BONES Recap: ‘The Method in the Madness’
November 5, 2012 by Sarah Curtis
Hello, BONES fans! How did you like “The Method in the Madness”? I have to say it’s my favorite episode of the year so far. There is a lot to discuss, so let’s get to it!
THE CASE:
The Scene of the Crime: When two garbage men dump trash into their truck, they find human remains. It’s very bloody and gross — and that’s before the team discovers the victim’s inner parts in a trash bag, indicating foul play. Brennan notes the victim is female and in her early 20s, and when the body is moved back to the Jeffersonian, indications are strong that the death was a violent, torturous one. There are precise cuts to many bones, and it appears her skin was forcibly ripped from her body. Sad.
The Victim: Jessica Pearson, co-owner of an organic applesauce store called “Them Apples” in an artisanal community. This setting called up a darker, macabre feel, and the show did a great job maintaining that tone. At the same time, it made Jessica’s death and suffering even more haunting and led Fischer and Brennan to consider past serial killers and their methods.
The Case Progression: Once Jessica’s identity is revealed, Booth and Brennan talk to her business partner Brooke Guminsky. She’s rattled by Jessica’s death and tells them that the last time she saw Jessica, she’d dropped her off at the free clinic for her regular treatment for lupus. Brooke suggests that B&B talk to Adam, the local artisanal butcher who seemed aggressively interested in Jessica.
When questioned, Adam certainly is very angry. Because he also knows how to slaughter animals, he is considered a prime suspect. When Hodgins discovers ammonia on Jessica’s body, Brennan asks Adam if he uses it to treat his meat. He’s furious, telling them he would never use chemicals; they can accuse him of murder but they need to lay off his meat. Booth tells Adam he’s glad he has his priorities straight. Ha! Adam insists he was just trying to help Jessica out — she needed money. But he stopped when he was threatened by a really huge guy he’d never seen before.
Hodgins and Angela identify 20 sequential $100 bills on Jessica’s remains, suggesting some sort of underground activity. When Cam finds no trace of lupus in Jessica’s system, Booth and Sweets question her free-clinic physician, Dr. Cole Reese. Reese first refuses any information, but when Booth and Sweets suggest he was working with Jessica in a pill-selling operation, he finally confesses that Jessica was being tested regularly for STDs, likely a result of prostitution.
In a crafty move, Fischer purchases some of Adam’s butchered pigs and analyzes their bones in comparison with Jessica’s wounds. There are similarities, but when it’s revealed Jessica’s killer was left handed and Adam is right handed, he’s eliminated as a suspect.
Hodgins finds some old licorice gin in Jessica’s system, and the team traces it to a shop in the artisanal town owned by Dr. Reese. Booth and Brennan arrive to his apartment to find him with a sharp knife and a woman tied to his bed.
Sweets questions him, and he insists it was purely sexual role play. He quit his medical practice to open the distillery, but he still has his license, so he volunteers at the free clinic. He has no shame in his predilection for the “damsel in distress” type of sexual situations, nor for paying women to act for him. Sweets accuses him of drugging Jessica with the liquor and then handcuffing her. Reese admits that happened, though it was consensual. He tells Sweets that she was resistant to the handcuffs, and when he was trying to get her out of them, a huge, angry man busted into the bedroom and threatened to kill him.
Angela uses a traffic light’s security camera to catch an image of the large man. The FBI puts his image on TV, and Willis McCullum comes forward. He tells Booth that he sees Jessica as a niece and was only trying to protect her from the life of prostitution.
The Verdict: McCullum had offered Jessica the possibility of getting investors in her applesauce store — something that would have been frowned upon in the artisanal community. Booth and Brennan talk to Brooke about this, and she admits that when Jessica mentioned it, she freaked out. She slapped Jessica, who then fell into their apple churner and was sliced/crushed to death. She didn’t want anyone to know, so she took the remains and hid them in the trash.
THE SQUINTS:
Maybe I was too harsh on Angela last time when I suggested she should stop being a whiny baby about everything — it IS cool if she wants to re-consider things in her life. But she needs to do it without judging the others. The cases ARE gross sometimes, but she treats the team poorly and needs to figure out how to express dissatisfaction without looking like she’s eating a lemon next to a landfill.
