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sinkwriterSome of you have been asking me what I thought of the Bones episode "The Proof in the Pudding," which aired almost two weeks ago. Truth be told, ever since it aired, I've been working on a commentary/review for it.
In case you hadn't noticed already, when it comes to my writings, I am slow.
*is sheepish*
However, at long freaking last, I have finished the darn thing. At this point, it may be old news for you to read it, but I post it here anyway because I worked too long and hard on it to leave it sitting on my computer.
Fair warning: it is lengthy. It seems that the longer I contemplated the episode, the more I found I had to say. (Seriously though, would you expect anything less from me? *GRIN*)
Without further ado... here are my thoughts.
Bones commentary: "The Proof in the Pudding"
Over the past two seasons, I've been fairly vocal about my frustrations with the writing for the TV show Bones, and those opinions have not changed. However -- and here's where some of you may fall off your chairs in surprise -- I actually liked a recent episode. I would even watch it again.
I know. The world may be ending soon. You might want to go stock up on canned goods.
;D
That is not to say that there weren't problems, and I'll get to those. (Heh. You know I will). But in an overall sense, I truly, genuinely enjoyed "The Proof In The Pudding." Let me try to break it down.
Lately, one of my major complaints has been that the show often focuses heavily on the Booth/Brennan burgeoning romance, to the great detriment of all other storylines, character connections, case details, and believable character behaviors. When the show stops pushing that unsubtle Booth/Brennan agenda, when the writers remember how well everyone works together, when each person (including the two lead characters) is given a solid purpose, that's when I think the show is at its strongest. Last week's episode seemed to prove the point.
Like in "Man in the Fallout Shelter" when everyone was forced into quarantine, or "Aliens in a Spaceship" when everyone played a specific role in solving the case and finding Brennan and Hodgins, we got to see the team at its best, everyone working in synchronicity, each person taking on a necessary task and playing a part in the eventual resolution of the case or the situation. As Zack would say, "Go, team!" Similarly, with this episode, the pacing was kept relatively tight, the story didn't waver too much, and the focus primarily stayed on the whole team and the exciting events at hand: the Jeffersonian commandeered for a secret governmental purpose, the examining of bones that may or may not have belonged to President John F. Kennedy. Or, it all may have been a big test run to see how the teams of the Jeffersonian and the FBI would handle an actual situation where the analysis and the results would need to be examined under the strictest of security. Either way, interesting premise.
I will say I found it implausible that everyone was using his or her cell phone throughout the episode. If this truly were a secret governmental inquiry or even simply a test run involving security and secrecy of data, I have to believe that no one would be allowed to call outside of the building for the duration of the 'test.' If allowed to have their cell phones, anyone in the building could call the media, they could tip off an interested party, or simply reveal something that they are not allowed to reveal. The idea that these mysterious government agents thought they were 'untouchable' did not make for a believable reason that cell phones were allowed. I appreciated that Booth needed to be notified in some way in order for him to get involved with the story at all, but I think the writers could have handled it differently. Perhaps the characters each could have been allowed one phone call to a loved one, letting them know they wouldn't be home that night, in which case Brennan could call Booth and tip him off to what was going on at the Jeffersonian. Or, the Jeffersonian seems to be a fairly large establishment -- perhaps the ever-wandering-where-he-doesn't-belong Sweets could have been in a place where the government guys didn't see him right away, so he could call Booth and alert him, before Sweets was found and had his cell phone taken away. Besides, if Booth only got to have one call with Brennan (or Cam or Sweets, or someone else on the team), then we could have seen his anxiety growing as he wondered what the hell was going on at the Jeffersonian and how he could find out and get in there to help, if needed. We got a little of that, but the potential tension was too easily abated because he was able to have almost constant contact with everyone via cell phone.
At any rate, it was terrific to see the episode focus on the case, on the team as a whole, and on everyone's personal reactions, not just Booth and Brennan's. Some of the best moments on the show have been when everyone has a personal stake in what's going on, and when Booth and Brennan connect well with their team members. There was a time when (in "Widow's Son in the Windshield") the writers declared that Booth and Brennan were the necessary 'center' holding the rest of the group together, but it's been a long time since the writers have remembered their own words. They've been so focused on doing the teasing "what do you mean, we're not dating" Booth/Brennan thing over and over and over again that they've forgotten Booth and Brennan have a purpose as individuals and together as professional partners, that they have a team they must lead, that they each have connections with those team members, and it's all important. If we don't see those aspects, then the show becomes the Booth and Brennan 'High School Romance' Hour, and that is not what makes this show or these characters strong and compelling.
What does make this show compelling? When it's working well, all cylinders firing, it generally seems to contain a mixture of these aspects:
* Strong team element
* Solid story
* Naturally occurring humor
* Consistency of characters
* Believable character moments and connections
How did this episode fare? Let's take a look.
The case.
As mentioned above, it's terrific when we get a 'quarantine' sort of episode because it concentrates all the action to one specific location, shoves everyone together in close quarters, and keeps the tension tight and enclosed. I liked everyone examining the bones, doing their jobs, working together, staying focused, but also teaming up quietly, whispering to one another while watching out for the guards (the occasional whispering among teammates was a nice, appreciated detail throughout the episode). Everything they did had a point and a natural flow; it wasn't an episode of silliness or forced Booth/Brennan antics. The behaviors of the 'men in black' may have been a bit unbelievable but in an overall sense the events of the story tied together nicely, and the episode had a strong theme: truth.
There were different truths to be found. Cam demanded the truth when (in finding a discarded test stick) she feared her adopted daughter might be pregnant. Angela protected her truth (that she might be pregnant) until she realized she couldn't let Cam go on believing it was Michelle's pregnancy test, and at the end of the episode she had to deal with the real truth when she found out that she was not pregnant after all. Hodgins admitted to Angela that he still loved her, which was a huge truth for him to reveal after all his repeated assertions that he was fine with her dating other people and that he had moved on. With the bones provided, everyone worked to find the answers the government wanted them to find, and -- separately and privately -- they worked to find answers the government didn't want them to find, because trapped in that surreal super-secretive environment it was important to them to take some sort of control where they could and find out the real truth. Booth really didn't want to know the truth unless the bones weren't JFK's, because if the bones were JFK's, that information might turn his whole world upside-down; everything he believed about his country and his government would now be suspect, and he wasn't ready to handle that. Because Brennan couldn't say with 100% certainty that the bones were JFK's, she went against her usual scientific stance and opted to protect the last shreds of Booth's innocence, as it were, by telling him the bones were not JFK's. But if she had been given the opportunity to run more tests, I think Brennan would have had to state her findings, whatever they were, and tell the truth, even if it meant hurting Booth. As you can see, this episode was rich with potential character developments and explorations.
The case itself was intriguing. President John F. Kennedy's assassination has been fodder for speculation and examination again and again over the years, with the giant question mark being "Did Lee Harvey Oswald shoot JFK alone (or at all), or was there a second shooter?" Many theories abound, and it was interesting to watch the characters dissect and argue the possibilities.
I have to say, it was tough to watch the animated recreation of the JFK shooting on Angela's computer screen. Even though it was all grids and human shapes, no actual faces, it was enough to remind me of that infamous footage. So chilling.
Nevertheless, it was terrific to see the group in this mode of investigation, as they all wondered about the unnamed bones. In particular, our resident suspicious scientist Jack Hodgins was in conspiracy heaven, wondering if they were examining the remains of Jimmy Hoffa. That made me chuckle. We haven't seen this side of his personality in a while, so it was fun to return to it, seeing him fall into hyper 'down with the establishment' mode, especially when Angela reminded him that they were simply to establish cause of death but were not supposed to guess about who the body might be, to which Hodgins declared: "This is America, baby, we can conjecture all we want." Hehh. Wonderfully in character. And I loved how he egged Angela on, nudging her to do an under-the-table reconstruction of the skull to see if it would tell them anything more concrete. He even told her what to say if the suits questioned what she was doing. What a troublemaker. I love it.
And the next scene, when Cam and Brennan came to talk with Hodgins, he's fascinatingly on edge, so close to freaking out about his findings, barely able to contain himself. Mandi Bierly of EW.com is right: Tj Thyne's performance in that moment was one of the best of the night. So well done one could almost feel the tension emanating from him, or as Cam pointed out when she and Brennan walked in, "You look like you're about to explode." As he tried to speak, he seemed so overwhelmed that Cam again spoke up in astonishment and confusion: "Hodgins, you're vibrating." He really seemed to be.
Aside from my well-established admiration for Tj Thyne, I also liked this scene because it helped to ratchet up the intensity of the entire episode. Before this, everything seemed strange and suspicious, but this intense moment added so much to the overall hyper-secretive nature of the case, what seemed to be a conspiracy or governmental cover-up, and how freaked out everyone was feeling. I knew ahead of time what the general premise was supposed to be, I knew of the JFK angle, but I still got chills when the three of them went over the details of the case and started to make connections:
Hodgins: One of the fiber samples turned out to be pink wool. (Brennan shrugs, not seeing it) The bad back, a nick from a transiting bullet, 1963...
(things start to click for Brennan)
Cam: Wait. Pink wool, as in Chanel?
Hodgins: (nodding) She never left his side.
Cam: Severe head wound... Oh my god.
Fantastic. Definitely one of the best scenes of the episode.
Like I said above, anytime we get to see the very personal reactions of the team (Booth and Brennan included, of course), they add so much to the heightened emotional temperature of the episode.
As well, team spirit often adds humor. When Mr. White walked in and caught them all examining Angela's facial reconstruction on the computer screen, he accused them of trying to prove it was JFK. Immediately, everyone chimed in to say who they thought the skull looked like, no matter how ludicrous, working together to circumvent and irritate Mr. White, naming everyone from "Ricky Martin" to "Alex Trebeck" and even "Booth."
In addition, when the science is solid, it provides a foundation of realism to the story and the characters. I liked hearing Brennan talk about her investigative findings with Booth. Lately, their relationship has been filled with innuendo and childishness, like they're in high school and don't know how to talk to one another, which is so ridiculous. They've worked together long enough now, and they're adults. In contrast, throughout this episode, they talked to each other normally, they went over the case evidence, they traded theories, and they treated each other as adults. It reminds me that these are two smart, capable characters. A far preferable balance between them: when their relationship is written that way, it feels real and engages me as a viewer, making me want to watch their scenes, something that hasn't always been the case since the writers started leaning so heavily on Booth and Brennan as potential romantic partners.
And we got to see a Hodgins experiment, with the simulation of the presidential vehicle traveling at the appropriate speed while Booth impressively shot the cantaloupes standing in as hypothetical victims. Action Booth is a sexy Booth, indeed... though I'm not sure the moment needed to be in slow-mo; I think it would have been just as effective if not more so, perhaps, if we'd seen him complete the shots in the appropriately rapid 1.6 seconds. Just my opinion.
On a side note, I chuckled at the sight of the three women (Cam, Brennan and Angela) simultaneously plugging their ears before Booth took his shots. Heee.
