BONES: The Death of the Queen Bee
April 16, 2010 by Sarah Curtis
Bones fans, you rocked last week and I loved your comments and analysis! We proved once again that whether or not we always agree, BONES fans are able to use brain & heart.
As for this week’s episode…I don’t know what to think. From last week to the end of this episode, I kind of felt like I’d been on a romantic vacation only to come home to a sink full of dishes (aka real life). I think perhaps I am still feeling the effects of last week, and this episode, the way it kind of just pushed past most of that…I don’t know, it sort of scraped against my heart. More on that later. Not that I didn’t like it necessarily, I just have some questions that perhaps you can help me solve.
1. Sweets knows about what happened between Booth and Brennan? How does he know? Was he watching from his window? I thought what went on between Booth and Brennan was THEIRS. And when I say theirs, of course I mean ours.
2. Andy is the one who had the crush on Brennan in high school? A re-watching of Boy in the Time Capsule is in order, I guess. I thought she was the one who liked him. But I think we can all agree that it’s good to see that Andy is still the kind of under-evolved philistine that would tape a brainy smurf to a locker as a Secret Santa gift.
3. Angela is like some goddess of the Jeffersonian? This is a mystery to me.
All three of these things are mysteries, actually. Just like this…
THE CASE:
Booth and Brennan go to Burtonsville, Brennan’s old hometown, where a woman’s body has been found. The murder is identical to the murder of one of Brennan’s former classmates, and B&B are in town just in time for Brennan’s high school reunion. Booth convinces her to stay and he poses as her husband, Bobby Kent. While there, they become immersed in the grown up version of Brennan’s high school world, complete with bickering, backstabbing, social ranks, unrequited love, and oh yeah, murder.
The victim is Evelyn, a local business woman who is married to Brad. She was also friends with Julie, and also Carrier, and helped Carrie with her catering business. The original victim was Sarah, who was friends with Evelyn and Julie and Carrie and who also was dating Brad at the time of her death. Also in the mix is Andy, whom we heard of in season three, and Mr. Buxley, played deliciously by Robert Englund, and Becky Conway, a local officer and Brennan’s former lab partner. She’s happy to work with Booth as FBI, and she would be even happier to BE with Booth and his FBI t-shirt, I’m guessing. The method to the murder is to kill then take the ribs and cook them and eat them: The Butcher of Burtonsville High.
Evidence points to Brad, and Booth thinks common sense points to Mr. Buxley, but in the end, the murderer was Julie. She and Evelyn killed Sarah in high school, because of Brad, and then the two of them agreed to share him. Turns out Evelyn decided not to share and so Julie decided to make it happen, killing Evelyn so she could be with Brad.
THE SQUINTS:
The ‘dirty dishes’ comment was re: Angela/Hodgins/Wendell and their triangle of love. I had kind of forgotten about the ‘real life’ of that whole scenario. What really does kill me is that I think Hodgins and Wendell make great friends, so I hope that continues, but I really hope that we don’t have to see more of them singing Angela’s praises.
The one part of that I did like is when Angela is talking with Wendell, and he says, “What you’re saying would make perfect sense to Dr. Brennan, but it feels wrong, you know?” I like the idea that Wendell, and the other squinterns will work through thoughts and processes with sort of a WWDBD credo (I think Daisy may have made that up, btw).
As for Sweets, the recently engaged psychiatrist spends a lot of this episode reminiscing about past girls he had the hots for/could have the hots for.
Cam didn’t do too much, but what she did was fine.
Booth & Brennan:
Booth was looking all kinds of good in this episode, especially at the beginning. Yes, popped collar Booth, and yes, FBI t-shirt Booth. Nice wheels, nice face, nice bod.
That he was kind of snarky about/toward Brennan in this episode makes sense, as Booth has issues, haha. Not that it didn’t hurt a little, but I can see that as realistic character development. His announcing to Sweets that he has moved on and has a date next week hurt just a bit more.
As for Brennan, I don’t know how I feel. On the one hand, I liked that we got to see a glimpse of her high school experience, if only to see how far she’s come. Or has she? I didn’t understand the idea that she recognized that sharing a dance with Booth was meaningful since she didn’t get to go to the prom, but then later states she should have accepted Andy’s prom invitation. The whole episode felt like her gaining revelations and then also reverting back to a strange caricature of herself. That she understood exactly how to act undercover as married to Booth but then didn’t get other things felt off. It was like they just kind of randomly chose moment for her to be clueless and moments for her to be competent/aware. Am I the only one who felt that way? I couldn’t get a grasp of her character in this episode.
