Slight confession here: season 2 is the season that I struggle with the most – it’s not that I don’t enjoy the episodes or the cases, but none of them are memorable to me mentally, aside from a small handful. One of those that have moments that really stick out to me is The Boneless Bride in the River. The boys (Zack and Hodgins) fill a human head (sans skull and brain) with air and Sully asks Brennan to take a year off to go to warm tropical places on a sailboat. Of course it’s going to be memorable.

                OK, it has a bit more of a plot than that. Quick (but kinda snarky) recap: a young woman from China comes to the US to marry a man that’s obsessed with China (that eventually throws her to the curb for being “too slow”, ugh). Everything but her bones is found in a chest in a river. Brennan is supposed to be on vacation with Pete Lattimer, I mean, Sully, but that doesn’t work out so well, because she’s either interrupted by Booth or the case. Throw in another anthropologist (cultural, not physical like Brennan) and add an old Chinese tradition of giving weddings for the dead (complete with a hand-drawn wedding picture from Angela). Oh, and matchmakers who end up being in it for the money who kill off female clients to sell their bones. Fun stuff. 

And then there’s this in the final scene:

 Booth: Give it time Bones, okay? Give it time. Everything happens eventually. 

Brennan: Everything? 

Booth: All the good stuff. And when you think it never happens, it happens. Just got to be ready for it.

                I was listening to the Paper Wings podcast the other day while doing dishes, and Chris Oatley, one of the hosts, said something that intrigued me. To sum it up, he said that what draws us to shows like Bones and keeps us there is the dichotomy between fear and hope – the fear that the characters will never get together (“And when you think it never happens…”) and the hope that they will (“… it happens.”). Season 2 does a lot of exploration of fear and hope, especially in this episode. I always thought that Brennan held back from going off with Sully because of fear. Not exactly fear in relation to Booth, per se, but fear of the unknown and permanence. Booth, at the end, offers hope with “Everything happens eventually.” I wonder if by saying “[you] just got to be ready for it” he was comforting Brennan, and maybe it wasn’t just a message to the audience of hope, but that the true meaning behind Brennan staying behind – her “eventually” hadn’t come yet. The characters and series as a whole had to reach a point where it seemed hopeless (“And when you think it never happens…” Hannah, strength vs imperviousness, anger, interns being killed in the lab), in order to bring hope in Booth and Brennan’s new relationship (“… it happens” burning pieces of paper and 4:47am). It’s all about the journey that leads to everything happening (eventually). Eventually is an adverb, implying movement to “everything”. It’s not saying “boom, you get everything,” it’s saying, “you have to work to get everything.”

                A question came up the third time that I watched the episode, which was during a massive series rewatch a year ago: What did we (as fans) want/need/expect more from Booth’s “Everything happens eventually” statement: everything, or eventually? It’s interesting, because Brennan and Booth put the emphasis on “everything,” while I feel like we fans wanted that eventually. I even wrote a song about “eventually”, but now a year later, I realize that it’s more about… well, the journey to reach the everything in the eventually – family and friends found because of loneliness, home found because of wandering, and most important, hope found because it neutralizes fear. In essence, it’s all about how you get there, but you have to be ready for it.

Which do you think was more important in the last scene: “Everything happens eventually”, or “And when you think it never happens, it happens. Just have to be ready for it”? Can you think of examples of fear vs hope in the series? Discuss! The comments are open!

Here’s the B&B of the Day:

The “Not Quite Ready For It” B&B

From The Boneless Bride in the River: Season Two

Okay, true or false: Booth realizes he’s in love with Brennan at this moment.

I’ve always kind of thought he did. Now maybe he’s already thought that before, and he’s thinking it again; that is possible. There is something interesting about the end scene of this episode, to me. When I watched it this time around, I almost got the impression that Booth had come to Brennan’s office to help her ‘deal’ with the loss of Sully– as if what had happened in the past with other relationships is what had happened again. We talked about that in Headless Witch in the Woods–he checks up on her. Of course, Sully has not murdered his own brother, etc…but when Sully comes in to Brennan’s office and Booth is there, it’s almost as if Booth can’t quite believe that Sully and Brennan are going to make up from whatever fight they had. Not that he sees Brennan as unforgiving, but I think maybe he thought that once she and Sully had a fight, it would be over and all would be good in his world. That Brennan does make up with Sully (and sort of make out with him in her office) makes him realize that she is serious about Sully and trying to make it work with him.