It was interesting that Hodgins was trying to protect Angela from having to do the reconstruction of this case. That, combined with Cam jumping in quickly to lie to Angela about the victim’s consciousness at time of death, makes me think the rest of the team is catching on to the fact that she’s quickly losing patience for her job.
I liked Hodgins’ pool to see how long Sweets would be at B&B’s, and each person’s submission made me laugh — except Angela’s, because nothing would be funny about Sweets moving in permanently. Please no.
I liked Cam’s work on the case, and it’s always fun when Fischer is on the team. I like his off-kilter approach and I really liked the scenes where he was investigating the skeletal remains with the low lighting.
As for Sweets, well…it’s interesting. After all, he was the dumper, not the dumpee. I’m not saying he can’t be in a funk about Daisy, but to be barely functional after two weeks (and living in the FBI office — totally not possible, I’m guessing) seemed like a stretch. In any other situation, he’s definitely quick to analyze, but he sure does not have much self-awareness. It will be interesting to see what happens next. He did well on the case, though.
BOOTH and BRENNAN:
I really liked how Booth and Brennan worked the case together, but more than that, I loved the Booth/Brennan dynamic regarding Sweets and thought they both were so in character. The following made total sense to me:
- Booth, seeing a person in his life who needs help, takes action. He apologizes to Brennan for not asking her first, but he knows Sweets needs help.
- Brennan trusts his instincts when it comes to people and once done, is 100% in and will act accordingly (see S3’s Man in the Mud or S4’s Mayhem on a Cross for other examples of this!). Whether it’s allowing Sweets access to the best bathtub, accepting his help folding laundry or offering up facts about Booth’s bone structure, she’s acting under the principle that Sweets is “theirs.”
- Booth is totally confident in his plan (“It’ll be fine”) when others doubt it, but then gets all tense and riled up when things aren’t perfectly in check — OR — if he has to “give” at all of himself when helping the person.
But the end scene was my absolute favorite—sorry to gush all over the place, but I loved it, especially:
- The initial B&B banter about applesauce.
- Sweets accusing Booth of wanting him to stay only so he could win the pool.
- Brennan insisting Sweets act out the “acceptance” ceremony and Booth knowing *exactly* what it was (leads me to think he’s either seen it or experienced it!).
- Brennan’s freedom, so gorgeous and perfect while walking Sweets through the steps of admission, cleansing and celebration.
- Booth refusing to participate more than doing his part from the couch and looking at Brennan and Sweets like they are crazy — but also smiling because they are “his” crazy people.
- Brennan’s “Someone out there who doesn’t know it yet will be getting the great gift that is you” — that is just one of the nicest things anyone could ever say. I had tears. Loved Booth’s gruff “Lucky, lucky them!” toast from the sidelines, too.
Gosh, that scene totally worked for me because neither Booth nor Brennan was doing or being anything that they’re not — they were totally comfortable in their own home and secure in themselves and one another, and when it’s “them against the world”…well, that is amazing. I could go on and on, I tell you!
Again, I definitely want Sweets out of their house and for good. But in terms of a single episode and helping him move on, yeah, I thought it was perfect.
All in all, this ep had so much dry humor (Brennan’s “it takes a village” line, Booth’s droll lines to Sweets, and Fischer’s quirky ways, to name a few) and I like that so much better than hijinks-type humor. There were a couple of misses, like how long it took for the team to realize Jessica’s precise wounds had been created by a machine (even I knew early on!) and some of Sweets’ lack of house guest courtesy/intuition, but for the most part, I think the episode really worked.
Okay, enough from me. What did I miss? Did you like this case and its macabre feel? Did you enjoy Sweets’ stint at B&B’s? What worked for you and what didn’t? Speak up below. And for more scoop on future episodes and how B&B might interact with Sweets in the future, check out Marisa’s post on that here!
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Filed under Bones
While I love that Bones is back. I am sick to death of Sweets getting more and more screentime. There are other characters on Bones who deserve plots about them.
SIGHS I hate Sweets in B&B house. Hate it, is their time alone together. Their moments together. You are being optimist if you think this is a one ep deal.