But the biggest cheer for both character continuity and scientific truth came near the end of the episode when Mr. White shut down their investigation. The team found out enough but would not be allowed to finish. Brennan stepped up, confused, and demanded, "If you didn't want the truth, then what was this all for?" She's a scientist, and she works tirelessly for answers, even if those answers are difficult. It's baffling to her not to go the distance and find out all she can. In contrast, Mr. White is there to perform his duty, no matter what the reasons; he doesn't question them, he just does what he is told. When Brennan asks him what it's all for, he simply says, "I have no idea," and he seems untroubled by that. This illustrates a huge difference between him -- a black suit shadow agent who moves in and out with no real trace -- versus the team in the lab, and Booth, people who fight for what they feel is right, who work to label bones that have no identification and who strive to find killers and provide all the answers. It's important to them. For Mr. White, "the whole truth is not the point," but for everyone else standing there in the lab, the whole truth is everything.
In one of the best moments of the episode, Cam stands up for herself and her team by telling him off: "For future reference, you might want to inform your bosses that we don't do half-truth here."
FANTASTIC. It's a terrific moment for Cam as boss, and it's a really lovely moment for all of them, standing together as a team. I especially liked the small look of admiration on Sweets' face, as he watched Cam stand so resolutely.
Of course, Booth couldn't let things go at this because Brennan wanted answers, so he steps up, attacks and restrains (with handcuffs) each man in black, distracting them long enough for Brennan to run off with a couple of the bones, in order to complete one final experiment of her own... which brings us to the title of the episode, as Brennan places the bones in individual vats of pudding in order to see if they would sink or float. (Answer: one sunk, indicating a healthy bone, while the other one floated, because it was "riddled with osteomyelitis" which JFK likely did not have. Maybe. The title actually turns out to be a bit of a mystery, because the proof was inconclusive. It provided enough of an answer for Booth to believe it wasn't JFK, while at the same time it also provided enough of an answer for Cam to suggest it still could be... not that anyone would tell Booth that.)
On a side note: while I appreciated Action Figure Booth and loved how he cuffed the abrasive Mr. White to a railing, I'm not quite sure it was necessary for him to then throw the guy over the railing, too. He was already cuffed; where was he going to go? It was a bit of overkill. At any rate, I do like when Booth is a man of action. And true to Brennan's bold nature, I liked that she followed his lead by grabbing the opportunity to snatch the bones and run off to perform that quick test. Good characterizations, there, with fun humor, too: the final agent facing off with Booth scoffs at him, all macho-like, demanding with a smirk, "Whadda ya got, feeeb?" Booth responds by kicking the guy in the crotch. That was... well, it was funny. Major ouch, but funny.
And following that humor, Psychologist Sweets had the best response to Booth's badassery: "Whoa, that was totally ninja! Maybe some anger issues there, but you kicked ass." Heee. That is humor done in character and naturally as part of the action (instead of forced jokes). I appreciate that muchly.
As stated earlier, while the details matter greatly to Booth, Brennan and the team, the complete results are not what matters to the government. I liked the contrast of the two groups' intentions, and admit I chuckled at the instructions from Booth's boss Andrew: "I've been speaking with Mr. White here from the General Services Administration, and we've come to the conclusion that any reports we all write should be carefully worded. As in, there shouldn't be any words on them."
One of the best bits of the case wrap-up is the next scene, in which we get to see the entire Jeffersonian team sitting together at the diner counter, eating breakfast, dissecting the events of the night. As someone who greatly loves the team element, seeing that bit of camaraderie warms my heart. More of that, please.
Before I get to the meatiest part -- the character interactions and developments -- I want to take a quick moment to highlight something that is a marvelous element of the show when it's not forced...
The humor.
This episode had some fun bits of dialogue and most of it wasn't over-the-top, which automatically gets brownie points from me. Here are a few of my favorites.
1. Angela was trying to figure out why Cam was acting so strangely, and realized it was about Michelle. She then tried to point it out to Hodgins:
Angela: What makes Cam crazy?
Hodgins: (immediately) When I do experiments.
Haaa. Nice allusion to all the times Cam has busted Hodgins and the interns (or Hodgins and Zack) for doing unsanctioned experiments.
2. When the men in black took over the Jeffersonian, Sweets stole away to call Booth, who was less than receptive over being bothered, and we soon saw why:
Booth: What do you want, Sweets? I'm working out, building up a sweat...
... as the camera joins Booth where he's actually not working out but instead is found sitting at the counter in the diner, eating dinner. LOL. A bit silly, perhaps, but it made me laugh.
3. Cam's worried that the pregnancy test might be her teenage daughter Michelle's, and she wants to go home and question her, only the suits won't let anyone leave until the bones have been properly examined for cause of death.
Cam: Is there any way I could just... persuade you to look at these and guess cause of death?
Brennan: Guess?
Cam: I need to get home to kill Michelle.
What I liked about that bit of dialogue was that Brennan just looks at Cam, all confused because she doesn't know about Michelle or the pregnancy test, so the idea of guessing at cause of death is unfathomable to her. For Cam to ask that of Brennan (of all people!) is pretty funny.
4. After the Jeffersonian has been locked down, no one knows why they're being asked to examine these bones and they're trying to figure out what the hell is going on, at which point Angela tosses off a funny line: "This is the first time I have ever been as paranoid as Hodgins." Heh. Love that.
5. After Booth busts in (and gets tackled by the agents), I like how -- as Booth is sitting with an ice pack on his head and Brennan is catching him up on what's been happening -- he doesn't believe that the remains could be JFK. Why? Because the evidence they've found so far disproves the theory? Nope. It's because he finds out that Hodgins was the first person to make the declaration and everyone knows what a conspiracy buff he is. Booth believes it for a second when Brennan says that both Hodgins and Cam believe it's JFK, but then it dawns on him so he says, "Wait, was Hodgins the first to say that it was JFK? Then it's not JFK." Hilarious. (Sorry, Hodgins.)
But in reply Brennan's got Hodgins' back: "Hodgins is an excellent scientist." Yay for that.
6. When the team needs to talk Mr. White into letting them conduct an experiment (in order for Booth to prove to Hodgins that Oswald could have been the lone gunman and therefore the remains are not JFK), they know White will never agree to it if they tell him what they're really planning to do. So Booth gets Brennan to stand there and give White the most elaborately long-winded 'explanation' as to what they want to do, all without actually telling him anything concrete. Her scientific "jibber jabber" was the stuff of awesome. First of all, it's impressive that Emily was able to memorize all of that jargon. Big wow for that. But it was also really funny. The way White looked like he was actually trying to follow what she said, not quite trusting her, and the way Cam and Booth nodded along like they knew what she was saying, and the way Brennan just kept going and going... very funny. I love when Brennan's all scientific. It's an important part of her character, and I really admire when she's able to show off her smarts (presented in a way that's natural and matter-of-fact, rather than the way that makes her seem obnoxious or overly rude about it). Good humor, fun scene, and really, it all seemed reasonable enough, when presented as she said it. I would have authorized that experiment. *chuckles*
Now to the best and worst parts of the episode...
The characters and their moments.
I love when these characters are illuminated in all their well-rounded glory, when little moments become meaningful because of the subtle emotional connections made and heavy arguments had and intense challenges faced. When everything works together cohesively and flows naturally and just... fits. We got to see some of that in this episode.
I liked seeing Cam take charge, repeatedly questioning Mr. White and standing up for her team and her lab. It's terrific when Cam has a purpose of her own -- we got to see some of that badass, take-no-crap Cam first seen back in Season 2 when she was butting heads with Brennan and establishing her authority at the Jeffersonian. Here, this time, she was butting heads with Mr. White, taking charge, protecting her team and her lab, and letting him know under no uncertain terms that they do not operate this way. As mentioned before, Cam stated admirably, "We do not do half-truth here." Awesome.
For those who enjoy a little bit of Cam and Hodgins, I really liked when (upon realizing they were at the point in the bones exam when they would require his expertise) she hollered for him, scaring the men in black, startling everyone around her, and Hodgins came running. After learning the shout had come from Cam, he stared admiringly at her and said he found her ability to yell "so hot." Which was inappropriately funny enough, but then she doesn't even indulge his flirtation, which is even more hilarious. (Again, sorry, Hodgins.) She just points out all the particulate samples: "That's all for you." That Cam, she is so professional. I've really grown to like her as a character.
And I continued to love Cam's chemistry with Hodgins when she worried that she was not old enough to be a grandmother -- Brennan cluelessly yet 'helpfully' pointed out that in some cultures Cam could be considered old enough to be a great-grandmother. Cam looked to Hodgins with alarm and he jumped in to reassure her, "But not in this [culture]." Heeee. Smooth, Hodgins, very smooth.
I don't really care for the use of a new boss for Booth (where's Cullen, anyway??), and especially found his romantic interest in Brennan to be a forced plotline. However, I did find his character funny in this episode. I liked how, when Booth told him something shadowy was going on at the Jeffersonian, Hacker lectured Booth on the need for 'interagency cooperation' and in the same breath joked that he wasn't being serious about that at all. And when he said he couldn't help Booth infiltrate the lab, I laughed when he said he would gladly help Booth afterwards "when you're in some non-existent CIA prison or whatever." HA.
(A quick aside: I will say that this show has leaned so heavily on the comedy lately that I do greatly miss Cullen's surly seriousness.)
I loved the moment where the team (Cam, Hodgins and Brennan) was up on the platform, doing what they do best, whispering about the case, discussing the bones and the possibilities, while down below we could see Booth doing a little of what he does best, tapping the glass doors, finding the right stress points, so he could properly shoot the door and cause it to shatter completely, thus gaining him entrance into the lab. Such a fun, smart camera shot, with the three of them and then troublemaker Booth comically tinkering in the background.
And Booth is all calm and casual about it, fully expecting to be tackled to the ground by the men in black, so he just says, "Hiya, Bones," and stands there waiting for them, his hands in the air. That is more of the humor I appreciate, much more natural within the context of the show, not the forced, over-the-top humor they've had on the show lately. Speaking of which, I think they could have skipped the bit that followed where he's lying on the floor and Brennan says anxiously, "Booth?" and he says weakly in reply, "Bones?" It was an unnecessary bit after the amusing part where he gets tackled. I think they should have simply cut from him calmly being tackled to the next scene where he's sitting in the lounge area, pressing an ice pack to his head. Less forced humor in that sort of cut, I think. And demonstrates a more badass Booth, which is always cool. Heh.
Speaking of badass Booth, I liked that after Booth smarted off to Mr. White ("Damn, who saw that coming?"), he didn't fall into Goofy Booth behaviors. Instead, he exchanged a serious look with Brennan. The gravity of the episode with their confinement at the Jeffersonian and the questions arisen from wondering what the hell was going on all stayed intact. I appreciated that.
Switching gears to the character Angela Montenegro, I'm glad that Angela went to Cam and admitted the truth about the unclaimed pregnancy test so that Cam wouldn't continue to worry and freak out (and call up Michelle to yell at her). I also thought the reason for Angela not coming clean sooner was believable (Hodgins being in the room at the time -- awkward! -- and her not knowing how she felt about it, not wanting to tell anyone yet, needing to talk to Wendall about it, etc.).
Which leads me to the biggest part of the episode that I did not like: the exchanges between Hodgins and Angela regarding her potential pregnancy.
It's astounding, I know -- while I disliked the forced nature of the Hodgins/Angela breakup, I don't think I have ever had an issue with Hodgins as an individual character before, and certainly not this strongly. But this has nothing to do with Tj Thyne's portrayal; it has to do with the writing. Hodgins telling Angela with such certainty that she was going to keep the baby? Not romantic in the slightest to me.
