Quick spoilers for last night's "Bones" coming up just as soon as I get my dive certification...Even by the usual "Bones" mystery standards, last night's case was particularly weak, the sort of generic and dull riff on reality TV that probably every other crime procedural of the last five years has done at one point or another. And while I'll always be in the bag for Carla Gallo thanks to "Undeclared," I thought her role as the second in the revolving-door series of replacement Zachs was too broadly and repetitively written. I get that each of these people will (other than Clark) only be around for an episode and there's only so much time to devote to the role after the writers have dealt with the mystery, the Booth/Brennan interaction, etc., but I hope the future guests are more interesting.
So, since the episode was pretty much a dud outside the usual goodness involving our two leads and Dr. Sweets, here's a question for the fans: at what point, if ever, do you want to see Booth and Brennan actually get together? I'm of the belief that Unresolved Sexual Tension can, in fact, be resolved without ruining the show (see PB&J on "The Office," or the various periods when Sam and Diane were together on "Cheers"), and that certain shows in fact get irreparably harmed by trying to postpone the coupling too long ("Ed"), but I haven't been watching "Bones" long or carefully enough to have a strong opinion on this one.
What do you think?
I think it's much more interesting and natural to the characters to develop their friend zone. They clearly love each other, but they aren't really each other's perfect match.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it might be funny if they had really bad sex. That once sealed a male/female friendship for me. ;)
I think they balance each other's personalities quite well and would make a good couple. And if they were to get together before the end of the show, which I would like to see, I think it would be a lot of fun watching the two of the them try to deal with that level of their relationship while working together. That would put a whole other level to their therapy sessions with Sweets! :)
ReplyDeleteThe shippy girl in me wants them to get together.
ReplyDeleteThe "I'd rather the show stayed on air" girl in me wants them to flirt like mad, but never get together...until they come to a deliberate end.
I couldn't concentrate on yesterday's episode, but can't figure out if it was a cause and effect thing. Plus, I'm not diggin' the Murphy Brown assistant tact and hoping that stops quickly.
I did like Brennan getting her comeuppance with the boys, though. But rock on to her girl power.
O "Ed". Why did you have to go and screw over Charlie like that? Then ending to your show made you into a total asshole.
ReplyDeleteSince nobody over at Tuned In wants to talk Bones, I'm gonna adapt my earlier post from over there for this discussion!
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought that the secondary storyline with Brennan and her 2 "boyfriends" was a tad too moralistic, but then I thought about it overnight and changed my mind. One of the best elements of the show involves Bones and Booth sincerely opening each others' minds to other ways of looking at things, and this was one of those (rare) instances where Booth was actually right. Bones had entered into both those relationships with unclear expectations on all sides, and she was only focusing on getting her own needs met, rather than taking the needs and feelings of Underwater Welder and Botanist Guy into consideration, which indicates a fundamental flaw in how she engages in intimate relationships (full compartmentalization to avoid attachment and hurt and abandonment). I like how they implicate her abandonment issues without beating the audience over the head with it.
I also liked how it emphasized Booth's general decency (rather than his closed-mindedness, which seems to get at least equal screen-time) and his little speech to her at the end, about how there is someone out there for her, she just has to open her eyes to see it, was so well-delivered I wanted to squeal and cry at the same time. He's been dropping so many little speeches in that vein lately, and I am wondering to what extent he really does have romantic feelings for her (subquestion - to what extent is he actually AWARE of said feelings for her?). I'm getting the feeling that his affection/respect for her has definitely turned into something more personal. I started seriously believing this around the most recent Christmas episode, because that was really the first time he had gazed at her with that gorgeous, full-faced SMILE that he has, but with hints going at least as far back as "2 Aliens in a Spaceship". It may have snuck up on him without him realizing it (he has given her that SMILE multiple times since then), and it is pretty clear that she is definitely not ready for him yet. But maybe i'm misreading things.
I definitely WANT them to get together, I'd like them to get together by the end of this season, because they're both pretty close to being ready for it. Booth more than Bones, though. I would love to see at least a couple of seasons of them as a couple, I think it would be a natural progression in the relationship and make things very interesting at work and in therapy.
