BONES Recap: ‘The Blood From the Stones’
March 25, 2013 by Sarah Curtis
Hey BONES viewers, how are things? Did you like “The Blood from the Stones”? I enjoyed it very, very much — specifically Dave Thomas’ turn as documentarian Andrew Jursic, the way the ep started with Booth arriving to the crime scene where Brennan and the J-team were already working, and the sweet end scene banter between B&B. I mostly liked everything in between too, so let’s discuss!
THE CASE:
The Scene of the Crime: The episode opens as Brennan and Cam are examining the remains of a man in the front seat of an abandoned SUV. His body and skin are severely deformed, making it difficult to determine cause of death or identity. Booth notices some bullet holes in the SUV’s exterior and a shotgun in the trunk, at least giving the impression that the victim was in trouble.
The Victim: At the lab, Brennan and Hodgins find that the remains and bug activity suggest two different types of climates. “Like congress, but functional,” Hodgins says. Good one. The team discovers a condom with a balloon of diamonds in the victim’s stomach. Hodgins figures they’ve all been pried from ring or other jewelry settings, and once Cam is able to hydrate the victim’s face, Angela pulls an ID — security guard Quentin Coles.
The Case Progression: As Andrew continues to film the Jeffersonian crew to raise money from potential donors, Booth and Caroline talk about Quentin Coles — he was a security guard working for Oscar Schultz, a diamond wholesaler with a criminal record. That’s enough information for Booth and Brennan to go to his shop to question him. He’s visibly nervous, despite his attempt to get Booth and Brennan interested in purchasing an engagement ring. B&B accuse him of using Quentin to steal diamonds. Oscar is dodgy and wants to call the police. Booth does it for them and finds out that Quentin is actually Reuben Martin, an undercover cop.
Booth and Caroline speak with Joe Dinco, who was assigned the case with Reuben. They were working to catch some ATM thieves. Dinco wants jurisdiction, but Booth and Caroline are hesitant to give him full control. Dinco says there is no way Reuben had turned to the dark side.
Brennan and team determine Martin was shot near an area with peregrine falcons, and Booth and Sweets talk with Reuben’s wife, Lauren Martin. She is visibly upset, declaring that everything was Dinco’s fault. She and Reuben never got to take vacations or do anything they wanted, because Dinco always had other undercover jobs for him to complete. She says that it doesn’t matter who pulled the trigger, Reuben is dead because of Dinco. Booth consoles her as she cries.
B&B visit the site where the falcons likely were and the FBI team finds where the bullets ricocheted. Brennan also finds a severed foot in a shoe. Later at the lab, she determines it belongs to a Caucasian woman.
Angela is able to pull footage of the ATM robberies and she traces them back to two cybercriminology college students, Marcos Herrera and Paula Byrne. Booth and Brennan go to their house, and when Brennan smells putrefaction, Booth breaks in through a few doors. They find Paula in bed, highly disoriented, in major pain…and missing one foot. Booth calls for an ambulance, but also intensely questions Paula, wanting to know where Marcos is.
He’s revved up that someone killed a cop, and he doesn’t let down on the interrogation, despite Brennan and the medical tech’s objections. Paula finally admits they were trying to exchange cash for diamonds when Martin stopped them. Marcos shot at him, but didn’t kill him, and then he shot her foot off.
The Verdict: Booth questions Dinco and Marcus, hoping to pin Reuben’s death on one of them. They both claim their innocence. It’s not until Hodgins discovers traces of leather and jasmine in the victim’s wound area that Brennan knows who the killer is. Booth brings in Lauren Martin, telling her that they know she shot Reuben threw her purse, which caused her perfume to break. She basically admits she wanted Reuben to give her more money.
THE SQUINTS:
Moments I loved:
- Clark’s “Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don’t.” LOL!
- Hodgins entering the examination room with findings, and then once he saw Andrew was there with the camera, changing his “persona” and tone. Good times.
- Sweets’ (only) scene in the episode in the FBI room with Booth.
- Basically everything between Caroline and Andrew. Each scene made me laugh a lot, and it was a very fun sub-plot and excellent use of two fantastic guest stars, recurring guest Patricia Belcher (Caroline) and the always funny Dave Thomas (Andrew).
Moments I did not love:
- It’s frustrating that every episode with Clark now involves some ugly jealously from Brennan. It doesn’t need to be that way.
- Once again, we see how the writers see Brennan by the way other characters insult her behind her back. It’s just so unnecessary. For as much as the “de-evolution of Brennan” has delivered hits to her personal and intellectual credibility, her professional credibility is also not respected. The team acts like they tolerate her personality because of her genius, or they have to because it’s just part of their job, instead of the show’s original reasons for having Hodgins and Angela and others around, which was that she was the best.
- I thought Cam’s scene of “complimenting” Brennan on her likability fell flat.