I liked Booth hanging onto the wooden cut out of “Temperance”, and the slow dance was sweet, and ‘Keeping room for the Holy Spirit’ is a classic, classic move.
And I did love Brennan’s interactions with Mr. Buxley. Interesting that Brennan stayed at her same high school even after she was abandoned by her parents (we know this because she previously told us that the only person who knew about Brainy Smurf was her mother, ergo, Andy was around at some point before Brennan was 15 and also after, etc), and so I like the idea of this male father-type figure kind of helping her out. Actually, I more than like it, I adore it. I appreciate that Brennan recognized that high school was not easy for her, and I also appreciated that she recognized at the end that she knew what real friendship was.
I guess the end scene still also confusing to me! It’s the kind of moment I would have loved two episodes ago, but now I just felt as if everyone thinks everything is fine. And I just can’t think that. Perhaps that IS the point. That I (and we?) feel as if there is still this underlying tension, no matter how many drinks and smiles are passed around at Founding Fathers, means there probably is tension, right? Not everything IS fine. For example, it seemed as if Booth is there as part of the group, not necessarily at her partner. Does that make sense? Never thought I’d say this, but please tell me not everything is fine. It’s not, right? Right?
Talk to me!
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Filed under #1 featured, Bones, Posts by Sarah (Seels)
Great recap on an interesting episode. Seeleybaby, I too thought things felt un-fine even though on the surface they looked fine. For example, in their interactions undercover as a married couple, they showed far less affection than they have in their previous undercover outings as a couple (Vegas, the carnival.) The “honeys” and “sweeties” didn’t feel sweet, they felt tense, whereas before they always made me smile.
As for the end, I agree – Booth felt a little removed from the group. He and Wendell weren’t really at the table so much as behind it, so they didn’t feel as integrated. I think things are clearly not fine, but Brennan seems to be hoping and acting as if they are. I think things will come to a head next week when Booth’s new lady interest shows up. We’ll see, I guess!
I think things were tense throughout. Booth was obviously reserved – he didn’t smile much, he wasn’t relaxed – there was no real banter/bickering. They were off with each other.
Loved the computer link scene with Booth and Sweets – I don’t think Sweets’ knows what happened, but has seen them tense since their last session and is asking Booth about that, about whether anything was addressed, about how he is going to deal.
Booth didn’t really come to her defense much, and didn’t really try to make the little digs/hurts go away during the episode, the way we are used to him doing for her. That was what showed me how he was unhappy/pulling back. Brennan only appeared to refer back to last week’s episode when she asks him to dance – I thought her feelings were finally bared a little when she said “I just wanted to dance – is that too hard for you?” She really looked sad just at that line, like she knew things were not happy between them. I thought she actually looked hurt just then, and sad.
I liked the episode, and I even liked the painless way they are moving Hodgkins and Angela forward.
Brennan at the end was great; I felt like she was open with her friends beacuse she has grown, but also because she wants to keep reminding herself that Booth is part of all that, that she can’t have him as more, because too much is at stake. She is trying so hard to compartmentalize last week’s conversation away!
Nervous about next week!
I felt the end to be very telling.The calm before the storm.Brennan is too happy there. Did you see her smile?HUGE!And everyone is loose and there and together and that says to me….ripped apart. Something is going to rip apart Brennan’s happy little world there…we are in for angst I think. As for Booth’s behavior, he is learning that other women find him attractive. He is learning that old habits are very hard to break. He is very hurt and he played everything well….some minutes he was the old Booth and then it would hit him that the rules have changed….Brennan….well as Sweets said how can you not revert back to old behavioral patters around these people. Mr. Buxley was the most life she had at the HS…..he understood her and accepted her as Booth does. But with Booth, she is now beginning to see the repercussions of her actions and decisions and it’s only going to get wore. Her little happy world is about the change….and w/o pain there can be no gain….