Liked this episode, but the apple of my eye comes next week with “Patriot in the Purgatory.” As for may’s comment…I’m seeing Angela’s story line brewing with her lack of job contentment, and we also know Cam is getting a new BF. Perhaps a little Sweets heavy right now, but not overly so and I look forward to seeing more of it
Why doesnt HART just rename Bones ‘Sweets’ and be done with ìt. This episode makes it.3 eps in a row where Sweets has subplots that are revolving around him!!!!!! So what about Angela, Booth, Hodgins and Cam are they now chopped liver in Hansons eyes? UGH
It is time that Sweets got voted of the Island. . . .I have.had enough of that character already in the past 3 episodes to last me a lifetime. The last time I looked Booth and Brennan where the leads and Sweets, along with Angela, Hodgins and Cam where supporting actors. It would be nice ìf Hart Hanson or Stephen Nathan remembered that.
What bugs me wìth Season 8 of Bones is the overuse of Sweets….we see ìt yet again in this episode.. . . . Sweets has taken over many of Booth’s scenes at the FBI, scenes that he has done for many years without Sweets and now he is going to be all over Booths scenes at the house too? It is too much. And it is never going to end, cos Hart is obsessed with Sweets and willing to throw Booth, and anyone else, under the bus to give Sweets even more scenes and airtime.
@jen yep, ita, I want to watch BOOTH be the kick ass Agent and own that interrogation room like he use to since day 1. AND NOT Sweets do the job for Booth. This Faux Agent Sweets trip that Bones bosses are on is grating on my last nerve. Can we get back to AGENT BOOTH Hart Hanson?
This was an ok ep, a bit silly, loving B & B together but really, Hart, tone down the Sweets love. It’s feeling out of place.
I felt that the storyline was a little all over the place, but it was a good episode. The thing that I enjoyed most was the glimpses of B&B and their life at home together. Seeing them that way answers any questions one might have about why the two of them are together.
Good enough ep but I am looking forward to more serious eps of Bones. And good God enough of Sweets already!!!!! Give me some other characters storylines. Loved Booth in this, awesome as always, as where Booth and Brennan what little scenes they had together were great.
I actually find that for the most part, Sweets hasn’t been misused this season. And I really enjoy him in his baby duck role. This season so far has felt a lot like season 4 which I really loved so I’m digging it!
People really need to get over the Sweets hate or stop watching the show. I mean it’s perfectly valid if you don’t like the show anymore, but I really don’t get watching and complaining about it. What a huge waste of time.
Sweets ugh. Such a douchebag to Booth about Parker. So rude. And I am concerned how marginalized Parker is in Booths life now. Parker wont need the room for months? Huh?!?! Well I would rather see Parker living with, you know HIS dad and family, than.that intruder Sweets…
@eli because there are other characters on the show and thats why I watch, particulary for Booth and B & B….So I should stop watching because I am sick of Sweets? umm ok… you would think BONES would need all the viewers it can get, esp in its timeslot…
I really did enjoy this episode, and love the way Booth and Brennan just seemed to be so in sync throughout the whole thing, but especially in the end scene. The way Booth knew just what Brennan was talking about with the admission, cleansing, and celebration. They had to have discussed that already but it was all so much fun to watch.
While there have often been times that Sweets has really annoyed me, or frustrated me I’ve found that I’ve enjoyed him much more this season than I did the past 2 or 3 seasons. I actually do prefer his scenes with Brennan, or Booth and Brennan together than I do his other scenes so this is working for me.
I think this was another great installment in a season that is shaping up to be a real winner.
I am a Sweets hater. Ha, ask Sarah, I was NOT looking forward to this episode AT ALL.
However, as a someone who doesn’t like Sweets all that much, I can say, I wasn’t bothered by this episode. It wasn’t what I was expecting and that is GOOD. Because, I actually really liked the episode.
I enjoyed the case. I thought it was really good!!
I enjoyed Booth. Thought he was hilarious. I totally think he is regretting asking Sweets to stay! LOL.
Sweets, he didn’t bother me. He actually kind of did his ACTUAL job more in this episode. And that’s when he’s useful.
