BONES Recap: ‘The Prince in the Plastic’
November 18, 2011 by Sarah Curtis
Hey, BONES fans! Did you have something like the Prince Charmington doll? I have to admit that sort of thing wasn’t my deal as a kid. I did have The Heart Family and a hand-me-down Barbie convertible, but that was about it. Most of the time, I was playing Uno or kick-ball in the yard. Or reading. Yes, I was mostly reading. I wouldn’t say that I didn’t have any of those kinds of toy experiences, but all in all, I suppose I was more like Brennan (though this poses an interesting point…Max and Christine Brennan were “all science-all the time”? Thoughts?!?), and I felt a tiny twinge when Cam, Daisy and Angela all declared that EVERYONE had a Prince Charmington doll. While none of us really did, I could certainly identify with Brennan NOT having had that alleged shared experience. But enough about toys, for now…let’s discuss this episode. Starting with…
THE CASE:
The Scene of the Crime: In this instance, the body is tossed in a local dump site. It was discovered by two former antique dealers turned-junk sorters. They think they might have the next treasure, but when the man falls on some plastic, he sees a dead body inside. This is not the actual scene of the victim’s death, however.
The Victim: Debra Cortez, a young and pretty creative executive for a toy company. She has good, successful ideas and seemingly no enemies — so who would want her killed? Or was it just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Her body was sealed in the plastic, alongside a Prince Charmington doll. When Brennan and her team examine the skeleton, it shows signs of a serious attack as well as past bone trauma, indicating possible child abuse.
Potential Suspects and Motives: Booth and Brennan go to the toy company and interview Bianca (played by Morgan Fairchild), the owner of the company. She points them toward Lawrence, Debra’s chief possible rival in the toy-idea department. He insists that while he may have been jealous of her success, he would never kill Debbie. He suggests that B&B find out who Debbie might have been seeing romantically. Meanwhile, because Debbie’s brother Rick was the one to report her missing, Booth questions him. And when skin tissue on Debbie’s body is revealed to belong to Brock Varback, the man who played Prince Charmington in commercials, Booth brings him in for questioning.
The Lab Results: Brennan examines Debbie’s skeleton while Daisy tries to reassemble Prince Charmington. At first, Brennan is not amused by Daisy’s predilection toward plastic toys, but Daisy convinces her that the examination is worthwhile. When Angela creates a possible scenario for Debbie’s death, Brennan asks her to reconfigure the skeletal portions — making it clear that Debbie wasn’t attacked repeatedly, but rather, she suffered one strong blow across both arms and her back. It crushed her and caused her to suffocate. Hodgins finds wool fibers on the victim’s body, and he matches it up with some corroded battery fluid. It lines up to be in the trunk of a Maserati — so it’s up to Booth to determine which of their suspects has one.
The Interrogation Room: Booth challenges Rick Cortez, asking him to explain how Debbie had so many injuries to her bones in her life. Rick tells him that she was in a plane crash with their parents, and only she survived. Rick was also a one-time security guard at the toy shop, and when the murder weapon is a garage door hitched open with a car jack, and he has a car jack in his trunk, Booth is suspicious. Rick also looks very guilty when he is discovered to be stealing toys from the toy store. Booth and Sweets also bring in Brock Vorback (in his prince costume), and he reveals that he and Debbie were lovers. He loved her; he would never kill her.
The Verdict: In the end, Bianca was too afraid of Debbie’s success, especially since the younger woman was attempting to leave the toy company. She closed the garage door, but Debbie tripped, and was struck by it. Bianca claims it was an accident, but Brennan points out that she also watched Debbie suffocate without getting her help — that was certainly not an accident. I don’t know if anyone necessarily suspected that it was Bianca, but I have to admit I was hoping she was the killer. If you have Morgan Fairchild on your show, and every week there IS a killer — she’s the killer, right? Right.
My Verdict: This is the third week in a row where the victim has been a female in her early 30s, and likewise, it seems each week’s victim is supposed to relate to Brennan personally in some way. I don’t need any more of THAT, but I also think that Debbie was the most tragic victim so far this season. In an episode that had so many non-case moments, I actually would have liked to have known more about her life. Considering she didn’t even make the title of the episode…well, that says a lot!
