[commentary] Bones: The Salt in the Wounds

[sinkwriter]

So, I've never posted TV, book, or film commentary directly to my personal LiveJournal. I usually just post my general thoughts to specifically themed communities and chat back and forth with the comm members, rather than post about it here. Mostly because I imagine not everyone reading my LJ watches the same programs as I do, so they might not have a frame of reference for what I'm talking about.

However, I recently worked really hard to create a presentation of my thoughts regarding this particular episode of Bones, "The Salt in the Wounds," so if you all don't mind, I thought I'd post my observations about it here. Read it if you feel so inclined. Otherwise, no worries. It's merely a place for me to express myself.


Bones commentary: "The Salt in the Wounds"

For a moment, the opening sequence feels like classic Booth and Brennan -- out in the field together, she doing her bones identification part, he examining the 'broader picture' crime scene. We even see Booth's expression shift when Brennan points out that the victim was most likely a teenaged girl; it's the Booth I love, sober when it's important to be. As a father of a young boy, as a former sniper, as a man who has killed, he takes death seriously. But the writers blew it by having him then make that crude comment (that the girl's remains, partially preserved because of rock salt, suddenly make him crave potato chips). That presents more of the out-of-character, over-obvious, clownish Booth of whom we've seen a lot this season. A forced comment meant to be 'funny,' this is the type of 'witty' Booth and Brennan banter the media has been touting a lot lately. But the thing is, it's not funny, and it's not Booth to say something like that. He can be an incredibly charming and funny character, but one thing I've always appreciated about him was his seriousness when it mattered the most, like when confronted with the death of a kid, as we see here. Instead, it feels like a prime example of how the writers have been forcing these 'comic' moments, as if that's the kind of pattern they're now expected to establish at the start of every episode. Again, the thing to me is, when has this show ever been conventional like that? Its unconventionality -- in its characters and its premise -- was one thing I loved about this program. So why is it trying to force itself into a box now?

Frankly, that potato chip comment is something I expect to hear from Hodgins or Zack. Not because they're jerks, but because that's how they seem to deal with grave matters like this. For example, Zack's 'crispy critter' comments in the pilot, or Hodgins making snarky comments and laying in the tub after it had been fully scrubbed of all evidence in "Truth in the Lye." It's in their natures to joke rather than cry, when faced with some of the bodies they've had to examine and pick apart.

My main point about this is, I don't understand the need to force humor out of Booth, especially during moments where humor isn't warranted. The potato chip comment was crass, not charming, and the fact that the camera stayed on Booth while he attempted to make a follow-up funny face (until the credits kicked in) merely managed to irritate. I was not impressed.

I'm also trying to wrap my head around this whole teen pregnancy pact storyline.

First off, awesome to see Amy Pietz doing TV again, playing the victim's mother. I used to enjoy her work on Caroline in the City. She was great on that show, very funny, and incidentally has an awesome singing voice. Yay for her.

Secondly, I am clearly going to hell because this line is funny to me every time: "If it wasn't for my faith in Jesus, there would have been sexual intercourse." Oh man, that is just so wrong... I can't even... I'm sorry... heeee.

That bit of wackiness aside...

Showing a group of girls who all got pregnant by the same guy, plan to nest in the same home and raise their children together, and claim "we're quite intelligent"... I'm sorry, I really have to eye roll that. These girls were supposed to be the overachievers of their school? I felt like the characterizations as presented were stereotypical and quite frankly, insulting to smart teenaged girls. Yes, things happen. Smart kids can get pregnant at very young ages, but the episode seems to be 1) glamorizing their decisions, and 2) presenting girls as if they're silly, clueless, and happy to become mothers -- an enormous responsibility in itself! -- instead of facing their fears about their futures. I loved the speech Booth gave Clinton at the end (more on that later), but where was the speech given to these young women? So, it's important for a guy to be a man and take responsibility for his actions, but these girls couldn't hear the same and learn to stand up to their parents and let them know that they were struggling and uncertain about what they wanted to do with their lives? Where was the speech teaching them that they had other options instead of choosing something so permanent as pregnancy and motherhood? Where was the speech teaching them to take what they did seriously?

Look at that baby shower scene. Everyone's chattering away happily, holding babies or patting pregnant bellies, casually talking to Booth and Brennan about how great motherhood is, like it's so easy, and how nice to have a little club of friends to make it even easier.

Brennan: So one boy is the father of four babies...
Girl: (smiling) Mm-hmm.

Seriously, the smile on that girl's face... I liked her scene with Sweets, but in this particular moment, I wanted to slap some sense into her. I don't know if it was the script or the director's choice to go that way, but I thought it made a mockery of the situation, like yeah, no big deal, we're all pregnant by the same boy and we're happy about it. SERIOUSLY? I would have been devastated if that had happened to me in high school. The presentation of all these girls as being in perfect harmonious agreement about their choices made them unbelievable to me as a viewer, not to mention making them all seem incredibly stupid and clueless, because there is NO way every one of them would be so blissful about it. Surely at least one of them would be terrified and worried, even with their 'perfect' plan to live together and help each other.

In the end, while I appreciated Brennan returning to her anthropological reasoning, I didn't buy what she said about understanding what those girls decided to do. Like them, she strove to be the very best, but those aspects of her personality -- her years of education, her brilliance and her independence -- are very important to her so I can't see her understanding why they gave up everything like they did. Instead, I could see her thinking they were being childish and irrational to make such decisions based upon their emotions (feeling pressured by their parents, feeling fear about living their lives a certain way). I didn't buy her defending them like she did, and I also thought her reasoning that women cannot count on men was ludicrous. (Though I will say I could buy Brennan believing that part, given that she couldn't count on her father or her brother when she was a kid. I can definitely see that affecting her judgment on the matter.) Nevertheless, I felt that final scene between Booth and Brennan was out of character for Brennan. There's no way she would champion those girls' decisions to drop everything for which they'd already worked so hard, to skip college, and to turn away from knowledge (something Brennan craves). I don't buy it. I felt it was a convenience in the plot and it didn't work for me.

While I'm talking about cardboard cutout characters and convenient plot points... I'm slightly annoyed at the stereotype perpetuated by this show that you have to be some perfect size, especially in order to be considered popular or valued in some measure. In the past, the writers have often made fat jokes that I've felt were a bit insulting and unnecessary to the scene (even if they were trying to show Brennan's lack of social skills), making comments about women's bodies (ironically played by actresses who were in no way overweight; they just weren't Hollywood skinny). And now they're doing it again by acting like it's impossible for girls to like a guy unless he's some sort of physical 'ideal,' tall, muscular, and athletic. Do they really want to perpetuate that stereotype? Is that healthy?

Honestly? The boy I had a crush on all through high school was kind of skinny and lanky and only a couple inches taller than me; he wasn't one of the most popular boys in school, he wasn't the most classically handsome, but I was still strongly attracted to him. Why? Because he was nice to me. He was really sweet and he was smart, we had several of the same classes together, and we were both into music (him in the band, me in orchestra and chorus). And that made him really, really cute to me.

The point is, I know Booth used to be a jock in high school and the kind of guy who probably got the girls and thought highly of himself (or let that mask what he really felt, especially given what we now know of his childhood). However, I wish we'd seen some intelligent development of his character by now in this regard. With that whole smurf story Brennan shared with him and the episode with the school time capsule, I would have thought both Brennan and Booth would try to remember what they learned from those moments instead of immediately giving each other looks of surprise and amusement that this kid could possibly attract four different girls and get them to have sex with him. And Booth showing off that he could lift more weights than that kid? What was the point of that? What, that Booth didn't get that many girls in school even though he could lift that kind of weight, so it's therefore impossible for Clinton to get that many girls because he's even more inferior than Booth is? Shouldn't Booth have learned by now not to judge someone, especially after the recent episode where Brennan assumed things about him that weren't true just because she listened to his stupid younger brother? Remember how Booth didn't like to be called a loser, or treated like a loser? And here he is, pumping weights and scoffing at some young 16-year-old boy, treating him like a loser, coming close to calling him that to his face? That whole 'four teenagers getting pregnant by the same kid' storyline is a bit implausible (man, I hope it is, anyway), but I just thought this aspect of it was a bit mean and unnecessary. By now, Booth should know better.

Speaking of people who should know better... what the heck was up with everyone snarking about that poor intern for his religious beliefs?

Previously, when a newbie got hazed or razzed by the team, it was for something involving his or her general personality (or just the simple fact that they didn't want a newcomer taking Zack's place), not about something so personal as religion. I wasn't comfortable with the way they treated this poor guy, Arastoo.

Perhaps I'm biased, but the only line I found mildly funny (due to TJ Thyne's amusingly dead-pan expression) was Hodgins' comment: "On the bright side, we'll always know which way is east." *snort*

However, in an overall sense, I thought the team was very insensitive, not to mention bordering on harassment to keep mentioning it. These are really smart people; they know about and have visited plenty of other cultures. I thought it was out of character for everyone to be so baffled about his customs or snarky about someone being Muslim. Why did the writers feel that was the only way they could have the team 'pick on' this particular newbie intern?

