When it comes to Bones, which returned last night in a new time slot with its first new episodes since November, absence tends to make my heart grow fonder. So clearly, this blustery New York winter has frozen my ticker, because I thought those two hours kinda blew.To me, they represent the creative conundrum at the center of this show that I love: Can you have too much character in a character-driven procedural? The answer is yes, if the writing of those "character" elements isn’t as sharp as it is for the cases. (Or, should I say was for the cases? Fingers crossed the forthcoming return to the Grave Digger storyline — with Booth being buried alive — is also a return to Brennan wowing us with her forensics and not just her ability to take a rhetorical question literally.)
In last night’s first episode, Booth and Brennan went undercover in a circus after finding the remains of female conjoined twin jugglers on the Oklahoma-Texas border. We learned that Dr. Sweets was adopted and that his birth mother was a psychic on the circus circuit…presumably just so that he could counsel "Buck and Wanda Moosejaw" on how to get in with the notoriously tight-lipped performers and ringmaster (guest star Andy Richter playing straight, except for when he fired a clown gun to stop Booth’s showdown with his paint-faced nemeses and said, "Tumbles, I’m serious"). Were there moments of this episode that I enjoyed? Of course. Booth and Brennan’s actual knife-throwing act (embedded above) was probably the reason this episode got made: Booth’s biceps and Brennan’s boobs on display — always good. Brennan’s childlike enthusiasm as she gave Booth smaller and smaller targets, DOWN TO A CLOWN NOSE — classic. Sweets explaining the "sexual component" to the act ("The knife representing…. Dr. Brennan is showing remarkable trust and willingess") — definitely funnier than the twins’ doctor explaining how much privacy can be achieved by an eye mask and a MP3 player. I just found most of the episode to be as forced as the sight of Booth and Bones riding in a motorcycle and a sidecar. Does the FBI really not plan an undercover mission better than that? In the end, thanks to Brennan’s determination to show us her mad high-wire skills, we discovered that the twins had been trying to save the circus that they loved by taking their act to the tightrope. When they fell into the net, their heads knocked together, and Magnum the strong man buried them. Next!
Moving on to the second episode (directed by Chad Lowe and featuring Buffy slayer Kendra as a back-room loanshark!), we continued season 4′s mission of delving deeper into Booth’s past. I’m all for this, but I think they’ve got a tall order if they want to make this arc as compelling as Brennan’s family history. The plot was simple (and probably hockey fanatic Boreanaz’s wet dream): A hockey player that Booth the Enforcer roughed up on the ice is found dead below the ice in a fishing shanty. (Do not even get me started on how inappropriate that "She’s bleeding! She’s bleeding!" line was.) Booth is a suspect, so they have to bring in another FBI agent to lead the investigation. Since she’s female (guest star Marisa Coughlan), Booth gets to flirt with her. (I’d be okay if they wanted to give Booth a relationship to make Brennan jealous. You?)
Now, I could care less about who killed this hockey player. It was one of his teammates, who didn’t like that the fireman was stealing jewelry on the job or that the guy had ended his hockey career years earlier. What I care about is that Booth’s concussion-enduced hallucination — in which real-life hockey great Luc Robitaille appeared to give him cryptic insight into the case and assure him that he’s not, as Sweets theorized, as angry inside as his abusive alcoholic father — made me laugh. Out loud. Like, I don’t think they wanted it to be as cheesy as the "Beauty School Dropout" scene in Grease, but it was. To me anyway. I also care that Brennan "didn’t know" how she felt about Booth pummeling a guy on the ice to the point that he broke his hand. Hockey is a rough, sexy game, but there’s no way that the obviously excessive amount of force Booth used was hot. (Sorry, Cam.) The only reason I’m forgiving Seeley is that the guy he beat up had hurt my favorite of Brennan’s assistants, Wendell. (Mr. Nigel-Murray would’ve had to fend for himself.) Wait, I’m also forgiving him because when Brennan came into the locker room to check on Booth’s hand, Boreanaz was shirtless and smokin’. Seriously, it made me forget all about that season 3 bathroom tub scene. But not about the beer helmet Booth wore during it. Still hate it!
Anyway, the episode just felt a little self-indulgent and…off. I dug the end scene (embedded above), when Booth took Brennan to the ice rink to skate with him so he wouldn’t fall asleep with the concussion he’d acquired trying to beat some DNA evidence out of a suited-up suspect on the ice. But I can’t tell if I loved the fact that it was no big deal that they were holding hands so she wouldn’t fall (again), because it’s a subtle, sweetly realistic indication that their walls are coming down, or if I’m already starting to miss their sexual tension? I could learn to like this odd limbo, but I’m gonna need some drama injected into it. Maybe the Booth buried alive episode will raise the issues everyone but Booth and Brennan are talking about. Maybe they’ll come closer than ever to crossing "that invisible line that doesn’t even need to be there," and one of them will retreat. Far. Maybe Booth could get a girlfriend and really make Brennan jealous, as I’ve already suggested. (It sounds like we’ve seen the last of Coughlan, but I’d welcome her back.)
Your turn. What did you think of last night’s return?