On the one hand, I understood what he was trying to say, that he knew her well, that she'd always wanted to have lots of kids, and that Wendall was a good guy, a stand-up guy, who wouldn't leave her to deal with it on her own. And that Hodgins would also be there for her, whatever she needed. It seemed reassuring, which was a 'good friend' thing to do, and Tj played it low-key, with great kindness, which I also appreciated. His saying 'congratulations' was sweet.
However, the second scene where they talked about it some more, the dialogue kept pushing the whole "when you have this baby" bit, which I felt was pretty damn presumptuous of him (or anyone) to say to Angela, especially when she had just taken the test and wasn't sure yet how she felt about the possible pregnancy. Given that it wasn't even his baby (no matter how much Hodgins probably wanted it to be) and given that Angela was obviously freaked out and needed more time to absorb the scary news and make her own decisions, for him to keep telling her "you're gonna have this baby," that seemed like a huge assumption to make on her behalf. Angela has always been a character who goes with the moment and runs when scared -- she needs to learn to take responsibility for herself and her own fears and issues, and come to her own conclusions and decisions, not feel guilted into them because of what other people expect her to do. She should do what is right for her, and no one, not Hodgins, not Cam, not Booth, not Brennan, should get to tell her what that is. Besides, just because Hodgins thinks he knows her, just because he knows she wants kids someday (and let's face it, everything is an elusive 'someday' for Angela because she often only lives in the moment), that doesn't mean she wouldn't or couldn't make a decision not to have Wendall's baby. Angela has a right to discuss it with Wendall and make that decision for herself.
(And why are they both assuming what Wendall will do? Hodgins is telling Angela how things are going to be, and Angela is assuming how Wendall will behave, all without Wendall even knowing about the baby. That's just wrong. However, I was glad that Angela pointed out to Cam that she really shouldn't discuss it any further until she'd had a chance to tell Wendall.)
I'm not usually such a stringent feminist, I'm not even sure what the definition for that might be; however, more and more often it seems Booth has been correcting Brennan and telling her what to believe and how to behave 'properly,' and Brennan's character has been slowly molding to lean on Booth and fit what Booth wants or expects rather than maintaining her own impressive fierceness and independence. Between that alteration in character and now Hodgins insisting that Angela will have this baby (if, of course, it had turned out she was pregnant), I do not like the message the writers seem to be presenting, that it's okay for men to tell women what to do, how to behave or how/what to think. Like we are the ones who need to change and be what they want us to be, or there's something wrong with us. No matter how well-intentioned Hodgins may have been (and I do believe he meant to be), I don't like the agenda being pushed that all the women on this show have to be paragons of maternal instincts and have the desire to have lots of babies. Cam used to say absolutely not, no way, kids are not for me, but now she's raising her former boyfriend's daughter. Brennan used to say she didn't understand it, that she didn't have any desire to be a mother, now suddenly she wants to have Booth's sperm and birth a baby of her own. I'm not saying women can't change their minds or discover feelings they never realized before. It just seems like this show is forcing every woman to have the same perspective, altering well-established characterizations just to fit a specific storyline that they want to tell. What is wrong with a female character not wanting to have kids? Why can't we have one character who sticks to her guns not because she's being stubborn or clueless but because it's the right choice for her? Why do the writers shy away from that like it's an evil thing, when in some cases that attitude is actually a smart, unselfish view? Why must all these characters be forced into this box, as if that's the only way to think?
I think the writers wanted this part of the episode to be all romantic and sweet -- and on one level it was, because of the talents of the actors to pull off whatever dialogue they're given -- but on all other levels, it was anything but sweet. It was pushy and presumptuous, and frankly, it pissed me off.
What made the conversation work for me was Angela's look of uncertainty while listening to Hodgins' speech, and when Hodgins finally, gently offered to help "in whatever role you need." Those were the words that sold it for me. Those were the words that I was grateful for (and that I imagine Angela would be most grateful for).
On another note, I appreciate the sentiment behind his offer, I appreciate that he still loves her and wants to be there for her, but... Hodgins has got to stop chasing after Angela. I fell in love with their courtship, and I would love to see them get back together. However, Angela has always been less invested in the relationship than Hodgins, she has always been the type to remain fluid when it comes to men and relationships, and I do not think we have seen enough growth on Angela's part at this point in time. We barely saw any part of her relationship with Roxie because it was mainly glossed over, and the rest of the time, the writers have only used Angela's character to make jokes about her bisexuality and her attempts at celibacy. Just because Hodgins makes a pretty speech and warms her heart and makes her feel safe for a little while during a scary time when she thought she might be pregnant does not mean that Angela is ready to go back with him. The writers have not invested enough in her character, they have not shown her realizing why she runs from relationships (with men or women), they have not shown the deeper issues to it all for Angela. Beyond having Sweets stand around and tell her what she's supposed to see about herself (which is really not how therapists work), the writers have not shown her dealing with that, examining that, or working her way through that. For her to be moved by Hodgins' speech and find safety in it is lovely, but it's not enough for her to get back with him. I don't think the writers have given these characters enough time apart with other, individual stories.
For example, why does Hodgins cling so hard? Why must he always be the one who moves and adjusts and accepts and offers and changes and compromises for this relationship? We have never seen Angela do that for Hodgins. Not ever. Gordon Gordon once told Angela that until she and Hodgins both had equal amounts of 'stuff' at each other's homes, they should not move in together. In the same vein, I say that until we start to see them both figuring out why they do the things they do in their relationship, and until we see a better balance of give-and-take between the two of them, they should not get back together. It's not an even relationship. He offers her everything, and she stands there and decides whether or not it's enough. (See: how many times she corrected the way he asked her to marry him, for example.) That's not a relationship. I'd like Hodgins to finally see that and want more for himself. He's a good guy; he deserves it just as much as Angela or Wendall does.
While I love Tj and Michaela and how they play all their scenes together, I do not like the writing of their relationshp at this time. You cannot break them up for a forced reason, ignore their characters, and ignore the issues these characters have, and suddenly make like all that is no big deal or can be dismissed because Hodgins loves Angela and would be a stand-up guy for her if she had been pregnant. Even if she was touched by that gesture, even if she still has feelings for the guy... she has all sorts of fears and commitment issues that have not been addressed. Her relationship with Roxie was blown past without any depth, her brief celibacy and her one-time return fling with Hodgins (and her inability to understand what the big deal was when he said it wasn't enough) showed she's still unable to see her issues or why she's so afraid, and her whatever-it-is with Wendall shows her still grasping for something. If she had truly been pregnant and gladly, gratefully said yes to Hodgins, I would have been disappointed. As it is, if this is her slowly getting back together with Hodgins, without addressing her issues, or him not addressing his own and standing up for what he wants and needs (instead, once again doing whatever Angela needs without hesitation, which is admirable but seems like it would lead to eventual disaster), this does not work for me. It's gliding past anything tough just to get to the good stuff between Jack and Angela, and I think that's the chicken-writer way out.
That's right, Bones writers. I'm calling you out for being chicken and lazy. *GRIN* Not that you'll ever read this, but... I've thrown the gauntlet down. I challenge you to step up for these characters and try harder.
I will say this: even though I don't like this pregnancy twist and was relieved that it turned out she was not pregnant, I was intrigued by the look on Angela's face when Cam told her the news about it being a false positive. She didn't look happy or relieved; instead, it was a mixed bag of emotions, especially touching on sorrow and disappointment, and I thought Michaela played that really nicely.
The one good thing that may have come out of Angela almost being pregnant is that perhaps it gave her something to think about. When she told Hodgins that it was a false positive, he smiled genially and said it must be a relief, and she said that it was, but at the same time, I got the sense that the experience made her think about her life and perhaps what she does and doesn't want. I would like to now see her be the one to take charge of that. I don't want her to simply tell Hodgins that she wants to get back together with him, and have him gladly fall into her arms. It would not impress me. I want to know that this time is different, that she is different and he is different, and they will approach their relationship in a more balanced way.
For me, their best exchange was right at the end, with much of it wonderfully spoken with exchanged looks more than actual words:
Angela: I wanna -- I wanna thank you for...
Hodgins: Oh, hey... (smiling) Forget it.
Angela: (meaningful pause) I'll never forget it.
A genuine moment really well-played by both Tj and Michaela. So, so lovely.
Moving on to other bits and pieces that interested or frustrated:
I like the use of the Jeffersonian (as stand-in for the actual Smithsonian), how they conceivably had a replica of the actual gun right there within the institution. And I laughed at how Hodgins had made himself a little 'secret tunnel' Jeffersonian map, created after he had apparently checked out claims made by a conspiracy group that there were secret tunnels allowing access to certain areas of storage. Again, I love the reminder of this part of Hodgins' personality.
I chuckled at Sweets trying to get all psychological and "sow the seeds of discord" in Mr. White's head regarding the loyalty of his men. That was funny.
However, I will point out that once again, as much as I like John Francis Daley, the character Sweets really doesn't have a solid purpose for being there. Even the writers acknowledge that early in the episode, when Sweets wants to leave the building and learns they're in 'lockdown mode' until the secret remains can be examined. Sweets points out that he's an FBI psychologist, not a scientist, and therefore has no skills in which to assist the team with that. Exactly the point. He works for the FBI, not the lab. So why is he always milling around the Jeffersonian? Because the writers are trying to give him something to do, find a reason to keep him around, because he's played by a talented actor they don't want to lose. That's admirable, but I still think they should adjust his purpose and only use him in episodes when he actually has something to contribute. Enough of this perpetuation of the Booth-and-Brennan-love-each-other bit. It's an annoying "tell" rather than "show" trait the writers have fallen back on one too many times, and I will say it for probably the fiftieth time: we don't need Sweets (or the rest of the squints) to tell us constantly that Booth and Brennan belong together; we had already figured that out and can see that through their interactions and adventures as partners. Stop telling us!
Now, to the other heavy-duty character exploration, the one I did like very much: Booth.
I've always liked watching scenes where Hodgins and Booth butt heads, and this episode had some good ones. It's been so long since we've seen the two of them interact thoroughly in a scene, much less have a heated discussion like they used to. I've missed that. They both reverted back to their usual stances: Hodgins on the side of suspicion and theories, Booth on the side of government and faith. I liked the difficulties Booth had; it seemed very true to his character to struggle with the idea that the government might have lied.
In this cynical time, when people seem to trust less and less, it's surprising that Booth holds such a strong faith in his government to do the right and honorable thing, but it's also one of his strongest qualities, this faith (or loyalty). If that is taken away because the team's findings show the government lied, then it forces him to wonder what else the government has lied about and who is Booth supposed to be? What has it all been for, his belief that he was doing the right thing for his country, fighting and killing?
Booth has long felt troubled about the lives he has taken as a soldier -- we learned that from all the way back to the pilot episode -- and he's wanted to make amends for those actions. But underneath that guilt has always been a foundation of certainty that what he did was right, that he had no choice, that it was all to serve and protect his country. To question that, to come close to the edge and possibly lose that faith, must be so scary for him. Because of that, it is unsurprising that Booth reacts as defensively and angrily as he does, toward Hodgins and Brennan and everyone else. He doesn't want this to be true. The remains cannot be Kennedy, because Brennan has shown through her examination of the remains that there was likely a second shooter and that revelation would mean that his government lied to him and covered up the truth. Booth is all about the truth, so this news is potentially devastating to him.