Brennan even seemed to get in his face about it, repeatedly, which felt bizarre to me as a viewer.

On the one hand, I understand that as Angela's best friend, Brennan may have felt a bit of over-protectiveness when the intern asked about her 'boyfriend' and then raised an eyebrow when he realized Angela was dating a woman. In addition, it seemed in character for her to comment that she finds all religions "equally irrational."

On the other hand, the glaring and the scathing follow-up comment she provided when Arastoo came back from his prayer break -- "I have no choice. Apparently it's a constitutional issue." -- was obnoxious. Not even in-character Brennan obnoxious. It seemed bizarre and out-of-character.

First of all, Brennan's very much on the side of constitutional rights. We've heard her soapbox about it in various ways throughout the seasons (cultural rights, personal freedoms, citizens' rights like 'right to bear arms,' etc.), so this felt false to me. Her tone about it was rude.

As well, even though Brennan's got issues with the subject of religion, she's also got the experience to know about various cultures and their traditions, regardless of whether or not she agrees with them. Her issues with him taking time to pray throughout the day felt odd to me. If she wants his attention to be on the case, fine, but given that she hasn't been in the lab very much all season, has been dropping the ball herself when it comes to uncovering important case details (her interns have been catching a lot of evidence bits), and hasn't shown even a modicum of her former dedication to and excitement about bones and discoveries involving bone evidence, I'm not buying her sudden insistence that everyone work 24/7 to get her answers and I'm not buying that she is suddenly so irritated by another person's beliefs. I don't like it when the writers alter Brennan's personality to suit the moment. Is she a brilliant, knowledgeable individual who has traveled extensively and is fascinated by many different cultures, or not?

To the intern's credit, he smiled and ignored her antagonistic crack. As he also did when Cam impatiently commented, "How's about you go back to prayer and give me a little breathing space?" At least Cam realized what she'd said in a moment of stress and followed it up with an apology.

Don't get me wrong, Arastoo's final scene with Angela (when he gave her that mix CD of songs, to help her through her break-up) was very sweet and thus appreciated. But Angela, usually the sensitive one, actually snarked at him, "Oh, here we go. Are you going to quote the Qur'an?" I know she was upset about her recent break-up (no matter how much she tried to deny it), but that line seemed to come out of nowhere. Also, I'd think of all of them Angela would be the most interested in exploring or accepting a wide variety of beliefs, so for her to treat him so sarcastically did not feel in-character to me. The only thing that made that scene work for me was that she realized how wrong she'd been about him, loosened up visibly (nice job, Michaela Conlin), and gave him a hug of thanks. That was lovely.

A side point about Cam and stress: I giggled at Cam when she confessed (but not really) that she smokes... sometimes... very rarely... only occasionally, really... in times of great stress. That was funny. (Sad, too. Poor Cam. But still funny.)

Moving on to a great big part of the episode: Hodgins and Angela. :D

I saw that break-up between Angela and Roxy coming a mile away, the minute they were talking pets and Roxy seemed less than receptive. Poor Angela. And yet, why am I supposed to care about this break-up when the writers didn't really spend any time on the development of the relationship itself first? We barely saw Roxy. We barely saw them together. We certainly haven't seen Angela grow as a person since starting to date her again.

When they first got together, it felt like it was for shock value purposes only. Ooh, Angela's kissing a girl, Angela's a lesbian now... *gasp* *eye roll* If, after that initial episode, the writers had paid some attention to the actual relationship between them, showing Angela really trying this time (or in contrast, backtracking to former behaviors), then maybe it wouldn't feel like such a waste of character development. That's the problem for me, that they skipped over so much just to move on and get to the stuff they wanted (like this episode's big moment between Hodgins and Angela).

Case in point: Roxy -- whom we haven't seen in months, whose relationship with Angela we've barely even seen -- breaks up with Angela within the first ten minutes of the episode. For a really lame reason: Angela likes to live in the moment, while Roxy wants to think seriously about the future. Okay, it's a valid reason. However, um, shouldn't Roxy have realized this about Angela from the first time they dated years ago? Has she seen any indication that Angela has changed?

It all felt like such a big leap, not to mention a waste of character development potential. In doing it that way, am I supposed to care about the break-up? Because I really couldn't muster up much sympathy at all. They didn't show enough of the actual relationship for me to feel bad about it ending. Also, if Hodgins and Angela do get back together some day, how satisfying can it be when we haven't seen Angela learn something from her relationship with Roxy?

Still, Michaela Conlin played it nicely. Shifting from a smiling expression of 'Isn't this dog adorable, won't it be a wonderful addition to our home when we move in together' to the disappointed, downcast 'Oh, I just realized you're breaking up with me' expression was very well done.

I also loved the immediate shift in Hodgins, the look in his eyes when he realized something was bothering Angela. It spoke to their former relationship, how well he knows her, and I really liked that. TJ was very expressive with the smallest look. And I liked how -- regardless of their painful history -- he immediately jumped to a help mode of "Angela's in pain, she's just broken up with her girlfriend, I understand what that feels like, I need to help her, I want to comfort her." It's such a lovely side to him, that giving nature.

I confess I really was expecting them to go somewhere for that cup of coffee and talk. I thought, cool, this could be an interesting conversation between them.

Imagine my open-mouthed shock when (after a Booth/Brennan on-the-case scene) they cut back to ... Hodgins and Angela in bed together. *BIG GRIN* I am so naïve. Silly, silly me.

First of all, though I felt it happened too fast (again, skipping over Angela and Roxy's relationship in order to get to scenes like this), it also seems to be pure Angela, to jump back into bed with Hodgins because she's feeling upset and needy. And I admit it was nice to see them return to their old haunt in the Egyptian storage unit.

On a side note, I know it's crude and superficial of me to say so, but: damn, TJ! I clearly need to be working out with you, because you know how to get results! :D You are looking mighty, mighty fine. Sheesh. W-O-W. o_O I'm suddenly very distracted by your chest, shoulders, arms, and basically your entire torso. I'm sorry... where was I? Oh right, commentary. Moving on. ;)

Interesting body language between the two characters in this scene. When Hodgins and Angela were together as a couple, whenever they had a scene in bed together, they were linked, arms around each other, heads resting on shoulders or chests, plenty of contact. Yet, at the start of this scene, they're both in bed side by side as individuals, no touching, no contact. I don't know if it was planned that way, or if they did it instinctively as actors, but I like that; I felt it was a nice touch. It shows the distinct difference in their relationship now versus then.

And who breaches the divide first, touching and kissing the other person? Hodgins, of course. Oh, dear. He opens his heart so wide. It's a vulnerable place to put oneself, especially when the other person in bed with him has already broken his heart before, repeatedly. Let us count the ways: when she first turned him down; when she turned him away even after their first date went so well; when she 'forgot' that she was already married and he went through months of private investigations and searching for the husband and enduring insults about how hot her former beau was (the implication that he was somehow lesser than in comparison), all of this so they could be together; and of course, their final break-up which was excruciating. And how does Angela see it? She didn't need comforting, she insisted. (Um... I call bullshit on that, Angela.) Instead, she needed a good 'tumble.' Right.

It was interesting that she immediately told him (post-sex) that she was 'fine' about Roxy, that "People come and go in life." Hmm. Methinks she doth protest too much? ;)

When Hodgins asked what Roxy had said (besides "So long"), Angela said: "Basically, she said she wants somebody who doesn't just 'live in the moment' but who considers the future." I confess I laughed at that moment because TJ's facial expression in response was priceless. It was kind of like Hodgins was thinking to himself, "Welllllll... she's not completely wrong about that, Angela, but for now I say absolutely nothing." Heee. It was just such a great look. He paused, considered what she was saying, and then got this awesomely hilarious look on his face. And chose not to say a word in that moment, which was so funny to me. I loved that.

What I liked about this scene was that it forced Angela to think about stuff that she clearly does not want to think about. Yes, she was thinking about moving in with Roxy, and her wanting to get a dog was probably her way of showing that she was somehow in the relationship fully this time around. But I really do think that she hadn't stopped to think about what she really wanted or needed, before she even starting seeing Roxy again. Until she comes to terms with whatever her commitment issues are, I really don't think she'll be able to be in a serious relationship with anybody. Which is why I hope we see more scenes like this, because conversations like this one with Hodgins challenging her to either face up to her stuff or do what she always does (run and hide, move on to the next relationship, all under the snappy guise of "Hey, I like to live in the moment, moments are fleeting, that's all love is") are important to the evolution of her character, and his.

Right now? She's not ready. She asked Hodgins, "What's wrong with the moment?" and he said simply, "Nothing." He smiled kindly and gently (nice job, TJ), probably knowing she's not ready to change yet. I think he sees it this time around. But what was lovely was that she nudged him, just a little bit, to be honest with her, when she followed his comment with "But...?" So he was honest with her: "But it's... nice every once in a while to think about the future." And that's when she ran away again, not ready to think about it. Right after he says this to her, she turns away from him, starts to get up and get dressed. She's so close to change, but not quite there yet.