THE SQUINTS
There were two main squinty B-stories this week: Sweets trying to be certified with the FBI (and carry a gun), and Angela attempting to put together a toy for baby Michael to use as a walker (though he’s like what…five months old?!?). You all know that Daisy makes me NUTS, but I won’t deny that she didn’t make me laugh a few times, especially when she asked Booth for “permission to squint.” I just want her…away from Sweets and Brennan and mostly me. But her scenes with Booth were funny, and the scenes with Hodgins were surprisingly sweet. I liked Hodgins once again calling himself king of the lab, though I suppose he may have to resign the title since he could not put the baby toy together.
What are your thoughts on Sweets getting a gun? From a plot perspective, it makes sense — in terms of Sweets being in the field with Booth. But from a realistic perspective (FBI psychiatrists being in the field), not so much. It DID make me laugh that Sweets thought he could do something that would prevent Booth from getting a man cave. As if, Sweets. As if. Booth’s ability to keep Sweets from getting a gun far outweighs any pull Sweets might have in preventing Booth from the man-cave ownership. That is all.
BOOTH and BRENNAN
When I read the synopsis that Brennan would question her ability as a mother in this episode, I cringed. Brennan does not need to have some glorified realization about herself every week, right? Thankfully, this episode didn’t stray too far into that territory, and the questions Brennan had were mostly in character — though I still contend that Temperance Brennan would likely know everything and have researched everything there is to know about being a mother, etc. There is still this sense that rather than leaving the lab to experience the world outside of anthropology (what Brennan’s character was originally designed as doing), now, she’s very passive, and things are happening to her. Her experience is from a reactionary stance rather than her making things happen. That other characters are still set up to be the experts in the situations she is experiencing is frown-worthy, for me.
Having said that, I liked this episode a lot. I really liked the way Brennan worked in the lab and on the case. I liked the way Booth managed the case and also Sweets’ training. The episode started with a little B&B bickering over whether Sweets should have a gun, but thankfully the bickering mostly stopped there, and we didn’t have (or need) any apologies between the two of them.
Brennan discovering Nerf guns and bringing home two (and surprising Booth by shooting him) felt just right. So did her calling herself “Scarred face,” and Booth sort of correcting her, but her not caring. I had mentioned with the premiere that I wanted more evidence that B&B are in love, and I can say that this scene (and the one where they talked about the case on the couch) both qualify.
What I loved:
- Booth absolutely shutting Daisy down on their way to the crime scene when she suggested that once Sweets has a gun that Sweets, Daisy, Brennan and Booth can ALL be in the field together on some murder- solving double date. I loved Booth’s horror at that and the way he made it clear that would NEVER happen. Loved it!
- The “man to man” handshake from Booth to Sweets after Sweets passed his gun test in a “Goodish” sort of way.
- Booth and Brennan snuggling up on the couch at night. I especially loved that this was during a case and that though Booth first said he was fine, he quickly admitted he was upset about Debbie’s death. It was a good look into how he might have (in the past) acted like everything was cool, but now he admits to her when he’s sad about a case. I’m not explaining it perfectly, but I loved it.
What I’ll learn to live with:
- I still feel like there is a “clueless Brennan” (who must then always be reassured by Angela and/or Booth regarding human emotions or excused by them for her clueless rude comments) element, and it does and will always rub me the wrong way. The Prince Charmington Literal Play Voice is an example — but this episode was BY FAR the least offensive in this way so far this season, and Booth and Angela only cringed at her a few times. A minor victory.
What I’d rather live without:
- Well, Daisy, obviously, haha. But all in all, there wasn’t much I didn’t like about this episode.
I’ll leave the rest to you all to discuss/dissect in the comments. They are open, so sound off!
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LOVED IT!!!! I mean, what’s not to love? Brennan smiling, Booth smiling, Brennan & Angela acting like real friends again, nifty murder, Booth & Brennan playing…. I’m happy!!!