As a viewer, I savored the questions raised. It was terrific to see Booth get such a story in this episode. Fascinating stuff, and well played by David Boreanaz.
I think both Booth and Hodgins made compelling arguments. As Hodgins posited, it's not implausible to think that our government might hold back certain details regarding aspects of our history. But I also liked Booth's confidence and insistence regarding the ability to make the two shots within the parameters of the JFK case. I think David and Tj have a good rapport on screen, and I like it when their characters get a chance to work together, be buddies together, or fight with each other.
What's interesting too is that, in a way, they both argue the same thing, that "this is America"; they just have different views about what that means. They both believe in the country, but for Hodgins, "this is America" means having the inalienable rights and freedoms to do and say and think what he wants, while for Booth it means believing in the integrity and nobility of the institution.
What I also like is that in the past the two of them argued without really backing up their arguments; they simply butted heads. With this heated discussion, it started out with the two of them falling to their default positions, but this time Hodgins had a compelling argument for his views, and Booth likewise felt he could back up his, with a demonstration...
Hodgins: The highest form of patriotism is to be skeptical of the official truth. That is why the first amendment, free speech, is first in the Constitution you would die to protect. The Lone Gunman version is impossible. The guy in front, John Connally, gets shot 1.6 seconds after Kennedy...
Booth: Piece of cake.
Hodgins: With a World War II Italian rifle that was older than Lee Harvey Oswald? Come on.
Booth: I'm sorry, but have you ever shot a rifle? If I had one of those guns right now, I'd show you. Right now.
Hodgins: You're on.
Did anyone else feel like Booth was thinking he'd like to shoot Hodgins, in that moment of the discussion? He was looking pretty cranky at being challenged. I got a little nervous. ;)
At least Booth redeemed himself a bit by eventually defending Hodgins. In a later scene, Hodgins deliberately taunted Mr. White in order to keep him from noticing Sweets and Booth coming out of the closet (no joke intended), when they return from retrieving the rifle from storage. Hodgins' crack about the President George Bush flying-shoe incident was a good distraction, especially since the seed had already been planted in our minds by Booth's boss who had warned Booth not to make any cracks about that incident, so it was unsurprising yet awful to see Mr. White lose his temper and punch Hodgins (in the kidney, I think!). I hated seeing him get hit -- nobody hurts Hodgins, damn it! Or anyone on the team! -- but at the same time it was an interesting moment because if Mr. White and his shadowy team were the ones being tested, then White failed spectacularly by allowing a scientist making wisecracks to tick him off and pull from him such wrath when White should have kept his cool.
Regardless, I liked and appreciated how (despite their differences) Booth immediately stepped up to protect and defend Hodgins, yelling at White: "Hey! You wanna try me, instead of some big-mouthed scientist?" Funny how he manages to defend and insult Hodgins, all in one comment. That seems to be the nature of their relationship, doesn't it? Heh.
Nevertheless, I have no doubt that if push came to shove, Booth would have fought to protect Hodgins (and anyone else in the lab) against any further attacks. He is an honorable man who cares about his team, and I like seeing that side of him. We've seen a lot of it lately in regard to Booth protecting Brennan, and that's nice (although a bit heavy-handed, since Brennan has always proven more than capable of defending herself), but it's also nice to know that she isn't the only person he cares about. If he only protected her and didn't seem to give a damn about the rest of the squints, then he would start to seem like a jerk. Just watching him help Hodgins get up off the floor, and talk to Hodgins a little more gently than he normally does (much kinder than he was even five minutes ago within the episode, heh)... that's really lovely to see. "Easy..." he says as he guides Hodgins away from Mr. White and pats him on the back. I miss the burgeoning Booth-Hodgins friendship. I like seeing all the characters connect with each other in these little ways.
And I like their continued argument. Though I felt bad for Booth and understood his need for the two shots to be possible, I had to agree with the arguments presented not just by Hodgins but also by the entire rest of the team:
Hodgins: (looking at the monitor) 1.6 seconds exactly.
Booth: Case closed. Oswald could have made the shot.
Hodgins: Booth, Oswald was a lousy shot; you're one of the best.
[Sherry's side note: I love that he complimented Booth in this way, even as he's telling Booth something Booth does not want to hear.]
Sweets: Yeah, with none of the nerves that an actual assassin would experience.
Hodgins: In the lab, no wind, no distractions, aiming at fruit... I mean, come on, you barely made the shot.
I have to say, they've got a point. Sorry, Booth.
Thought-provoking character bits surface throughout this conversation, though. As frustrated as Booth was that Hodgins was so adamant about his stance, Booth was just as adamant and un-budging. He didn't want to hear that it could be something other than what he'd always been told. I think that's a really fascinating angle to play for Booth's character, because for him to question what he's always believed is huge, indeed.
Also interestingly enough, as much as I'm sure he trusts that Hodgins is a smart and talented scientist, he wasn't really willing to listen to what Hodgins was telling him (which I think is true to their challenging relationship, though it would be nice to see some shifting in that regard). Meanwhile, when Brennan finally spoke up and pointed out something that conflicted with what Booth wanted to believe (and then Cam -- his other, former partner, whom he also trusts -- backed Brennan up), she's someone he usually cannot argue with, not when it comes to the science. He trusts Brennan, his partner, and when she says it looks like this mark in the skull came from the front, not the back, which would indicate a second shooter, Booth knows this isn't a conspiracy theorist he can argue with... it's Brennan and she wouldn't lie to him. Therefore, he is defeated and deflated by the news. He even looks a little bit betrayed. And it's a nice bit of showing for their relationship, how they trust each other and will tell each other the truth, no matter what. Seeing that in a scene means so much more than a thousand scenes where Sweets or some other character comments about how they must be in love with each other. Show, not tell. That is the key.
And the thing is, Brennan's not saying it to hurt him; she's talking about logic and evidence. That's what she works with. Gut instincts and feelings that Booth wants it not to be true cannot be factors for her when it comes to scientific truth. However, when it comes to emotional truth, for a brief time she was willing to let it go, which was intriguing. But as I said earlier in this (increasingly lengthy) commentary, I do believe that if she had been allowed to complete her tests and authenticate the team's results, she would have eventually had to make a solid declaration, whether or not Booth liked the answer. I think she would have told him that she respected him for his patriotism and integrity, and explained that those aspects of him do not change even if the data empirically proved something other than what he wanted it to be. I think she would have told him she couldn't alter results in order to make him feel better, but that she felt bad that he felt bad, and that she was there for him. No matter what the outcome of the science, the questions raised make for emotionally moving scenes, and offer up a terrific follow-up scene between Booth and Brennan, when she seeks him out to see how he's handling the possible scientific conclusion.
I like that she remains our ever-logical Brennan in that moment:
Booth: Two shooters. You know what that proves to me?
Brennan: (tentatively) Only that there were two shooters...
On a side note: in this scene, there's a clever tie-in between the current potential investigation (seemingly of an assassinated president) and John Wilkes Booth, someone I don't ever remember the show mentioning before but whose name stirs up a defensiveness in Booth that's intriguing to watch. It's a fascinating mention that would certainly add to Booth's need to prove himself a patriot for his country, given that an ancestor of his was one of the biggest traitors of our nation's history, with his assassination of President Lincoln.
In the end, while I appreciated the reason why Brennan protected Booth, I do believe that she would have told him the hard truth if it had been necessary. But because the results of the pudding test showed an infection on the bones that JFK may or may not have had, something they could not prove with absolute certainty, it wasn't necessary for her to shatter Booth's faith by saying the bones were JFK's.
On a minor detail note, I like that when she tells Booth the results of the pudding test, he hugs her gratefully but she does not hug him back because she is wearing her lab gloves. It could have been some over-the-top fluffy Booth/Brennan moment, but instead it became almost amusing and more real because of that little detail.
As well, there's a terrific moment between Cam and Brennan when Cam privately points out that it could still statistically be JFK's bones, and Brennan concedes the point but explains why she didn't go with that analysis, out of respect for Booth. Cam smiles at her and they both exchange a look of respect that I really appreciated seeing between those two women, whose relationship has not always been the strongest. Again, nicely played by both Tamara Taylor and Emily Deschanel.
Cam: You're a good person. I will never forget what you did for him.
Along with it being a good moment between the two female characters, that line also illuminates Cam's relationship with Booth. I like that Cam knows Booth so well. They've been friends for a long time; it's great to see that aspect come out every once in a while, without the cheesiness of romantic jealousy or such entanglements. They've reached a point where they are friends and colleagues and that is enough.
Though I would have been more than content if the episode had ended with the entire team eating breakfast together in the diner, I did find myself appreciating the final exchange between Booth and Brennan. That's not always the case for me because I feel like these days the writers lean too heavily on wrapping up every episode with a Booth/Brennan 'moment,' which is wearying. But this time I liked it for its playfulness and subtlety.
After all these episodes this past season or so where it seems like the writers are pushing Brennan to be whatever Booth needs her to be (whether it makes sense for her characterization or not), after all the times she's talked about what she has learned from Booth, it was terrific to have a moment between them where Booth admits he's learned something from her. It's sweet (and has a fun Brennan bit of in-character logic right at the end that makes me chuckle):
Brennan: I was very impressed. You wanted the truth even if it was going to hurt you.
Booth: I learned that from you.
Brennan: Really?
Booth: Yeah. I mean, sometimes you have to go with your brain over your gut.
Brennan: That's nice. (grinning) I prefer you always go with your brain over your gut... because your gut cannot think.
Booth: Your brain can't digest a breakfast burrito.
Heeee.
I especially liked the way David said "I learned that from you." Though it had the potential to be too cheesy or too much, instead I thought it was said with just the right amount of respect and care. *applauds*
On a total tangent, I have to say that when Booth said "Shall we?" and Brennan linked arms with him to cross the street, I had a bit of a Wizard of Oz flashback in that moment. She lifts her foot almost like Dorothy and the Scarecrow do when they're linked together, and I half expected her to break into "Weeeeee're off to see the Wizard..." You know, if she happened to be familiar with that cultural reference. With her, you just never know. Heeee.
Ahem. Getting back to the point...
When the show remembers to be a little subtler about Booth and Brennan's partnership, that's when we can really enjoy the evolution of their feelings for each other, be it trust, respect or even love.
And when the writers remember to include the rest of the team and allow them to connect with the lead characters in meaningful ways, then I'm a happy, happy viewer. :)
Cross-posted to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
daysofourbones.
In case you hadn't noticed already, when it comes to my writings, I am slow.
*is sheepish*
However, at long freaking last, I have finished the darn thing. At this point, it may be old news for you to read it, but I post it here anyway because I worked too long and hard on it to leave it sitting on my computer.
Fair warning: it is lengthy. It seems that the longer I contemplated the episode, the more I found I had to say. (Seriously though, would you expect anything less from me? *GRIN*)
Without further ado... here are my thoughts.
Bones commentary: "The Proof in the Pudding"
Over the past two seasons, I've been fairly vocal about my frustrations with the writing for the TV show Bones, and those opinions have not changed. However -- and here's where some of you may fall off your chairs in surprise -- I actually liked a recent episode. I would even watch it again.
I know. The world may be ending soon. You might want to go stock up on canned goods.
;D
That is not to say that there weren't problems, and I'll get to those. (Heh. You know I will). But in an overall sense, I truly, genuinely enjoyed "The Proof In The Pudding." Let me try to break it down.
