BONES Recap: The Bod in the Pod
November 20, 2012 by Sarah Curtis
Hello, BONES fans! How did you like “The Bod in the Pod”? While there was no build-up on the show, there has been some hype in the press about a new relationship for Cam, and this episode brought that to light. Between that, Sweets still roosting at B&B’s, and a pretty cool case, there is a lot to discuss, so let’s get to it!
THE CASE
The Scene of the Crime: Booth, Brennan and Hodgins are called to a beach, where there has been a garbage spill, including a mysterious pod housing some human remains. The pod doesn’t appear to have any openings, and it’s a mystery how the body got inside of it. The body and pod are shipped to the Jeffersonian, where Hodgins and Arastoo try to make sense of it all. Arastoo thinks it’s strange, and Hodgins quotes Hamlet with “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio”. Ten points to the first person who can name the OTHER Bones episode that referenced that quote (hint: season two!). Hodgins uses a laser on the pod, and after opening it, he tries to identify (by smell) the situation with the remains and faints.
While Hodgins wakes up, Brennan pulls the skull from the pod and decomposed fluids. The teeth were bashed in, indicating a violent death. There were also wood slivers included with the remains, and Angela is able to piece them together to identify a stamp, one that belongs to a local lumber mill, Lumber for Less.
The Victim
Charles “Lucky” Milner, a worker at a lumber mill who also worked as a crime scene cleaner-upper. Lucky was married, but also having an affair with a co-worker, Renee.
The Case Progression
Booth and Brennan talk to Renee, who is very upset at Lucky’s death. Renee insists that Lucky was going to leave his wife Lisa and that Lisa was crazy. B&B find this hard to believe.
Booth talks with Lisa, who admits that she is Lucky’s fourth wife, and she was aware that he was probably cheating on her. She is most concerned with how Lucky’s death will affect her son, Davy, who Lucky took under his wing in the crime scene clean-up business. He was looking to make Davy a partner. Booth tells her he’ll have to talk to Davy too.
But it’s Sweets who does that questioning. Davy is troubled but insists he is innocent. He tells Sweets they need to be questioning Melvin Carville, Lucky’s rival, and owner of “Grim Sweeper Cleaning”, a crime scene cleaning company. Excellent, excellent company name.
At the lab, Angela tries to identify possible murder weapons and Hodgins tries to figure out how the pod was made. Angela is able to determine several possibilities, but the tools are common and both Melvin and Davy have sets. Hodgins realizes that Lucky’s body was wrapped in plastic and applied with chemicals to speed decomposition. Heat and other factors hardened the plastic, creating the pod.
Sweets questions Melvin, who insists that he would never kill Lucky–they were about to go into business together. He puts a verbal challenge to Brennan to check Davy’s tools first, after all…Davy would be the one who would lose the most by that business partnership. When the lab examines Davy’s scrubbed clean tools against Melvin’s bloodied tools, Cam figures the lack of blood indicates Davy’s guilt. But Brennan has a hunch (to the horror of the team) that it’s Carville, especially because he challenged her. She goes on a mission to prove herself right.
The Verdict
It doesn’t look good for Brennan when she, Hodgins and a team of FBI techs scour a potential crime scene. But when Brennan uses an old trick she learned in another country, she is able to pull blood up through concrete. There are knee prints in the blood, indicating the killer bent on the ground to cover it all up–also indicating the killer had a knee replacement. When Booth confronts Carville about his artificial knee, it doesn’t look good for him. As Brennan said, “Gotcha”.
What didn’t work for me:
- This episode had a very disjointed feel among the storylines, and there were very awkward day-to-night-to-day transitions
- I actually liked Cam with Arastoo more than I thought I would (LOVED THE POEM!), but it is still weird that she is his employer, and the secrecy with the payroll issues and then subsequent book of poems, etc. also added to the disjointed storyline
- I like Sweets in general, and I do like when he does profiling or interrogations for cases, but it’s just awkward when he is around B&B in their home. I did love the way they ganged up on him, but why is he leaving books in their bathroom?! And what was with him dissing Brennan and saying he found it hard to believe she ever talked about anything besides work? AS IF! Bad writing.
- While I liked Hodgins reading the poem translations to Angela, I thought it was weird that Angela was getting texts from Paul, Cam’s ex. Not a good introduction to that storyline at all
What I loved:
- I actually liked this case idea and I really enjoyed most all of the lab work in this episode. Hodgins’ turkey experiment was cool
- The interactions between Hodgins and Arastoo were terrific–I liked how Arastoo confided in him and how Hodgins kept his secret
- Brennan reading that poem in Farsi was very beautiful
- I laughed out loud when Booth asked Brennan if her shaman story was going to be a dirty story. He was kind of hoping it was going to be, I think! Haha! Booth likes it a little dirty, I’m guessing. Good times.
