SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for American Hostage Season 1, Episode 5.
American Hostage Season 1, Episode 5 is a prime example of “hurry up and wait.” The MGM+ show, faced with the later hours of its titular crisis, fills an episode by highlighting how all the characters are running on fumes—even the ones who aren’t anywhere near Tony Kiritsis’ apartment. It’s more of a character study than anything else.
“WIBC Mystery Science Theater” begins with John Ruckelshaus (executive producer Adam Arkin nailing his one scene) picking up the paperwork for the immunity agreement that Tony wanted. But when Tony leaves the envelope on the floor without touching it, the audience knows something is wrong. The rest of the hour revolves around everybody else waiting for Tony to sign paperwork he hasn’t even looked at. When Fred Heckman catches on to the truth—that the documents are fake, intended to lull Tony into surrendering—it’s not a huge shock because viewers have guessed that long ago.
Instead of plot twists, American Hostage serves up various character pairings. Fred is in another apartment with FBI agent Cormac McNally, the two of them arguing, both about the situation and their handling of the apartment’s heater (not knowing the police chief has ordered the heat in the whole building ratcheted up). Tony stages a histrionic mock trial with himself as judge and prosecutor, in front of a bewildered Dick Hall. Fred’s colleagues Ben and Libby trade career stories. And Ibby Hall reaches out to Barbara Heckman, resulting in one of Mireille Enos’ favorite scenes.
These mini-narratives have varying degrees of success. Actors Jon Hamm and Jonathan Tucker provide some welcome comic relief as Fred and McNally bicker while they try to turn off the heater. After seeing Hamm so crushingly serious, it’s nice to go the complete opposite direction and be reminded how funny he is. It’s also interesting to see Ibby and Barbara bond, with Barbara revealing an important piece of backstory that connects back to Episode 4: the reason she cares so much about her rose bush is because she planted it in memory of her and Fred’s late daughter Patricia. Watching her attack her neighbor’s fence is satisfying.
On the flip side, Ben and Libby’s conversations feel more like a way to give them something to do while also fleshing out their backstories. And Tony’s would-be trial gets tedious when he starts reading out every individual grievance he has with the Hall family. Giovanni Ribisi‘s performance can only make those index cards so interesting. By the time Fred confronts the relevant parties about misleading Tony, the audience has already been waiting for the script to get there.
Episode 5 is not the best hour of American Hostage, but that’s because it’s more about adding details to the characters more than anything else. The previous slower episodes still had plot momentum. “WIBC Mystery Science Theater” doesn’t. It’s separate stories held together under one umbrella. That doesn’t make it less entertaining, yet the audience knows that the best is yet to come.
American Hostage airs Fridays at 10:00 p.m. on MGM+. Photo Credit: Steven Ackerman/MGM+/Sony Pictures Television.
Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.