Bottom line, Sweets and his friendship with Booth is canon. And Booth is a good man, he’s gonna react to seeing Sweets homeless. And he reacted like a friend. I do think he is regretting that. LOL. I admit, I hope this doesn’t last TOO much longer. It worked for this episode. And I’m not sure about further episode. But I do think that in other episodes, Sweets staying there might be more in the background. But like I said, I hope they don’t drag it out. I would like BB to be alone again in their hut. Sweets is a big boy, he needs to be on his own. 😉
And Brennan. Oh Brennan. She is perfect. And when she said, “It takes a village,” I had a grin on my face so wide. *sigh* LOVED that. Loved that call back, She was perfect this entire episode. Hilarious and wonderful. I love how they have treated her character this season. They are bringing the humor but they aren’t making it ridiculously over the top where it makes her look like a cartoon. They made it more organic and I am loving it!!!
All in all, I liked the episode A LOT more than I thought I would. Nice moments.
REALLY looking forward to next week!
@eli, just because one character is being over used doesnt mean that any one of us hate Bones. We have a right to express our opinion. It’s a great waste of time to listen to your whining too.
@Frankie707, I totally agree with you! Sweets can get annoying no question about that, but this season he’s been okay. The BB dynamic with him has worked, imo. Also really liking the season 4 vibe to this season. Especially the BB dynamic. The part where the lady is screaming and Brennan immediately rushed forward and Booth has to step in with the gun is very reminiscent of one of my favorite lines. “Gun goes first.”
@lynnie, I never said you should to stop watching the show. I merely commented that whining about Sweets to the extent that some people do–the extent where it appears that enjoyment of the show is gone–makes no sense to me. If you’re one of those people, okay, then that’s just sad. Cause Sweets is not going away, he’s an integral part of the show that the creators seem to love. I’m not getting into an argument about Sweets or the show. Fact is, I could do with less of him too, but when my first reaction to an episode becomes a rant about a supporting character, then I don’t really see as the episode being enjoyed. And there just seem to be a lot of comment online just ranting about Sweets after every episode, which to me means those people are not enjoying the show anymore. Which, again, begs the question, why bother watching.
@Gina, yes, exactly!
@kimber9, Um…obviously, you’re one of the Sweets whiners since my comment wasn’t directed at you or anyone in particular but you clearly believe it was. Sorry the truth stings, but it is what it is.
I agree with everything Sarah said. Next weeks ep looks highly emotional for Booth and I am sure Sweets will be payong him back for his help. I prefer seeing B and B intimacy in other ways and that last scene captured it well. Look at where we are…in their living room where they have made a home enjoying their baby duck.. great ep!
I cannot add much to the review without repeating alot of it. While I think the murder plot was pretty good, it is worth pointing out, again, that the episodes are avoiding the endless amount of plot lines that could be written about Booth and Brennen. The “buck” stops with Hart Hansen and Stephen Nathan. To a degree, it applies to anyone whose name appear in the credits with “executive producer” as a title. If you have creative say so then some hard questions are being leveled at you from longtime fans.
Dear Hart Hansen and Stephen Nathan- why do you hate the monsters you created?
Facts can’t be avoided. Dear HH and SN- YOU created the fans that you are making snide comments about on social media. You especially Hart Hansen cannot stand to be criticized about a character that you write. If you think about it you ought to hate most of the Bones fans, because most of us didn’t bite off on ‘The Finder’. No, really you two, stop and think about WTF you are doing. The term ‘fans’ comes from the word fanatical. For eight years/seasons you both have garnered the fan base (what there is left of it) by stringing them along with a two characters who oozed chemistry when put in the same scene. Even You- HH and David Boreanaz love to tell the story of how Emily nailed the script reading with David, ok, it was obvious that these two could be lightning in a bottle/jar on screen.
When you create two characters who for years were hands down the most ‘shipped characters on TV for YEARS, then you have to come up big when you get them together and want to continue the series. If you spent six/seven years getting them together you have to let the fans see the why’s and hows. Yep it goes back to the giant let down in season six. Brennan tells Angela with a smile that she finally did the deed with Booth. OMG- that was the best any of you could do with that scene? Glossing over the whole triumphant get together of your two main characters left the fans wanting more. Demanding more of the when, where, why and how’s of the couple aspect. I never, NEVER saw a comment left after the debacle that was the ending of season six, that demanded we see Booth screw/have sex with/F___/ have comfort sex with Brennan or whatever you want to call it that you guys think happened. I don’t see anyone disputing the fact that with ED’s pregnancy, you had to get them together and a baby had to be introduced. HOWEVER:
You cannot drag out lightning in a bottle and end it with zero thunder. Talk, romance, intimacy had to be thought out- scenes with how this hotly shipped couple told their friends needed to be written and shown. Nobody in TV land viewing let alone real life would put up with six years of dragging out a fantastic romantic dance with a smile and just make up the rest. The Monsters, us fans that you, Mr. Hansen and Company created demand more storylines for the leads in the show because they never got the payoff. IMO-you were so freaking scared of the Moonlighting curse that you avoided the moment that if done right, could’ve have been the moment most talked about for the show. In a sad way, it is now tied forever to the Season of Hannah (who I liked and had chemistry with Booth) which is hotly debated on line to this day.