Side note: I love the casual way TJ played Hodgins in that moment, as Angela's getting dressed, like it was something the two characters had done a hundred times together, being intimate with each other and then getting up and getting dressed. He didn't look upon her like a new lover, fascinated and curious; instead, it was comfortable and relaxed and sweet. I liked that approach a lot.

Angela's trying, in little ways, with tentative questions, to figure things out. Which is why it was so sad and painful to watch her regress as she turned back to her charm, and her wide smile and casual flippant nature, as she turned to Hodgins and flirted, "So this... right now... this isn't 'together'?" And Hodgins' heart-breaking shake of his head and honest reply was spot-on, just what he should have said, because he is different now, too: "It was a moment. A great moment, but like all great moments... it passed." And she leaves the bed, leaves him, walks away, still not ready.

Personally, I think she knew the answer to that last question before she even asked, but she had to resort to her usual flirty behaviors to get through her sorrow about the Roxy break-up. She won't admit it. Everything's "fine." But just seeing her revert to her former behaviors seems to indicate that she is very much not fine, and I want to see her move forward, bit by bit, and finally 'get it.' Whomever she's with at that point will get an Angela who is finally able to give herself fully to the relationship in a way she's never been able to before. I think it will be immeasurably cool when she gets there. I just hope the writers spend the time showing that evolution.

GREAT scene, beautifully played by both TJ and Michaela. And the look on his face as she leaves the bed and walks away is achingly sad because I think he knows that she's not ready yet and he's resigned to it. There's nothing he can do. But I'm reminded of his speech from "The Girl With The Curl": "What if it doesn't end that way? What if it doesn't go wrong?" Hodgins is such an interesting, contradictory character -- even though he's suspicious and paranoid about some things, when it comes to what he loves (science and women), he's such an optimist. He's so full of hope. And we see a glimmer of that hope when (after she's gone) he finds her earring on the bed. A talisman, perhaps, of hope; a promise of a better, richer, fuller relationship with her someday. And because he's Hodgins, he holds on to that earring. He holds on to that hope. And that's why I love his character.

I also loved seeing Brennan and Angela having a conversation, just the two of them. It feels like a long time since the writers have paid good attention to their friendship. It was nice to see them outside of the office, having a meal together, talking about personal stuff. I do think Angela is an idiot for sleeping with Hodgins anyway even though she confides in Brennan here that she knows Hodgins "can't keep it casual." He's a fool to go there again right now when he knows she's not ready, that's his issue, but if Angela acknowledges full well that Hodgins can't keep things casual, then why go there with him? Especially when she knows it could open a whole new mess of emotions that she won't be able to handle or want him to have. She shouldn't reopen that door if she knows he's going to get hurt or want more from her than she's willing to give. She doesn't seem to be thinking about his feelings at all here, only what she needs or wants, and that bothers me because even though she's a 'free spirit' kind of character, she's also demonstrated extraordinary kindness and compassion (in cases where the rest of the team has been unable to), so I'm not sure why the writers are taking her to such callous behaviors lately. It troubles me.

I will say that I do like Brennan's definition of love; that felt totally in character for her to say, and it amused me to see her so rational about it. (Even if I don't happen to agree with her. LOL.) But I think Brennan is wrong in saying that Angela is in any way like her when it comes to picking people for sex. Angela does not use her brain; she does not plan these things rationally. She goes with the flow or 'the moment,' even if it's to her own detriment.

At any rate, it was a nice, casual scene, well played by both Emily and Michaela. You can really get a sense that these two characters are good friends (even though they're so different from each other). It's fun to see the connection between them.

On to lab fun! I love when Hodgins gets all big word scientific. In those types of scenes, TJ plays Hodgins with a wonderful 'zest for knowledge,' love of science, and fun energy that makes me grin. We really get the sense that he (Hodgins) loves what he does and finds it fascinating to uncover fine details about the little pieces of evidence he examines. It's quite cool, this facet of the character.

And a big Yay! for the intern coming up with that X-ray idea, in order to examine the bones even though the flesh was still intact. You know what they say, the simplest idea is usually the right one.

It was very nice to see Brennan back in the lab on a more regular basis. I think that's an important trait to keep. And it was really cool to have the show go back to the start of season 2 with that "I claim one of my freebies" comment from Brennan. That was very fun, especially the back and forth between Brennan and Cam in that moment over who would get to have the remains. I just wish they'd used the freebie bit at least once before this, because I almost forgot what the heck they were talking about.

I've got to say, though, I don't understand the tightness and resentment Brennan exhibited towards Cam and the new intern this whole episode. She's barely been in the lab much this season, she's been much more relaxed about everything, even oddly so -- for example, when would Brennan ever be calm when someone dared to compromise her remains, like Hodgins accidentally did when he turned a body into a hard shell in "Bones That Foam"? Now suddenly she's all Alpha Female about her lab and her work again? I genuinely do not understand the back-and-forth with Brennan's character. Why can't she show consistent growth as a person? Why do they have her regressing and going out-of-character? It seems to be only for the convenience of a scene.

If she saw something of value in what Cam's experiment proved, the Brennan I know and love would be impressed with that. She's all about scientific journals and examining bones and discovering data in cool and unusual ways.

(After all, who could ever forget the time she re-hydrated a victim's hand, just so she could peel the skin off and put it on her own hand like a glove, in order to get the fingerprints? That was ... well, it was disgusting, but it was also really fascinating.)

I think it's great to see someone (yay, Cam!) using science and doing something interesting on the show. The title of the program, Bones, may refer to Brennan, but it's also a play on what she can do scientifically with bones, as a forensic anthropologist, so I think it's important for the show to remember that science is a factor in this program. Maybe not the biggest focus, if they want to concentrate on character development more than cases, but it's still a big part of who Brennan is. To ignore that is to ignore a large facet of her character. Then what is this show and who is she, really?

Small note: Brennan totally deserved that "Oh, by the way, you aren't a real medical doctor either" comment from the chiropractor. Because she's not a medical doctor either, but her comment to him that he wasn't one (but still surprisingly "helpful" to her) was pretty arrogant. Glad to see someone take her down a peg when it's called for -- she's a gifted anthropologist and a brilliant woman, but that doesn't mean she’s infallible or untouchable.

Shifting gears here to Sweets. *ahem*

Some of you know that I cannot stand it when Sweets interferes in Booth's interrogations. I think it's ridiculous that he needs to be there, feeding Booth ideas and questions, when Booth has been shown as more than capable of handling interrogations and sussing out when people are lying. He has great gut instincts, and I've always liked it when he would just smirk at the suspect, like he's figured them out, and then he asks them a great question to prove it.

That said, this time around, I liked Sweets' idea about the 'pact' and the $5000, and his interview with the 'Alpha teenager' of the volleyball team seemed to be putting his character to good use as a psychologist. About time!

And here's a big shocker. I liked Sweets in that scene with Angela. o_O I know, I know, I usually get worked up about the ways they use his character because I think it's forced and he doesn't have a purpose of his own, etc. But that scene was played really nicely between the two of them. Instead of it becoming a conversation between Angela and Mr. Psychologist Who Can Fix Everything, they talked like friends. It was very easy and casual and quiet and ... just really nice. He didn't push his ideas or agenda on her, until the moment leaned that way and it seemed appropriate to say something; until then, he simply listened. (Which seems to be more in line with how most psychologists behave, listening rather than telling the patient what they should be seeing about themselves or their issues. That's the whole point of guiding a person to come to his or her own realizations, to make progress.) That was terrific. I liked this Sweets a lot.

And I laughed out loud at the knowing "Ohhh" he uttered when Angela said worriedly, "Brennan approves of the way I conduct my love life." Heee. That was very funny and well-timed.

And it's interesting that once again Angela is asking someone, "What's wrong with living in the moment?" It's almost like she's looking for approval for that type of behavior, but the moment she gets it (like when Brennan agreed with her), she felt unsettled about it. That would indicate that she's close to figuring things out, taking a step in a new direction. But here she is, asking Sweets the same question that she presented to Hodgins and Brennan. Interesting, very interesting. Again, I say, methinks the lady doth protest too much. No matter how many times Sweets said, "It's fine so long as it's working for you," she kept insisting "It is, it's working for me, no, really, definitely, it is." Mm-hmm. Time to examine things from another angle, Angela. Time to try something new, because obviously it's not working for you. If it were, you and Roxy would still be together. Or, you and Hodgins. Or, you and Birem-what's-his-name whom we don't like because we like Hodgins. *GRIN*

And really? I LOVED Sweets' suggestion to Angela. To remove sex from the situation. I loved his hesitation in even suggesting it (because she's not totally ready to listen in that regard), and I loved him finally saying it. I think that's exactly what he should say to her. Frankly, it's about time someone said it. "Forego sex in favor of other connections." Brilliant. Whether or not she's willing to follow through with that suggestion yet, the idea will be simmering in the back of her mind, and when she's ready, maybe she will give it a try. Because until she tries to connect with someone on a level other than for sex, I don't think she's going to get different results than the failed relationships she keeps having. It's partly why her relationship with Hodgins failed. He knocked himself out trying to understand her and give her what she needed, but she was too busy 'living in the moment' to really get to know him or appreciate him as a man and a person and a partner. She also seems to have no idea who she is or really wants to be. She went from "No, I can't date you," to "Okay, what the hell," and then happily jumped into sex and moving in together and finally engagement, without ever really knowing who he was or (more importantly) who SHE was, with or without sex.

