BONES: The Proof in the Pudding
January 21, 2010 by Sarah Curtis
Talk about having some mixed emotions. Tonight’s episode was an hour of teamwork and smarts and FBI Booth kicking butt, and I love all of those things. On the other hand, though…and really, it’s just a teensy part of the other hand, it felt almost too good. I know that doesn’t seem to make sense, but it seemed almost too perfect. Too good to be true, I guess. Right? SuperBooth and Team Brennan stand up to a tyrannical and mysterious government agency, solve one of the greatest mysteries of American history and are done in time for a hearty breakfast? I don’t want to be a complainer, but I guess I just like my BONES with a touch more pathos. But back to my overwhelming option…I loved it!
THE CASE:
Brennan, Cam, Angela, Hodgins, and Sweets are sequestered at the Jeffersonian by the GSA and given the task of identifying what the markers, bullet entry points and for what very well might be the remains of John F. Kennedy. The GSA suits forbid them from declaring an identity; the J-team’s ONLY task is to determine cause of death. Booth is anxious that ‘his people’ are without him, I guess, and so he literally shoots his way into the Jeffersonian Forensics Lab where he then proceeds to use an FBI created perfect replica of Lee Harvey Oswald’s gun to shoot two (perfect) shots into cantaloupes. The ‘assignment’ is quickly shut down, even though the team is not convinced they have the full answers. They later find out that a congressional committee was considering exhuming Kennedy’s body, and it was a test or dry run.
THE SQUINTS:
I know I’ve said that I pretty much only like Sweets when he’s used professionally, but I didn’t mind the whole “slightly scared little brother who really just wants to hang out with the cool kids” thing he had going on in this episode. I like that he turned to Booth for guidance, and good for Booth for being cool about it. I laughed when Sweets basically said Booth probably had some anger issues but also was as awesome as a ninja. I guess I just don’t like Sweets when he’s with you know who (and if you don’t know, I’ll give you a hint; it’s Brennan’s second favorite flower).
Cam’s loyalty to Booth is one of her best qualities. Since WE know that SHE knows that Booth loves Brennan, I thought it was very meaningful that she complimented Brennan at the end of the episode. I might be projecting on to Cam’s character, but I’d like to think that for her, it was a little glimmer of hope that Brennan might love Booth as much as he loves her.
No squintern this week, and I’m glad, because I like the core team there doing there thing. It also allowed Angela and Hodgins to share some intimate and meaningful moments. I totally bought into the Angela being pregnant storyline, and I thought Hodgins’ reaction was very good. He’s an orphan too, isn’t he? I am pretty sure he is, so I liked this idea of him still wanting to have a family. As for Angela, well, I’d say she has some thinking to do.
All in all, I thought the pregnancy test B-plot was good for three reasons:
- It allowed Cam to talk about Michelle, and it’s always good when they keep that storyline going.
- It allowed Hodgins to tell Angela that he loves her. I thought it was interesting that Angela considered Hodgins to be the second person she would tell (after Wendell, but since he wasn’t first, she still kept Hodgins as second).
- It allowed Brennan to tell Cam (and us) that she has not had sexual intercourse in quite some time.
BOOTH & BRENNAN:
I love Brennan’s quirks, and her arrogance always strikes me as so sweet. Case in point: when she kindly acknowledges that Cam is probably worried she is pregnant, which of course would be bad for the lab, there is just no artifice in her tone or expression at all, which is what makes it so cute! What I thought was even sweeter though was how pleased she was that Booth was proud of her, especially when she used scientific jibba jabba! This entire episode was a microcosm of Booth and Brennan’s deep affection for one another.
Brennan was genuinely torn up when she upset Booth about the second gunman theory, as well as his ancestor, John Wilkes Booth.
As for Booth, I LOVED his tenacity about his people, and even though I think Brennan is his favorite, he still is committed to the team. What was with the Michael Jackson impersonation? I guess I can see 80’s Seeley practicing his moonwalk in the mirror.
Interesting that they brought Hacker back for this episode. Even though Brennan was a teensy bit happy to see him, I thought the general vibe (even from HIM) was that he is obviously the poor man’s Special Agent Seeley J. Booth. I was reminded that Booth has probably turned down promotions in order to stay partners with Brennan (and his people). But mostly Brennan.
