Hey Sarah! Thanks for the suggestions on S4 Bones episodes to catch up on. I figured a lot had to happen with Hodgins, as I heard bits and pieces about him and Angela “breaking up”, and whatnot. I honestly intended on watching S4 when it aired, if for no other reason than Brendan Fehr had a starring role (he was a fave of mine from Roswell, and he’s also from my little Canadian hometown!). Anyway, I might end up buying the DVDs if I can find them on sale anytime soon, and catching up that way.

Jacob, hahaha. “(God sent a bicycle race to cut off Barasa after all)” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, universe! Hahaha. Thanks for this, my first real laugh of the day. And good point about Daisy working as a foil for other characters.

Kimber, you could always check out the reviews for last year on here! I think you might like season four, some, at least. There is some pretty good Hodgins character development, as he has to deal with both Angela and Zack out of his life, and it’s good to see that. If you are picking and choosing season four episodes to catch up on, I personally LOVE Fire in the Ice. Conman in the MethLab is good too, if only Booth gets very, very, very fierce, on Brennan no less. Passenger in the Oven is fun too, if you can excuse the very very end of the episode. I also liked Science in the Physicist and Mayhem on the Cross is worth watching, because Gordon Gordon Wyatt is in it. I guess I would say the whole season is worth a watch, at least once, but if you don’t have the time for that; those are probably my favorite episodes (although I know not everyone would agree with me).

Patty: I know you had mentioned (here, I think) that you were thinking of giving Bones another run through from start to finish, and I just cannot recommend that highly enough. And I agree with you (and Kimber) about The Man in the Fallout Shelter, It’s so great, and I still cry when Brennan opens her gifts at the end, and when Booth invites her to Wong Foos. Booth was in his boxers THEN too (and doing pull ups, no less), which is a Christmas BONES theme I can get behind. Hopefully it won’t be another four years before we see that again, haha.

Sarah: Haha, I totally agree. I was like, “Um, Hodgins…don’t put that in your mouth. Don’t put anything that’s in the lab in your mouth.” There has to be another way to test the substance, haha.

I enjoyed last night’s episode and even remembered not to be eating when Santa blew up.

I almost always find Zooey annoying so nothing new there. I did like that they used her to make a point about family and Christmas.

I loved the squints (except the whole Daisy/Sweets exchange because really? Gag me) and B&B were GREAT! Hodgins “where is your chest hair?” Brilliant!

My favourite Christmas episode has got to be The Man in the Fallout Shelter. As if the fact of Hodgins in a towel isn’t great enough … there’s the “festive non-lesbian manner”, the eggnog conversation, Booth high on drugs, and the sweet gift exchange. Oh, and the case! I really liked that case, and it still makes me cry when I watch.

This episode was good, though, and I liked Zooey as Margaret. She seemed slightly off-balance, like I think Brennan is – so that was a nice touch. I hadn’t really seen any previews, or read spoilers – so other the fact that she was on, I didn’t know much. It was all new to me, so it worked. And the ending with all of the wrap-ups, the sweetness, the tears … it was great.

Speaking of Angela and Hodgins … they’re still my true ship, so I am certain they’re destined to be together, and I hope it happens in the end! For now … they’re cute flirting!

I liked Zooey Deschanel in this. She’s like an English Lit version of Brennan. They gave Bones the higher ground when she knocks Margaret off her Franklin habit, with admittedly a sweet line of wanting to hear what she has to say. And Booth goes one beyond, saying family isn’t who you like but who you still gather with regardless. And don’t think they slipped the Deschanel song past me either.

Due to television ergonomics (only once did this formula fail, with the Amish episode), I was curious about the witness when she actually had a scene inside the lab. I was surprised when the taxi driver was in on it too, but then I thought he was dead until he was mentioned again.

Hodgins and Angela and getting sad. Sad emotionally, and sad uncomfortably. Yes, we get it, they had something, they lost it over some stupid reasons right after they were supposedly “perfect” for each other (God sent a bicycle race to cut off Barasa after all), and now they get puppydog eyes remembering the good ole times. There’s already unresolved tension between B&B, I don’t think two helpings is worth the effort here. “Will they” or “won’t they” doesn’t even factor any more for me, it’s down too “just get back together already, geez”.

I may be judging this episode a little too harshly though. With all the pimping of Zooey’s presence early on, I was expecting way more. I even found myself worrying early on that she and Booth would hook up. Luckily that didn’t happen, but I didn’t really see much utilization of this amazing actress.

Okay, I just wrote a whole paragraph on how this was a lackluster episode given it was their 100th episode, then I realized that this wasn’t their 100th episode. I got my Zooey appearing on Bones and 100th episode spoilers momentarily confused. So, I definitely judged this episode too harshly while watching. I guess I’ll just have to watch it again. That said, I wish they would have either done more with Zooey’s character in this obvious one episode chance, or not put every frame of film with her in it online ahead of time.

Thank you for sticking around for this essentially pointless ramble.