The look on her face when he even dared to suggest that she go without sex for a little while (okay, six months, which is probably an eternity for Angela) was hilarious and sad at the same time. Funny because hey, she's the one who decided to take a leap and ask him what he thought, and sad because she immediately reverts back to being less than she can be, because she's afraid to try something outside her usual behavioral routine. (I think we can probably all relate to that, reverting back to old behaviors for some reason or another, at some point in our own lives.)

I love her contradiction, though: even as she protested that she's happy with her life the way it is, even though she said what Sweets had to say was "merely interesting" (heh), I do think she heard what he had to say. It seems to indicate that Angela is on the brink of moving forward and figuring things out, finally. She's not quite there, but she's close. And that could be really cool.

At any rate, it was a great scene between the two characters, and excellently played by John and Michaela. I enjoyed it a lot, and given how I usually feel about the way they over-utilize Sweets, that is really saying something.

I will also say that although I think Sweets is not qualified for undercover work, I did like the scene he and Angela had with the chiropractor. That was one case where I felt he might actually be able to pull off what they needed him to do. Beyond that, I do still think they give him too many jobs that used to be done by the other characters, perhaps just to give him something to do in an episode. I don't think it's necessary, and it bothers me, because even though it is only a television program and therefore fantastical, it is grounded in science and the realities that go with having an FBI agent as a lead character; therefore, to have Sweets going outside of his job title, doing all these things he's not qualified or trained for, that annoys the hell out of me. You don't see Hodgins doing Brennan's job, or Brennan doing Angela's job. Just because some of these characters are geniuses or prodigies does not mean they can do anything in any scene. Why do they keep using Sweets for tasks that go way beyond what an FBI psychologist would probably do?

I liked the montage near the end. It felt like 'old school' Bones. It gave weight to the story and the characters, gave them each a moment: Booth with the confirmed killer; Cam covering up the victim's body; Angela sorting through the memories of her failed relationships; Hodgins holding tight to that earring (and what an interesting, curious, thought-provoking expression on TJ's face, in that moment -- great job, TJ); the intern praying, Brennan in the background, watching him... I really appreciated seeing all of that.

I loved the final scene between Booth and Clinton. First of all, Booth's point to the kid that sex is never free and easy is a fascinating contrast from the question raised by Angela with her free-spirited notion of "What's wrong with living in the moment?" And Booth impressing upon the kid the fact that those four children are his responsibility, whether the girls ask for his help or not ... that was wonderful. It needed to be said. Clinton needed to hear that. And he won't forget it, just as Angela probably won't forget what Sweets said to her, either. It gave me chills when Booth got through to Clinton, especially by slowing ripping up the picture of Ashley, reminding him that she had been carrying his child and now she and the baby were both dead. The inexplicable clown that Booth's been all season? Whatever. He doesn't interest me. This guy, in this scene, this is the Booth that I love. The one who is honorable and smart and knows just what to say to someone when they need to hear it. (Like after Brennan shot Epps in "Blonde in the Game" and she was upset and needed comfort; or to Cam in her first episode when she was having trouble connecting with the team and getting them to listen to her.) It was a great scene, the actor who played Clinton did a super job, and David played his part with the gravity and maturity it needed. He held my attention, and it was terrific.

While the case itself was a bit unbelievable and started out presented in a flippant manner, overall it was a decent episode that finished strong, most especially due to everyone’s finely tuned performances.

Comments

[tamibrandt.livejournal.com]

The case of the girls wasn't unbelievable. Because there was a news report sometime last year in real life where there were a group of girls in a pregnancy pact. (None of the ended up dead) But it was a news item about a group of a girls in somewhere in Gloucester High School in Massachusetts that did it. So, the storyline was believable. The link to the real news story is here: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/Story?id=5210525&page=1

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Still so bizarre. ;) Thanks for the link, tamibrandt!

P.S. Shame on me. I need to catch up on your writings. I see you recently posted another chapter. :D

[ladysophiekitty.livejournal.com]

Wonderful commentary! You are always really good at expressing yourself. I haven't seen the episode and I don't have plans to (well, maybe for TJ and old school Booth at the end) I've been rewatching the old Bones and while I always knew how much I missed the show, I didn't realize quite how much until I saw how it used to be. It made me sad. I sort of wish I could go back to seeing Bones for the first time and knowing that the next episode was going to be absolutely amazing. If most of the episodes this season had been the first episode I saw instead of Boy in the Bush, I doubt I would have been so fast to rent all of the DVDs and eventually buy the first 2 seasons.

[tamibrandt.livejournal.com]

*Blushes* I didn't think you read my stories. Since we met / friended from a Bones community. I'm writing on the crossover fic now and then going back to H2TYL. :)

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

I'm slow. Your stuff is in my queue of things to read. :)

At any rate, I make a point of checking out the writings of the people in my f-list. You work so hard on it, I should at least give it a good read-through!

Besides, I'm an Angel fan (and a Spike fan, for that matter) from both the Buffy and Angel shows. I loved those programs. So... good character choices! :D

Out of curiosity, what's the crossover piece you're working on right now?

[bardsmaid.livejournal.com]

Ah, I remember going through this 'what were they thinking???' stuff when XF turned from dynamic and layered to... well, the variant of itself it became in the later seasons. So disappointing. And stressful, too.

[tamibrandt.livejournal.com]

I'm working on story three of Angel/Spike/Drusilla/Booth (Set post Not Fade Away / Pre-Bones) The 'verse started during an AU A Hole in the World. Booth was sent by Cullen to W&H to talk to the CEO into not letting a killer walk free. Only Booth didn't know the CEO was Angel until he met him.

Story 1 On the Other Side of Fate
Story 2 Coming Full Circle (Set after Not Fade Away, In which Dru disappears and Angel asks Booth for help)
Story 3 Visions of You (Set after the events of Coming Full Circle. Dru has visions of Booth's latest case and Angel/Spike/Dru fly out to Washington DC to help Booth.)

The muse has a 4th story planned, but it needs to finish Visions of You first.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Heh! Interesting. Does they realize they (Booth and Angel) look 'similar' or are you treating them as completely different characters within this crossover?

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Thank you, ladysophiekitty!

I know what you mean. When I wrote a Bones-themed short story for Willowwood's birthday a month or so ago, I watched some Season 1 Bones DVDs to get my head back into these characters as I knew and loved them. It was wonderful to watch those episodes, reminded me of how awesome the balance between characters and story was back then and how much I love(d) the show, but it was also sad, because things are so bizarre now (and sounds like they're going to be even more bizarre by season's end). Such a 180 degree shift from what made us fall in love with this show. Isn't it frustrating? I own the first two seasons on DVD, but unless this show gets better, I won't ever purchase the rest of the seasons.

At any rate, I'd recommend this particular episode, if only for Booth's speech to the kid at the end, and for TJ's work in his scenes.

Thanks again for taking the time to read my commentary. I know it got pretty lengthy! *sheepish grin*

P.S. I love your Hodgins user pic. *fond smile*

[tamibrandt.livejournal.com]

Wesley did some research into Angel's past and found out that before Angelus/Darla destroyed the town a barmaid escaped while pregnant. Booth is Liam's (Angel(us)'s human name) great-great-great-great-great grandson. It's all explained in On the Other Side of Fate.

Spike mistook Booth for Angel's doppelganger when they first met.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

*waves a big hello*

Ah yes, I know you know how this feels! And thank you very much for 'listening' to me rant and say a few words on the subject. (Okay, more than a few words. Hee.)

It is very disappointing, especially when you know you've seen them do it so much better.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Nice! Very clever. I'll look forward to reading these (and sending you feedback). Just give me a bit of time to catch up! :)

[bardsmaid.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is it exactly. If the show hadn't been that good to begin with, it wouldn't be nearly the disappointment to see the quality fall. But when a show/characters were amazing for a number of seasons, it's very painful to see them slip downhill from real to caricature. Even worse if the caricatures don't sync with the previous characterizations.

[65pigeons.livejournal.com]

Oh yay, commentary! I just got caught up on this ep and was considering posting about it, but you pretty much expressed most of my feelings. One of the reasons I prefer this show compared to so many other procedurals is that it's much more character-focused (not character-driven exactly, but it emphasizes their interactions). It's therefore been kind of annoying to me that Booth and Brennan have been treated so inconsistently this season. I definitely think it has to do with them being the leads, them getting the most exposure, and therefore the writers primarily use them for inconsistent dialogue they think will help "popularize" the show. Or something.

Oddly enough though, the secondary characters seem to be treated very well. I definitely thought this was a great ep for Angela and Hodgins (and hee! I totally got distracted by his chest as well. Actually, I got distracted by his chest ways back in whatever ep it was where he was wearing that towel. You totally don't think he would look that good, but he does. Go Hodgins! (and TJ I suppose, heh)). Though I am definitely annoyed by the lack of development of Angela's relationship with Roxie. It's like they introduced it, realized it got in the way of Angela/Hodgins and decided to back out instead of making the effort to develop it. Not that I don't love Angela/Hodgins, but eh.

