BONES: Tough Man in the Tender Chicken
November 6, 2009 by Sarah Curtis
An open letter to former BONES fans:
If you have stopped watching BONES, please come back. I know that TV is all about loyalty. Some of you may have started watching the show out of loyalty to David Boreanaz from his Angel days. And maybe some of you have stopped watching because of your loyalty to Zack.
But let me encourage you to give the show another shot. If you want to pretend the past season didn’t happen, that is fine by me. We won’t talk about it. Start at the beginning of this season and watch up until now. I think you will be pleased.
For those of you who have continued to watch BONES over the past four + seasons, and to those of you who continue to leave comments here on GMMR, I am grateful for your loyalty.
~Seels
But let’s get down to this episode!
THE CASE:
The ‘Woodchucks’, a local Wilderness Girl Scouts/ Brennan sycophants kind of group discovers a dead body in water. They do everything right (but still must learn), and catalog the remains, crime scene, and probably some diatomaceous earth in there somewhere, too, right? The body is determined (to Booth’s incredulity) to be half man- half chicken. It’s up to him to put the face out on the FBI database to see if they get any hits. And sure enough they do!
The man is an employee at a chicken factory(?) and because he didn’t take the necessary precautions against the chemicals used at the plant, his face and sinuses are becoming deformed. It’s then up to the whole team to find out who killed him. Suspects include the victim’s wife, some radical protestors and a baker who opposes the chicken smell.
THE SQUINTS:
- Wendell: Were he and Hodgins wearing the same shirt at the beginning of the ep? And again at the end? Was that some sort of (non) subtle clue to show us that somehow Wendell was a poser? Or second best? I actually did think it was sweet of him to shell out the $45.
- Hodgins: I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE that he turned Angela down flat. Woot! He would rather talk about chicken parasites! I also loved his reaction to the Woodchucks and I thought his quick drink at the bar was somewhat telling. But maybe I was reading too much into it.
- Sweets: I like the Sweets and Booth tag team in the interrogation room. That totally works for me. Actually, I liked Sweets a lot in this episode. I didn’t mind him honing in on Booth at the diner. It was kind of fun to see the hero worship he has for Booth about the twins. And I appreciate Sweets when he uses his brains for good, like his talks with Angela and then Brennan.
- Angela: I don’t know, you guys. I will leave it up to you to decide and comment. One bonus…no more talk of celibacy, right?
- Cam: Haha, to her figuring out Wendell and Angela. Of course she probably recognized the signs from all those times being around the lab table with Angela and Hodgins. I like how she was kind of horrified about it. Her reaction and advocacy for the Woodchucks was fun.
BOOTH & BRENNAN:
The end scene was nice, and I know a lot of people love the VERY end, with Booth’s face. But I kind of loved right before that when Brennan said he should call her when he wasn’t sure about something about himself. I equally appreciate that she wanted to know what HE thought about the Angela deal.
But more than all of THAT, the diner scene was my favorite Booth and Brennan moment of this episode. Brennan is funny and cute when she’s upset about something personal. She doesn’t hide it very well, haha. But Booth still figured it out (probably because she wasn’t sitting beside him). I liked how his eyes never really left her. And his kick to Sweets was the bomb.
I felt a little unsure when Brennan solved the murder at the expense of Booth not. But I see how it fit into the greater storyline. I just hope it doesn’t become a trend. What I do appreciate is that we’re still seeing Booth kind of get back to himself. I like that this plot point isn’t totally resolved. And he likes brown sugar on everything? I think he might also like the Woodchucks.
Perhaps I am heartless, but I agreed with Brennan about the whole pig thing. I felt genuinely sorry for her that Angela was being kind of irrational. Not Angela’s irrationality about CARING for the pig, but that Angela was mad and broke of the entire friendship because ‘Sweetie’ wouldn’t shell out 1,500 for the pig? I guess that kind of put a price right on that friendship, right? I think Brennan was more shocked than anything. “You don’t want to be friends anymore because the pig is cute?” Ah…sad!
I think actually, my second fave moment was when she removed his tie in the lab.
So there it is:
1. Diner scene
2. Tie removal
3. Brown sugar
But what do you think? Did you have a favorite moment? Were you shocked that Wendell was Angela’s ‘reconnection to society’? What will Hodgins do? Are you as excited as I am for VNM next week? If you had a twin sister, would you date Booth? Let’s talk BONES! It’s been too long!
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Filed under #1 featured, Bones, Posts by Sarah (Seels)
I liked this episode! I thought it had a lot of good moments in it. Not my favorite of the season, but, like you, I think this season has been very, very good overall.