The inconsistancies in Brennan’s oddities often makes me a little tiffed. I find it hard to believe that, unless there’s a mental issue involved, she wouldn’t have acquired certain basic human interaction skills by age 33. But then at times, she seems rather normal. Another inconsistancy in the writing of her character that bugs me is her knowledge (vs. lack of) in music. In that first season ep with Adam Baldwin, she explained to Booth why she was knowledgable in music even though she wasn’t with other pop culture referrences. But earlier this season, she didn’t even know Michael Jackson (give me a break, writers), but now she knows Seal. Thank God these writers aren’t working on Lost.
I didn’t care for this episode… it was fun but B&B felt distant from each other. They just felt off, you know. I mean, I guess things have to go back to the way they were somewhat, but I just didn’t feel the chemistry they have… and maybe that is the point.
I did love the dancing… Booth doing the sprinkler was hilarious!! The slow dance was awkward but then sweet after the stars fell. Though you could see it hurt Booth. Brennan’s reaction surprised me, though I can’t tell if it was because she finally got that “prom” moment or if it was because she was with Booth!
Mr. Buxley was down right creepy but I could see how Brennan related to him.
And was I the only one who noticed Cam’s face when Brennan was saying she knew what real friendship was?? I will have to re-watch but I swear there was a little hiccup in her expression, because she knows about Booth’s feeling for Brennan… maybe it was just me! Also, I didn’t think Booth and Wendell were detached so much as there wasn’t enough room at the table. I mean when Brennan was talking, Booth was standing right behind her, you could see his shirt/shoulder.
Hopefully next week’s will be better for me, though I still can’t stand that Brennan likes Hacker… I mean seriously, if you had to choose between Booth and Hacker, who would you pick?? I am going with Seely!
Another great review. My compliments on the 100th Episode review somehow didn’t take.
It seems to me that Brennan suffers from Aspergers Syndrome. Her odd behavior as suggested by her classmates at the reunion and her inability to integrate socially…
We may be in for some more tears. Hope Booth is still around with an open heart.
http://www.mental-health-matters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=895
The show has never been able to stick with a consistent take on Brennan. Depending on their need for humor or insight they make less or more in touch with reality.
I agree that Angela is not all that and a bag of chips. And she has her own relationship issues that are almost as bad as Bones, but different.
I thought that this was a fun episode, possibly the writers were trying to lighten the mood a little after last weeks episode.
I think that Brennan and Booth were trying to act like everything was fine between them, and to go back to the way things were before. They aren’t really sure how to act around each other now. Bones has never been that great at knowing how to act around people, and maybe she’s kind of reverting back to how she used to act (less socially aware) in order to kind of convince herself as well as Booth that she can’t change who she is.
Plus it was her high school reunion, so maybe the writers were trying to bring back a little of who she was in high school in her character, because everyone else acted the way that they did in high school. But I think they overdid it. She was way more awkward than she has been in a few seasons, The writers need to be more consistant with Brennans character.
Samantha, I noticed that too! When Bones started talking about their friendship I thought Angela, Hodgins, and Cam all had weird looks on their faces… Angela and Hodgins could have been because they were thinking about Angela and Wendel’s breakup; but it seemed fishy to me. Like they knew something was up between Booth and Brennan but didn’t want to say anything.
I didn’t love this episode. The case seemed weak to me and I was hoping for a bit more closure about everything that happened last week.
That having been said, I thought this episode was really well acted, especially by Mr. Buxley! He was able to be so creepy and yet so kind at the same time. Also, the tension was fantastic. I was just waiting for something horrendous to happen the entire time!
I don’t know what it was about this episode that was so painful to watch, but it wasn’t the Bones I was expecting this week for some reason. Maybe I’m still on the emotional roller coaster from 100…
Anyway, I think part of my problem was with Brennan’s actions. I agree that she seemed to be flip flopping back and forth about what she did and didn’t understand. I normally can follow her character pretty well and understand her actions, but this week they were just a bit odd. I know the show hasn’t ever been great at keeping her completely consistent from week to week, but consistency within one show is usually there. Also, I picked up on some tension between B&B, but it wasn’t as much as I expected and they were operating pretty much “business as usual.” It really bothered me that the heartcrushing conversation that took place at the end of 100 was not mentioned until half way through the show…and then it was during that awkward dance that I have still yet to figure out the prom comment in. And Booth saying he has a heart just stabbed me straight through the heart…at least what is left of it after last week.