- Brennan’s first two “Gotchas” were kind of annoying, but the third one had that fierce air that she used to have in earlier seasons, when she was so passionate about hunting down murderers. Loved that one
- Loved, loved, loved the scene in Booth’s office where he and Brennan talk about why they love one another. I liked Brennan’s three reasons and that Booth doesn’t have reasons. Also liked that Brennan liked that about him. A very, very nice scene.
Okay, enough from me. What did you think about this episode? Did you like the case? Are you a fan of Cam/Arastoo? Do you think Booth will find out? And how about Sweets? Is he annoying you, or are you enjoying his turn at the BB Mighty Hut? The comments are open–sound off!
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Cam/Arastoo doesn’t work for me at all. No build up, just hit us in the face with it, her being his boss, sexual harassment 101, another romance she keeps secret, remember Booth? I’m not thinking it as scandalous as one of the writer’s suggested, just really poor judgment. Graduate Arastoo and have him move on to another job, maybe I could be more interested in them as a couple. Loving B & B, they are so solid, Sweets didnt even bother me that much except for him sleeping in Parker’s bed. It’s time he found a place and life of his own.
While I bought the episode was good and the case interesting, especially Brennan’s “trick” of “finding” the blood that seeped into the cement floor with the blow drier, I thought the Cam/Arastoo storyline was a bit sudden. (I wasn’t surprised because I figured it would be him), but there was no subtle buildup in previous episodes. I know the writers wanted to “surprise” us, but it just seemed so sudden. I also don’t know how PC it is for a boss to have a relationship with a subordinate. I think Sweets staying with Booth and Brennan is pretty funny, especially when Brennan starts using Sweets’ psychology on him. (He uses their bathroom because of the whirlpool tub with jets, though maybe he needs to stop leaving his books in there). Loved the scene at the end where Brennan actually can give reasons why she loves Booth-what a long way she’s come!
I agree when relationships come out of the blue its hard to adjust. And this was poorly written and presented. But I like both characters but honestly did not feel anything between them. Forced. Brennan reciting poem was better than A. Sweets living with them will get old fast and yeah getting tired of him diissing Brennan. Rest was ok. We move on
I liked the final scene between B&B and that’s really about it. The scenes btw BB&S were cute but he cuts into their alone time which I’ve felt we haven’t gotten enough of this season. B&B used to ride in his truck/her car and discuss the case. They interrogated people together. They discussed the case over lunch or dinner. Did they even care about the victim? Bren was just on a mission to prove she was right and her gotcha at the end was very unlike her. Some type of emotional growth, usually for Bren but sometimes Booth, used to run parallel to the story. Now we just have Bren wanting to be president, emulating Phil Jackson, and now considering writing a children’s book.
The whole Cam/Arastoo story is ridiculous. Why can’t HH put her with a black man? For the most part people do date/marry persons within their own race. He simply isn’t writing her well. Sleeping w/Booth right after he was w/Rebecca. Sleeping with her employee/friend Angela’s ex who was a complete stranger. Now she, a doctor, is hooking up with an intern on a stipend. Her employee. In all theses seasons they’ve never had a personal conversation have they? So why not Clark who is black, a doctor, and someone with whom she’s had several personal conversations and dinner? Unless Bones finds its center again I’ve probably watched my last episode.
I have to say, part of me was relieved that Cam is with Arastoo as opposed to Clark or Wendell. I can buy more into Arastoo than the other two. That being said, I hate the idea of Cam with any of the interns not just from a workplace standpoint, but also because this just seems like a device to give Cam’s some purpose in the show again. None of those writers can think of anything do with Cam but give her a love interest?
Sweets – I have to say, I laughed when Booth made the comment about him buttering up Brennan and then Sweets poured Brennan some more wine. But the comment about not having talking about anything else but work – STFU Sweets. I like Sweets, but this storyline needs to be resolved soon.
Loved the case though. It was really interesting. Loved the poem – both when Arastoo recited it and when Brennan did. It was beautiful. But I agree with your assessment that the transitions seemed disjointed.
How come someone that was portrayed as a muslim that prayed 5 times a day kissed someone that not his wife in the open environment.
I felt this episode is very disjointed and just wrote by some fox’s intern.