I am not sure yet how I feel about the Wendell/Angela thing. I think I will decide later on.
And yes, I am also excited for VNM next week!
While Brennan was right that saving the piglet doesn’t change anything in the big picture, she was wrong not to give Angela some money.
If Angela had asked me for money (assuming I worked at the Jefferson) to stop using animals for food I would have refused. I eat meat and enjoy it.
But I would have given her some money to save the piglet. Not because it was cute or as a symbol, but because Angela is a friend and co-worker. I routinely contributed to my co-workers’ kid’s fundraiser projects (sales of cookies, pizza fixings, raffles, etc.). Unless you were actively opposed to the cause you normally help out a friend/co-worker on these little things.
On the other hand, Angela was completely off the deep end in her reaction. She asked Bones for a favor and she said no. Is she only Angela’s friend if she contributes to any and every cause Angela deems important?
I like your rankings (diner, tie, brown sugar) and would even tack on the “do I want to know” moment at the end, because, well, it was her literally taking him at his word and did my heart a world of good.
May I just pause here and say that I have love the facial acting of both DB and ED this season? Thanks 🙂
I knew a/b Wengela before so that didn’t shock me and while it wasn’t as awkward as Swaisy in Museum, I’m not particularly rooting for them as a couple. Actually, I thought the little arm around the shoulder thing was cuter than the kiss and totally bought that moment. And how sweet is the boy for giving money to a cause he doesn’t support with money he could spend on student loans?
The Brennan/Angela friendship-fight though, um…that was odd. Reminded me of Jr High or something and totally overacted. I actually liked, though that Brennan remained the rational one here given Emily’s very VOCAL stance on these issues. Just glad they’re not dragging this out. The moments discussing the fight, though, were gold: Sweets with both of the gals, Booth- “I’ll die for you, I’ll kill for you….”(sigh AND shades of the Finale once again), and the end scene where she goes to Booth(a fully grown up man) for final advice as a way to boost his confidence again.
I have theories as to why this vulnerability of Booth’s was revisited in this fashion, but they’re too spoilery for ya 😉
Guess we’ll have to wait for another ep for that vest Booth was wearing in the promo, eh?
Overall, a great way to get back into Bones and bring on November Sweeps!!!
Gum 🙂
great episode, not my favorite- but i think that had to do with the case itself. I was having a hard time getting into the ‘chicken-man’ thing. I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories around the case though.
I thought they explained why Angela was so worked up about the pig and no one wanting to help her- b/c she’s been celibate. If she has all these bottled up ’emotions’ then she’s taking it out on everyone around her, even Brennan. Which, I would be upset too if my best friend didn’t want to fork over some money to something I felt strongly about- even if it is rational thinking Brennan.
PLUS, how stinkin sweet was Wendell giving her money when he really had none to give?! Loved it. I kinda buy the Wendell/Angela interest- he has a bit of Hodgins in him, plus he’s just a sweetheart. Let’s keep him around the lab for awhile please.
And the B/B interactions were great. I love when they just show how well they know each other. My favorite part was when he grabbed her hand at the diner and held onto it- telling her it would be okay with Angela. It’s the little moments 🙂
Easily one of my favorite episodes this season. I loved the Sweets/Booth bromance moment in the diner. I really liked how Brennen discovered that friendship is sometimes not rational. I even like the Chicken Superhero stuff at the beginning. That whole interaction with the Woodchucks was pretty funny.
While I don’t (rationally) understand Angela’s crazy this week, I thought that Wendell was great and Beth is right. He is a like a Hodgins 2.0. I love his meat speech. And then to had over all his cash? I would have settled for them just making out but well, we all know Angela won’t stop at a kiss.
The best part of this episode was the touching. All the characters had moments that were captured that involved a casual (or maybe not so casual) touch and I though it was great. Sometimes all a person needs is a little human touch (isn’t that a Rick Springfield song? OK, I’m leaving)
Thanks for a great recap Seeleybaby!
Patty: maybe you were thinking of:
http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/HumanTouch.html
I just discovered this site recently and I’m really enjoying the recaps and comments.
Am waiting and seeing on Wendell/Angela, but I don’t think it can last. Also not expecting a heartbroken Wendell because I think he’s a pretty realistic guy. It seems likely to stir things up between Angela and Hodgins, though, and I am all for that.
There were a few anvils in this episode but I did enjoy that final scene. Looking forward to the next couple of weeks.
Thanks Seeleybaby for that open letter. I second that! I worry sometimes that people forget about this show, and it goes underappreciated. For me, I didn’t realize how much I missed it for the past couple of weeks until it was back!
