Smallville Hostage (2001–2011) watch online HD

With an opening theme like Save Me this episode title definitely means something deeper. Lois, Clark & The Blur. What a complex triangleship ! But Jordan Hawley and Anne Cofell Saunders did a great job at portraying these characters. The first worked on Rabid and Disciple. They're definitely not my favorite episodes but I still remember some of their emotional and inspiring scenes. The second gave birth to Idol, with the help of the head writer of course, but also wrote the hilarious Persuasion. I didn't know that before watching Hostage but now I'm done with it I'm not surprised at all. Indeed even if it wasn't funny Hawley and Saunders succeeded in developing a refreshing story but also all the arcs we had to follow so far, from the Red Queen to our two love birds crisis.

Smallville is a fairytale. If you pay attention there's always plenty of knowledge to acquire from it. The morality can be superficial at times but maybe it's only a reflection of the protagonists doubts. Having issues and dealing with them is part of life. What's the meaning of life ? It's a question Lois had to think about all along this installment. When Charade was an obvious sequel to Idol this one focused more on the philosophy of it. Remember her psychological therapy ? Well this time it was completely different. Indeed they finally decided to grant my wish and brought mature characters to the show. As mentioned in my Absolute Justice episode review I've always missed the good old days when Clark used to talk with his father and mother. He had so much to learn from their experience. The Martian Manhunter wasn't back but instead we had the most unexpected and welcome guest stars ever. I hadn't seen the previews so I didn't know what to expect so at times it's a good thing not to be too curious. Moreover their scenes were full of nostalgic memories and some of them were brilliantly directed. The performers also did an excellent job.

I don't dig the whole Book mumbo jumbo because I think such a metaphora is a bit too literal. I prefer the more spiritual approach of Jor-El. But they finally found a way to give it some sense. Indeed Clark learned more about it and what using it could mean for him and his kind. It should remind you of the Pandora box. What will happen once someone speaks its words ? We had a first element of answer but we'll have to wait for the finale to know what it's all about. Beside the recurring Zod arc Hostage found also a few minutes to feature Chloe. And what a part ! Allison Mack gave a very convincing performance and should make her character grow on you even more. After what happened in Sacrifice she had to redefine her role. Who is she for Clark and her friends ? Can a mere mortal like her, even very smart, make a difference ? And what about the Watch Tower ? Her dialogs sounded like words exchanged with a long time friend. It even becomes captivating when you hear Sullivan using lines you have written or told. Describing her as Big Sister in my Conspiracy episode review was obviously a reference to the Big Brother conspiracy but it was also a twisted pun on BioShock. That's why I'm glad Chloe is such a beautiful and sweet person and an ugly little creepy creature. Of course she has been in the shadow of Lois & Clark from time to time but in the end I think she did her part in season 9. I was expecting her to slowly disappear but instead she kept glowing and sparkling like a shining star, to guide the steps of her Family.

To sum things up Hostage was an excellent way to introduce the finale. I expect all these arcs to finally collide for a mesmerizing and apocalyptic fireworks. Moreover a note left to Lois should definitely intrigue you. Now let's hope they won't repeat Doomsday's mistake and try to amaze us with short action scenes and budget killer visual effects. Smallville doesn't need these superficial musical notes because Hostage proved again that empathic characters and an inspiring story are enough. Spice it up with investigation elements involving Lois and you know who and you get one of the strongest and most rewatchable episode ever.

After leaving 3 years earlier, Annette O'Toole returns to Smallville as Martha Kent. This episode helped remind me of something that had been lost since her departure. If you've ever heard interviews with show creators Gough and Millar, they've always said that the show was built around the Kents, and the idea that Superman became who he was because of his parents. What Smallville added to that was Clark's need for an emotional connection to someone who he doesn't have to hide his powers from. Season 7 tried to fill that void with Kara, but she was too often the one needing support. Season 8 had a brief return of Lana, but her exit from the show was long overdue. Chloe has always been there, but her relationship to Clark has always been more professional. To write Clark's character realistically, you need to give him some problems to deal with, but without someone for him to look up to and get advice from, Clark tends to come across as whiny. I don't want to imply that the show couldn't work without Martha and Jonathan. This episode just helped remind me of a strong presence that had been missing.

The other story in this episode involves Michael McKean's long overdue return in the role of Perry White. Although he plays the character very different from the comic version, he brings so much enthusiasm to the role, and I loved his first episode. In "Hostage" we get to see him and Lois one step closer to the comics, with them working together on a story. Perry even utters his most famous line.

**SPOILER**

My one complaint would be putting Martha in the role of the Red Queen. It was a little bit over the top. At the same time, it's not completely unbelievable. I always found it hard to believe that Martha would be so far removed from Clark's life for 3 years after being so incredibly protective for close to 20 years, so it's at least plausible to have her assume that kind of role. Thankfully this episode improves on, and brings the boring Checkmate story close to an end. Of all the DC comics characters or organizations that Smallville brought in over 10 seasons, this was by far the worst execution.

Smallville occasionally tends to lose momentum leading into the finale. In seasons past, there have been far too many times when pointless filler episodes are put back to back with overly complex plots. Between the previous episode "Sacrifice", and this one "Hostage", the show reached a good balance of character development and story progression, while ditching most of the filler entertainment.