Not to get ahead of us, but it’s like Booth wanted the (eventual-get it?) moment on the pier with her. He was ready to be the guy who stands by her when her relationships with other guys don’t work out. Except this time, it is working out.

That doesn’t equal ‘love’, of course, so I guess I think there is something more there in his expression. But what do you think?

In the meantime,

Here is the B&B of the Day

The “They’re just doing their jobs. You know, locking up killer conspiracy rings and looking gorgeous” B&B

From Bodies in the Book: Season Two

This episode is good. Sidenote: I like Sully, so his episodes never bothered me. Eddie McClintock is THE nicest celebrity I have ever interviewed, so I’m a little loyal to him as well. It’s not that I want Sully around for more than four episodes, but I think it’s a really good, solid arc that has a nice beginning, middle and end. What a novel approach!  

There are many good things in this episode– so I suppose this is a little Top Five Tuesday, except for the part where it’s not actually Tuesday any longer! But here are some moments love. If you have more…make them known in the comments!

1. Brennan disses Booth’s ‘staid’ attire

One of my favorite things about the 100th episode was the notion that Booth started being a free spirit rogue rebel because of Brennan, so it makes me smile in hindsight when she thinks his plain black tie and plain black socks are a little ridiculous. When, at the end of the episode, he’s wearing garish socks–she says they are ‘amazing’. She’s being a little sarcastic, but I like to think she really does like his individuality.

2. A look into Hodgins’ past and personal life

Of all the characters, he is now the one we know the least about, in terms of his family life–outside of what he has with Angela and MVSH, so I like in this episode where we see part of his past and remember that he comes from money and probably still has some connections there.

3. “I’m not going to help you get MY partner into bed.”

One of the things I like about the Sully episodes is that he pushes Booth’s buttons from a friend and co-worker perspective, and Booth needs more of this. He has plenty of people who annoy him and push his buttons, don’t get me wrong, but pretty much none of those people are his equals, so it always has different outcomes. Sully is just a competetive friend, and I like that. It makes me laugh when Sully figures out that Booth wants Brennan himself–and he also doesn’t back down.

4. Hodgins makes a mistake on the case, but then he and Booth make up over some pie at the diner.

Doesn’t get much better than that.

5. Brennan & Angela and girl-talk

This happens throughout the episode, but it’s particularly fun at the end of this episode. My favorite is when they ask Booth what HIS cop nickname is, and he gets suspicious (but still cocky!). Hmmm…I suppose we will never know what it is!

Here is the B&B of the day.

The “Sex, Socks…Pretty Much The Same Word” B&B

From Man in the Mansion: Season Two

PS… I don’t know why these season two pics are so grainy lately–I think it must be from whatever cameras they used at that time. Also, I’ve just come to the realization that I could use some help here at BT. If you’re interested in taking on a couple of the episodes, drop me an email at sarahinprint@yahoo.com, and I’ll explain how it all works. I can post them to the site and do all of that jazz. Let me know!

Okay, here is a question for you. Why is it that Booth really starts to confide in Dr. Wyatt? What makes him trust him more than other people (that we can see). Is it because Dr. Wyatt is older? Because he just wants to get back to work? Thoughts?

In the meantime, here is the B&B of the day.

The “This guy said I couldn’t have a gun?” B&B

From Girl in the Gator: Season Two

I have a couple of questions for you about this episode, and when it came down to it, I just couldn’t decide which one to ask. Why limit us, right? So let’s do this…

1. What would the series be like if Cam HAD died in this episode? How would it have affected Booth? What important later moments in the series would have gone differently?

2. Is Epps the worst? Ever? Why or why not?

3. The line. Yep. I feel like we can see realization in Brennan’s eyes in that scene. It’s not a meaningless line. She says she understands what he means, and she does. She understands what he’s saying (as we know, it will be exactly the next episode in which she finds another love interest…). It also seems clear to me that Booth is not happy about the words. I think they both know exactly what is being said there. But what do you think?