BOOTH & BRENNAN:
I loved pretty much all of the B&B scenes in this episode. It was nice to see them work the case together — each one had their own actions in their own sphere, but they connected several times throughout. Brennan took the case seriously, perhaps subconsciously because she knew Booth was intense about it. Booth was great — there were noble moments without turning them into “after school special” level moments, and it’s great when Booth has that subtle fierceness that comes from his innate goodness.
When I say great, I mean awesome, which is what Brennan saw and probably why she kissed him at the crime scene. I love that she mentioned he smelled like perfume only as a fact and then absolutely believed Booth’s story (which was true) about why he did. It’s interesting to me that she is never worried about PDA, where Booth is. Not sure what that means about them. Thoughts from you?
I like how the marriage question didn’t get brought up again in the episode after the scene at the diamond shop. I’m loving the continual thread idea that if B&B do get married, it will be because Brennan proposed. It was news to me that they had a specific deal that Booth would NEVER ask her to marry him; did I miss that sometime in the series? If so, let me know. But it’s one of those “offscreen” things I can deal with. Either way, I’m glad it wasn’t the central theme of this episode, and that the end scene involved them teasing and flirting with their great banter.
Okay, enough from me. Did you like this episode? Were you a fan of Andrew and Caroline? Were you surprised by the killer? Did you have a favorite B&B moment? The comments are open — speak your mind!
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Overall, I really liked the episode, it was great with the interaction between B & B and I knew that even if the others thought Brennan tiresome that Booth wouldn’t agree and loves her for who she is.
I certainly didnt have any problems with her initiating a few kisses with Booth, About time!! I didnt really see any issues with Booth being uncomfortable with PDA, it is who he is, more reserved.
Definitely one of the better eps of the season but disappointed with the Caroline/documentary guy scenes. I would have thought that Caroline would be a bit more discreet, flirty instead of head over heels tween puppy love. The documentary guy was perfectly likeable but just felt those scenes were OTT.
Hey Sarah, loved the recap. Totally agree on the moments you didn’t love. I didn’t like those either. I liked the scenes with Brennan and Clark when Andrew was not there later on in the episode. I don’t like how it turns into a pissing contest between Brennan and Clark because all of a sudden she needs to prove that she is better/smarter than he is. The writers do her character a great dis-service when they write her petty with the others rolling their eyes at her. Not cool at all.
Loved the Caroline and Booth scenes! They are so good together.
Brennan and Booth scenes were were sweet and adorable. The end where he will not let her say anything bad about herself and kisses her to make her stop. What a guy.
Sarah, Brennan asks Booth in the Season 7 premiere if he was going to ask her to marry him because he had said he would not live with another woman unless they were married. He tells her no he isn’t going to ask her, but Booth then tells Brennan that she will be the one to propose to him. “It’s gonna happen.” he says.
Very good episode with call-back to earlier seasons of strong, tough Booth kicking in doors and doing some hard ass interrogating. Loved that.
Brennan kissing Booth because she loved him was just so sweet. It’s so nice we finally get those moments between them now.
I did not miss Sweets at all. Not even a little bit. The addition of Caroline and her new beau picked up any slack that may have been caused by his absence. I’ll take more Caroline any day.
An episode where Caroline’s presence made absolutely no sense. Didn’t enjoy her story with the filmmaker either, and the fact that it almost dominated the episode. IMO one of the weakest episodes this season.
The interaction between B&B is what I’ve been waiting for all season. I felt like the writers forgot who B&B are, they remembered in this episosde, best B&B moments all season. I rewatched it twice and I yelled BONES IS BACK I loved it.
The case was interesting. I liked that all the squints were used to solve the case, not just Angela and the great Angelator. I love Hodgins and his King of the Lab. I was so pleased to see less of Sweet’s he has become an annoyance the less he is seen the better the episode. I’ve always had warm feeling about Caroline she enriches any episode she’s in.
Overall the best episode this season. I loved all the scenes with B&B.
Loved the review Sarah. I pretty much agreed with all of your points. Can’t tell you how happy I was that there was only one scene with Sweets. 🙂 I always love it when Caroline visits and she was incredible this episode.
You’re absolutely right about the writers’ continued disrespect for Brennan in her professional capacity as the best in the world (which she has repeated often enough but surprisingly didn’t correct Cam this episode). I definitely think that it’s another attempt at the writers ret-conning the Brennan we all fell in love with to this ‘new’ version of her that will no doubt be more palatable for the Booth-stans and Brennan bashers that abound in this fandom.
I agree on the B&B interactions. I felt that there was finally some spark back. FINALLY! After waiting almost three years to see them interact as a normal couple and not just two people who share a child, we get a glimpse of it! It reminded me very much of old school B&B but you know, only that they kiss now. I too wonder why Booth is so shy with PDA with Brennan when he was rubbing it in the face of all and sundry when he was sucking face with the blonde who shall not be named. Maybe there’s a deeper meaning to that hmm? Or I think the writers just want us to forget that S6 ever happened, yes? Yes, I know I’m bitter. 😛
I laughed when Booth slammed the table in the interrogation scene with the wife in the end though. DB isn’t exactly the best of actors but he’s been doing really good these past few years, but I just couldn’t handle the faux-intensity in that scene. Emily Deschanel’s ability to emote so much with just a look is quite amazing, like the look she had on her face during all the Jurzik scenes and when everyone else was talking down at her and the dare I say, anguish in her eyes, when she was reviewing the video and saw how others viewed her. Reminded me of the scene in ‘The Fact in the Fiction’ when B&B were talking about what they would change if they could go back in time and she said she wouldn’t change anything and Booth leaned forward to kiss her but stopped because his phone rang.
