Aside from Season 4’s circus episode, I tend to enjoy when Bones sets a crime in a culture that Brennan, an anthropologist, gets to explore. Last night, we hit the suburbs where the remains of a man were found out the bottom of a barbecue pit during a neighborhood’s annual block luau. Sweets earned his paycheck, helping Booth and Brennan to understand that suburbanites identify themselves as one. Cheating your neighbor out of money and screwing around on your wife with a mother and daughter (ewwww.com) are acceptable deviations, and slipping someone’s dog a laxative for peeing on your property only results in shunning — but put up an eyesore wind turbine in your front yard and drag down property values and you will get your butt kicked. If your wife has been giving you saltpeter, a blood thinner, hoping it would keep you from getting an erection, you will also die. (Do you think they never said the word erection because Fox censors wouldn’t allow it, or because Booth stumbling around the word was funny? I’m guessing the latter, considering the number of times they were allowed to say lube as they investigated the sex toy business Bob had started with the victim. Cannot wait for the Season 5 blooper reel. Michaela Conlin was pretty hands-on — “Spoil sport, finding likely murder weapons way too fast.” And I seriously doubt that David Boreanaz didn’t improv a bit with one of those blow-up dolls.)
My only problem with the investigation was the idea that Booth wouldn’t want to be in the room when Sweets told Bob that the hunky gardener (who never would have cut it on Wisteria Lane) had been sleeping with his wife and daughter. I hate it when the show pretends that as an FBI agent, Booth wouldn’t have training in telling when people are lying, or that he wouldn’t want to be present anytime a suspect or person of interest in one of his cases was being questioned. Perhaps this is supposed to show that he’s learned to trust and respect Sweets professionally, but it makes me momentarily question how good Seeley is at his job, which I never want to do. I realize we needed some time for Booth and Brennan to be alone — so he could ask her to come to dinner with him and Parker (more on that in a bit) — but couldn’t they have had that conversation on their way to the interrogation room, where Sweets would have been waiting for them outside? He’d have caught the tale end of the chat, cracked a joke that Booth would’ve trumped, and then they’d question Bob together (or with Sweets hanging out behind the glass and talking into Seeley’s ear).
The Booth-Brennan romance drama was on the lighter side this episode. Eight-year-old Parker was determined to find Booth a girlfriend, first asking Angela if she’d be willing to help his dad “sex up.” Angela admitted the thought had, at one point, crossed her mind, but that she’s now five months and nine days into her celibacy vow. Finally, Booth went to Sweets, who explained that there are five stages of psychosexual development: oral, anal (Booth’s reaction was classic), phallic, latent, and genital. He theorized that Parker was entering genital, and was looking to identify with his gender parent. He needs to see Booth be socially comfortable with a woman so he could imagine himself being comfortable with one in the future.
Taking a cue from the suburbs, where appearances are everything, Booth asked Brennan to, in her words, help fool Parker into thinking that his workaholic dad’s life is gratifying. Did she seem a little too excited when she used the term “self-fulfilling desire” as she agreed to be the village helping to raise Booth’s child? The three of them went to the diner, where Booth was ovary-aching adorable as he hid behind his milkshake as Brennan pressed Parker for info. on why he wanted to see his dad coupled. Brennan used the “I’ve picked up people skills working with you, so trust me” line on Booth, which is funny because so many times we (and by that I mean I) point out that she should’ve picked up some sensitivity from him by now but often proves she hasn’t. (At the very least, a genius anthropologist should have the ability to discern when she needs to fake it.) Anyway, when asked a straight question, Parker gave a straight answer: It’s because he wants a pool. His friend’s father got a girlfriend, married her, and moved into a house with a pool. Reaching another milestone in their faux relationship, Brennan gave Booth a key to her place so that Parker and he could use the pool in her building whenever they wanted. The Booth boys — and Brennan — agreed that this made her awesome. What would be awesome is if Booth uses that key to one day bust in on her with a man (maybe his boss in next’s week episode?!) or to save her from a killer (isn’t it about time Brennan’s life is threatened again? Save it for Sweeps!).