Introduction of more characters- such as Booth Mom, and yet a new Squintern and Cam’s love interest, and story lines about Sweets in any form are naturally going to be met with great resistance by the “monster fans” that you now rebuke on line Mr. Hansen. I quite frankly think you should have thicker skin. You cannot possible think that everything and every character you create is ‘gold’. You’re a show runner, you have suffered fans telling you to stuff new shows, so what- you wrote a smash hit with Booth and Brennan as the lead characters. So much so that your “monster fans” hate seeing in-depth stories about the love life action of Sweets. It will be the same with Cam. Fans love and accept Hodgela- run with that. What is wrong with having developed some great characters that people want more stories about??? Why are those fans just a bunch of “bitching” people in your eyes?
You, Mr. Hansen and Stephen Nathan- and yes DB and ED, created characters so loved and followed and ‘shipped that fans cannot get enough of them. Griping, granted when done in moderation, is a compliment of sorts. But don’t mistake complaints from many, many in the fandom to be the blame of a few twitter followers of yours. You flatter yourself and come off as arrogant. Accept the fact that fans may not like every one of the characters. After eight seasons of people getting to know and follow these characters, your fans may actually want them kept in character- see them as the couple you now portray them to be. Your “monster fans” are people who want your lead characters to have the majority of the story line- they are not TIRED of them. Not in the least.
And lastly Mr. HH , but your big boy pants on when in the social media. If people express their opinion about not liking a character then consider the fact it most likely, unless expressly stated, is NOT a personal attack. If it is, than by all means do what you feel you have to. Or better yet ask a few questions, like “what isn’t working with Sweets?” Interact, after all nobody twisted your arm to get you to join social media did they?? YOU created the characters that the fans LOVE, ADORE and WANT MORE of. Perhaps it’s not so bad to look at the balance of storylines vs. who makes up your fan base for Bones- that is about as neutral of a statement that can be made.
@jasper Pretty good mirror of my feelings. While some of the characters drive me nuts, overall, I’m still here, grinding out my love for the show week after week, taking abuse from the showrunners. Wont do it again, no SN or HH projects for me in the future.
There were a few things that really bothered me about this episode. Some of them, I can’t even really put my finger on WHY they bothered me so badly. But anyway…
• Why would Parker not need the room for MONTHS? If they needed an excuse to put Sweets in Parker’s room, fine…but just don’t mention that Parker won’t be there for months. Booth used to FIGHT to have Parker and now he’s sounding like it is a convenience that the kid won’t be around for months
• As soon as the word Applesauce was mentioned, I knew how the victim died. I didn’t know who the killer was though. So, why was it necessary for these extremely intelligent people to continue searching for a weapon while it was obvious that it was a machine that did it? Brennan is way too smart not to have figured that out before she did. Come on!!
• If Angela doesn’t like her job, wouldn’t she just quit? Her husband is a multi-millionaire. Why is this necessary to write in a plot where she is miserable? I don’t like it! She is my favorite character outside of B & B and I don’t like to see her unhappy.
I loved this episode!
Loved the beginning scene with Sweets and Booth. I also loved that it was obvious Sweets had been staying in his office a while before Booth invited him to stay. As a friend you step back, wait and see…and step in if they still haven’t got their shit together.
Kudos to Brennan for being one of the few women in the world that would accept the ‘our shrinks coming to stay with us’ with a simple okay. Christine has definitely softened her up!