Good write-up if a little harsh..although I agreed with many of the quibbles. Esp. the sidecar scene and the anti-climax of the Hockey “killer” confessions. Still, glad to have the show back. I think Booth should definitely get a girlfriend and I liked Perotta as an option. Cam is still really annoying I wish they would kill her off. Our recaps are at http://www.milehighhorror.com if anybody wants to chat over there also.
It’s great that they are starting to explore Booth’s past, since so much of the past seasons focus on Brennan. I felt that they are gearing up for a Booth/Brennan ‘breakup’-the whole “you’re the only FBI agent I want to work with,” and “you won’t lose me” type of conversation they had means that they are going to be tested-probably by a woman (another agent, perhaps?). It was great that they opened up to each other (and their fears of losing each other), but I think there are some trials ahead that will (HOPEFULLY) finally make them confront what everyone else already knows-they’re meant for each other.
this coming from a person who reads twilight and thinks its good.
I love this show and I gladly welcomed it to it’s new night, but I do think that they episodes were a little sillier and not quite as tight as they have been in the past.
I do think it would be a great idea to introduce a love interest for Booth just to see how Brennan reacts. I thought he had some good chemistry with Agent Perotta. Wouldn’t mind seeing those two have a little go round. Bummed that I have to wait 2 weeks for another episode!
I actually really enjoyed the second episode last night. I’m not sure I liked the circus episode (they kinda freak me out) but I was totally enthralled by the character development in the second one. And yes, it was cheesy that Booth had a crazy hallucinating moment with his idol who told Booth all is well inside him but still, the episode was funny and endearing. It had all the great nuances of the characters, Sweets mortified, Booth angry, Brennan pondering, Cam flirtatious and Hodgens inquisitive. There was a definite lack of Angela throughout the ep but that works for me because I’m not a fan. Overall, I thought the episode moved things forward and wasn’t as stagnant as the recapper made it out to be. But that’s just my two cents.
Haven’t seen these yet but Bones has definitely lost its forensic and humor edge this season. All shows that age fall into this trap of doing more and more character as time goes along but its because fans usually love that aspect of each episode. Especially when they have a will-they wont-they couple at the center of them. But too much of them will ruin the whole balance. Plus Bones used to be good at making the forensic stuff more interesting than anything on CSI. Lets get that balance back people and sharper writing too. In rewatching old seasons, I forgot how good the humor and timing used to be.
I didnt dig the circus episode- i thought the writers were trying too hard- but I absolutely loved the hockey episode. It felt more like a normal Bones and I liked the female FBI agent! I can’t wait for the gravediggers return in two weeks!
P.S. The 8 pm Thursday slot looks to be good- Bones won the time slot!
We haven’t seen the last of Agen Perotta, she’s back for at least two more episodes, including the upcoming Gravedigger story.
I think the actual murder mysteries (and the forensics that go with them) have indeed become less tightly plotted as the writers focus more on the character storylines instead, but I gotta admit, I’m fine with that – the characterization is the reason I watch this show, particularly (of course) the relationship between B&B. It’s a guilty pleasure.
I actually really liked the Circus episode although the doctor having a “relationship” with one of the twins was disturbing and definitely crossed the “quirky” line. I mean, there was that Pony-Sex Play storyline in Season 3, and that worked out great, but some of this episode felt too “carnie” for me. Maybe it’s because I don’t work for the circus? And I know that there’s no way that Brennan could die, but my heart still skipped a beat every time Booth threw one of those knives at her. Loved the reaction shots from the gang, as well.
The second episode was just so-so, except for the last skating scene. It was reminiscient of the season one episode in New Orleans where Brennan was the suspected murderer, which was done with way more suspense and mystery than the hockey one.
But Boreanaz + sad past acting chops display + shirtless scene = yay!
I can’t find anything to dislike about this show. I agree the circus episode was kinda cheesy- a lot of time was spent on that knife throwing scene. But it made me giggle! Booth’s character development in the second episode was great. I think we need to see him shirtless more often.
I liked the hockey episode, and know this is totally nitpicky since they film in LA, but any Philadelphia Flyers fan (as Booth/David Boreanaz is) would never hallucinate about Luc Robitaille. Could they at least they could have found a former Flyers player for the sequence?
I really like this show, but not when the writers/producers/directors focus too much on the Bones-Booth relationship. When they keep the ‘ship incidental to the mystery, it’s good, but when the ‘ship is the central theme, the characters become caricatures of themselves. Feh.
I thought the circus episode was hilarious… I mean the side car was priceless and the fact they had to share a bed together was perfect and when she said sex they both just automatically shook the trailer. I love Bones and Booth and I love their tension but I also want them together. So I hope they continue to get closer.
I actually loved these episodes! I’ve missed Bones these last couple of months. Since I always prefer the character interplay over the procedural elements, I found these episodes (especially the circus) really charming. The knife-throwing scene was priceless! I’d like to see B&B’s relationship move forward finally — and can we please get Angela & Hodgins back together already?
I am a huge Bones fan, but the whole “Double Trouble” episode made me cringe. It dropped at or near the bottom of my favorites. It was emotionally disjointed and had no idea if it was whimsical or serious. I was really disappointed.
I liked many parts of “Fire in the Ice.” It was much closer to the Bones classic. It still had some logic leaps. Where has all the writing gone?