Much better than last week and I think even better than the premiere. Don’t understand the big deal about her not having a Prince Charmington. Girls dont have to play with dolls. But every episode has to convey in some way how Brennan is lacking in some way. This is really old.
Other than that a decent episode. They seemed more comfortable together in this episode, but after everything that was skipped, it just does not seem like a big deal now that they are together. No one addresses it or talks about it. They are just all settled in. I do like her and Angela bonding.
I like DAisy, but too much of her in this episode.
I have to say that I could sit through this episode. Don’t need to watch again, but I did enjoy it. I guess my old passion for the show has just settled into a casual viewing of the episodes. But I am glad they are watchable now for me.
No Grey’s tonight so I wonder what the ratings will be.
So do they not even care about the cases and teamwork anymore?
I feel all the BB interest just draining out of me.
Because the show never honestly dealt with all the problems set up in the last season, now everything fuzzy that comes after feels FAKE.
PS
Had a feeling (like a lot of people pointed out last season), for all the boasting about Bones as a new type of rational female heroine, this show supports a lot chauvinistic stereotypes about men and women.
The case. I’m with you in that I would have liked to known a little more about the victim. This show is at its strongest when there is a firm balance between case and relationships AND when the plight of the victim mirrors the theme of (or even lends itself to) those relationship stories.
Last week’s ep had me disappointed overall with relationship aspects, but I was a little bit interested in the case- especially the forensic process/discoveries. This week, the case was all but lost to me.
But, clearly, the relationship stuff is still the stronger pull for me, because I did come away from the ep having enjoyed it a lot.
Brennan, to me, was very much in character to me. Even though she said “toys were a distraction” I didn’t take that as a sign that she didn’t have any, merely that a Prince Charmington doll was not at all her style. It also did not bother me that characters kept saying “everyone had one” – because this is what we do. I actually really LOVED the moment when Brennan was acting out Prince Charmington… it felt exactly right. Cute, and awkward and precise in her own way. That’s totally how she’s going to do pretend play with her daughter.
I was very much waiting for Brennan to be the one to put together that walker toy. I looked at the set-up and thought: Brennan can put together shattered pieces of a skull and a skeleton; she’d ROCK it at putting together that toy and would not even need the directions.
Great Booth-Sweets moment and I actually liked the logic behind Booth pulling that favor to be Sweets’ evaluator. Also, I’m with another poster on another site… I think it might be foreshadowing – which sounds intriguing to me.
Also loved the moments in Booth’s apartment and the nerf gun fight? Love it for the playfulness of it that is totally B/B together and love the gender stereotype crossing for this first toy choice.
Of the three episodes that have aired so far, this one is by far my favorite.
The B&B interactions were more balanced. I loved the playful bickering at the beginning. It seemed more reminiscent of the old B&B. No condescending lesson from Booth or Angela about what it means to be human this week, thank God. And despite the horrified look on Angela’s face when Brennan was doing her Charmington voice, my kids would’ve found that hilarious if I played that way with them.
I loved the Booth/Sweets dynamic in this episode, and I think the writers are doing a good job of using Sweets more without it coming across like they’re beating us over the head with him. Don’t get me wrong – I love Sweets – but I felt he was kind of misused last season. This season his interactions feel natural and right. I loved Sweets/Booth at the shooting test, and Booth’s explanation made total sense.
I didn’t even mind Daisy this episode, and normally I absolutely despise her.
I loved the peek into Booth & Brennan’s domestic life and how completely comfortable they seem with one another. In an abstract sort of way, I think this episode displayed more intimacy between the two of them than even the premiere did with the kissing. But here we have two instances of Brennan reading in the living room waiting for Booth to come home. Brennan noticing Booth was bothered by the case, and Booth admitting that it was and explaining why, Brennan worrying she wouldn’t know how to connect with the baby – when have we ever seen these two talk in this way so effortlessly? And then the ending with the two of them playing together. It all just felt so right. Not contrived. Not forced. And yet, I get the feeling the writers still haven’t put all their cards on the table with B&B’s relationship evolution. We’re shown a little and still left wanting more.
I liked the Angela B story with the walker assembly and totally laughed out loud when Angela said, “I will not let this baby walker beat me!” I know I’ve said something to that effect before.