The third story line involved intern Arastoo, who slipped out of his thick Iranian accent while arguing with Cam over whether a Muslim should be working a case that involved a pig. (He said yes.) Again, Sweets earned his keep, analyzing Arastoo’s motives and seeing that he was not a terrorist (as Cam feared, for comic effect) but that he’s a scientist who didn’t want to have to justify being religious to his colleagues. They wouldn’t question why a recent immigrant would hold on to his beliefs. Of course, once Hodgins and Angela found out the truth, they sat him down for a chat. While they drank moonshine — infidels — he explained that he believes Allah created the mystery of the world and science tries to explain it. That makes science a noble cause. I’m not a particularly religious person, but I don’t think you can’t be spiritual if you’re a scientist. You may not buy the timeline and stories in books like the Bible, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t believe there was some kind of divine being that set forth whatever was needed for life itself to begin. (That’s how I sleep at night, anyway.)
What did you think of the episode? What was your favorite line? I’m going to have to go with Brennan’s “Oh god, she’s a therapist. She talks like a therapist” and the retort (from Charles in Charge’s Josie Davis), “Ohmygod, she’s an anthropologist. She talks like an anthropologist.”
Photo credit: Greg Gayne/Fox
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‘Baby Booth’ is too cute and Parker wanting his dad to have a girlfriend to “sex up” was precious! There seemed to be a bit of regret on Brennan’s face when she tried to explain to Parker why she couldn’t be Booth’s girlfriend…sigh.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who picked that up. I also loved that the face paint really did not come off! All in all a fantastic episode in every respect. I can’t wait to see what they come up with for sweeps!
Agreed!
I like that they ignored that if he was eight years old, he couldn’t be entering the genital stage. since he’s not old enough.
Thank you! And the stage that the child starts to identify with the same sex parent is phallic.
exactly. you learn that in psych 100, it’s pretty much one of the most basic theories that is taught. as a psych major, it’s been drilled into my head, so I’m just like…really?!
Sillier than the silliest “Monk” episode, and TOO MUCH SWEETS. “Sex up” line from a child was icky, though I did enjoy the “she’s a therapist” bit and the “fake accent” subplot. Fast-forwarded through portions of this.
Why do people hate Sweets? I love, he’s frigging adorable, plus Booth and Bones don’t have as much tit for tat as they used to so the bickering between her and Sweets is fun.
I like him too – JFD is adorable!
Agreed! They can never give us too much Sweets!
Absolutely. The bickering between Sweets and Bones had me laughing! Anthro vs. Psycho! HA!
Anyway we could see Booth actually going swimming in Brennan’s pool? Like sans suit for one? Yum.
It wasn’t hunky gardener that was sleeping with both the mom and daughter, it was the victim, right? Nice catch, though on the Charles and Charge actress, I had a total Hey! It’s that girl! moment.
Favorite line: Yes, I’ll be your hamlet of 800 people or less.
Which technically should be “800 people or fewer.” Sorry, it’s a pet peeve of mine.
Charles IN Charge.
has there ever been a explanation for Bones’ “autistic/asbergers” like tendencies? i’ve watched nearly every episode and the closest they’ve ever come is that she “very rational” in her thinking…i dont remember her being that blunt in the few “bones” books i’ve read…
I think they are trying to establish that Brennan wasn’t always this socially awkward and that it has more to do with the experiences she had when her parents left. In the ‘Wannabe in the Weeds,’ she talked about how she and her friends would sing Cyndi Lauper and called her rad. I see some Asperger’s but more someone who feels things so deeply that she intellectualizes to push down the emotions because they are too hard to deal with. She has the desire for close emotional relationships but is too afraid.
so far I am not liking this season. it sucks!!!
so far this season rocks
There are lots and lots of channels, and lots and lots of choices. Find something else. I think the eps have been great.
Classic Bones episode-lots of “suburban humor” as well as time in the lab.