There are also some funny moments in this episode, like the Mrs. Epps stuff, when Booth tells Brennan she is not allowed to go anywhere ever, and when Brennan has a huge gun (and the subsequent “bigger is always better” conversation about ‘guns’ with Booth). So maybe there are other moments that you love. If so, drop them in the comments!

In the meantime, here is the B&B of the day:

The “Don’t worry, Booth. You are still a hero” B&B

From The Man in the Cell: Season Two

Haha!

Okay, one more from me (and Booth), and then, feel free to write your own Valentines to characters or all of us, or whatever works!

Oh…PS…don’t hate me, but I’m pretty much seriously obsessed with The Hunger Games Trilogy. It so…spoke to me that…you guessed it, I’m working on starting another blog. I haven’t been this inspired since I watched Bones for the first time. The muse speaks!

It’s not official yet–still kind of rough– but I’m excited about it. If you want to talk Hunger Games with me, I’d love to have you over! www.hungergamestheory.com 

Drop me a line, if you’re interested in that, and I’ll get in touch! The one big project I’m looking to do is to discuss the first book: The Hunger Games, in the 30 days leading up to the movie release.

Okay, okay…enough of that. And because I’ve gone on long enough, here’s another Boothy Valentine for ya!

So I was actually sort of hard up when trying to think about what to talk about for this episode. Not that there isn’t a lot to talk about– it’s just that I feel like we HAVE talked about it a lot. A couple of scene studies, a few TFTs, etc. I was chatting with pal BBMagic, and she pointed out that one of her favorite lines is when “Father” Max is at the Jeffersonian and he has some news for Brennan. They go to her office and Max means to shut Booth out, but Russ says. “She’s just going to tell Agent Booth anyway; might as well let him listen.”

And it got me to thinking–what is it about Booth that makes Russ (and later Max, when he declares “You take care of her”) so sure of the partnership between him and Brennan? Is it that they know she isn’t likely to form serious bonds with just anyone? I feel Brennan would be quick to bristle at any sort of familial pressure for her to be with Booth (at this point in the series), and it seems to me that she would be sort of annoyed that everyone just assumes Booth should be in on her personal discussions.

Angela also sort of just assumes, and so do strangers, which leads to the “We’re just partners” stuff of later episodes.

What do you think? Is the connection between B&B so strong that people just see it as inevitable? Thoughts?

Meanwhile, here is the B&B of the Day:

The “Happy to be partners again, officially” B&B

From Judas on a Pole: Season Two

There are several good things about this season two episode, but if we’ve only got one shot at each ep in this Vintage Bones project, well…I’m going to go with guy hugs. It just seems necessary!

One of my all time favorite things was when Booth would sort of lean in Brennan’s office doorway. In this episode, she has just found out that a man she thought would be possibly a good date is actually the killer in their recent case. Brennan felt a bond, and Booth appears to be seeking her out to make sure she’s okay.

“Sure know how to pick ‘em, don’t I?” she asks, a bit self-deprecatingly. Side note: I’ve tried *not* to go on and on about how the earlier episodes of the show were SO GOOD and how it’s such a crime how Brennan’s character has digressed in certain areas–because, well…it’s no fun to be depressed about it, and there is a lot of good to discuss, so why dwell, right? But…you know…Brennan is aware in this scene. She made a mistake in measuring someone; she recognized it, she felt remorse or frustration about that, etc. Okay…moving on before I punch this computer screen.

Side note #2. Remember when Tom Hanks was in Saving Private Ryan and he did that interview about how his character was supposed to have a giant, sweeping, epic monologue at the end of the film and he refused to do it–because it was wrong for the character? I think that happens sometimes in movies and TV shows, and cheers to Tom Hanks for being true to the character. I think David Boreanaz has a way of taking “writer-speak” and actually making it work for Booth’s character. It’s true–writers write things that ‘people’ don’t actually say in real life situations. Sometimes writers want to say the perfect thing, but if the characters aren’t perfect people, it comes across as awful. I’m getting off topic, but the point is, Booth’s next lines are totally… ‘written’, basically, which means they don’t feel natural from him. But cheers to DB for pulling it off and thereby making it Boothy…if that makes sense. It’s a nice speech, don’t get me wrong. But most people don’t give nice speeches. Writers do, though

“Well, you know,” he begins…

“Our perceptions are always colored by what we hope, what we fear…what we love. We do the best we can.”

