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

The past days I read some interviews with Stephen Nathan about the season finale and there is something that came to my mind. Does Booth really think that Brennan is ok? Well… in my opinion, of course he knows she is anything but ok.

He knows her better than anyone, she is the woman he loves, that’s for sure, but also she is his friend and his partner, they have been together for 8 years, so, when she said “yeah we are ok” he knew that it wasn’t like that.

Stephen said in one of the interviews “Booth knows how much he’s hurt her.” Lets remember season 6 episode 16 The Blackout in the Blizzard, at the end of the episode when Booth and Brennan are talking about their relationship Brennan said “When the time´s come and you aren’t angry anymore and I’m strong enough to risk the last of my imperviousness maybe then we can try to be together” so he knows she took a big risk to be with him, she changed , if we can say it, some of her beliefs to be with him and when she ask him to marry her, he knew it was a huge step from her, it was something he never believed could happen.

On the other hand, when Brennan met Booth she realizes the kind of man he is. She knows he will do anything to save innocent people. In season 1 Booth told Brennan “I want to save the same number of people I’ve killed” and she answer “I want to help you” so she knows he would do anything to save innocent lives.

Stephen Nathan also said “Relationships don’t usually survive when two parties are withholding things form each other”; I think just Booth is hiding something from Brennan, the real reason why he said better not to the marriage, but I think is a big sacrifice on his part, because he told Sweets, that was something he was waiting for a long time, this situation is affecting both of them but, for me, Booth is the one that is going to suffer the most, he is the one that has to bear with the lie and more than anything with the pain of the woman he loves.

I think that the hardest part that Booth has to face is that he needs to earn Brennan’s trust again, this situation is going to be a jump back for her and he needs to find the way to make her to believe in him again.

At the end, they love each other and I think Brennan will understand why Booth had to do what he did, it´s going to be hard, but not impossible because she proved what she is willing to do for him.

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 24
“The Secret in the Siege”
Air Date: April 29, 2013

I stayed away from Twitter last evening on purpose. I didn’t want to hear anyone else’s take on this episode before I was able to watch it. Living on the west coast is sometimes very frustrating. Let me just say, I have a bad feeling about this episode and the last fifteen minutes of waiting for it to start KILLED me. *sigh*

OK…so…I wrote this up first right after the episode ended…and then I decided to sleep on it and edit it this morning because, it ended up being much longer than I intended…again. I’m going to change tactics this time and and assume you’ve all watched the episode and don’t need details on what happened.

This episode seemed to fly by. In the first segment a body is found, the victim is identified as a former partner of Booth and already, Sweets and Booth are suspecting that Pelant is back. In the second segment we’re introduced to a second victim and a witness and Booth gets a phone call from Pelant telling him the rules of their game have changed.

By the third segment, our team knows Pelant has an accomplice, he’s using Sweets work against them and Brennan begins to really worry about Booth. Before the first half hour-ends, Brennan has reversed her stand on marriage (which was still intact in the opening sequence), and has called Booth to meet her by a pretty little gazebo so she can give him jerky and a proposal. It was a sweet moment, although the location had me curious. It was one of a few things that seemed out of place or…odd.

The pace slowed a little in the second half-hour, but the tension ramped up. It seemed like they reversed the commercial breaks on this episode, putting twice the number in the first half hour. In the fifth segment everyone learns Booth and Brennan are engaged…and a whole lot more about Pelant. In the final segment, the accomplice is revealed, and a tension filled race to catch her and save Sweets after Booth is revealed to be the decoy ensues. It’s Booth to the rescue and then we get a sweet Booth and Brennan reunion followed by an adorable moment in the park with Booth, Brennan and Christine that turns sour.

This is the part that made this write up difficult. I had to really analyze how I felt about the final two scenes…and why. I waffle between totally understanding why it ended the way it did and by how cliched it felt. I’m also really glad I’m not part of an epic love story relationship because I am not strong enough to withstand the constant obstacles. Even after sleeping on it, I’m still feeling rather cynical about things. I’m hoping that changes after I have a chance to watch the episode again tonight.

Did I need a tissue at the end? Nope. Was a surprised? Nope…well, I was surprised by who the accomplice was, but not by Booth breaking Brennan’s heart (and his own). This is how they work. Brennan breaks Booth’s heart. Booth breaks Brennan’s heart. I really should go back and count the few moments in the past 8 years where they’ve been on the same page at the same time. From my recollection, there is one season that ended with me feeling excited and happy about Bones…and that was season 6. It’s not a very good ratio for leaving a season with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

However, it is a bit predictable for ending a season feeling angst and anger. I think I’m just too tired to put in the effort. I did have a few nagging questions that will likely bother me for a few more days.

1. Why the gazebo as a location for the proposal? It just felt…out of the blue and weird. I’m sure the proposal felt that way for some viewers, although I’m not sure why. The subject was certainly visited many times in the past few episodes.

2. Who was that FBI agent in this episode? If we’ve seen him in a previous episode, I don’t recall it. Why was he introduced in this episode because he didn’t seem to play a significant role. His actions could have been performed by any unnamed background character. Was his character created as a rewrite because the actor who played Flynn was not available?

Deep down, I really hope the ending is a case of, Booth once said with regards to Pelant, nothing is what it seems. I hope the tears Brennan was shedding are not because Booth has broken her heart, but rather because she is devastated that what should be one of the happiest times of her life has been tainted by the twisted obsession of a mad serial killer. That she is finally giving into the stress of what being under that constant threat is doing to her family. I really hope that secretly, Booth has found a way to tell her what’s going on and together, they’ve agreed to play out this scenario, letting Pelant think he has won this round. Because that level of deception on Booth’s part about a subject as important as this has been to both of them? That’s HUGE…and the damage it would cause could be irreparable. Trust is the most important part of a relationship and they have always been able to trust each other. They are always better, stronger, more effective when they work together. Otherwise, this ending was just the reverse of last season and…yep, clichéd.

I’m looking forward to three or four months of sunshine, working on projects around the house, watching my son get married, spending time with family and friends eating BBQ, and taking a short vacation from work. It’s almost summer, baby! Whoo hoo!

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.