Some great moments for all of the characters this week. I agree with Gum that David and Emily are acting so well with their faces this season, they’ve really mastered the subtleties of their characters.
I’ve always been an Angela fan, but lately she seems to be acting out of character. Being that hard on Brennan – for being “Brennan” – didn’t seem like her, and neither did getting so defensive about Hodgins’ friendly rejection. I’m hoping the Wendell thing is just playful and fun, not dramatic.
Gotta agree, that diner scene was number one for me.
Hey Seeleybaby! Your open letter is to ME! I feel so very special. I’ll admit, I was super pissed with some events on the show, and how some of the characters/their relationships were treated about the end of Season Three, and yes, I quit watching. My love for TJ Thyne is actually the only thing that kept me wanting to come back, but I never did. Until now! For whatever reason, I missed my Squints, and started rewatching my S1 and S2 DVDs and my fanvids, and it inspired me to watch the long-ago taped finale from last year. I LOVED it!
I caught two episodes from this season online, but that was all I could find (I’m in Canada, so can’t access Hulu or Fox’s site). And you know, I really liked it! Heck yeah, I miss Zach, but I love the alternate-Zachs, and really want to get to know them. This episode, about chicken farming, was awesome.
Ha ha ha to Wendell and Hodgins and the same plaid shirt. I totally thought that! Too funny. Pretty upset about the Wendell/Angela hook up, but then again, I’m a huge Hodgela fan, so not seeing them together will take some serious getting used to.
I really look forward to getting back into Bones, and reading your recaps! Yay!
I don’t know about the whole Wendell/Angela thing either, because he seems like an inexperienced sweet kid while Angela’s… erm, well Angela. I have a feeling this is gonna be just a quick fling, and she’ll get back with Hodgins. Hodgins is much more of an equal and can actually hold his own next to Angela. As for the girl fight, I didn’t really over-analyze it because I’d already known for a while that it was gonna happen and that it wasn’t anything serious, so… But I agree with Gum, and I think that a special shout-out goes to Emily for not letting her personal views inhibit her performance, especially since this is a subject she feels sooo strongly about.
And I gotta say, I thought B/B were very cute this episode: the hand-holding, the “I’d kill for you, I’d die for you”s, the reassuring of Booth by Brennan.
But I thought that the cutest moment was when she was asking him for advice, she doesn’t say that she merely wants his opinion, but she says that she NEEDS to know what he thinks and then steadily looked at him until he responded.
Anyone else agree?
I loved this one. The case was definitely odd and not terribly interesting to me, but all of the little B&B moments were fabulous and totally rewatchable! I did exactly that, multiple times haha! The diner thing was just so sweet, and better than that… it felt so much like an “everyday” moment for them. I loved the acting from both of them during the tie scene… they made it so much sweeter than it would have been in a normal situation. Oh, and the brown sugar moment… that’s ultimately what their relationship comes back to… they KNOW each other – inside and out, the good and the bad. LOVE THEM!
I’m not cool with the Angela/Wendell thing, but it doesn’t seem all that far-fetched to me. Wendell’s a cutie, and Angela – well, she’s Angela and she’s been celibate a long time haha! I don’t want it to continue, though… at least not long-term. Hopefully this is just a stepping stone on the way back to Hodgela.
Okay, so what’s this VNM thing? It’s driving me crazy trying to figure it out…
First of all….the shirts.
I stared and stared and stared at Hodgins and Wendall, until my husband asked, “Why the hell are they wearing the same shirt?” At least I knew I wasn’t seeing things then. I think perhaps it was foreshadowing of things to come. First, Wendall starts dressing like Hodgins, then starts wearing his ex-fiance. ha
I just don’t know what to say about Angela. I give up, I guess. And I don’t even know what that means, really. But I do know that I’m glad Hodgins turned her down. I really think he’s too good for her. He’s probably too good for me too, but I’d like to take the time anyway to offer myself the position of ‘transitional girlfriend’.
I’ve always love Wendall, but there was just something about this ep that made him so much more friggin’ adorable. I like that he’s got tons of student loans, but emptied his wallet for Angela. Hawt! Just hope she doesn’t ruin him…
My favorite part was Sweets being our ‘eyes’ for the Booth/Brennan hand-holding. The many, many angles of it. Lovely! Really, who are they kidding? Just themselves, at this point!
That Wendall! What a doll. You really should keep him around just to get Hoggins’ knickers in a twist. Writers know, conflict is the meat of any story, and this could whip up a bit of steam. I loved the tender moment when Wendell’s hand slowly appeared on Angela’s shoulder. And Booth saw it, but wouldn’t tell Brennan. That was adorable. It’s those little little things that make “Bones” so contagious.