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode, and that’s the first time this season I can honestly say that.
I would like to see the girl in the bowling alley in an episode.
What happened to the new intern?
Sweets and Daisy are going to get married – yes or no?
I really enjoyed this week’s episode. I find myself very much identifying with Brennan’s experiences in pregnancy and I take issue with a couple of your points.
I agree that Brennan would be someone to research motherhood and read everything there is to read on it. Trouble is, no amount of studying is adequate. For people who are used to reading and studying to learn (and this is how I feel similar to Brennan) pregnancy can leave one feeling very insecure. There is no exam. There are no definitive answers.
Secondly, pregnancy is a process that happens to a woman. Yes, she got pregnant, but after that she has no control over the things that are happening in her body. It is in many senses a passive experience. That’s a change from what Brennan has been, but that is also nature.
I really liked this week’s episode. I haven’t felt connected with the show since last season, i think all the characters have been really OOC. I still feel they are out of their place. Especially Booth, he is cold, stern and emotionless. The nerfgun and the couchscene is the only scene that has really felt right for me this season. I do hope it is on its way back again, and it does feel like it. This episode was a major improvement.
To say this episode was better than last week’s is much the same as having a hang nail being better than getting ones hand caught in a hay baler.
All the shippers and all the members of the “Squee Squad” have finally gotten their wish(s) and found out that the old saying “Be careful what you wish for” is true.
This week the B&B moments were less saccharine than last week and felt less contrived. Did like the B&B couch scene pretty well. I could have done with less Daisy (who couldn’t have) and more Sweets with Booth, but that’s just me, I guess. Although Booth and Daisy together was a bit of fun.
Brennan, pregnancy hormones aside, seems a bit too something (insecure/vulnerable/trying too hard to be “normal”?) Brennan has always been difficult. That’s what made her “Brennan”. That is not to say she has always been insensitive; just sometimes and usually at the worst time. I think that came out in the first two episodes.
The case was at least less WTF than last week’s. However, it appears that the inclusion of the extra pregnancy storyline has come at the expense of the development of the cases. BTW, who didn’t know whom the murderer was the second Morgan Fairchild’s face came into focus? I figure the Prince Darlington bit was only to expand the very thin suspect list. Drop that and give me 3 more minutes of backstory for Debra Cortez.
The chemistry is gone. The creator of the show dragged out the romance too long and then when he decided to have B&B get together, he totally skipped the part that fans wanted to see – the romance. It went from longing to pregancy in the blink of an eye. Last season should have been the season where they spent time as a couple w/o the pregancy storyline. I loved this show and never missed a single minute of any of the episodes. I still have some episodes saved in my DVR which I’m glad I did, because now when I want to see that chemistry between B&B I’ll have to look at reruns. One of my favorite moments is from The Sin in the Sisterhood at the end when Booth is looking at Brennan. Yes, I know they are actors, but that look he gave her was one that would melt an ice berg. For me, the moment is gone. I found myself reading a magazine during last night’s show. While trying to avoid having Bones become another “Moonlighting” I think the shows creative geniuses missed the moment. From now on, I’ll DVR it and that way I can FF through the slow parts or silly parts or just plain bad, boring parts. I feel like I’ve lost a good friend.
Well, I think I have to speak out for Brennan. I don’t know how much the writers intend, but to me the way she behaves is quite normal for a pregnant woman. Every woman is different when pregnant. The overload of hormones can change a lot, influence your thinking… and knowing you are gonna be a mum makes you question a lot of things. I am pregnant myself. First time. I was a total tomboy as a kid, the only doll I ever had got her hair cut off the first hour I had her. I don’t wear dresses or skirts to this day. I am so looking forward to this child, yet I still can’t relate to hardly any other mums out there. We’ re about to find out whether its a girl or a boy and now I get asked things like “So what color are you gonna paint the room if its a boy? Blue or Green?” And I m thinking “Well, wouldn’t is be smarter to just leave the room til the kid is older and I’ll know what color it’ll like?”.. What I am trying to say is, cut Brennan some slack. The fact that ED is pregnant in real life does certainly add to how the character of pregnant Brennan is portrayed..