Lately, one of my major complaints has been that the show often focuses heavily on the Booth/Brennan burgeoning romance, to the great detriment of all other storylines, character connections, case details, and believable character behaviors. When the show stops pushing that unsubtle Booth/Brennan agenda, when the writers remember how well everyone works together, when each person (including the two lead characters) is given a solid purpose, that's when I think the show is at its strongest. Last week's episode seemed to prove the point.
Like in "Man in the Fallout Shelter" when everyone was forced into quarantine, or "Aliens in a Spaceship" when everyone played a specific role in solving the case and finding Brennan and Hodgins, we got to see the team at its best, everyone working in synchronicity, each person taking on a necessary task and playing a part in the eventual resolution of the case or the situation. As Zack would say, "Go, team!" Similarly, with this episode, the pacing was kept relatively tight, the story didn't waver too much, and the focus primarily stayed on the whole team and the exciting events at hand: the Jeffersonian commandeered for a secret governmental purpose, the examining of bones that may or may not have belonged to President John F. Kennedy. Or, it all may have been a big test run to see how the teams of the Jeffersonian and the FBI would handle an actual situation where the analysis and the results would need to be examined under the strictest of security. Either way, interesting premise.
I will say I found it implausible that everyone was using his or her cell phone throughout the episode. If this truly were a secret governmental inquiry or even simply a test run involving security and secrecy of data, I have to believe that no one would be allowed to call outside of the building for the duration of the 'test.' If allowed to have their cell phones, anyone in the building could call the media, they could tip off an interested party, or simply reveal something that they are not allowed to reveal. The idea that these mysterious government agents thought they were 'untouchable' did not make for a believable reason that cell phones were allowed. I appreciated that Booth needed to be notified in some way in order for him to get involved with the story at all, but I think the writers could have handled it differently. Perhaps the characters each could have been allowed one phone call to a loved one, letting them know they wouldn't be home that night, in which case Brennan could call Booth and tip him off to what was going on at the Jeffersonian. Or, the Jeffersonian seems to be a fairly large establishment -- perhaps the ever-wandering-where-he-doesn't-belong Sweets could have been in a place where the government guys didn't see him right away, so he could call Booth and alert him, before Sweets was found and had his cell phone taken away. Besides, if Booth only got to have one call with Brennan (or Cam or Sweets, or someone else on the team), then we could have seen his anxiety growing as he wondered what the hell was going on at the Jeffersonian and how he could find out and get in there to help, if needed. We got a little of that, but the potential tension was too easily abated because he was able to have almost constant contact with everyone via cell phone.
At any rate, it was terrific to see the episode focus on the case, on the team as a whole, and on everyone's personal reactions, not just Booth and Brennan's. Some of the best moments on the show have been when everyone has a personal stake in what's going on, and when Booth and Brennan connect well with their team members. There was a time when (in "Widow's Son in the Windshield") the writers declared that Booth and Brennan were the necessary 'center' holding the rest of the group together, but it's been a long time since the writers have remembered their own words. They've been so focused on doing the teasing "what do you mean, we're not dating" Booth/Brennan thing over and over and over again that they've forgotten Booth and Brennan have a purpose as individuals and together as professional partners, that they have a team they must lead, that they each have connections with those team members, and it's all important. If we don't see those aspects, then the show becomes the Booth and Brennan 'High School Romance' Hour, and that is not what makes this show or these characters strong and compelling.
What does make this show compelling? When it's working well, all cylinders firing, it generally seems to contain a mixture of these aspects:
* Strong team element
* Solid story
* Naturally occurring humor
* Consistency of characters
* Believable character moments and connections
How did this episode fare? Let's take a look.
The case.
As mentioned above, it's terrific when we get a 'quarantine' sort of episode because it concentrates all the action to one specific location, shoves everyone together in close quarters, and keeps the tension tight and enclosed. I liked everyone examining the bones, doing their jobs, working together, staying focused, but also teaming up quietly, whispering to one another while watching out for the guards (the occasional whispering among teammates was a nice, appreciated detail throughout the episode). Everything they did had a point and a natural flow; it wasn't an episode of silliness or forced Booth/Brennan antics. The behaviors of the 'men in black' may have been a bit unbelievable but in an overall sense the events of the story tied together nicely, and the episode had a strong theme: truth.
There were different truths to be found. Cam demanded the truth when (in finding a discarded test stick) she feared her adopted daughter might be pregnant. Angela protected her truth (that she might be pregnant) until she realized she couldn't let Cam go on believing it was Michelle's pregnancy test, and at the end of the episode she had to deal with the real truth when she found out that she was not pregnant after all. Hodgins admitted to Angela that he still loved her, which was a huge truth for him to reveal after all his repeated assertions that he was fine with her dating other people and that he had moved on. With the bones provided, everyone worked to find the answers the government wanted them to find, and -- separately and privately -- they worked to find answers the government didn't want them to find, because trapped in that surreal super-secretive environment it was important to them to take some sort of control where they could and find out the real truth. Booth really didn't want to know the truth unless the bones weren't JFK's, because if the bones were JFK's, that information might turn his whole world upside-down; everything he believed about his country and his government would now be suspect, and he wasn't ready to handle that. Because Brennan couldn't say with 100% certainty that the bones were JFK's, she went against her usual scientific stance and opted to protect the last shreds of Booth's innocence, as it were, by telling him the bones were not JFK's. But if she had been given the opportunity to run more tests, I think Brennan would have had to state her findings, whatever they were, and tell the truth, even if it meant hurting Booth. As you can see, this episode was rich with potential character developments and explorations.
The case itself was intriguing. President John F. Kennedy's assassination has been fodder for speculation and examination again and again over the years, with the giant question mark being "Did Lee Harvey Oswald shoot JFK alone (or at all), or was there a second shooter?" Many theories abound, and it was interesting to watch the characters dissect and argue the possibilities.
I have to say, it was tough to watch the animated recreation of the JFK shooting on Angela's computer screen. Even though it was all grids and human shapes, no actual faces, it was enough to remind me of that infamous footage. So chilling.
Nevertheless, it was terrific to see the group in this mode of investigation, as they all wondered about the unnamed bones. In particular, our resident suspicious scientist Jack Hodgins was in conspiracy heaven, wondering if they were examining the remains of Jimmy Hoffa. That made me chuckle. We haven't seen this side of his personality in a while, so it was fun to return to it, seeing him fall into hyper 'down with the establishment' mode, especially when Angela reminded him that they were simply to establish cause of death but were not supposed to guess about who the body might be, to which Hodgins declared: "This is America, baby, we can conjecture all we want." Hehh. Wonderfully in character. And I loved how he egged Angela on, nudging her to do an under-the-table reconstruction of the skull to see if it would tell them anything more concrete. He even told her what to say if the suits questioned what she was doing. What a troublemaker. I love it.
And the next scene, when Cam and Brennan came to talk with Hodgins, he's fascinatingly on edge, so close to freaking out about his findings, barely able to contain himself. Mandi Bierly of EW.com is right: Tj Thyne's performance in that moment was one of the best of the night. So well done one could almost feel the tension emanating from him, or as Cam pointed out when she and Brennan walked in, "You look like you're about to explode." As he tried to speak, he seemed so overwhelmed that Cam again spoke up in astonishment and confusion: "Hodgins, you're vibrating." He really seemed to be.
Aside from my well-established admiration for Tj Thyne, I also liked this scene because it helped to ratchet up the intensity of the entire episode. Before this, everything seemed strange and suspicious, but this intense moment added so much to the overall hyper-secretive nature of the case, what seemed to be a conspiracy or governmental cover-up, and how freaked out everyone was feeling. I knew ahead of time what the general premise was supposed to be, I knew of the JFK angle, but I still got chills when the three of them went over the details of the case and started to make connections:
Hodgins: One of the fiber samples turned out to be pink wool. (Brennan shrugs, not seeing it) The bad back, a nick from a transiting bullet, 1963...
(things start to click for Brennan)
Cam: Wait. Pink wool, as in Chanel?
Hodgins: (nodding) She never left his side.
Cam: Severe head wound... Oh my god.
Fantastic. Definitely one of the best scenes of the episode.
Like I said above, anytime we get to see the very personal reactions of the team (Booth and Brennan included, of course), they add so much to the heightened emotional temperature of the episode.
As well, team spirit often adds humor. When Mr. White walked in and caught them all examining Angela's facial reconstruction on the computer screen, he accused them of trying to prove it was JFK. Immediately, everyone chimed in to say who they thought the skull looked like, no matter how ludicrous, working together to circumvent and irritate Mr. White, naming everyone from "Ricky Martin" to "Alex Trebeck" and even "Booth."
In addition, when the science is solid, it provides a foundation of realism to the story and the characters. I liked hearing Brennan talk about her investigative findings with Booth. Lately, their relationship has been filled with innuendo and childishness, like they're in high school and don't know how to talk to one another, which is so ridiculous. They've worked together long enough now, and they're adults. In contrast, throughout this episode, they talked to each other normally, they went over the case evidence, they traded theories, and they treated each other as adults. It reminds me that these are two smart, capable characters. A far preferable balance between them: when their relationship is written that way, it feels real and engages me as a viewer, making me want to watch their scenes, something that hasn't always been the case since the writers started leaning so heavily on Booth and Brennan as potential romantic partners.
And we got to see a Hodgins experiment, with the simulation of the presidential vehicle traveling at the appropriate speed while Booth impressively shot the cantaloupes standing in as hypothetical victims. Action Booth is a sexy Booth, indeed... though I'm not sure the moment needed to be in slow-mo; I think it would have been just as effective if not more so, perhaps, if we'd seen him complete the shots in the appropriately rapid 1.6 seconds. Just my opinion.
On a side note, I chuckled at the sight of the three women (Cam, Brennan and Angela) simultaneously plugging their ears before Booth took his shots. Heee.
But the biggest cheer for both character continuity and scientific truth came near the end of the episode when Mr. White shut down their investigation. The team found out enough but would not be allowed to finish. Brennan stepped up, confused, and demanded, "If you didn't want the truth, then what was this all for?" She's a scientist, and she works tirelessly for answers, even if those answers are difficult. It's baffling to her not to go the distance and find out all she can. In contrast, Mr. White is there to perform his duty, no matter what the reasons; he doesn't question them, he just does what he is told. When Brennan asks him what it's all for, he simply says, "I have no idea," and he seems untroubled by that. This illustrates a huge difference between him -- a black suit shadow agent who moves in and out with no real trace -- versus the team in the lab, and Booth, people who fight for what they feel is right, who work to label bones that have no identification and who strive to find killers and provide all the answers. It's important to them. For Mr. White, "the whole truth is not the point," but for everyone else standing there in the lab, the whole truth is everything.
In one of the best moments of the episode, Cam stands up for herself and her team by telling him off: "For future reference, you might want to inform your bosses that we don't do half-truth here."
FANTASTIC. It's a terrific moment for Cam as boss, and it's a really lovely moment for all of them, standing together as a team. I especially liked the small look of admiration on Sweets' face, as he watched Cam stand so resolutely.