I really liked this episode of Bones, but I’m not completely sold on Cam’s new relationship, especially because I never really liked Arastoo to begin with. I have always loved this show and I’m still recommending it to my coworkers at DISH, but they haven’t quite caught on to it yet. With so much on TV on Monday nights, it’s hard to watch everything that is on, but thankfully DISH’s Hopper records all four major networks with the PrimeTime Anytime feature, so I don’t have to worry about missing any of my favorite shows. I am really excited to see what else can happen this season, because it has been great so far!
Good point Eli. It’s just poor writing altogether IMHO.
The Hamlet quote was first used in “The Priest in the Churchyard” (217). Please donate the prize to the charity of your choice. It was pretty certain that Cam’s new SO was going to be one of the squinterns. Clark was a favorite for awhile, especially after the season opener. I kind of like Cam and Arastoo. I agree with most of your “didn’t work” points, although I really don’t have as much of an issue regarding Sweets as you.
Lots of things bothered me about The Bod in the Pod, but what I mostly can’t get over is Camille and Arastoo. Besides the doctor/intern situation others have mentioned, which is bad enough. What about the age gap? Camille has told us at least once every episode this season that she’s been a coroner for 16 years. It takes what 12 years to become a pathologist? So let’s say she graduated at 18 plus 12 puts her at 30 plus 16 puts her at 46 (in real life). She’s dated Booth who is 40 at least so let’s put her at 37, 38. Arastoo is still in med school, which puts him around 23, 24? There’s no way that’s believable.
Why was cam reading a book of poetry when she can’t read the language? Why was she so blatant about the relationship when she wanted to keep it hidden? I.e., having A say a poem out loud when anyone could walk in and kissing on Jeffersonian grounds.
KD said >> …so let’s put her (Cam) at 37, 38. Arastoo is still in med school, which puts him around 23, 24? There’s no way that’s believable.
You weren’t paying attention to the episode, KD!
Arastoo specifically said to Hodgins that he (Arastoo) had to flee Iran in 1997 because the things that he’d published in an underground newspaper had drawn the attention of authorities… Hodgins asked Arastoo, what did you write that upset the authorities so much and Arastoo replied, heck, I was 18…I wrote about freedom and life and love. So I had to flee the country in fear for my life.
Hodgins thought that that was so cool, Arastoo was a political refugee. Arastoo, said, no, he was a man who can’t ever go home.
Thus the show specifically made the point that Arastoo had been 18 years old in 1997…which makes him 33 years old now.
So if Cam’s around 38 to 40, then he’s only 5 to 7 years younger than she is.
A bit younger than she, but not really cougar-ish.
Quarterbreed, I was paying attention. I just didn’t buy it. The explanation comes too late to be believable but if you add her age and experience (she being a doc, he a grad student) she is much older than him. They are, as Bones and Sweets would say, anthropological anomalies.
I originally thought Hacker; that would have been interesting. Cam hooking up with an intern is totally inappropriate. I never really thought it would be an intern.
And what’s up with Sweets using same bathroom as Brennan and Booth?
I did think it was clever that Brennan is reading Psychology; talk about growth! Not to mention her going with her gut.
Interesting, still, how the whole issue of them being partners despite their relationship has been glossed over. Not sure the FBI would permit it; guess it’s easier to not even address it.
It was dumb for someone of Hodgins experience to just stick his face into that pod. It irks me that such illogic would be written into the script; yeah, I know it’s ‘just’ TV, but don’t dumb it down TOO much.
Loved the end scene with B&B; personally, I want to see more of that.
KD, No doubt Cam is probably a few years older than Arastoo, but keep in mind that grad students can be any age. In fact, one of the grad students/interns on the show was an older man old enough to be the squints’ father!
By the way, can anyone offer an actual translation of Arastoo’s Farsi poem(s)? I’d really like to know what he wrote.
I’m no poet but what I can translate is this :
I worship love, not like in the writings
My love, my only faith, her slightest discomfort ruins my root and my belief
I’m in heaven when I’m with you from now on
Right now, right here, with you, my love
I hope this is good enough to convey the meaning but as I said I’m no poet so I can’t write it in a way that sounds like a poem.The Persian one is much much more poetic and romantic and this English translation is definitely much more meaningful than the one Hodgins translated 😉
It’s disconcerting that Arastoo kissed Cam when he is potrayed as a devout Muslim. A devout Muslim will not not kiss a woman in such a manner if she is not his wife. Furthermore, a devout Muslim would think twice about dating someone who is not having the same religion as him unless she is open to converting…
Well I love Bones, it’s just that I felt the directors did a great job of potraying Arastoo until this episode… 🙁
Cool! Can you write out the Persian one too?
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