What I really enjoyed about this the fact that it WASN’T too Sweets heavy (you heard me. Wasn’t. Who saw that coming? LOL) As much as I adore Sweets (& you know I do), I didn’t want this to become a ‘Sweets’ episode. One, because I love the entire team dynamic and really wanted to see all our guys at work. And 2, on a purely selfish note, I really didn’t want to put up with the whigning from the Sweets haters. I mean, who needs it, right? This way I figure they can’t complain too much. *crosses fingers…and toes….and eyes*
The only thing I was a smidgen disappointed with was the case. When you hear ‘Jack the Ripper’ your mind should be filled with these weird and wonderful ideas, and theories, but this was kind of…pointless. The ‘Jack the Ripper’ element was minimal, and as someone who is fascinated by that subject it made me a tad sad to see them do so little with it. But hey ho, what can you do?
I got a tad too excited when I saw Jerry from ER though. I loved that show, and I hadn’t realised he was in it. I love such pleasant surprises
I really enjoyed all the Booth, Brennan and Sweets interaction too. From Booth and Sweets having a domestic on the stairs, to Brennan sitting reading his book, to the ridiculous dancing at the end. So much fun I giggled when Fisher turned up too..Booth’s face was a picture! Hehehe….I love cranky Booth.
The end was perfect too. We had the lovely moment between Booth and Brennan, sans Sweets. (I love it when Booth is all flirty with her…I could watch an hour of just that!) And then we had Sweets joining them, which was fun.
Brennan was adorable in her worry that she had somehow led Sweets to believe he had overstayed his welcome (and her added ‘yet’ was just so…Brennan!). She cares for Sweets more than she will admit, I think. He’s their baby duck
And the dancing made me crack up. I know someone (can’t remember who and too lazy to check) said it was embarassing, but that’s what made it so perfect.
When you’re at home, messing about with friends (which they are. I know some people don’t like to believe it, but Sweets is very much Booth & Brennan’s friend), you do get a tad ridiculous and embarassing. And dancing for the hell of it? If it is anything BUT embarassing dancing you’re doing it wrong! LOL When you’re at your most relaxed you can let go and make a fool of yourself…it’s one of the perks of having such good friends. (And I feel bad for anyone who doesn’t have that kind of friend, and hasn’t had that kind of moment.)
And I ADORED this line….
‘The great gift that is you…’
One of the nicest things she’s ever said to him…while dancing like a fool. Perfection.
The other thing I loved about this ending was Booth, as he watched them. He knew exactly what was coming, and he was content to sit there, with his scotch, as they make fool of themselves. Gently egging them on when needed. Brilliant.
Overall I loved it…and now I will stop talking
Laffs
P.S. One final thing….I WANT Booth’s tie. Seriously…the one at the vending machin? Someone hook me up. I want it. I need it. I must have it.
P.P.S The final final thing….there was one thing I HATED in this episode. Hated hated hated.
‘As a child from a broken home.’
It doesn’t matter if you’re a politician, or one of my favourite TV characters, this line just pisses me off. It’s rude, and insulting, and I can’t stand it.
P.P.P.S Booth whipped his gun out 😉
The entire Sweets story arc is silly.
Silly as in give me a break. Silly as in totally improbable. Silly as in appropriate for a sitcom but not for a show that’s supposed to be a believable portrayal of grown-ups solving grown-up crimes on behalf of a grown-up federal law enforcement agency and the esteemed grown-up research institution that assists with challenging forensic analyses.
Come on, really? An FBI psychologist sleeping in his office in the J. Edgar Hoover Building for two weeks after breaking up with his girlfriend? Really? For two weeks? An FBI psychologist with his quantum of experience is making well in excess of $100K (which for a single person is a huge wad of dough). He can get a hotel. Or an apartment. But there’s no way the FBI lets its employees, even the most beloved among them, sleep in their offices. Come on.
And then you want us to believe that a man, whose domestic partner/mother-of-his-child was totally missing from his life for three months, will unilaterally offer to let said FBI psychologist (who has a mixed history with said couple) crash at their place? No quick phone call to the partner/mother-of-child? No discussion?
Umm, no. No way.
Not realistic. This scenario is so improbable that most of us who actually *are* grown-ups and have spent any significant period of time in a grown-up kind of relationship will scrunch our eyebrows and scratch our heads at that one.
I mean, really?