Of course, Booth couldn't let things go at this because Brennan wanted answers, so he steps up, attacks and restrains (with handcuffs) each man in black, distracting them long enough for Brennan to run off with a couple of the bones, in order to complete one final experiment of her own... which brings us to the title of the episode, as Brennan places the bones in individual vats of pudding in order to see if they would sink or float. (Answer: one sunk, indicating a healthy bone, while the other one floated, because it was "riddled with osteomyelitis" which JFK likely did not have. Maybe. The title actually turns out to be a bit of a mystery, because the proof was inconclusive. It provided enough of an answer for Booth to believe it wasn't JFK, while at the same time it also provided enough of an answer for Cam to suggest it still could be... not that anyone would tell Booth that.)
On a side note: while I appreciated Action Figure Booth and loved how he cuffed the abrasive Mr. White to a railing, I'm not quite sure it was necessary for him to then throw the guy over the railing, too. He was already cuffed; where was he going to go? It was a bit of overkill. At any rate, I do like when Booth is a man of action. And true to Brennan's bold nature, I liked that she followed his lead by grabbing the opportunity to snatch the bones and run off to perform that quick test. Good characterizations, there, with fun humor, too: the final agent facing off with Booth scoffs at him, all macho-like, demanding with a smirk, "Whadda ya got, feeeb?" Booth responds by kicking the guy in the crotch. That was... well, it was funny. Major ouch, but funny.
And following that humor, Psychologist Sweets had the best response to Booth's badassery: "Whoa, that was totally ninja! Maybe some anger issues there, but you kicked ass." Heee. That is humor done in character and naturally as part of the action (instead of forced jokes). I appreciate that muchly.
As stated earlier, while the details matter greatly to Booth, Brennan and the team, the complete results are not what matters to the government. I liked the contrast of the two groups' intentions, and admit I chuckled at the instructions from Booth's boss Andrew: "I've been speaking with Mr. White here from the General Services Administration, and we've come to the conclusion that any reports we all write should be carefully worded. As in, there shouldn't be any words on them."
One of the best bits of the case wrap-up is the next scene, in which we get to see the entire Jeffersonian team sitting together at the diner counter, eating breakfast, dissecting the events of the night. As someone who greatly loves the team element, seeing that bit of camaraderie warms my heart. More of that, please.
Before I get to the meatiest part -- the character interactions and developments -- I want to take a quick moment to highlight something that is a marvelous element of the show when it's not forced...
The humor.
This episode had some fun bits of dialogue and most of it wasn't over-the-top, which automatically gets brownie points from me. Here are a few of my favorites.
1. Angela was trying to figure out why Cam was acting so strangely, and realized it was about Michelle. She then tried to point it out to Hodgins:
Angela: What makes Cam crazy?
Hodgins: (immediately) When I do experiments.
Haaa. Nice allusion to all the times Cam has busted Hodgins and the interns (or Hodgins and Zack) for doing unsanctioned experiments.
2. When the men in black took over the Jeffersonian, Sweets stole away to call Booth, who was less than receptive over being bothered, and we soon saw why:
Booth: What do you want, Sweets? I'm working out, building up a sweat...
... as the camera joins Booth where he's actually not working out but instead is found sitting at the counter in the diner, eating dinner. LOL. A bit silly, perhaps, but it made me laugh.
3. Cam's worried that the pregnancy test might be her teenage daughter Michelle's, and she wants to go home and question her, only the suits won't let anyone leave until the bones have been properly examined for cause of death.
Cam: Is there any way I could just... persuade you to look at these and guess cause of death?
Brennan: Guess?
Cam: I need to get home to kill Michelle.
What I liked about that bit of dialogue was that Brennan just looks at Cam, all confused because she doesn't know about Michelle or the pregnancy test, so the idea of guessing at cause of death is unfathomable to her. For Cam to ask that of Brennan (of all people!) is pretty funny.
4. After the Jeffersonian has been locked down, no one knows why they're being asked to examine these bones and they're trying to figure out what the hell is going on, at which point Angela tosses off a funny line: "This is the first time I have ever been as paranoid as Hodgins." Heh. Love that.
5. After Booth busts in (and gets tackled by the agents), I like how -- as Booth is sitting with an ice pack on his head and Brennan is catching him up on what's been happening -- he doesn't believe that the remains could be JFK. Why? Because the evidence they've found so far disproves the theory? Nope. It's because he finds out that Hodgins was the first person to make the declaration and everyone knows what a conspiracy buff he is. Booth believes it for a second when Brennan says that both Hodgins and Cam believe it's JFK, but then it dawns on him so he says, "Wait, was Hodgins the first to say that it was JFK? Then it's not JFK." Hilarious. (Sorry, Hodgins.)
But in reply Brennan's got Hodgins' back: "Hodgins is an excellent scientist." Yay for that.
6. When the team needs to talk Mr. White into letting them conduct an experiment (in order for Booth to prove to Hodgins that Oswald could have been the lone gunman and therefore the remains are not JFK), they know White will never agree to it if they tell him what they're really planning to do. So Booth gets Brennan to stand there and give White the most elaborately long-winded 'explanation' as to what they want to do, all without actually telling him anything concrete. Her scientific "jibber jabber" was the stuff of awesome. First of all, it's impressive that Emily was able to memorize all of that jargon. Big wow for that. But it was also really funny. The way White looked like he was actually trying to follow what she said, not quite trusting her, and the way Cam and Booth nodded along like they knew what she was saying, and the way Brennan just kept going and going... very funny. I love when Brennan's all scientific. It's an important part of her character, and I really admire when she's able to show off her smarts (presented in a way that's natural and matter-of-fact, rather than the way that makes her seem obnoxious or overly rude about it). Good humor, fun scene, and really, it all seemed reasonable enough, when presented as she said it. I would have authorized that experiment. *chuckles*
Now to the best and worst parts of the episode...
The characters and their moments.
I love when these characters are illuminated in all their well-rounded glory, when little moments become meaningful because of the subtle emotional connections made and heavy arguments had and intense challenges faced. When everything works together cohesively and flows naturally and just... fits. We got to see some of that in this episode.
I liked seeing Cam take charge, repeatedly questioning Mr. White and standing up for her team and her lab. It's terrific when Cam has a purpose of her own -- we got to see some of that badass, take-no-crap Cam first seen back in Season 2 when she was butting heads with Brennan and establishing her authority at the Jeffersonian. Here, this time, she was butting heads with Mr. White, taking charge, protecting her team and her lab, and letting him know under no uncertain terms that they do not operate this way. As mentioned before, Cam stated admirably, "We do not do half-truth here." Awesome.
For those who enjoy a little bit of Cam and Hodgins, I really liked when (upon realizing they were at the point in the bones exam when they would require his expertise) she hollered for him, scaring the men in black, startling everyone around her, and Hodgins came running. After learning the shout had come from Cam, he stared admiringly at her and said he found her ability to yell "so hot." Which was inappropriately funny enough, but then she doesn't even indulge his flirtation, which is even more hilarious. (Again, sorry, Hodgins.) She just points out all the particulate samples: "That's all for you." That Cam, she is so professional. I've really grown to like her as a character.
And I continued to love Cam's chemistry with Hodgins when she worried that she was not old enough to be a grandmother -- Brennan cluelessly yet 'helpfully' pointed out that in some cultures Cam could be considered old enough to be a great-grandmother. Cam looked to Hodgins with alarm and he jumped in to reassure her, "But not in this [culture]." Heeee. Smooth, Hodgins, very smooth.
I don't really care for the use of a new boss for Booth (where's Cullen, anyway??), and especially found his romantic interest in Brennan to be a forced plotline. However, I did find his character funny in this episode. I liked how, when Booth told him something shadowy was going on at the Jeffersonian, Hacker lectured Booth on the need for 'interagency cooperation' and in the same breath joked that he wasn't being serious about that at all. And when he said he couldn't help Booth infiltrate the lab, I laughed when he said he would gladly help Booth afterwards "when you're in some non-existent CIA prison or whatever." HA.
(A quick aside: I will say that this show has leaned so heavily on the comedy lately that I do greatly miss Cullen's surly seriousness.)
I loved the moment where the team (Cam, Hodgins and Brennan) was up on the platform, doing what they do best, whispering about the case, discussing the bones and the possibilities, while down below we could see Booth doing a little of what he does best, tapping the glass doors, finding the right stress points, so he could properly shoot the door and cause it to shatter completely, thus gaining him entrance into the lab. Such a fun, smart camera shot, with the three of them and then troublemaker Booth comically tinkering in the background.
And Booth is all calm and casual about it, fully expecting to be tackled to the ground by the men in black, so he just says, "Hiya, Bones," and stands there waiting for them, his hands in the air. That is more of the humor I appreciate, much more natural within the context of the show, not the forced, over-the-top humor they've had on the show lately. Speaking of which, I think they could have skipped the bit that followed where he's lying on the floor and Brennan says anxiously, "Booth?" and he says weakly in reply, "Bones?" It was an unnecessary bit after the amusing part where he gets tackled. I think they should have simply cut from him calmly being tackled to the next scene where he's sitting in the lounge area, pressing an ice pack to his head. Less forced humor in that sort of cut, I think. And demonstrates a more badass Booth, which is always cool. Heh.
Speaking of badass Booth, I liked that after Booth smarted off to Mr. White ("Damn, who saw that coming?"), he didn't fall into Goofy Booth behaviors. Instead, he exchanged a serious look with Brennan. The gravity of the episode with their confinement at the Jeffersonian and the questions arisen from wondering what the hell was going on all stayed intact. I appreciated that.
Switching gears to the character Angela Montenegro, I'm glad that Angela went to Cam and admitted the truth about the unclaimed pregnancy test so that Cam wouldn't continue to worry and freak out (and call up Michelle to yell at her). I also thought the reason for Angela not coming clean sooner was believable (Hodgins being in the room at the time -- awkward! -- and her not knowing how she felt about it, not wanting to tell anyone yet, needing to talk to Wendall about it, etc.).
Which leads me to the biggest part of the episode that I did not like: the exchanges between Hodgins and Angela regarding her potential pregnancy.
It's astounding, I know -- while I disliked the forced nature of the Hodgins/Angela breakup, I don't think I have ever had an issue with Hodgins as an individual character before, and certainly not this strongly. But this has nothing to do with Tj Thyne's portrayal; it has to do with the writing. Hodgins telling Angela with such certainty that she was going to keep the baby? Not romantic in the slightest to me.
On the one hand, I understood what he was trying to say, that he knew her well, that she'd always wanted to have lots of kids, and that Wendall was a good guy, a stand-up guy, who wouldn't leave her to deal with it on her own. And that Hodgins would also be there for her, whatever she needed. It seemed reassuring, which was a 'good friend' thing to do, and Tj played it low-key, with great kindness, which I also appreciated. His saying 'congratulations' was sweet.
However, the second scene where they talked about it some more, the dialogue kept pushing the whole "when you have this baby" bit, which I felt was pretty damn presumptuous of him (or anyone) to say to Angela, especially when she had just taken the test and wasn't sure yet how she felt about the possible pregnancy. Given that it wasn't even his baby (no matter how much Hodgins probably wanted it to be) and given that Angela was obviously freaked out and needed more time to absorb the scary news and make her own decisions, for him to keep telling her "you're gonna have this baby," that seemed like a huge assumption to make on her behalf. Angela has always been a character who goes with the moment and runs when scared -- she needs to learn to take responsibility for herself and her own fears and issues, and come to her own conclusions and decisions, not feel guilted into them because of what other people expect her to do. She should do what is right for her, and no one, not Hodgins, not Cam, not Booth, not Brennan, should get to tell her what that is. Besides, just because Hodgins thinks he knows her, just because he knows she wants kids someday (and let's face it, everything is an elusive 'someday' for Angela because she often only lives in the moment), that doesn't mean she wouldn't or couldn't make a decision not to have Wendall's baby. Angela has a right to discuss it with Wendall and make that decision for herself.
