Bones Season 8, Episode 10
“The Diamond in the Rough”
Air Date: January 14, 2013

Okay, so crystal encrusted bones are found on a paranormal show, which means that Brennan can’t see the body site. The skeleton is beautiful, yes, but it is a problem for the team to find cause of death because they can’t see the bones.

Finding the ID on the victim is a different matter. Discovering she was a competitive dancer who was scheduled to audition for a dance show, Sweets suggests that Booth and Brennan go undercover. Why? Because we discover that Booth’s mom taught him to dance, and that he taught dance lessons at $30.00 an hour to put himself through college. Sweets has a field day with this.

So, now, enter Buck and Wanda Moosejaw. This is hilarious, because David Boreanaz (Booth) is a well known hockey fan and Moosejaw, Canada is home to a hockey team.

Signing up for the dance contest, we see Booth’s dancing abilities, which are great. We also see, that although she is brilliant, although, she thinks she has good coordination, she believes she can learn dancing from watching t.v. or the other performers. We soon see that is not so.
Investigating the murder, they attempt to question several people, with little success. It is a competition, and the competitors do not like talking to others. Seeing the various attempts is rather amusing.

Meanwhile, Angela is having a crisis of her job. She remembers that she was an artist, but now only draws murder victim’s faces. She finally resolves this in a later episode, but enter Hodgins to at least get her through today.

The finale to the show is when they catch the murderer, but Brennan still wants to compete in the competition. With everyone in the audience, we soon see that she tries to lead, is stiff and unnatural. Fade to her being natural…and we see the hall empty. This is great, because it means that Booth took the time to teach her how to dance, even after the case.

This episode appeals to me on so many levels. First, we get to see Sweets give Booth a very hard time and calls him a gigalo regarding his dance lessons. Second, we get to see Brennan be awkward, not only with people, but with movement this time.

The story line in this is great. It has a problem for everyone to solve, not just for a common goal, but for themselves: Brennan it is dancing, Angela, it is her art, Booth, it is teaching dance, Hodgins it is helping Angela. The cast was given a whole range to perform, and once again, they rose to the challenge.

Bones Season 8, Episode 24
“The Secret in the Siege”
Air Date: April 29, 2013

Christopher Pelant is back and badder than ever.  Although it appears he is changing the game up,  he is targeting FBI agents.  Killing two agents that  had a previous case in common with Booth, they quickly figure out who is behind the murders, if not the actual murderer.

Brennan, Booth and the whole team band together to try and catch him for good this time.  Unfortunately, Pelant is way too slippery, and is now using the money he stole from Hodgins to fund not only his equipment, but a hiding spot.

When Brennan finally proposed to Booth, There was a collective shout of joy.  Too bad it was short lived.  Pelant calls Booth when he, Brennan and Christine are in the Park.  Threatening to kill 5 innocent people if he weds Brennan or even tells her why he is now refusing to marry her.  He let Booth know in no uncertain terms that he is watching them.  Booth’s response?  “I will find you and I will kill you.

That is interesting, because Booth has never enjoyed or actively sought to kill anyone.  His whole purpose for doing the job he does at the FBI is to balance the Cosmic Scoreboard.  He wants to catch as many killers as people as he killed (which he has).  So, for him to say this, means that Booth knows what has to be done, and that it is the only way for him and Brennan to have any sort of life together.

But is Pelant really targeting the FBI?  Is he really after Booth or Brennan?  I believe, that from the first episode that he appeared in, that he has some connection to Hodgins.  Yes, he was targeting the FBI corruption with his code about the criminals that were let go on major felonies so that they could become confidential informants.  But at the end of the episode, he asks how did Hodgins appreciate the code.  Then he taunted Hodgins in the cemetery, to the point that Hodgins choked him out.  Then he left a body in Hodgins house and flowers in his son’s crib. He stole all of Hodgins money.

Because Booth and Brennan assisted Hodgins in finding out the code, and what was going on, He targeted Brennan to remove her from the equation.  When that didn’t happen, and Booth ended up shooting him, he then targeted the FBI, Booth and particularly, Sweets.  Why did he choose Sweets?  It is because Sweets figured out the linguistic styles of his writing that lead to his capture and cleared Brennan.  Pelant can not have anybody helping Hodgins.

I think that his attempt to keep Booth and Brennan apart is only because he he wants to keep them off balance.  If they are having personal relationship problems, if there are issues, then the partners would not be able to effectively track him, which will ultimately lead to Pelant’s demise.  He may also be using this as a way to try and tear the whole team apart.  If they are angry at Booth, then no one will be effective in their jobs, and the lines of communication will be damaged, making it harder to solve any other crimes.

The one hope that I have that Booth and Brennan will finally be together is the fact that non of the relationships on this show are easy.  Remember Hodgins and Angela?  Engaged, failed wedding ceremony, new loves only to finally get married in a jail cell.  Then Cam and Arastoo?  Hiding the relationship, then he almost dies.  So, yes Booth and Brennan will finally be together.

This episode was great, although quite heart breaking for Brennan.  Do I think that Booth will be able to make it up to her?  Yes, I think in the end their relationship will be stronger, because once these trust issues that are now arising will be dealt with once Pelant is caught.  David Boreanaz did a wonderful job of directing as well as playing a tortured Booth.

Once again Emily Deschannel has brought a whole dimension and range to Brennan.  Letting herself give in to her feelings for Booth, and then quietly crying away from his presence, she brought new depth to the character.  Will this push her back into hyper-rationalism?  I think that she may retreat a little, but I also think that the rest of the team will figure out that something happened that caused Booth to change his mind.  Cam knows Booth, and she will be the first one to question him.

Bones Season 8 Episode 23
“The Pathos in the Pathogens”
Air Date: April 22, 2013

The Lab is in lock down from the very beginning. The CDC has done a surprise inspection on a hazardous waste material dump site, only to find a body that is more decomposed than it should be in a bag with veterinary waste. Realizing that it has been exposed to some type of bio-hazard, the CDC asks for the Jeffersonian’s help in determining the ID of the body.

The ensuing investigation has Booth locked out of the lab, and feeling helpless that Brennan is investigating what is potentially a deadly outbreak of an unknown pathogen, putting her life and the lives of all of his friends at risk.

When Arastoo is accidentally poked with the end of a needle that they failed to notice in the humerus, he becomes ill with the deadly disease. This creates a race against the clock situation, for without the definitive organism and a treatment to cure, Arastoo will die.

This episode shows a whole new side of Cam (Tamara Taylor). She is a very private person, so the relationship that she has been having with Arastoo Viziri (Pej Vehdat) has not had any significant screen time. This is keeping in line with almost all of Cam’s other relationships. She does not discuss personal things at the Lab, with exception of Michelle. The depth of her performance during this episode is great to see, and hopefully will continue.

Booth (David Boreanaz) is left to figure out who injected this woman with the deadly pathogen. Using his helplessness to see Brennan and protect her, his barely controlled fury at Brennan’s life being put in danger keeps him going.

The fact that Hodgins (TJ Thyne) looks outside the box for something to slow down if not cure, in natural medicines, is something that is rarely seen on this show. This shows that they still respect some of the old ways.

This episode was wonderful, especially the way that Brennan gets the anti-serum to help Arastoo. That has got to be one of my favorite scenes of all time. A truly enjoyable episode that shows new depth to a variety of characters.