Also, gah, all of their reactions to the Muslim lab recruit annoyed me SO MUCH. It just seemed so out of character and sort of shockingly blatant in its intolerance. Like, um, you are all intelligent people who work for an institution that celebrates learning about cultures. SERIOUSLY?

Still, I haven't been annoyed with the season the way some people seem to be. It's still Bones, and I can't really help enjoying it. Incidentally, there are so many communities for so many shows that I am kind of bewildered in terms of knowing which ones would be worth joining. Do you happen to have any suggestions?

I will stop spamming all over your journal now, heh. However, you will be happy to know that I watched two eps of X-Files. POSTING IS IMMINENT.

*edited for typos, ugh

[greatbriton.livejournal.com]

Lovely commentary here!

Oh dear, the potato chip comment was just ridiculous and out of character. :( But I completely agree with you that the beginning of the episode felt like old school Booth/Brennan until that comment.

I do also wish there would have been some kind of reprimand for those girls. But in the end they've decided that they're smart girls and they wouldn't have listened anyway. And for them it was kind of too late to change their minds since they were already pregnant.

About the intern. Brennan's attitude was appropriate, in my opinion. Especially since it was someone who she thinks of a scientific mind and she can't understand how he could make sense in religion. Other people's remarks, and Angela's were a bit harsh. And I don't see them as very appropriate.

I also agree with your opinion of Sweets and of him in this episode.

The end definitely felt old school Bones with the montage and the music. And then the meaningful talk Booth had with Clinton. This episode was such a step in the right direction.

[ladysophiekitty.livejournal.com]

By the way? TOTALLY YOUR FAULT I HAD A HODGELA DREAM LAST NIGHT! Though I'm sure it was better than the episode. And DAMN is Hodgins a sweet and awesome and amazing boyfriend. Of course, I never expected any less. :D

(ignore crazyness. I just woke up 7 minutes ago)

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHAAA

Yes, because I can control your subconscious! Mwah hahahahaaa. ;)

I hope it was a good dream. And good morning! :)

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

*waves* Thanks for coming over and reading this thing!

I understand what you're saying about it being a bit too late because the girls were already pregnant. *nods* However, I wish they'd still talked with them because it just seemed like such a bad way to present the whole situation. Like it's important for boys to be responsible and smart, but if a girl is afraid of life and her parents' expectations, it's somehow perfectly okay to choose to get pregnant instead, which was pure avoidance on the girls' part. I think a conversation should have been had somewhere within the episode. Otherwise, it was like the writers were saying it's okay for girls to go this route (just so long as the boy takes responsibility for his part). *shakes head* It just didn't feel right to me. Besides, those young women will have to bring up their own children, and I can't imagine they'd want their own kids to make the same choices. Even if it's too late for these girls, they need to see that there are/were other ways of handling their issues, so that they can teach that to their own children someday. You know what I mean? :)

About the intern. I thought Brennan's initial comment was in character, that whole part about how she finds all religions equally irrational. But the rest of her behaviors toward him seemed so filled with animosity, like she was angry with him. I don't know, maybe I just didn't like the way Emily chose to play it this time around. If they wanted to show that she thought someone with a rational, scientific mind should have a different view about religion (more empirical, the way she and Zack are), I wish they'd have created an actual dialogue about it between the two of them, rather than having her make rude comments and glare at him and seem baffled that he was once again praying (when she as a well-traveled, knowledgeable anthropologist should know plenty about other cultures and their traditions, whether or not she agrees with them). It made her seem like she was insulting, rather than challenging, his beliefs. Your mileage may vary. ;)

At any rate, it was nice to see those old school elements in place. I really did appreciate that. And I liked the conversation between Hodgins and Angela, and Sweets and Angela, both of which seemed promising in regard to Angela's character development (as well as Hodgins', I suppose). So I'm interested to see what they do next with that relationship. :)

Thanks again for chatting with me about this! See you around the threads! *GRIN*

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thanks for stopping by! :D

One of the reasons I prefer this show compared to so many other procedurals is that it's much more character-focused

Agreed. That was one of the aspects about Bones that drew me to it from the very beginning. So I share your frustration that characterizations have been inconsistent (in a huge way!) this season. Definitely for Booth and Brennan's characters, but I'd also say Angela's. As a friend of mine posted on another site, what happened to the Angela who beat herself up for how she treated her boyfriend Kirk, and had the compassion to help Hodgins when he was panicking about figuring out the right location of the kidnap victim before it was too late (in "Blonde in the Game") and when he was so distraught after what happened to him in "Aliens in a Spaceship"? What happened to her sensitivity? She doesn't seem to have much these days.

Nevertheless, I agree it was a good episode for Hodgins and Angela this time around (even though the Angela/Roxy relationship turned out to be fairly pointless and undeveloped). I will be curious to see what they do next with Angela and Hodgins, especially Angela's character development. Like I said in my commentary, she does seem to be on the cusp of figuring it out. That would be cool. :)

It just seemed so out of character and sort of shockingly blatant in its intolerance. Like, um, you are all intelligent people who work for an institution that celebrates learning about cultures.

This! Exactly! The Jeffersonian is all about the unearthing of different cultures and coming to understand people and their traditions. How could they have all these intelligent characters not already know that? It was bizarre. Anyway, very well said, 65pigeons! :)

As for communities ... do you mean for Bones or other shows too (like X-Files, which I see you've just started watching, yay!)?

Out of curiosity, those two XF eps... am I correct in assuming you watched the Pilot episode and the second episode Deep Throat?

I can't wait to read your thoughts about it! And please, you are welcome to 'spam' my journal anytime. I love that you dive in and start discussing with me. It's wonderful.

[65pigeons.livejournal.com]

Hm, yeah, I'd forgotten that about Angela. Wow, it's been a while since I've seen those early seasons. But I agree, I hope the character development is going forward...

Anyway, very well said

Heh, thanks. :)

As for communities ... do you mean for Bones or other shows too

Yeah, Bones could be fun. Also, if there are any active X-Files communities that like episode discussions, or reading newbie reactions that would be cool too. Oh, and Lost could also be entertaining but I have no idea if you watch that. No pressure on you! I'm poking my way around as well, haha.

Out of curiosity, those two XF eps... am I correct in assuming you watched the Pilot episode and the second episode Deep Throat?

Actually, I saw those two a while ago, but then I put it off. So I watched 1x03 and 1x04.

I love that you dive in and start discussing with me. It's wonderful.

Hee, glad it's not bothersome! All my RL friends are very very awesome, but they're more good for talking about art/music/books/personal things and less so about TV-ish things, which they are a bit snobbish about (which is a bit bullshit really, because if you like Grey's Anatomy you are not too snobbish for anything, but if they indulge the fact that I can enjoy science fiction, I'll indulge their little soap operas, pssh). What that means though, is that I may come off a little puppy-like in my eagerness to discuss shows. :P

[readthesubtext.livejournal.com]

What an amazing commentary, Sherry. Your thoughts, as always, come uncannily close to mirroring my own... although, lately, I’ve started to wonder whether the show warrants this much attention. This is such a wonderfully comprehensive and insightful review; it must have taken an eternity to compile!

The potato chip comment was decidedly crass and, as you say, more befitting of Hodgins than Booth. David didn't seem to know what he was doing in that scene - as you noted, his expression sobers into an intense, solemn look when Brennan informs him that the body belongs to a teenaged girl, and two seconds later he's licking his lips. Sigh.

Although we were encouraged to feel a little more empathy for the victim in this instance (the scene where Booth tore up her photograph was quite poignant), I completely agree that the whole pregnancy pact premise was absurd. I know that tamibrandt has pointed out that the case was 'ripped from the headlines,' but it's hardly what you could call 'true to life.' There's a reason why these stories make the news - because they're sensationalist, and extraordinary, and they have to be seen to be believed. Intelligent girls don't go out and get pregnant because the burden of parental pressure is too much to bear and they're afraid of responsibility - having a baby certainly isn't going to alleviate that pressure; and it's only going to exacerbate the feeling of responsibility. You'd think that the valedictorian would have enough sense to recognise the fundamental flaw in her logic. You'd think that *Brennan* would have enough sense to be appalled by the choices that she'd made. I didn't address this in any depth, but you're absolutely right, there is *no way in hell* that Brennan would sanction these girls' decisions to effectively throw their lives away. It's yet another example of how the writers are altering her fundamental beliefs to further their own agenda.

I actually enjoyed the back-and-forth between Brennan and Cam, because it reminded me of their tension-filled dynamic circa Season 2, but you're absolutely right - it was completely incongruous in the context of Season 4... especially considering that Brennan was more than happy to adhere to Cam's orders when she demanded that she leave the lab in 'The Bones That Foam.' There’s no consistency in her depiction at all.