Well written and great acting from the entire cast. Good to see Parker back-he’s adorable. The Bones/Booth relationship is on the back burner for now? Brennan getting together with Booth’s boss? Can’t wait till next week! Favorite line:When Arastoo lost his accent and then tried to recover it. Cam “You’re not going to try to unring that bell”
I thought the second half of last season was not particularly good, but so far this season has really redeemed the series. The episodes have been well written and interesting, especially the Amish episode from last week. I loved the fact that the murderer was just some random person, a nice twist.
This ^^^
Towards the end of last season I was thisclose to dropping Bones from the shows I watch. These first three episodes have been rather good, in my opinion. I think they’ve done much better with the humor/drama balance, almost back to the nice mix in the first seasons. I’m glad that I’m enjoying the show again!
I really enjoyed this episode. I loved how Brennen perfectly ready to have Parker along on their case and I also love that Angela was telling the truth about the face paint that wouldn’t easily wash off. His faded flames cracked me up.
THAT was Josie Davis?! Holy crap she looks great! I wonder if it how much it bothered her to be the “ugly duckling” to Nicole Eggerts “hot sister”. When the intern lost it on Cam I shouted “No accent, NO ACCENT!”
Great episode, as usual. Glad to see a little more of Hodgins this week. Nice Bones-Parker interaction, too.
As for Mandi’s hope for future rescues, I love it when Booth has to save Brennan, but I also love it when Brennan has to save Booth (Killer in the Concrete, The Blonde in the Game, Hero in the Hold, etc). And I think it’d be neat to see what Brennan goes through if Angela were to get kidnapped or be put in serious danger. Angela is her best friend. (And it’d be good for those who support Angela-Hodgins, because you know he’d go nuts!) In Season 1, she took time off without permission and without notice to go to New Mexico and help Angela when her boyfriend went missing, for example. Just dropped everything and went to be with her friend. Brennan protects the people she loves. Perhaps it’d be nice to remind the people who are needlessly critical of Brennan that she isn’t really cold. Because she’s not. And, as they said at the end of this episode, she is indeed AWESOME.
I don’t think that she is autistic/asberger. I think that she was hurt when her parents left (remember her brother put out the christmas presents and she flipped when she saw them. thought mom and dad were back found out they weren’t and didn’t open them for years). I think she is afraid of getting hurt so she hides her feelings underneath logic. There is no love or pain with logic therefore no hurt. If you don’t believe (or let your self feel) that love really exists then you can’t be left by the people you love. No Pain.
I don’t understand how they can have a whole episode about Booth having/not having a girlfriend and not mention once that he told two people that he was in love with Brennan. I hate how Hart Hanson brings things up, then pretends they never happened for a number of episodes. For a show that claims to be character driven, there doesn’t seem to be much consistent (or real for that matter) movement in the characters.
Mandi, we all know you have a severe case of the hots for Booth/Boreanaz (and very lukewarm when it comes to Brennan), but that line about him being “ovary-aching adorable” absolutely skeeved me out. That was just waaayyy over the top. Ick.
No say, …that was my favorite line in her review.
Mine too. Totally stealing it.
How about the line when they were talking about Salt peter in Booth’s catholic school upbringing. ‘When I was in catholic schoolthey put salt peter in the boy’s milk, to stop their (you know).’ Cam says, “you know that’s a myth, right?” and Brennen straight faced says “No it’s not, Booth did go to catholic school.”
Cam telling Sweets, she doesn’t deal with crazy.
Parker, I want a pool…why else would I care.
The diner at the end was a perfect sign off.
Wrong -ology. Keep your grubby anthro hands off my psych. =D
“How do we know you’re not faking THIS accent?” Awesome.
My favorite was the alcohol in the volumetric flask and them drinking out of beakers
Did anyone else notice that Sweets’ “this isn’t my office” line after almost sitting in Booth’s chair seemed like a blooper/ad lib from JFD that they just kept in the episode because it was funny? Just as he’s leaving the room, Sweets starts to look at the camera with an “oops” face that I think HAD to be real…