(And why are they both assuming what Wendall will do? Hodgins is telling Angela how things are going to be, and Angela is assuming how Wendall will behave, all without Wendall even knowing about the baby. That's just wrong. However, I was glad that Angela pointed out to Cam that she really shouldn't discuss it any further until she'd had a chance to tell Wendall.)
I'm not usually such a stringent feminist, I'm not even sure what the definition for that might be; however, more and more often it seems Booth has been correcting Brennan and telling her what to believe and how to behave 'properly,' and Brennan's character has been slowly molding to lean on Booth and fit what Booth wants or expects rather than maintaining her own impressive fierceness and independence. Between that alteration in character and now Hodgins insisting that Angela will have this baby (if, of course, it had turned out she was pregnant), I do not like the message the writers seem to be presenting, that it's okay for men to tell women what to do, how to behave or how/what to think. Like we are the ones who need to change and be what they want us to be, or there's something wrong with us. No matter how well-intentioned Hodgins may have been (and I do believe he meant to be), I don't like the agenda being pushed that all the women on this show have to be paragons of maternal instincts and have the desire to have lots of babies. Cam used to say absolutely not, no way, kids are not for me, but now she's raising her former boyfriend's daughter. Brennan used to say she didn't understand it, that she didn't have any desire to be a mother, now suddenly she wants to have Booth's sperm and birth a baby of her own. I'm not saying women can't change their minds or discover feelings they never realized before. It just seems like this show is forcing every woman to have the same perspective, altering well-established characterizations just to fit a specific storyline that they want to tell. What is wrong with a female character not wanting to have kids? Why can't we have one character who sticks to her guns not because she's being stubborn or clueless but because it's the right choice for her? Why do the writers shy away from that like it's an evil thing, when in some cases that attitude is actually a smart, unselfish view? Why must all these characters be forced into this box, as if that's the only way to think?
I think the writers wanted this part of the episode to be all romantic and sweet -- and on one level it was, because of the talents of the actors to pull off whatever dialogue they're given -- but on all other levels, it was anything but sweet. It was pushy and presumptuous, and frankly, it pissed me off.
What made the conversation work for me was Angela's look of uncertainty while listening to Hodgins' speech, and when Hodgins finally, gently offered to help "in whatever role you need." Those were the words that sold it for me. Those were the words that I was grateful for (and that I imagine Angela would be most grateful for).
On another note, I appreciate the sentiment behind his offer, I appreciate that he still loves her and wants to be there for her, but... Hodgins has got to stop chasing after Angela. I fell in love with their courtship, and I would love to see them get back together. However, Angela has always been less invested in the relationship than Hodgins, she has always been the type to remain fluid when it comes to men and relationships, and I do not think we have seen enough growth on Angela's part at this point in time. We barely saw any part of her relationship with Roxie because it was mainly glossed over, and the rest of the time, the writers have only used Angela's character to make jokes about her bisexuality and her attempts at celibacy. Just because Hodgins makes a pretty speech and warms her heart and makes her feel safe for a little while during a scary time when she thought she might be pregnant does not mean that Angela is ready to go back with him. The writers have not invested enough in her character, they have not shown her realizing why she runs from relationships (with men or women), they have not shown the deeper issues to it all for Angela. Beyond having Sweets stand around and tell her what she's supposed to see about herself (which is really not how therapists work), the writers have not shown her dealing with that, examining that, or working her way through that. For her to be moved by Hodgins' speech and find safety in it is lovely, but it's not enough for her to get back with him. I don't think the writers have given these characters enough time apart with other, individual stories.
For example, why does Hodgins cling so hard? Why must he always be the one who moves and adjusts and accepts and offers and changes and compromises for this relationship? We have never seen Angela do that for Hodgins. Not ever. Gordon Gordon once told Angela that until she and Hodgins both had equal amounts of 'stuff' at each other's homes, they should not move in together. In the same vein, I say that until we start to see them both figuring out why they do the things they do in their relationship, and until we see a better balance of give-and-take between the two of them, they should not get back together. It's not an even relationship. He offers her everything, and she stands there and decides whether or not it's enough. (See: how many times she corrected the way he asked her to marry him, for example.) That's not a relationship. I'd like Hodgins to finally see that and want more for himself. He's a good guy; he deserves it just as much as Angela or Wendall does.
While I love Tj and Michaela and how they play all their scenes together, I do not like the writing of their relationshp at this time. You cannot break them up for a forced reason, ignore their characters, and ignore the issues these characters have, and suddenly make like all that is no big deal or can be dismissed because Hodgins loves Angela and would be a stand-up guy for her if she had been pregnant. Even if she was touched by that gesture, even if she still has feelings for the guy... she has all sorts of fears and commitment issues that have not been addressed. Her relationship with Roxie was blown past without any depth, her brief celibacy and her one-time return fling with Hodgins (and her inability to understand what the big deal was when he said it wasn't enough) showed she's still unable to see her issues or why she's so afraid, and her whatever-it-is with Wendall shows her still grasping for something. If she had truly been pregnant and gladly, gratefully said yes to Hodgins, I would have been disappointed. As it is, if this is her slowly getting back together with Hodgins, without addressing her issues, or him not addressing his own and standing up for what he wants and needs (instead, once again doing whatever Angela needs without hesitation, which is admirable but seems like it would lead to eventual disaster), this does not work for me. It's gliding past anything tough just to get to the good stuff between Jack and Angela, and I think that's the chicken-writer way out.
That's right, Bones writers. I'm calling you out for being chicken and lazy. *GRIN* Not that you'll ever read this, but... I've thrown the gauntlet down. I challenge you to step up for these characters and try harder.
I will say this: even though I don't like this pregnancy twist and was relieved that it turned out she was not pregnant, I was intrigued by the look on Angela's face when Cam told her the news about it being a false positive. She didn't look happy or relieved; instead, it was a mixed bag of emotions, especially touching on sorrow and disappointment, and I thought Michaela played that really nicely.
The one good thing that may have come out of Angela almost being pregnant is that perhaps it gave her something to think about. When she told Hodgins that it was a false positive, he smiled genially and said it must be a relief, and she said that it was, but at the same time, I got the sense that the experience made her think about her life and perhaps what she does and doesn't want. I would like to now see her be the one to take charge of that. I don't want her to simply tell Hodgins that she wants to get back together with him, and have him gladly fall into her arms. It would not impress me. I want to know that this time is different, that she is different and he is different, and they will approach their relationship in a more balanced way.
For me, their best exchange was right at the end, with much of it wonderfully spoken with exchanged looks more than actual words:
Angela: I wanna -- I wanna thank you for...
Hodgins: Oh, hey... (smiling) Forget it.
Angela: (meaningful pause) I'll never forget it.
A genuine moment really well-played by both Tj and Michaela. So, so lovely.
Moving on to other bits and pieces that interested or frustrated:
I like the use of the Jeffersonian (as stand-in for the actual Smithsonian), how they conceivably had a replica of the actual gun right there within the institution. And I laughed at how Hodgins had made himself a little 'secret tunnel' Jeffersonian map, created after he had apparently checked out claims made by a conspiracy group that there were secret tunnels allowing access to certain areas of storage. Again, I love the reminder of this part of Hodgins' personality.
I chuckled at Sweets trying to get all psychological and "sow the seeds of discord" in Mr. White's head regarding the loyalty of his men. That was funny.
However, I will point out that once again, as much as I like John Francis Daley, the character Sweets really doesn't have a solid purpose for being there. Even the writers acknowledge that early in the episode, when Sweets wants to leave the building and learns they're in 'lockdown mode' until the secret remains can be examined. Sweets points out that he's an FBI psychologist, not a scientist, and therefore has no skills in which to assist the team with that. Exactly the point. He works for the FBI, not the lab. So why is he always milling around the Jeffersonian? Because the writers are trying to give him something to do, find a reason to keep him around, because he's played by a talented actor they don't want to lose. That's admirable, but I still think they should adjust his purpose and only use him in episodes when he actually has something to contribute. Enough of this perpetuation of the Booth-and-Brennan-love-each-other bit. It's an annoying "tell" rather than "show" trait the writers have fallen back on one too many times, and I will say it for probably the fiftieth time: we don't need Sweets (or the rest of the squints) to tell us constantly that Booth and Brennan belong together; we had already figured that out and can see that through their interactions and adventures as partners. Stop telling us!
Now, to the other heavy-duty character exploration, the one I did like very much: Booth.
I've always liked watching scenes where Hodgins and Booth butt heads, and this episode had some good ones. It's been so long since we've seen the two of them interact thoroughly in a scene, much less have a heated discussion like they used to. I've missed that. They both reverted back to their usual stances: Hodgins on the side of suspicion and theories, Booth on the side of government and faith. I liked the difficulties Booth had; it seemed very true to his character to struggle with the idea that the government might have lied.
In this cynical time, when people seem to trust less and less, it's surprising that Booth holds such a strong faith in his government to do the right and honorable thing, but it's also one of his strongest qualities, this faith (or loyalty). If that is taken away because the team's findings show the government lied, then it forces him to wonder what else the government has lied about and who is Booth supposed to be? What has it all been for, his belief that he was doing the right thing for his country, fighting and killing?
Booth has long felt troubled about the lives he has taken as a soldier -- we learned that from all the way back to the pilot episode -- and he's wanted to make amends for those actions. But underneath that guilt has always been a foundation of certainty that what he did was right, that he had no choice, that it was all to serve and protect his country. To question that, to come close to the edge and possibly lose that faith, must be so scary for him. Because of that, it is unsurprising that Booth reacts as defensively and angrily as he does, toward Hodgins and Brennan and everyone else. He doesn't want this to be true. The remains cannot be Kennedy, because Brennan has shown through her examination of the remains that there was likely a second shooter and that revelation would mean that his government lied to him and covered up the truth. Booth is all about the truth, so this news is potentially devastating to him.
As a viewer, I savored the questions raised. It was terrific to see Booth get such a story in this episode. Fascinating stuff, and well played by David Boreanaz.
I think both Booth and Hodgins made compelling arguments. As Hodgins posited, it's not implausible to think that our government might hold back certain details regarding aspects of our history. But I also liked Booth's confidence and insistence regarding the ability to make the two shots within the parameters of the JFK case. I think David and Tj have a good rapport on screen, and I like it when their characters get a chance to work together, be buddies together, or fight with each other.
What's interesting too is that, in a way, they both argue the same thing, that "this is America"; they just have different views about what that means. They both believe in the country, but for Hodgins, "this is America" means having the inalienable rights and freedoms to do and say and think what he wants, while for Booth it means believing in the integrity and nobility of the institution.
What I also like is that in the past the two of them argued without really backing up their arguments; they simply butted heads. With this heated discussion, it started out with the two of them falling to their default positions, but this time Hodgins had a compelling argument for his views, and Booth likewise felt he could back up his, with a demonstration...
Hodgins: The highest form of patriotism is to be skeptical of the official truth. That is why the first amendment, free speech, is first in the Constitution you would die to protect. The Lone Gunman version is impossible. The guy in front, John Connally, gets shot 1.6 seconds after Kennedy...