You've actually made me evaluate some of my own prejudices in your comments, too: "Remember how Booth didn't like to be called a loser, or treated like a loser? And here he is, pumping weights and scoffing at some young 16-year-old boy, treating him like a loser, coming close to calling him that to his face?"

This is so very true, although at the time, I must admit to agreeing with Booth's assessment that Clinton wasn't exactly your conventional lothario, and that only added to the absurdity of the storyline for me. Not to mention that Booth should *not* be pumping weights, given that he's supposed to be suffering with chronic lumbago lol.

"I'm slightly annoyed at the stereotype perpetuated by this show that you have to be some perfect size, especially in order to be considered popular or valued in some measure."

I'm not sure about this one. 'Thin is beautiful' is a message peddled by virtually all of the media nowadays, so I wouldn't really expect 'Bones' to rise above the crowd. I agree that they have made plenty of unnecessary 'fat jokes' in the past - Pam Nunan and Howard Epps' Mum are two examples that immediately spring to mind (although I will admit, somewhat guiltily, to laughing in respect of the latter). Still, I suppose you could argue that the writers were actually being quite subversive here by revealing that the marginally overweight, unremarkable young boy (despite everyone's beliefs to the contrary), *had* actually fathered those children - and that those much sought-after girls *had* found him desirable on some level (even if their motives were somewhat dubious). Booth's shock at the outcome of the DNA results seemed to be a lesson in why you should never judge people by their appearances... although this young boy was hardly what you could call a role model for overweight kids everywhere :(

TBC below...

[readthesubtext.livejournal.com]

"I don't like it when the writers alter Brennan's personality to suit the moment. Is she a brilliant, knowledgeable individual who has traveled extensively and is fascinated by many different cultures, or not?"

This is something that really bugs me, too. As an atheist, I must admit to deriving some perverse sense of pleasure from listening to Brennan question the merits of religion - I loved her "I find all religions equally irrational" comment and I felt it was somewhat true-to-form given her history of scathing remarks about the subject. I also liked the way she instinctively leapt to Angela's defence when she anticipated that Arastoo might take offence to her lesbian relationship, because I’ve been on the receiving end of that kind of intolerance myself. However, some of the stuff Brennan said was completely untoward and, had the writers not endeavoured to show her respectfully - and thoughtfully - observing Arastoo praying during the concluding montage, I could easily understand why people would take exception to it. I also very much enjoyed the fact that the writers portrayed Arastoo as a caring, tolerant and kind individual – thus making Brennan’s prejudices seem completely unfounded. What I don't understand is why Brennan actively derides mainstream religions like Christianity and Islam, and yet she is so quick to defend the less conventional ones like Voodoo. Hell, she even made a case for cannibalism at one point lol. I don’t necessarily think that this is an issue that is solely restricted to Season 4, but I do think that the writers are making the discrepancy more and more difficult to stomach by playing up Brennan’s ignorance to almost farcical extremes.

This was my take on Angela and Hodgins’ momentary ‘reconciliation’: “Angela and Hodgins should NEVER have split up in the first place and I want to see them get back together as much as the next person. However, it is abundantly apparent that the lesbian kiss in 'The Skull in the Sculpture' was just another ratings-grabbing gimmick engineered to generate a little controversy and get people to tune in. This storyline was handled with *zero* sensitivity from an LBG perspective. Angela breaks up with her boyfriend for no apparent reason, acquires a girlfriend on the rebound, has limited screen time until said girlfriend is out of the picture, and then suddenly becomes a main character again. Let's not forget that Roxy was the one who was madly in love with Angela and had been for many years... why then, would she be the one to break off their relationship when Angela was the hesitant party to begin with? Because Angela prefers dogs to cats (and everyone knows that a bone fide lesbian is supposed to love cats)? If you can avoid the petty stereotypes for the Muslim guy, try and extend the same courtesy to us, writers. And just for the record - bisexual girls get enough negative press for their supposedly flighty behaviour, so the LAST thing you wanted to do was to have Angela break up with her girlfriend and promptly jump into bed with a man (even if the man in question was Hodgins who is, I must say, rather ripped). No doubt the readers of AfterEllen.com will be up in arms about this because, just for once, it would be nice if a bunch of writers did something truly revolutionary and didn't make someone bisexual purely so they could have a guy come rescue them from their 'self-destructive behaviour' (Thirteen from House, anyone?). And of course, Angela has to be portrayed as someone volatile and capricious just to reinforce the stereotype.”

Another example of the writers changing a character to suit their own needs. As you can see, I was none too pleased at the time, although I agree that we didn’t see enough of Angela and Roxy’s relationship to care about its demise on any emotional level… I just objected to the execution of the storyline on principle. I also agree that Michaela and TJ played the scene very effectively, given what they had to work with. I must confess, though… I thought Hodgins would perhaps be a little nobler than to take advantage of Angela when she was in need of a shoulder to cry on. Still, given their history, I guess the comfort sex was inevitable.

Running out of space again...

[readthesubtext.livejournal.com]

I also concur with your statement that Sweets wasn’t especially infuriating in this episode, although God only knows why he’s partaking in so much undercover work lately *shakes head despairingly.* Any excuse to fabricate a use for him.

It was so refreshing and heart-warming to see a rare glimpse of the Booth I know and love in the concluding scene, however fleeting it may prove to be. How I wish the writers would rein in Goof!Booth and have the characters return to their roots.

Again, great review Sherry, and thanks for sharing. It’s an absolute delight to encounter someone who evaluates the episodes so thoughtfully and thoroughly. ‘The Salt in the Wounds’ was definitely one of the stronger episodes this season, and thus stoked some of that misguided hope I’ve been trying so hard to shake off, but I’m still debating whether I’m going to tune in this week… I’ve asked my friends to vet future episodes for me, and try and gauge how much discontent they’re going to stir up before I take the plunge lol. What a shame it’s come to this point, though :(

And now I've just completely disproved my notion that the show isn't worthy of this much attention anymore lol. I just wish it wasn't predominantly for the wrong reasons.

[greatbriton.livejournal.com]

You completely make sense about the girls who go pregnant. And though I would have liked some sort of reprimand aimed at the girls for the viewers, I would think the characters themselves would eventually learn the error of the ways when they're children are born. And hopefully raise their kids in a way that wouldn't lead them to make similar choices.

I can see what you mean about Brennan and the intern. A good dialogue between her and him would have helped tons, I think, in making Brennan seem less hostile. And even when she's put down Catholicism when talking to Booth she has always had a curiosity about it and she didn't seem to have that with the intern, which did make it come across kind of hostile.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

First off, how are your bruises? Healing up? *sends more soothing thoughts*

Secondly, sorry it's taken me so long to respond. You wrote such excellent, well-thought-out comments, I wanted to take my time with responding. And then this weekend I just didn't feel like being on the computer very much, and my brain felt like it was powering down so I just didn't feel like I had the right energy to think that hard. *sheepish grin* But I'm here today and ready to reply!

To start, you're right. It did take me quite a while to put this 'review' together. A couple of days, I think (not including the week it took to let the episode 'simmer' in my brain, LOL). And isn't it sad how the quality of the program has changed so much that we have to wonder whether it's even worth it to put this much effort and thought into commenting about said show? Even though this personal LJ isn't exactly a noticeable forum, I feel like the more we all speak up about what's missing that used to be there so beautifully, perhaps we'll finally be heard. *ponders this further* Or, I am completely naive. ;)

Intelligent girls don't go out and get pregnant because the burden of parental pressure is too much to bear and they're afraid of responsibility - having a baby certainly isn't going to alleviate that pressure; and it's only going to exacerbate the feeling of responsibility. You'd think that the valedictorian would have enough sense to recognise the fundamental flaw in her logic. You'd think that *Brennan* would have enough sense to be appalled by the choices that she'd made. I didn't address this in any depth, but you're absolutely right, there is *no way in hell* that Brennan would sanction these girls' decisions to effectively throw their lives away. It's yet another example of how the writers are altering her fundamental beliefs to further their own agenda.

Exactly this. In fact, just yesterday I was commenting on 206_Bones that I feel like the writers regress or completely alter Brennan's character in order to suit the moment. That's just not right. This is the lead character of the show -- you don't go altering her to suit the case at hand or to force a moment. It's like they think they've progressed her too far and they need to backtrack or they'll have no story to tell. I disagree with that. It doesn't mean her story is over, if they show she's learned to behave better or express herself more eloquently in some social situations. There are always more ways in which characters have things to learn. There are always more ways in which characters need to grow.

Those other parts you mentioned -- the Cam and Brennan tension, Booth's back injury would would mean he shouldn't be showing off for some kid, etc. -- are good examples of inconsistency on the writers' part. And it's not that I can't believe that Cam and Brennan wouldn't go back and forth like they did; it's that I feel the way it was presented seemed like forced animosity rather than a 'reasonable' tension created between two different types of scientists. Brennan just seemed so childish, and while she's certainly not afraid to speak her mind, I've never thought of her as one who would make such faces and act so petulantly. In the past, if she disagreed with a colleague, she would point out the rational arguments for doing it her way, not get so pissy. But I did appreciate her admitting that she was wrong (even though it took Cam prompting her to get there, LOL).

