage Review




"Hostage" Review

Written by Scarlett

DISCLAIMER - Please remember that this review does not represent the opinions/viewpoints of everyone; it is the personal opinions of the reviewer only. Thank you.

Hostage felt like iconic Smallville again. Clark Kent's relationship with his parents has always been the heart of the show, and the scenes between Martha Kent (Annette O'Toole) and Clark Kent (Tom Welling) were the highlight of the episode. Even though there were gaping holes in the storyline, Hostage did a good job in setting up the season finale. And, it was also nice to see the return of Michael McKean as Perry White. Both of these characters play an important role in Clark's life, and need to be at least recurring characters in season ten.

Tom's Performance: Tom portrays Clark Kent effortlessly in an understated, insightful manner. He makes it easy to believe in this fictional character. Tom displayed kindness, compassion, and a quiet strength emanated in all of his scenes.

The Good:

Clark Kent: Clark was selfless and heroic, and acted very much like Superman. Kudos for Clark figuring out his mother was the Red Queen! Superman inspires others to be "heroes", and Clark's influence has impacted Martha, Perry, Chloe, and Lois. Clark (either as himself or as the BLUR), has helped them to find a purpose in their lives. This is pure Superman, and it was great for this acknowledgement.

Clark and Martha Kent: The scenes between them were the highlight of the episode for this Clark fan. There is genuine warmth between these actors, and as a result, their scenes together are very believable and heartfelt. Martha understands Clark better than anyone, and this show has suffered from Clark not having a close ally he can talk to and share his feelings. Hopefully, Martha will return in season ten. Annette O'Toole was excellent as Martha. It was great that she told Clark she was proud of what he had been doing to help his fellow Kryptonians.

Clark and Perry White: There needed to be more scenes between them but their one scene together did speak volumes. Their meeting years earlier had obviously changed Perry's life. Perry no longer drank, and he was focused on his journalism career. It was a nice gesture for Perry to discuss his feelings about Martha with Clark. Martha's happiness is Clark's priority, and it's clear he understand his Mother, just as she understands him. But, Clark should have been at the Daily Planet, when Perry helped him get his job back.

Superman/Mythos References: Perry White exclaimed: "Great Caesar's Ghost"; Lois called Perry "Chief"; and Perry helped Clark and Lois regain their jobs from pal Franklin Stern.

Continuity: The references to Jonathan Kent were heartwarming and essential. It was particularly bittersweet when Perry entered the Kent farm wearing Jonathan's coat. Perry mentioned the fact that he owed Clark a favor. Martha explained why she had not come home earlier. And, Perry mentioned the earlier engagement announcement for Clark and Lois.

Perry and Lois: Their scenes together were enjoyable, although a little long. Perry referred to Clark and Lois working together as "Woodward and Bernstein". It was interesting that Lois helped pull Perry to safety, which mirrored Clark's earlier heroic deed. However, it was a little unrealistic that Lois could pull a heavyset man to safety in this manner.

Mixed Reactions:

Clark and Lois: It wouldn't be Smallville if there was no relationship angst. However, Clark handled the situation with maturity and understanding, giving Lois the space she needs.

Clark and Chloe: The "real" Chloe was back, and she finally apologized to Clark. Their friendship has been an enjoyable part of the show for years, but this scene should have taken place earlier in the season. Yes, Clark does need close friends in his life. However, Superman does NOT need "Watchtower". Yes, he does team up with the Justice League at times, but most of the time he is a solo hero. And, Smallville is about Clark Kent, not the Justice League.

Protecting Loved Ones: How far should someone go to protect the person he or she loves? That seemed to be the message of "Hostage", although no real answer was given. All of the characters were motivated by this same desire to some extent. Of course, our hero Clark Kent has to lie to protect his loved ones on a daily basis. But, how far should others go to try to protect Clark? Is it the same thing? Is it okay to go behind Clark's back in order to "protect him"? And, does this really help Clark or hinder him from being the Earth's savior?

The Bad:

Lois Breaking up with Clark over Dinner: While it's understandable that Lois needs some time for herself, it's not okay for her to ruin a Kent family dinner to announce her plans. It had been a long time since Martha and Clark had a family dinner, and Martha was kind enough to invite Lois. It was disrespectful and extremely rude for Lois to disrupt the Kent family dinner in this manner. It would have been better for her to decline the invitation instead.

Tess as "Punching Bag": It has become painfully obvious (no pun intended) that the writers don't know what to do with Tess. She switches sides often, and almost every character on the show has shoved her, hit her, kicked her, or tortured her in some way. Either give Tess a role, or write her out of the show. Either way, there has been enough violence against her. Cassidy Freeman deserves better than this. The Tess, Oliver, and Maxwell Lord scenes lasted too long and were boring. Again, Oliver was not needed.

Plotholes: How did Tess get the Book of Rao? Did she steal it, after tapping into Watchtower? How did Martha know the Book of Rao would banish all Kryptonians from Earth? How did Lois get a photo of Book of Rao and know its name? When did Lois become interested in journalism at her old high school? How did Lois have a direct line to Checkmate on her cell phone?

My Rating? I give Hostage 4 out of 5 stars, mostly for Clark's Supermanly behavior, and the Clark and Martha scenes.

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