Anyway, definitely one of the better episodes of the season. Vintage Booth with the kicking in the door and hustling Brennan out of her office, Hodgins’ King of the Lab, Angela recycling Booth’s line to her with Cam, Brennan rocking her old Rolex…aah, so many good things. Hope they keep it up with the remaining episodes.
Thanks for your review! 🙂
Loved the murder mystery; one of the best this season, as well as the B and B moments of teasing and affection. I continue, however, to wait for Brennan’s connection to her mother’s advice during Brennan’s near-death experience: to flourish and not be afraid to love. I feel the writers/Hanson need to build a story arc around that just as they did so masterfully in S5 after Booth’s coma dream. Seeley’s post surgery concerns and deep longing for Temperance were so often a touchstone of 5’s episodes and brought a unity to the season this one lacks. Unlike others here, I like Sweets as a moral and caring character and how he reveals the growth of Brennan and Booth who no longer see Sweets as annoyance or pseuo-scientist, but as a good person who, in turn, cares for them and their daughter and to whom they can return that affection. The overarching series theme has always been the search for family, and his character highlights it just as do Brennan’s, Booth’s and all the others.
I think Booth has just always be discreet about his love life into the workplace. In earlier seasons with Tessa and Cam, he was always hiding their relationship and he never wanted to talk about it. I don’t think it has anything to do with Hannah. In fact, the only time they ever kissed in front of Brennan was when she just planted one on him at the diner.
Also, he had no problem showing PDA last season when they made out at the crime scene. He wanted more, so he chased after her.
I’m embarrassed to ask but I need help. What the heck does PDA stand for.
Please let me know.
I agree that it was definitely one of the better episodes of the season, and I definitely agree that it’s very telling how the writers think of Brennan by how they have the other characters react to her. When I saw the press releases for this episode, I was dreading watching another “Brennan Gets Taken Down a Notch” episode. It wasn’t quite as bad as I thought it would be (and hey! Booth initiated a kiss with her for a change!), but I still found the first half of the episode irritating and uncomfortable to watch. Jursic hitting it off with Caroline doesn’t make him any more likable to me.
The scenes with Booth and Caroline talking with Dinco in Booth’s office felt like old school S2-S3 era Bones to me. And speaking of Caroline, Her dialogue was ON this week. Some of the writers seem to ‘get’ her more than others. Pat Charles gets her. Now if he could only get Brennan…
Forgot to add – Moment I did not love – Clark calling Brennan ‘Tempe.” I don’t care if it was just for the camera. No. Just no.
@Jo: PDA stands for Public Display of Affection; @FF: Agreed! As much as I’ve resigned myself to Bones having the theme of ‘and this week on Bones, Brennan learns that…’ these past few years, I guess the old fan in me still has expectations that the writers will be better. Unfortunately, the first half of this episode just proved that I needed to keep my expectations low. Yes, he initiated a kiss for a change, didn’t he?! I think the last time he did that was this season’s premiere. And ugh, thanks for reminding me! I cringed when Clark called Brennan ‘Tempe’! Just NO!
I agree with your reactions – especially as regards the writers’ attitudes toward Brennan. They are ALWAYS putting her down, dissing her, etc. If she’s such a terrible person, why do they continue to work with her? If she’s such a terrible person, how could Booth fall in love with her/continue to love her? The attitude toward her is getting very. old.
“Brennan asks Booth in the Season 7 premiere if he was going to ask her to marry him because he had said he would not live with another woman unless they were married. He tells her no he isn’t going to ask her, but Booth then tells Brennan that she will be the one to propose to him. “It’s gonna happen.” he says.”
This was a comment up above and just to reiterate, yet this happened.
Am I the only one not offended with how Brennan was treated here? Yes, the documental was hard on her, but being realistic, Brennan alwas was arrogant about her job. It doesn’t matter if she has a right to be or not, the episode wasn’t about how her friends see her, but about how possible investors would see her. She has grown a lot in that respect since the first seasons, but the lab is her domain, and it normally doesn’t matter how she acts there (as opossed to a trial, where she had to learn to be more accesible) Her friends love her with flaws and all, but the flaws are still there, although much less pronounced, and those flaws aren’t what they need to get investors. I don’t think the writers treated her badly, and in fact I liked that she was still the same, even if much more open and tolerant of others, and aware of her own “flaws”
How and why did the guy get the diamonds in his stomach?
please finish the line “I love a woman who…..” Andrew to Caroline in their last scene together in the diner. I cannot figure out what he says. Thank you