Okay, let’s just get this out of the way: I cried during this episode. I know, I know. We’re all aware this show is all about the chemistry between Booth and Brennan (pictured; just see Mandi’s post on the subject for a refresher) but it was all dialed up to 11 last night during the trial of Brennan’s father, Max Keenan (Ryan O’Neal), for killing the FBI director who was stalking his children. The case, with it’s own ups and downs that kept you unsure of whether Max would go free, ended up spotlighting Booth and Brennan’s special connection in unique and touching ways. By the time her father was released, it was fitting that Booth was hugging her other man outside while waiting to hear the verdict.
What made the show so much better was that they weren’t limited to the really heavy emotions but were able to be playful and light with one another and show how in sync they are, like Booth telling Special Prosecutor Caroline Julian that he didn’t mind Brennan laughing herself to tears at his hypothesis for the oddly positioned skeleton in the beginning of the episode, or their teasing of Sweets when he asked to continue meeting with them. (The two of them singing "He really liiiikes us" in unison was genius.)
Brennan had such a difficult time reconciling her emotional desireto see her father go free with her rational belief that what she doesis put bad guys away, no matter who they are. "This is very confusingfor me," she said. No kidding. Booth had to explain that sometimes, youhave to put the brain away and pop the heart into overdrive. Of coursehe then proceeded to vroom, vroom the rest of his analogy, prompting aneven more confused look from Brennan, followed by a loving stare whenshe said, "Sometimes, I think you’re very nice." Those long looks theyshare are a thing of beauty. From the simple (his look when she saidhe’s the person she talks to "about things like this" while formulatingher reasonable doubt scenario) to the intense (again, his look whileexplaining under oath that Brennan is not capable of murder), theyconvey so much about their feelings for one another without becomingtoo heavy-handed. And that hug at the end… No hesitation on her part.And he knew to go looking for her when the verdict was coming in.
I can’t always decide if Angela’s "insight" is really Brennan as sheis or a more emotional, Angela-like version, but the artist’s decisionnot to testify and help send her best friend’s father to the electricchair (it’s actually lethal injection) made complete sense to me. But Iwould think there would be some long-term ramification for Angela, andshe wouldn’t be standing outside of the courthouse with everyone elseat the conclusion of the trial. Aw, I’ve watched way too many Law & Orders.But it was a great callback to have Dr. Clark Edison (Eugene Byrd), whowas kicked to the curb when Zack returned from Iraq, be the defenseforensic anthropologist. And having him catch Zack, his nemesis, in amistake was even better. And it goes without saying that it was a treatto see Ernie Hudson as the defense attorney.
O’Neal more than lived up to my hopes for him on the show with hisportrayal of a man who did what he thought was right, with no room forremorse. That included his staying to stand trial so as not to furtherabandon his daughter. When he told her that he’d do it all again justto spend that time with each other, my heart broke for Brennan.
Were the rest of the crew wrong to testify? Do you think that Sweetswas way off base to think that Brennan’s hyperrationalization meant shecould be capable of such a murder? Who do you think is getting shotnext week? And does anyone know the title of the song that played atthe end of the episode this week?
Loved this ep!! I was crying too.
This really was the best episode of this season, possibly the whole show.
Booth and Bones were just perfect. I also cried!
Plenty of tears from me too. Great episode!
I really dreaded this episode–I figured it would be dreary and possibly boring. but by the end, with the alternate hypothesis, my jaw was hanging down. and the connection highlighted between Booth and Brennan even more than usual was just breathtaking. their relationship is amazing. I also liked how Sweets explained, in some way, how that worked. I’m glad he’ll still be keeping them focused on their relationship and how it works. I love this show!
I thought this episode was excellent. My favorite part is when Booth, on the stand, said to Bones-”that’s a lot of heart.” Love their chemistry. Abby, I think there’s a typo in your first paragraph…Bones was hugging her other man, not Booth.
I cried too! I love the way their relationship has grown over the series. It makes sense and doesn’t seem forced at all. I thought Angela did the right thing but I understand the rest of them choosing not too. I think they wanted to see Max put away for his crime but they didn’t want to have to be the ones who did it.
Didn’t cry, but loved when Booth said “That’s a lot of heart, Bones” when he was up on the stand. Agree that this was one of the stronger episodes I’ve ever seen of the show, and it was nice to finally see how they all work in the courtroom as expert witnesses.
Yay for Dr. Geeks!
I can’t wait to watch this ep again tonight. I loved everything about it, including when the judge made Bones and Booth move further away from each other in the courtroom.
When they were hugging on the courthouse steps at the end, I turned to my husband and said “And that’s why I love this show!”
You’ve watched too many Law and Orders? Imagine the pain of being in law school lol. What bugged me more than Angela’s contempt citation (since the trial proceeded without her and she can’t purge the contempt by following the judge’s orders, I would think there’d be a fine of some kind involved) was the fact that all the witnesses seemed to be in the court room all the time. That would never happen in a real trial.
Anyway, great episode. To answer your question, I think that Brennan might have been able to commit a murder of that type as she was before the show started. What Sweets has failed to realize, as Caroline pointed out to him, is that Brennan is a truly good woman. Booth has humanized her.
I am always happy to see Loren Dean working, even if it was in the tiny little part he had this week. What happened to his career?
Confession time…David Boreanaz made me cry! He really did! As an actor he really knows how to make the viewers feel everything Booth is going through just by a look, a flicker across his face, he truly was exceptional in this episode.
I cried alot! It was such a great episode, the best this season. The acting was incredible, the whole thing was great! LOVED IT!
This was one of the best epi’s ever. Such emotion…and was I the only one actually surprised that Max got off? I really didn’t expect him to walk out of that court room until Booth got back up on the stand, then I knew. And David B has got to be one of the BEST actors on the planet. I did tear up a little bit when he said, “that’s a lot of heart Bones”. Wow, such intensity! And I loved it when Brennan couldn’t be there to hear the jury’s vote, and Booth went outside. If that’s not true love, then I don’t know what is!