More comments in another post, for I have gotten wordy again. ;)

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about that 'appearances are everything' stereotype discussion ever since you posted. I agree that a TV show doesn't necessarily need to rise above and be idealistic (or afterschool special-like) when presenting characters. And there's definitely an argument to be made that Clinton was not the 'typical' person you'd assume would have been able to 'woo' all those girls.

At the same time, I guess I do expect this show to be a little different in its approach, on this particular subject, mainly because (the way I see them) its own main characters defy the usual stereotypes, themselves. You know what I mean? These aren't pasty, dull, stereotypically nerdy losers who never leave the lab. They've been painted as brilliant, dedicated and enthusiastic, and they've all traveled and dated and experienced life outside the lab. They're genuinely interesting people. They're much more multi-faceted than the usual TV show might bother to explore. They make science interesting and sexy. Again, that's unusual. They've shown you can be both intelligent and attractive; you can be hard-working, smart and fun; you can be more than a stereotype. Therefore, to see the writers resort to cheap fat jokes (on those previous episodes) or present Booth as showing off in front of some kid as though lifting weights is what gets you the girls (and if you can't do that, you're not attractive, no matter what size you are)... I just feel like that's unnecessary and contradicts the essence of the very characters they've created.

I don't know if I'm saying it well enough. Does it make sense?

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

As someone whose entire family is Catholic but as someone who no longer practices that faith (for so many reasons), I too enjoy it when Brennan raises good questions about the hypocricy and contradictory nature of many mainstream, organized religions. I think those types of questions need to be asked. I think faith (and organized religion) should be challenged. And I think some religious leaders are afraid of that so they hide behind very old, out-dated 'reasonings.' (But that is a whole other topic of conversation, LOL.) And I liked seeing Brennan immediately rise to defend her friend. That seems in character to me, and I appreciate that. But as I said to Great Briton in an above post, I wish they'd approached the rest of the episode (in regard to the Muslim intern) a little differently. If they wanted to show that she thought someone with a rational, scientific mind should have a different view about religion (more empirical, the way she and Zack are), I wish they'd have created an actual dialogue about it between the two of them, rather than having her make rude comments and glare at him and seem baffled that he was once again praying (when she as a well-traveled, knowledgeable anthropologist should know plenty about other cultures and their traditions, whether or not she agrees with them). It made her seem like she was insulting, rather than challenging, his beliefs.

It's interesting to me that we saw the same scene differently, with that montage at the end. You say in the end you saw Brennan looking upon Arastoo respectfully and thoughtfully. Perhaps I was still annoyed with the animosity she and the others kept perpetuating toward him throughout the episode, because when that part of the montage came up, I felt like there was still an edge to her expression. I wasn't quite sure what she was thinking about him as she watched him. Her expression and her posture wasn't quite soft enough for me to fully see her as changing her mind or reaching a new level of respect for him. She still looked a bit rigid, standing there. That was the only part of the montage that I was uncertain about. Everyone else seemed clear in their emotions, in their respective scenes during the montage, but for some reason, I didn't think Emily's expression revealed enough. Curious, isn't it?

More on your other comments! I'm thinking and typing as fast as I can! *GRIN*

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

I may not have your specific LBG perspective, but I am in total agreement with you about how they handled Angela and Hodgins, and Angela and Roxy. That lesbian kiss was used for ratings and nothing else, after the kiss occurred the writers never even tried to develop the actual relationship between those two women, and that is really pathetic.

It's kind of like comparing it to the whole Clinton/appearances debate -- they may not have an obligation to present an honest, realistic relationship between two women, but I expect more from the people who created these interesting characters. If you're going to start something, you should go the distance in developing it as a story, otherwise why bother in the first place?

Also kind of like sending Zack to Iraq -- in doing so, they opened him up for all these gorgeous, intriguing possibilities, but then they ignored him and didn't bother to explore any of it. Likewise, they stirred things up with the Angela and Roxy kiss, opened up Angela's character for all sorts of interesting developments and opportunities for growth, but the writers didn't actually follow through and explore the relationship so that we could see her develop (or regress to former behaviors). Like it's easy to write the ratings-grabber 'moment' but the rest is too hard to write so they just gave up and skipped past it.

I may not be a professional writer, but I can safely say that that is a cheap and lazy approach. Not to mention empty and not at all satisfying for the viewer. They say in interviews that they don't want to progress Brennan's character too quickly or her story will be over; it's interesting they went the opposite way with Angela's character by skipping over what could have been a fascinating evolution as she explored a real relationship with Roxy this time around.

And your thought-provoking, thorough comments show how stereotypically they treated the entire relationship (what little they did show of it) and these two characters. There was so much they could have done; instead, they chose to go with something so superficial. It's immeasurably disappointing.

I can only imagine what it must feel like to be a bisexual or lesbian woman and see that once again TV writers have failed to provide substance to the LBG experience. (I hope me saying that doesn't sound lame. I'm uncertain of my wording.)

Side note: great point about Hodgins. The writers made it seem like simple 'comfort sex,' but it's not that simple, given the couple's history. That's some food for thought, right there. I wonder how Michaela Conlin and TJ Thyne would respond to a question about that. Interesting.

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Thank you for coming over here and reading through my lengthy rambling! I am grateful to you for the intelligent discourse, as well. I can always count on you to make me think about things in new and thought-provoking ways. :)

So, tell me, did your friends tell you to watch this week's episode? I haven't seen it; I downloaded the episode but haven't gotten to it yet. I'm very curious. Perhaps I'll find some time to watch it today.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

[readthesubtext.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the soothing thoughts, Sherry. The Arnica proved to be pretty effective and thankfully, my ass is able to bear my weight again now lol.

"Even though this personal LJ isn't exactly a noticeable forum, I feel like the more we all speak up about what's missing that used to be there so beautifully, perhaps we'll finally be heard. *ponders this further* Or, I am completely naive. ;)

Well, I happen to share your hope that our cries of dissent might one day be heard. I'd hate to think that I've spent all this time venting my frustrations for no reason; and that I'm only succeeding in infuriating people instead of enlightening them. Still, there are some fans out there who remain entrenched in ignorance. I saw your comment in an earlier DOOB thread regarding the woman who claimed she found the show far more palatable now that it's been dumbed down. Does she not realise, in saying that, she is effectively labelling *herself* as dumb? I know we're supposed to be respectful of everyone's opinions, but some people really push my tolerance threshold to the limit.

It's like they think they've progressed her too far and they need to backtrack or they'll have no story to tell. I disagree with that. It doesn't mean her story is over, if they show she's learned to behave better or express herself more eloquently in some social situations. There are always more ways in which characters have things to learn. There are always more ways in which characters need to grow.

And apparently, the writers are all out of innovative ideas. After the first few seasons, I expected to see Brennan slowly letting go of the past, facing her demons, and reconciling her own world views with the knowledge that love is so much more than a mere chemical reaction; that it's possible to maintain a meaningful, monogamous relationship; and that self-preservation doesn't always have to be your highest priority when you find someone who you can trust and open up to - even if they challege you in ways you never thought possible. I expected to see her learning how to express her emotions more freely, manage them more effectively, and I didn't care if it took her the entire series to acknowledge that Booth was her soulmate, as long as the writers continued to create such a wonderful intimacy and intricate interplay between them. At the end of all that, I thought Brennan would still be the same feisty, opinionated, intelligent woman/workaholic who was steadfast in her convictions and unapologetic about her beliefs - but safe, and *happy* in the knowledge that Booth (and her own family) loved her in spite of it all.

Now, however, the writers seem to be sending the message that Brennan needs to change who she fundamentally is in order to better herself, and they've created an aberration who we're finding it increasingly difficult to relate to in order to make those changes more 'credible.' But the funny thing is, I didn't want to change a single thing about Brennan until I saw the Season 3 finale and the advent of Season 4. Instead of seeing Brennan evolve naturally, we have to watch her abruptly forsake her core values... that science is superior to psychology, that she doesn't want children, that her work in the lab is always going to be more important to her than undertaking fieldwork with Booth...

I've heard a lot of people say that she's 'regressing,' but I think she had far more warmth, heart and depth in Season 1 than she does now. She's lost all of her conviction (which was one of the things I loved most about her) and in my opinion, she's suffering an identity crisis that far outweighs her breakdown in 'The Woman in Limbo.' And all so the writers can manufacture yet more ridiculous storylines.

TBC...

[readthesubtext.livejournal.com]

These aren't pasty, dull, stereotypically nerdy losers who never leave the lab. They're much more multi-faceted than the usual TV show might bother to explore. They make science interesting and sexy. Again, that's unusual. They've shown you can be both intelligent and attractive; you can be hard-working, smart and fun; you can be more than a stereotype.