On a side note, I still consider Zach irreplacable, but having Dr. Sweets around certainly helps. I REALLY like how they are working him into cases in a practical way, where he can provide interesting insight that nobody else has about profiling and psychology. His interactions with the intern were adorable, I hope we see her again in strange and awkward situations with Sweets (although preferably in SMALL doses, cause her character was pretty over-the-top). I was a bit curious about Dr. Brennan basically ignoring her the whole time - was this some sort of avoidance, because of her pain in dealing with what happened to Zack? Was she trying to set some initial distance (as she was basically doing with her 2 psuedo-boyfriends, so maybe the writers were drawing an intentional parallel)? Could she just tell from the get-go that this girl wasn't a keeper? Was she honestly just distracted with the case?
Hmm, I wrote a comment earlier but it apparently didn't get posted.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I agree with lizriz; I dont' think the two match up well, and if nothing else, the show has done their relationship very well without making anything seem too out of place. Neither of them is particularly pining for the other, which is where these kinds of shows gets into trouble.
I would love it if they gave some random hook-up a try and it turned out miserably; I could totally see the writers / actors playing that off perfectly and being able to continue the same friendship.
I was already on the edge over Unresolved Sexual Tension, but after Gilmore Girls, I'm completely fed up with it. If Bones and Booth are going to be together, bring them together and then don't screw it up. It's not really that hard to find conflict in a successful relationship, especially because Booth and Bones so different. The problem is that a lot of show runners are so convinced that it can't work to bring two people together after years of circling each other, they end up ruining it. Amy Sherman-Palladino brought that attitude to an entirely new level.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I like that they have more of a Mulder/Scully relationship than one like Luke and Lorelai. Bones and Booth might not be as intense as Mulder and Scully in their friendship (which I think was one of the best friendships that's ever been portrayed on television, and I was mighty disappointed when it turned romantic in the end), but it's obvious they care deeply about each other. Even with the flirting, I think it's best for them to remain friends, with that friendship growing stronger all the time.
I dunno. This would be a couple for which I would be okay if they never got together (the only other couple I say this for would be Mal/Inara, reasons there are pretty obvious). I'm not sure if this show could manage if they did get them together. Many other shows I think could manage it, but this one I have my doubts.
ReplyDeleteThat said, it seems pretty obvious that this will be the Season of Boink here. I don't know how the heck that's going to work. They're cute enough as partners who don't boink to me to not clamor for more.
I vote that one episode begin with a tight shot shot of Bones and Booth in bed together, staring up at the ceiling. Not wanting to look at each other.
ReplyDeleteThey they pull back slowly and reveal Sweets is in bed with them.
"Well... THAT was certainly... different."
Even by the usual "Bones" mystery standards, last night's case was particularly weak, the sort of generic and dull riff on reality TV that probably every other crime procedural of the last five years has done at one point or another.
ReplyDeleteYou, quite unintentionally, summed up with this sentence why I want Booth and Bones to become a couple during the series run. Not only are the mysteries usually scant, the entire premise of Brennen being Booth's partner is wafer thin and always has been. What has always driven my interest in this show, and my ability to overlook the constant need for someone with Bones' skill set to be so frequently involved in FBI investigations - in Washington more often than not - is the characters, their interactions and relationships. This is a relationship/character show that just happens to be a procedural. As such, they need to move Booth and Brennan's relationship forward into a sexual relationship because that tension is there. Whether or not they will succeed in that type of relationship is another matter. I want to see them try.
My mother's a psychologist, and I yelled out loud at the TV when Sweets casually told a complete stranger, "I'm her therapist." For a someone so invested in his shrink persona he doesn't seem too interested in keeping his license. Then I repeated "Bones does not play by real-world rules" ten times, and Boreanaz and Daley knocked the boyfriend interrogation scene out of the park, and by the time Sweets told Brennan she was hot I just laughed.
ReplyDeleteWas there a mystery this week? I just remember some really gross poop gags, some appropriate and inappropriate newbie hazing, and Booth dragging Sweets around to spy on Brennan. Everything else is white noise.
shara says wrote "I REALLY like how they are working [Dr. Sweets] into cases in a practical way, where he can provide interesting insight that nobody else has about profiling and psychology."
ReplyDeleteReally? A lot of his help on the case this week struck me as only slightly more helpful that Troi telling Picard "I sense hostility." He was much better in the character moments, such as in the diner.
Disclaimer: I normally watch "Bones" only when there's nothing else on, and other shows are in reruns. I've always been impressed by the characters, and couldn't care less about the plots. But after a few years of this, I'm trying to bump it up into my regular rotation.