I still see the chemistry. Its more subdued but its there. And well what did anyone expect to see the? The time jump was rational because by the time they started filming, ED was already like 7 months pregnant. When they finished season 6, she was already showing. I don’t blame the time jump for anything at all. I still like the show. Do I want Brennan to be normal? Sure, but what is normal these days? I can do without the weekly life lessons, but other than that.. the show is good.
There are some points from Sarah’s review that I agree with and others that I don’t. Also, I agree with some of the posters who pointed out that when a woman is pregnant her body has a “mind of it’s own” (paraphrasing here). I have two daughters and when I was pregnant with them-well it was pretty interesting emotion-wise! (My poor husband).
Anyway, what I liked: Booth and Brennan bickering at the beginning over whether Sweets should have a gun. Brennan coming to the logical conclusion that if Sweets had a gun, he could draw fire from Booth and get shot himself, thus reducing the possibility of Brennan becoming a single mom.
Sweets threatening to make sure Booth doesn’t get his man-cave. Riiight. Angela trying to put together that crazy toy and loosing her cool in the process. We’ve all been there as parents. One word-Fisherprice-toys are already assembled.
Booth and Brennan cuddling on the couch-Brennan reassuring Booth that they would catch the killer because she saw how sad he was.
Booth reassuring Brennan that she’d be a good mother and that she’d connect with their child.-because she connects to him and their daughter is half of him. Booth’s look of horror when Daisy suggests that she and Sweets could go out into the field with Booth and Brennan.
Of course Nerfball gun fight!!! Too cute.
Things I didn’t like: WAY TOO MUCH DAISY. Small doses of Daisy are already irritating enough to me. But she was practically in every scene. I realize this is due to Emily being pregnant, but I really miss Brennan being in every scene like we’ve been used to. I agree Daisy had some funny lines and she did help solve the case. But still! Another pet-peeve: Daisy and Sweets make-out more than Booth and Brennan do. Would much rather see Booth and Brennan make-out more. Just saying…
Things I would like to see: While I definitely do see chemistry between Booth and Brennan, I think they should give each other a kiss from time to time-especially when Booth came home and called out to Brennan.
Much less of Daisy for quite awhile!
Less obvious killers. I was disappointed that Morgan Fairchild’s character was the killer. I was hoping she wouldn’t be because it was so obvious that she was. I was hoping the geeky toy exec. would be the killer-still kind of obvious though.
While I thought this episode was okay, it was not one of my favorites. I liked the season premiere and last week’s episode much better. (There were so many laugh-out loud moments in the Hotdog in the Competition). But like I said, there were a lot of moments in Prince in the Plastic that were great. I’m really looking forward to the Male in the Mail-Booth-centric episode. David Boreanaz is supposed to have a very strong performance in this one and Pops is back!
I honestly liked this episode better than the others. I did not cringe.
Still don’t feel that old chemistry and at this stage of their relationship, it is expected that they would be more settled. But not having seen any of it,
it just makes them kind of boring to me.
I enjoyed the Angela scenes. Too much Daisy. Disgusting Body. Easy to figure out the killer. Sweets did not make me crazy (except for the same old scenes with him and Daisy going at it. It gets old.
At least last night I think B & B looked more comfortable. Still not that spark but comfortable. Overall I rate it about a 7. Same as the first episode but thankful Brennan did not have to apologize again. Last week’s episode was one of the least favorite episodes of mine. That one and most of them from Season 6.
Really hoping they get better this season. No Grey’s to go up against for now so we will see how they do.
Hopefully when Emily gets back, she will be able to do more scenes. I really miss her full presence on the show. I understand why, but I do miss her. She is the reason I watch the show, therefore, regressing the character or absence of the character equate to less enjoyment of the show for me.
Pregnancy does change a woman’s body, and in losing her control over her body, it can (note the “can” not “always” of tv stereotypes) change her character.