All of that is true, but despite the writers' best of intentions, I think this show has always been image-conscious. Case in point - I was struck by Emily's appearance in the Pilot episode (greasy, plain brown hair pulled back into a haphazard ponytail, dark circles under her eyes, the same nondescript clothing worn in numerous scenes, and a body weight that was far more representative of your average, healthy-sized woman than the Hollywood waifs). Still, you only have to flick ahead by a few episodes to know that the writers sold out. Emily dropped several pounds, her sharp features suddenly became finely chiselled, she got her hair tinted with red highlights and had it perfectly styled, and developed much better fashion sense as the season progressed. You look at ER/Grey's Anatomy/CSI etc - pretty much everyone is intelligent and attractive; I don't think it's unusual, and more to the point, I don't think it's realistic; they're all pandering to the typical Hollywood standard and that's not doing anyone any favours.

I don't think the writers were thinking about shattering stereotypes when they cast Emily and David (or Michaela, TJ, and Tamara, for that matter)... I think they were thinking how lucky they were to find two leads who would be smokin' hot after a bit of styling, had natural chemistry, and bucket-loads of talent to boot. I mean, you only have to look at Angela and Cam waltzing around the lab in their tight-fitting (and often sleeveless) clothing, Emily's increasingly low-cut necklines and impractical heels, to know that image is everything to this show, especially lately. I mean, Brennan's outfits in last week's episode *shakes head despairingly*

Your average scientist and FBI Agent don't look or dress like Brennan and Booth... and I would guess that your average lab technician doesn't watch the show and relate to what they're seeing on screen. I think the reason why Zack was such a popular character was because the 'pasty, dull, nerdy' types actually thought he was more representative of them than any of the other stunning cast members. I mean, Zack even had to change his appearance in order to conform to societal standards.

So, this may be the only thing I ever disagree with you on, but I don't think the writers are being (or ever have been) subversive, I think they're propagating industry standards... so I guess the fat jokes don't surprise me all that much, even though they should really know better.

[readthesubtext.livejournal.com]

I think faith (and organized religion) should be challenged. And I think some religious leaders are afraid of that so they hide behind very old, out-dated 'reasonings.'

I think I love you lol. I know they say you should never talk religion and politics, but I frequently find myself debating the merits of religion... especially from a feminist standpoint. I have every respect for people who have faith, as long as they know why they believe what they believe - I certainly do; I'm not an atheist because I'm apathetic, it's an informed decision - and as long as they aren't just mindlessly following the status quo.

I agree that it would've been nice to see Brennan and Arastoo engaging in some kind of dialogue that wasn't tainted by her inexplicable antagonism towards him, but I still think - having just rewatched it - that she was re-considering her attitude towards him in that concluding scene. If you look at it in context, almost everyone is showing their softer side, displaying vulnerbialities that they don't want anyone else to see; Hodgins clutching Angela's earring, Cam tending tenderly to the victim, Angela gazing wistfully at pictures of her exes... it therefore follows that Brennan, in blinking thoughtfully at the intern while watching him pray, is recognising that the moment holds real meaning, at least to him (although obviously she's only willing to acknowledge that when no-one is around to witness the epiphany and tease her about it). Also, she had no reason to resent Arastoo at that particular time, being that the case was closed, she herself was getting ready to leave and obviously the need to pray was no longer infringing on his working hours. So, unless she was genuinely prejudiced and discriminatory, I don't see how she could begrudge him his evening prayer. Still, everything's open to interpretation. Listen to me, actually giving the writers some credit. He he.

[readthesubtext.livejournal.com]

Also kind of like sending Zack to Iraq -- in doing so, they opened him up for all these gorgeous, intriguing possibilities, but then they ignored him and didn't bother to explore any of it. Likewise, they stirred things up with the Angela and Roxy kiss, opened up Angela's character for all sorts of interesting developments and opportunities for growth, but the writers didn't actually follow through and explore the relationship so that we could see her develop

I could happily add Booth's 'fake death' to that list... we finally have an opportunity for Brennan to realise the gravity of her feelings for him, for an emotional scene where they acknowledge how much they mean to each other (I don't mean in terms of them actually getting together, but something akin to their exchange in the concluding scene of 'Two Bodies in the Lab' would've been nice), but instead the writers take the easy way out and have Brennan acting like an emotionally frigid robot and Booth 'pretending' to be completely unsympathetic and ignorant of the effect his 'death' must have had on her. And then, in Season 4, they show Brennan breaking down when a dog she'd barely known for a day is put to sleep (don't get me wrong, Ripley's death was tragic, but if she can muster a few tears for him, you'd think there would have been a torrential downpour in respect of Booth).

I can only imagine what it must feel like to be a bisexual or lesbian woman and see that once again TV writers have failed to provide substance to the LBG experience. (I hope me saying that doesn't sound lame. I'm uncertain of my wording.

No, that doesn't sound lame at all! I suppose I should be grateful that they didn't make an effort to get us invested in Angela and Roxy's relationship before they decided to destroy it for no apparent reason - it would have been a whole lot worse if they'd started off on solid ground and actually given us something to root for, only to butcher it later on down the line. I knew it was a gimmick from the outset, but it still begs the question why they felt the need to bother in the first place. That's why it annoys me so much; they created a storyline that didn't go anywhere, but somehow managed to stir up so many negative stereotypes in the process.

[readthesubtext.livejournal.com]

I can always count on you to make me think about things in new and thought-provoking ways.

Ditto, my friend. I love discussing the show with you, Sherry; it's rare to encounter someone who analyses 'Bones' with a discerning eye and doesn't let their love/newly-acquired hate of the show cloud their judgment. You offer that balanced perspective I was searching for when I re-joined DOOB - and am I ever glad I did! lol. I think we're both as verbose as each other! I fear many people just look at the length of my posts and run for the hills; no-one has an attention span nowadays ;) That said, I know what you mean about having to put your thinking cap on before you reply, but I'm always grateful for someone who keeps me on my toes. I've got to keep this brain of mine ticking over, after all lol.

So, tell me, did your friends tell you to watch this week's episode? I haven't seen it; I downloaded the episode but haven't gotten to it yet. I'm very curious. Perhaps I'll find some time to watch it today.

They did tell me to go ahead and watch it, but I'm not sure if I'm glad that I did. This is what I said to my friend Jen before I watched the episode in its entirety: "I watched the opening sequence a couple of days ago, and I swear it was like something out of 'Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.' Then Goof!Booth emerged in all of his asinine glory, spouting widely-known animal facts that he'd learnt courtesy of Parker's books and acting so obnoxiously pleased that he'd retained information that was common knowledge for a seven-year-old that I wanted to smack him. And the fact that he was using it to impress someone as intelligent as Brennan and she was actually humouring him? That moment made me cringe, especially with idiotic dialogue like 'pinky stumps the brain.' And then I started playing with the timeline, and was prompty assaulted with the image of Sweets hypnotising some guy (is that par for the course with psych. degrees nowadays?) and Angela offering her services as a sketch artist. Then all three of them were transported to some kind of champagne reception-cum-magical safari. So, because my ass was throbbing and I wasn't in an especially forgiving mood, I switched it off."

That's my problem now - if something really irks me or throws me for a loop, I can't let it go, and that effects my ability to engage with the rest of the episode. Still, I have to admit, it was a wonderful showcase for Tamara's talent and the scenes between Cam and Michelle *were* very poignant. The episode overall was patchy, though - I can't understand why so many people were raving about it, and there were a lot of character inconsistencies... again.

TBC below...

[readthesubtext.livejournal.com]

Brennan, surprisingly enough, was the first to notice Cam's aghast facial expression when the identity of the victim was revealed (which makes her session with Sweets in 'The Bones That Foam' seem even more absurd), and promptly displayed some genuine concern by asking her if she was all right. Then, only a few minutes later, she was acting like a spoiled brat when Booth informed her that Cam would be undertaking the investigative work with him (even though, from a legal perspective, Cam shouldn't have been allowed to go near the case). Booth had to explain in very patronising tones that Cam was emotionally involved in the case (because Brennan, despite her initial concern, apparently lost her ability to understand that during the drive to the victim's house), and Brennan actually *resented* having to go back to the lab. Go figure. She even made a decidedly bitchy comment about how Cam and Booth could use their highly scientific guts to solve the case (when, only a few episodes ago, she apparently discovered the merits of psycholgy and was eager to learn that technique herself). Then, later on in the episode, Brennan sat down with Cam and held her hand and told her to adopt Michelle, obviously empathising with the girl's plight (so she does have empathy after all?). The latter scene would have been really moving, had I not been taken aback by the sudden re-emergence of Season 2 Brennan. I wanted to reach through the screen and pin her in place.

I have so much respect for Emily, I really do, because if I were her, my performance would be all over the place. I don't know how she carries it off with any semblance of credibility.

Oh, and Angela sexually harassed Clark under the guise of 'humour,' too. IMO, it wasn't remotely funny.

Anyway, Sherry, it's approaching 3am over here so I'd better bundle down for the night. I hope you had a great weekend, too :)

[ladysophiekitty.livejournal.com]

It WAS a good dream.

So I finally saw the episode. I agree with your statements. By the way, I missed you, oldschool!Booth *huggles close*

backlink service

[(Anonymous)]

When will you post again ? Been looking forward to this !

Re: backlink service

[sinkwriter.livejournal.com]

Forgive me for asking, but what is a 'backlink service'?