Enough about B&B though as there was some development with A/H this week. I really like Wendall as a friend for Hodgins (and even Booth), but watching him with Angela made me a little sick. I’m glad that’s done. Even after all this time and how much Angela annoys me lately I’m hoping H&A get back together. He may deserve better than how she has treated him lately, but the heart wants what it wants and I don’t think his will be happy until he has her back. I so want to see Hodgins happy.
To answer your question about Sweets: I’m pretty sure they didn’t outright tell him what happened and he was not watching out the window (at least I hope not…that would be totally creepy). I think he just inferred that since B&B are not dating and/or moving forward with their relationship and are now so awkward (a different kind of awkward than before) that something in that conversation went terribly wrong.
And now after writing a book I’ll stop taking up space on your page. 🙂
O.k….who else sees a possible Booth/Anglea hook-up in the works? Seriously…the signs are all there. What else would be that big to shake things up with their friendship? Both Hodgins and Brennan would be crushed. Angela has been making remarks about Booth’s “hotness” since season one. She’s encouraged Brennan to take a shot with Booth for 5 years now. When Angela finds out Brennan turned him down….well? And, it seems Booth has always had that special non-squint connection with Angela.
First of all, sorry to be so late with reading this week’s review… I went out of town on Friday and just now got to sit down with my computer.
I’m so glad… but yet sad… that I’m not the only one who was left feeling off-balance after last week’s episode. I actually told my friend that even though most of the episode was cute and it had some funny moments, I just found that I felt sad through most of it. I had been congratulating myself on how well (overall) I handled the events of the 100th… I’m a tender-hearted shipper haha… but I wasn’t feeling so great about it this week. It’s definitely not a feeling that I enjoyed… I don’t watch Bones to be sad, and I don’t want to be.
Booth and Brennan were definitely off in their interactions with each other. We’ve never seen Booth pull back like this, and it really hurt my heart. Also, I want more explanation of how – and exactly what – Sweets knows about their conversation last week. That has really been my only big complaint with Bones… I feel like they under-develop really big moments, and I find that very frustrating.
I was really glad to see the development between Angela & Hodgins. They helped return a happy vibe to my life last Thursday. I love Angela/Hodgins together, and I would love to see them back together. I never liked Angela/Wendell together, although I like Wendell a lot, and I definitely like the Wendell/Hodgins friendship. Personally, I liked how they resolved that whole situation in a mature way.
Sigh… Seels… I thought you could be proud of me last week… but I think I’m slipping…
Totally agree with you on the “everything is NOT fine” issue. At the end of PitSotW, the only thing I wished they would do in future episodes was to show how NOT fine everything was. I think the writers did try in terms of having Booth be all awkward while dancing etc. but I thought there could’ve been a bit more. I guess we’re gonna get a progressively increase in tension as we lead up to the season finale. Then BOOM!!!!!!!!! (?)
Thanks for the review though 🙂
Seelybaby, I enjoy your reviews, they’re very insightful and typically spot-on.
Something that I think we tend to ignore and not analyze in these episodes is the music choice. “Kiss from a Rose” was obviously a carefully chosen song. Seeing B&B dance while you hear the lyric “You remain…my power, my pleasure, my pain” literally says out loud what they feel toward each other, especially in light of episode 100.
Meigz you are right about the song “Kiss from a Rose” it was chosen song.
i though the episode the death of the queen bee was great. it really showed how strong B&B relationship is to go through the recent emotional coming out of last weak episode, i personally think the episode was done perfectly plus i agree with those who likes the song, kiss from a rose in bones is like a dream come true!! i agree with the little awkwardness and the tension btw B&B but i don’t think that was random plus the part when brennan says that she never go to her prom makes me sad and is consistant with her squinty personality cuz she was propably uncomfortable with the sociolization that comes with it as i recall that M.Buxley was the only one to understand her in H.S and so she does. Also, i don’t think brennan or less both would told sweets about what happened i think he just found out and knows that booth was the one to make a first step when he said in the 100th episode ^^for once in your life make that work for you^^ and then booth tells brennan if she wanna eats something, cuz sweets knows booth wouldn’t go forth with brennan in front of him. Another thing i wanna ask you guys, does anyone noticed Daisy not being in the show all of a sudden since sweets proposed to her, i just think this makes no sense at all??
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