BUT, the issue is that the show is using the pregnancy to complete their transformation of Bones into being stunted beyond belief, always in learning mode Bones. I’m truly puzzled as to how anyone who saw seasons 1~3 can say this current version is normal. The show makes her clueless beyond my suspension of belief. They’ve been doing it gradually, but starting with last season, they’ve just completely gone over the line.
Milking RoboBones for comedy was dumb enough, now they’re doing it for drama, just so the other normal, good characters can constantly teach her. That sucks.
The show has to do a better job with either the interpersonal drama or focus on better crimes.
I think even Cam has regressed this season, turning into Cam from Season 2- I’m the boss, I’m in charge! Booth is a Ken doll for romcoms and good old fashioned values, Angela’s annoying. Everyone is a a flat character, and making up artificial drama so Bones alone can learn a lesson doesn’t make a round character.
My favorite episode so far this season. Got to see B&B bicker like they used to, Brennan playing with the broken doll was hilarious, but my favorite scene of all was the couch scene. That level of intimacy is what I’m looking for; the intimacy that was always there, but now they express it openly. Brennan being able to tell that Booth is upset about the case and consoling him. That’s the Brennan I know and love! Booth assuring her she will be a good mother. Even the scene where Booth backs up Brennan in the interview with Lawrence, one of the VP’s of the toy company. This all brought me back to classic Booth and Brennan.
LOVED the Angela problem with assembling the toy. I laughed out loud and, believe it or not, I did not hate Daisy this week. Overall, excellent job. If the writers keep writing episodes like this, this will be the best season ever!
Not only more bearable than the first two eps, but actually rather enjoyable. If we can continue to have marginal improvement like this throughout the very short season by the end I may be satisfied that things are starting to “make sense” again.
Booth. Range master outfit. OMG. I rewound that bit a few times!
I loved how frustrated Angela was with the toy cos I get exactly the same when trying to put my baby’s toys together too. Although timeline wise, he can’t be much older than my Finn and so is nowhere near walking yet, so the walker did seem like an odd choice. It was funny that all those genius minds all failed to put it together. Would have been better had Booth come in and done it in minutes.
Daisy was as annoying as ever, Sweets was less annoying and I liked how Booth seemed impressed with how he did on his test. Loved the B&B couch scene. At first I felt a bit cheated that we missed the getting together part, but I love the coupley thing we get now. It doesn’t feel like it’s taken the show over either cos the bickering is still there.
I’m loving this season so far. Can’t believe it’s only 3 more eps then a huge break again.
One of two things need to happen,
Lock the two leads in a room and let them have at it. ED and DB need to hash out what ever has drove a wedge in the chemistry making machine part of their working relationship. (yeah, yeah, I know, there could have been “the big fall out” between these two round about eppy 100, and DB’s stupidity in general life / love, maybe ED found out when the rest of us did) . Regardless, whatever the wedge is they need to move on. The writers are getting alot of the blame right now, and I am pretty sure that is spot on, however, all they can do is write a “scene with steam”, it is up to ED and DB to bring the characters into the romance.
Even with the couch scene I see two people who are avoiding looking at each other. Again, I get the feel that they are just not into each other right now. Maybe ED drew the line and is not comfortable with anyone but her real husband being close to her. I am not saying I got it figured out, but it is there and it is stinking up the episodes.
IF that is not it, then the second choice is to get SN un-involved with the plots for this series. He wrote the first episode, and is involved to a high degree with all aspects as HH has backed off into Finder land. HH wrote some of the best episodes, he needs to head up the return next spring. I vote to see an episode written soley by him right now. If he puts Brennan in the continued state of emotional oblivion towards Booth, then……………….really what is the point folks?
Angela and Jack are great, but they can’t carry the series. Sweets carring a gun …………..ugggghhhh, so far outside of the realm of possibility that, I felt I was watching House again. At least he has some good lines. Daisy? Eeehhh- she was funny with Booth.
I am ready for Hannah to come back. See if Booth still has a pulse below the waist, cause it is not there with Bones right now. 🙁
P.S.
I read some tweets by HH today- there was some chat about “re-shoots”
I found my self wishing, praying, hoping……………………………but alas, I think it was the Finder he was talking about and not the next three episodes.
Damn shame.