Booth: Piece of cake.
Hodgins: With a World War II Italian rifle that was older than Lee Harvey Oswald? Come on.
Booth: I'm sorry, but have you ever shot a rifle? If I had one of those guns right now, I'd show you. Right now.
Hodgins: You're on.
Did anyone else feel like Booth was thinking he'd like to shoot Hodgins, in that moment of the discussion? He was looking pretty cranky at being challenged. I got a little nervous. ;)
At least Booth redeemed himself a bit by eventually defending Hodgins. In a later scene, Hodgins deliberately taunted Mr. White in order to keep him from noticing Sweets and Booth coming out of the closet (no joke intended), when they return from retrieving the rifle from storage. Hodgins' crack about the President George Bush flying-shoe incident was a good distraction, especially since the seed had already been planted in our minds by Booth's boss who had warned Booth not to make any cracks about that incident, so it was unsurprising yet awful to see Mr. White lose his temper and punch Hodgins (in the kidney, I think!). I hated seeing him get hit -- nobody hurts Hodgins, damn it! Or anyone on the team! -- but at the same time it was an interesting moment because if Mr. White and his shadowy team were the ones being tested, then White failed spectacularly by allowing a scientist making wisecracks to tick him off and pull from him such wrath when White should have kept his cool.
Regardless, I liked and appreciated how (despite their differences) Booth immediately stepped up to protect and defend Hodgins, yelling at White: "Hey! You wanna try me, instead of some big-mouthed scientist?" Funny how he manages to defend and insult Hodgins, all in one comment. That seems to be the nature of their relationship, doesn't it? Heh.
Nevertheless, I have no doubt that if push came to shove, Booth would have fought to protect Hodgins (and anyone else in the lab) against any further attacks. He is an honorable man who cares about his team, and I like seeing that side of him. We've seen a lot of it lately in regard to Booth protecting Brennan, and that's nice (although a bit heavy-handed, since Brennan has always proven more than capable of defending herself), but it's also nice to know that she isn't the only person he cares about. If he only protected her and didn't seem to give a damn about the rest of the squints, then he would start to seem like a jerk. Just watching him help Hodgins get up off the floor, and talk to Hodgins a little more gently than he normally does (much kinder than he was even five minutes ago within the episode, heh)... that's really lovely to see. "Easy..." he says as he guides Hodgins away from Mr. White and pats him on the back. I miss the burgeoning Booth-Hodgins friendship. I like seeing all the characters connect with each other in these little ways.
And I like their continued argument. Though I felt bad for Booth and understood his need for the two shots to be possible, I had to agree with the arguments presented not just by Hodgins but also by the entire rest of the team:
Hodgins: (looking at the monitor) 1.6 seconds exactly.
Booth: Case closed. Oswald could have made the shot.
Hodgins: Booth, Oswald was a lousy shot; you're one of the best.
[Sherry's side note: I love that he complimented Booth in this way, even as he's telling Booth something Booth does not want to hear.]
Sweets: Yeah, with none of the nerves that an actual assassin would experience.
Hodgins: In the lab, no wind, no distractions, aiming at fruit... I mean, come on, you barely made the shot.
I have to say, they've got a point. Sorry, Booth.
Thought-provoking character bits surface throughout this conversation, though. As frustrated as Booth was that Hodgins was so adamant about his stance, Booth was just as adamant and un-budging. He didn't want to hear that it could be something other than what he'd always been told. I think that's a really fascinating angle to play for Booth's character, because for him to question what he's always believed is huge, indeed.
Also interestingly enough, as much as I'm sure he trusts that Hodgins is a smart and talented scientist, he wasn't really willing to listen to what Hodgins was telling him (which I think is true to their challenging relationship, though it would be nice to see some shifting in that regard). Meanwhile, when Brennan finally spoke up and pointed out something that conflicted with what Booth wanted to believe (and then Cam -- his other, former partner, whom he also trusts -- backed Brennan up), she's someone he usually cannot argue with, not when it comes to the science. He trusts Brennan, his partner, and when she says it looks like this mark in the skull came from the front, not the back, which would indicate a second shooter, Booth knows this isn't a conspiracy theorist he can argue with... it's Brennan and she wouldn't lie to him. Therefore, he is defeated and deflated by the news. He even looks a little bit betrayed. And it's a nice bit of showing for their relationship, how they trust each other and will tell each other the truth, no matter what. Seeing that in a scene means so much more than a thousand scenes where Sweets or some other character comments about how they must be in love with each other. Show, not tell. That is the key.
And the thing is, Brennan's not saying it to hurt him; she's talking about logic and evidence. That's what she works with. Gut instincts and feelings that Booth wants it not to be true cannot be factors for her when it comes to scientific truth. However, when it comes to emotional truth, for a brief time she was willing to let it go, which was intriguing. But as I said earlier in this (increasingly lengthy) commentary, I do believe that if she had been allowed to complete her tests and authenticate the team's results, she would have eventually had to make a solid declaration, whether or not Booth liked the answer. I think she would have told him that she respected him for his patriotism and integrity, and explained that those aspects of him do not change even if the data empirically proved something other than what he wanted it to be. I think she would have told him she couldn't alter results in order to make him feel better, but that she felt bad that he felt bad, and that she was there for him. No matter what the outcome of the science, the questions raised make for emotionally moving scenes, and offer up a terrific follow-up scene between Booth and Brennan, when she seeks him out to see how he's handling the possible scientific conclusion.
I like that she remains our ever-logical Brennan in that moment:
Booth: Two shooters. You know what that proves to me?
Brennan: (tentatively) Only that there were two shooters...
On a side note: in this scene, there's a clever tie-in between the current potential investigation (seemingly of an assassinated president) and John Wilkes Booth, someone I don't ever remember the show mentioning before but whose name stirs up a defensiveness in Booth that's intriguing to watch. It's a fascinating mention that would certainly add to Booth's need to prove himself a patriot for his country, given that an ancestor of his was one of the biggest traitors of our nation's history, with his assassination of President Lincoln.
In the end, while I appreciated the reason why Brennan protected Booth, I do believe that she would have told him the hard truth if it had been necessary. But because the results of the pudding test showed an infection on the bones that JFK may or may not have had, something they could not prove with absolute certainty, it wasn't necessary for her to shatter Booth's faith by saying the bones were JFK's.
On a minor detail note, I like that when she tells Booth the results of the pudding test, he hugs her gratefully but she does not hug him back because she is wearing her lab gloves. It could have been some over-the-top fluffy Booth/Brennan moment, but instead it became almost amusing and more real because of that little detail.
As well, there's a terrific moment between Cam and Brennan when Cam privately points out that it could still statistically be JFK's bones, and Brennan concedes the point but explains why she didn't go with that analysis, out of respect for Booth. Cam smiles at her and they both exchange a look of respect that I really appreciated seeing between those two women, whose relationship has not always been the strongest. Again, nicely played by both Tamara Taylor and Emily Deschanel.
Cam: You're a good person. I will never forget what you did for him.
Along with it being a good moment between the two female characters, that line also illuminates Cam's relationship with Booth. I like that Cam knows Booth so well. They've been friends for a long time; it's great to see that aspect come out every once in a while, without the cheesiness of romantic jealousy or such entanglements. They've reached a point where they are friends and colleagues and that is enough.
Though I would have been more than content if the episode had ended with the entire team eating breakfast together in the diner, I did find myself appreciating the final exchange between Booth and Brennan. That's not always the case for me because I feel like these days the writers lean too heavily on wrapping up every episode with a Booth/Brennan 'moment,' which is wearying. But this time I liked it for its playfulness and subtlety.
After all these episodes this past season or so where it seems like the writers are pushing Brennan to be whatever Booth needs her to be (whether it makes sense for her characterization or not), after all the times she's talked about what she has learned from Booth, it was terrific to have a moment between them where Booth admits he's learned something from her. It's sweet (and has a fun Brennan bit of in-character logic right at the end that makes me chuckle):
Brennan: I was very impressed. You wanted the truth even if it was going to hurt you.
Booth: I learned that from you.
Brennan: Really?
Booth: Yeah. I mean, sometimes you have to go with your brain over your gut.
Brennan: That's nice. (grinning) I prefer you always go with your brain over your gut... because your gut cannot think.
Booth: Your brain can't digest a breakfast burrito.
Heeee.
I especially liked the way David said "I learned that from you." Though it had the potential to be too cheesy or too much, instead I thought it was said with just the right amount of respect and care. *applauds*
On a total tangent, I have to say that when Booth said "Shall we?" and Brennan linked arms with him to cross the street, I had a bit of a Wizard of Oz flashback in that moment. She lifts her foot almost like Dorothy and the Scarecrow do when they're linked together, and I half expected her to break into "Weeeeee're off to see the Wizard..." You know, if she happened to be familiar with that cultural reference. With her, you just never know. Heeee.
Ahem. Getting back to the point...
When the show remembers to be a little subtler about Booth and Brennan's partnership, that's when we can really enjoy the evolution of their feelings for each other, be it trust, respect or even love.
And when the writers remember to include the rest of the team and allow them to connect with the lead characters in meaningful ways, then I'm a happy, happy viewer. :)
Cross-posted to
daysofourbones.
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no subject
Date: 2010-02-04 02:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-04 05:08 am (UTC)Every time I meant to write to you, even with a brief comment to let you know that this is what I've been working on, I just paused, thought of you, and then kept my head down, concentrating on my writings. *head desk* Does it help at all that I was thinking about you? *bats lashes innocently*
How about you? How are you doing? What are you doing? Hope all is well (and warm) in your world!
Will talk soon. xoxo
P.S. You know I will be very happy to hear anything you want to say about this episode, or any other. I treasure your opinion! (And am curious if we have similar or different takes on the ep.)
no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:06 am (UTC)I poured my blood, sweat and tears into writing this thing and all you've got to say is "Your next assignment is..."??? Come on, Sharon!!
*laughing uproariously*
I think I broke my brain, working on this one. I might need a bit of time to reset the cells before I dive into commentary for X in the File. But I did finally watch the episode. It's a start. *GRIN*
no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:25 am (UTC)YAY you did watch X in the File
Yes, I finally did. By accident. I was working on the computer and my aunt came in the room and turned on the TV, and the episode was being repeated on TNT, so I half-watched it, half-listened to it. I need to watch it again more thoroughly in order to really comment. But I can already say for sure that I thought Proof in the Pudding was a much better episode. Would you agree?
no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:53 am (UTC)I liked the Hodgins stuff in X in the File A LOT.
I'll have to rewatch it more seriously. Like I said, I was on the computer, working, at the time, so I need to sit down and actually give it my full attention. But now that you've spoken about TJ's role in it so enthusiastically, I'll make sure I do!
:D
no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 05:01 am (UTC)There is just a part that I think TJ did soooooooooo wonderfully well, and I even liked Sweets in it! I mean TJ is always really good but was just something about this particular scene.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 08:40 pm (UTC)Still, I would love to see him acting again.
There is just a part that I think TJ did soooooooooo wonderfully well, and I even liked Sweets in it! I mean TJ is always really good but was just something about this particular scene.
All right, you've intrigued me. I will rewatch the episode and get back to you. Besides, I want to know what scenes you're talking about here. I always love to hear your perspective. :)
no subject
Date: 2010-02-11 05:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:44 am (UTC)