“I’m afraid my best isn’t good enough,” Brennan tells him. “I can read bones, not people.” That is a huge admission from her, and I like the way Booth handles it. He just casually enters her office and smiles.

“Well, you had no trouble seeing through me.”

He makes her smile, and then she wipes away a stray tear (speaking of stray tears…when she cries a bit at the dinner date, and Booth stares at her as he makes his arrest? GUH SO GOOD!)

But then Brennan gets down to business and pretends nothing is wrong. I love how Booth’s eyes just stay on her, no matter what. He also does this little swallowing thing that tells me he thinks she’s really pretty and wonderful and that he likes her AND that he cares about her a lot.

“It’s a good thing I like being alone,” she tells him, and he is still staring at her, sort of gently amused by her actions and the way she is closing up, right in front of him.

“You know what, Bones? You’re not alone, okay?” he tells her, and when she doesn’t seem to listen, he puts his hand on her back.

She stands up and looks at him and says “Booth” in a way I’ve always thought was interesting. I can’t quite tell if she thinks he is making a move (they did have another talk in this episode about physical/biological needs and ‘connections’) or if he feels sorry for her. But the point is that she is not interested in going wherever she thinks he’s going with it.

“Hey,” he interrupts her. “You’re my partner. It’s a guy hug. Take it.”

Booth, no one believes you. There is no such thing.

Except…Brennan might actually believe him. We don’t see her annoyed by his charm here. She is genuinely considering it. Which is probably less of a fight about it than Booth anticipated.

Considering, considering…

Ah, excellent choice, Brennan!

Meanwhile Booth smiles dreamily and caresses her back and strokes his thumb through her hair–like I’m sure he does with all guys he hugs.

Haha, nice one Booth. Very nicely done!

Okay, season two is moving right along! PS: Apparently new episodes of BONES start on April 5th, so we’ll keep Vintage Bones going up through then! Obviously we won’t be through all of the eps at that point, but I’m sure there will always be something to talk about!

In the meantime, here is the B&B of the day:

The “A gentleman is discreet–even if Zack happens to be literally standing in the middle of an argument.” B&B

From The Headless Witch in the Woods: Season Two

I think this is one of those episodes I didn’t really fully appreciate when I saw it for the first time. I know this has happened for me for a lot of BONES episodes–I was always anxiously wondering if each episode could be THE episode. You know, when B&B get together and all.

We talked the other day about that idea of ‘moments’ and when I look back at this episode now, I see a lot of value in it, especially in the end scene (which I would have previously been like “that’s it?”).

But I’m wondering this time around what you think about the Brennan and Hodgins scenes in this episode–and in the series in general. Like a lot of you, I’d like to know what Brennan wrote on her letter, but I don’t think it will ever be revealed. But beyond that, what sticks out to me, especially was the “Dr. Brennan, it’s been a privilege” scene

What draws Hodgins to working at the Jeffersonian? What do he and Brennan have in common, and in which ways are they different? Are there ways the show could do better at highlighting their similarities?

Thoughts? There is a lot to discuss here, and of course, you’re also allowed to discuss anything you like from this episode (ahem, Booth, fierce, flying down the hill).

Here is the B&B of the Day

The “I knew you wouldn’t give up” B&B

From Aliens in a Spaceship: Season Two

Tattoo? Bare skin? Other ideas?

In other news (not that we can’t talk about that all day, but…), what do you think about Brennan’s beginner’s luck? I’m enjoying this Vintage Bones series, because I like looking at earlier episodes in connection with the most recent episodes. Obviously, I am certainly one who can be accused of over-analyzing, and I am nearly 100% certain this wasn’t the plan of the writers, but what do you think of the idea that Brennan having beginner’s luck when it comes to Booth in almost all ways? In love, in partnership, in family, etc, etc.

Either way, it’s hot. That’s my take on it.

Here is the B&B of the Day

The “We’re Sort of Not Acting” B&B

From The Woman in the Sand: Season Two