Remember how Booth told Dr. Wyatt that he would KNOW if Brennan loved him? I felt like after he hugged her (which was the first time, I believe, that he hugged her when HE needed it; am I right?), when he was looking at her, and she was looking back at him, I thought…okay, Booth is seeing what we can see. She feels love for him.
So yeah, I’m still smiling. You? Let me hear your thoughts! It’s your patriotic duty!
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Filed under #1 featured, Bones, Posts by Sarah (Seels)
Well, this one was right up there with Judas for me- and I hold Judas as my gold standard. It bears a few more watchings, but this is one of the first eps this season that was like an onion- so many layers to peel through. Museum was another great one and Goop, well, yeah so much going on there too.
I think I like Bones the most when they strip it down to bare essentials and not having a squintern was really a highlight of this ep because it wasn’t about them. To me this showed all of the best qualities of each member and really sold the ensemble nature of Bones. Yeah, it’s about B&B at its core, but it’s also about Angela being the lab’s dramaa queen(I liked her for the first time in a while here), Cam being mama bear both to Michelle and her people(“We don’t work in half-truths” sums up what we love about Bones), Hodgins being the conspiracy nut AND the most stand-up guy outside of Booth, and Sweets calling Booth for help and getting his hands dirty. (did anyone else think Breakfast Club at some point?)
The case was great. It was a good one for them to sink their teeth into but limited them too because of the content. I love that Booth HAS to get in- not because they’re in danger- but because they’re HIS people and he’s not into sharing. I think my heart’s still recovering from him shooting the door AND the sniper shots. He really needs to not hit his head or squeak “Bones” again that way though b/c well, the poor man’s head has been through enough hasn’t it?
Seels, good catch on the hug, but it remided me of the greeting hug in Fountain so I think he might’ve NEEDED her touch back then too. And RE: Pathos- well, I saw Booth struggling with something at a fundamental level and Cam sorting that out for everyone and loved it but that was me.
My favorite shot though was the hero shot at the diner. Again, driving home each person’s role in the team- haven’t seen that since Alien and I LOVED it!!!
So the proof of Brennan’s love was in the pudding- or what she did with it. I really liked that they kept the continuity here 50+ kills is what Booth told GG and obviously Brennan, plus her telling GG that she’d do anything for Booth and now actually DOING it?? Yeah, loved that. Also appreciated the JWB nod. It’s something Hart toyed with putting out there first season and I liked seeing it actually come out- and that BRENNAN knew!
The one aspect I really loved was that Booth came around to seeing that he was okay with persuing the truth no matter what it meant for him at the same time Brennan saw the importance of “the kindness of a lie”. (Gift of the Magi anyone?) They learned these things from each other and I think it really drives home how much BOTH of them have changed as a result of their partnership. Makes 100 all that more appealing.
Walking arm and arm, fully in-step with the other and bickering about Brain and Heart has got to be one of the best endings ever!
Ok, done rambling!
Gum 🙂
First off, I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this episode, from start to finish. In fact, I liked it so much, that even though I am a hardcore B/B shipper, I’m not even going to complain about this episode not really being about them.
I loved how they really all worked together, chipping in when necessary and watching each others backs – it just showed why this team is as successful as it is. Brennan lying to Booth I found very adorable, as well as Cam’s freak-out about Michelle, but the thing that really made this episode stand out for me was Hodgins. The man definetely deserves his “King of the Lab” this week, don’t you agree? Not only was he the first to identify the body as JFK and set up a very significant experiment, you gotta give the man props for his courage when it came to Angela. I mean, come on. How many men would be brave and altruistic enough to put their feelings aside, go up to a former flame and offer not only their unconditional love and support, but also offer to care of another man’s child? It was a truly heartwarming scene, and left me hoping that guys like that exist for real…
Well anyways, a great episode overall. Can’t wait until next week! =]
I loved, loved this episode and I can’t wait to watch it again. I liked how everyone really got to be in their element this episode, doing what they each do best. Like everyone else, I loved Hodgins and I liked Angela a lot more than I have in a good while.
ok so i know im a bit behind with this comment, but i only just watched it and can i just say – i LOVED it!
there were so many awesome B/B moments!
mainly i just wanted to say that the whole brennan-lying-to-protect-booth thing reminded me of that scene where booth convinces brennan to run out without paying (you know the one i mean??), but actually leaves money on the table…i know its not really the same but…it kinda shows what they’re willing to do for each other, and keeps us ‘shippers going!!