The show had a lot of gravitas in the first six seasons as it navigated the rocky terrain of the protagonists’ strained-at-times, sexual-tension-laden partnership. Then they finally figured it out at the end of S6, got together (yay!), and now we all get is this goofy, totally unreal portrayal of a relationship? It’s not the sleeping together that killed the dramatic tension in the show, but rather the writers/show-runners inability/unwillingness to give us realism in the way the couple interacts with one another.
Come on, guys. Most of us who watch this show are grown-ups. (And the young’ns who watch aren’t the advertisers’ target audience, because they don’t have money. Grown-ups like me, Jasper777 and most of the folks opining above *do*).
Can you please, pretty please, give us a grown-up relationship between B&B, with all the hallmarks of grown-up relationships? Or else call a spade a spade and make the show into a sitcom.
Actually, don’t. Go back to what made the show a winner.
Give us drama. Give us tension. Show us a tiny glimpse of the struggle that these two people who have been through SO much will have to endure to get to a point of equilibrium. But give us something we can believe. Because the couch-surfing (okay, Parker-bedroom-surfing) baby duck thing is not believable. It’s silly and ludicrous, and at some point, not even the talent of the cast will save the show from the inevitable evaporation of interest on the part of fans looking for the grown-up drama that we got for seven years.
With mettā,
d/m
I was happy to see this episode as the last one didn’t work for me. I like Sweets but I would like to see B&B together more. When Emily was pregnant the rest of the cast picked up more air time and the writers have continued this pattern but I liked it better with the greater focus on B&B..
@ dharmonkey Hear! Hear! So right, I want to see a grown up relationship. If I want to see silly, there are 20 sit coms with couples floundering around that cant get it together.
@Tracie So agree, when Booth said Parker wouldn’t be VISITING for a couple of months, I wanted to cyber slap him. One child cannot replace another in my mind. And really, that big beautiful house with no extra bedrooms, unbelievable.
Sweets is just not a believable character anymore. The writer’s have no real direction for this character. Having him everywhere, doing a little bit of everything, just makes him annoying. This episode didn’t really impress me at all. It is one of the more forgettable episodes of this series.
Parker has been shipped off to England so Booth only has to see him a couple times a year. He obviously isn’t being written as the devoted father he used to be. This doesn’t surprise me, based on what they have done with the writing on this show the past two years. Just hoping the rest of the season improves. I thought they were going to be doing darker, more serious episodes. If this is an example of what serious is to them, I’d rather be watching Chopped or House Hunters International.
I agree with Dharmamonkey. Grown ups, please. Thanks.
Michele
Amen Jasper777! This show has gone SO far downhill that I am praying that this will be its last season so that I don’t have to see it get even more asinine before it gets cancelled. It’s going the way of so many shows – Alias, etc. – that started out amazing and then got more and more off track. The writers have completely ruined the Booth and Bones dynamic. Gone is the chemistry, gone is the fun, gone is the sense that they are even remotely attracted to one another. Far from the effortless fun and sexiness that was S1-5, now when I watch them together, I really see them ACTING. I don’t buy it anymore. And Sweets..WHY does HH love him so much? Possibly the most annoying character on tv.
I also agree with your comments about HH’s attitude. The man is delusional. When so many people criticize something – people who were devoted to the show for years – there IS a problem. Accept it, and fix it. I respect that there are people who still love the show, but anyone being truly honest with themselves has to admit that there is NO comparison between S1-5 and the subsequent seasons. You may still love it, but it isn’t nearly as good as it was, and my loyalty (and that of many other fans) only goes so far. While I still tune in, I’m usually working or reading at the same time – it doesn’t hold my attention anymore. WHich is sad.
Just watched and thought it was average. Some good moments. I think what I now feel in some scenes, like the last, is that it is David and Emily, and not Booth and Brennan in these scenes. They just seem more goofy like th sometimes are in interviews. I felt the same way when Booth said the impolite joke in the second ep it was David goofing around. I just get more of a friends vibe than any kind of romantic vibe.
Look forward to more serious episodes, less Sweets, and less goofing around. The butt slapping next week looks a bit much.
I loved this episode! The ending was so funny and adorable, and brennans dancing was so epically bad it circled back round to good!
Plus the start scene with the operatic discovery of the body was one of my favourites in any episode of bones ever!