One hundred episodes is a pretty big milestone. Some shows seem to get there very quickly, and others it feels like it takes much longer. We’ve been on a bit of a long road for Bones, which probably has much less to do with scheduling than it does with the simple fact that our two star-crossed lovers still aren’t, you know, lovers. Hints, spoilers, rumors, and even carrier pigeons have indicated things might finally be changing on that front, though.
We’ve always known that that Booth and Brennan knew each other prior to the Pilot, but we’re just now getting the story. It’s an interesting plot device, to see the beginnings how things came to be the way we now know them. From Bones suggesting the first Addy/Hodgins experiment to encouraging Booth to find a way to show his individuality, I guess we (read: I) shouldn’t have just assumed things were always the way they are now.
Not everything was perfect, though. I don’t care about the throwaway line that explains why Caroline didn’t remember Bones, but that doesn’t explain why Bones didn’t recognize our favorite Federal Prosecutor.
It was worth it though, in the end. Despite how Sweets saw his entire theory fall apart, I think it sticks. If you subtract the tequila from the equation, they probably wouldn’t have gotten off on such the wrong foot. They’re meant to be together.
Which is why I was so incredibly pissed off by the ending. I know not everyone agrees that the show can still work as well with the two leads actually together, but I just plain think it’s crap. Booth put it all out on the line, just to be shot down. I think the reasoning Bones gave was ridiculous, and the lack of a fight that Booth put up completely out of character. Never in my life has one scene put me off of a show as much as the final one did tonight. Their actions just plain were not consistent with their characters no matter what anyone says.
Notes & Quotes:
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Apr 08, 2010 @ 21:00 EST5EDT
I like how knowing how much you disliked this episode only proved to me how EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD will love it.
For the record, IT WAS AWESOME. Seriously, it was TOTALLY in character. This is a longer argument. BUT REALLY, IVEY. I’M DELIGHTED.
*POST AUTHOR*
Really, because a quick Twitter search REALLY proves your theory, right?
I don’t know what twitter you’re searching, because my twitter feed’s been happy all night. Do you need evidentiary screencaptures?
You know what pisses me off? When people (especially critics) call Brennan “Bones”. The only one who has earned the right to call her that is Booth. Hart Hanson doesn’t even call Brennan “Bones”.
Maybe we can write FOX and tell them to change the title of the show to “Brennan.” That will show ‘em!
I loved this episode, that is until the end. I didn’t think it was compeltely out of character of the two but it did feel off. I agree iwth you about that ending though, the way it made me feel, it just felt wrong.
Oh, Ivey…you got this one wrong. It was perfectly in character. I just finished and need to process it more, but LOVED IT.
Brennan is still Brennan. She isn’t going to give into her feelings right away. If she would have jumped into Booth’s arms, when he FINALLY admitted his feelings that would have been out of character. She is so hesitant and guarded and that is going to take more for her to escape.
Booth saying he needs to move on….what was he supposed to say. Oh, I will pine away for you forever…like I have been secretly doing all these years. No! He needed to save his ego, at least a little.
Now, if this is the ‘end’ of the conversation, I will be disappointed. But, I see this as the beginning of them being together, not the end of it.
I liked parts of this episode, but some parts felt too recappy and overtly sweet. The Pilot had indicated that Booth and Brennan worked together, so it was nice to see, but some things didn’t fit together.
-I loved the return of S1 Brennan who rocked ponytails, jeans, and exhibited a fascination for the archeological, which seems more realistic than the polished version considering Bones allegedly doesn’t care about her appearance.
-I like that they worked Cam in, but I find it hard to believe Booth would fall so hard for B upon first sight (despite his concluding monologue), especially if he had a woman on the side, considering his ethical code, casual or no.
-Since Ep1, I always felt as if Booth served as the relationship’s aggressor. While Brennan is forward, Booth, despite his professionalism in this ep, always struck me as the type of guy to make the first move despite the rules (i.e. his implied relationship with Cam).
-This was supposed to show everyone meeting for the first time, but b/c the cast has worked together for so long, I didn’t sense that ‘awkwardness.’ But yay to Zack’s return!
-I always felt Angela and B knew each other longer, as well –
– I always assumed Booth was Booth’s descendant (hence his later anxiety surrounding JFK) –
– I liked Booth going for it, but it felt rushed at the episode’s end. I felt that should’ve waited for the next ep. Plus, Booth always struck me as persistant. I didn’t disagree with Brennan’s reason, and while clearly the writers had to put an end to the tension, I still expect a B-B matchup if Fox ever cancels the series.
By saying that the last 3 minutes weren’t in character tells me that you haven’t watched these characters very closely over the last five seasons. It couldn’t have been any more IN character. But hey, your website, your opinion, it’s all good.
Couldn’t agree more.
I’ve been waiting for these two to get together since the first episode of the series! I’m a hopeless romantic that way. Brennan was very in character to not give in to her feelings. She needs to work through them and come to a logical conclusion. She needs time. Booth, on the other hand, completely pissed me off. From what I’ve seen, Booth is very persistent, what with always trying to convince Brennan to try some pie (which we haven’t seen in a while, I miss those scenes). To see him give up so easily is really upsetting. I don’t think Brennan is truly aware of what she feels for Booth and for Booth, who knows he can’t rush her into things for he might scare her off, to kind of throw this onto her and expect her to start a relationship with him is frustrating. He should have told her how he feels and gave her time to sort through her own feelings. The episode was great until Booth told Bones he had to move on. He should’ve at least waited a little longer. He gave up way too easily for my liking.
I don’t understand how you can say the ending was out of character? If Brennan had immediately agreed to love someone and let herself be loved that would have been out of character. Brennan has always been scared of commitment. This has been established from the pilot episode. She clearly loves Booth but she’s scared to let herself be vulnerable and get her heart broken. It would be easier if she didn’t love Booth because then she wouldn’t have to deal with the fear of possibly losing him. At least with things staying the way they are Bones can insure that she won’t at least lose him as a friend and to her this is better than letting herself have an “open heart” and allowing it to possibly get broken.
And as for Booth not fighting for Brennan more – also wasn’t a big shocker to me. Do I wish he had fought harder? Yes. Do I think it was out of character for him not to do so? No. Booth has definitely known about his feelings for Brennan this entire 5th season. Sweets has made the remark that Booth hasn’t told Brennan because, “subconsciously he’s sensitive to her vulnerability. He knows that acting upon his feelings for her would amount to a kind of, assault.” Booth first and foremost is a protecter. In the flashback Bones made the comment that “men are programmed to consider themselves the protector of their mates.” To me this was a sort of foreshadowing to Booth not fighting harder. He took a chance because he had to. He couldn’t risk never knowing, but he knew doing so would hurt Brennan. Many will say that Brennan hurt Booth in that scene, and she did, but it also hurt her too. Brennan loves Booth and more than anything I think she wishes she could just be with him, but she feels she can’t and that hurts her. In the second season Brennan says, “I’m just one of those people who doesn’t get to be in a family” and I think she feels the same way about a normal, committed relationship. She just doesn’t think she’s the kind of person who can do that thus her line, “I can’t change. I don’t know how.”
Well there’s my piece. Sorry it was so long but I think if someone stops watching this show based on that scene then he/she would be making a mistake. I think the scene remained true to both characters. I can understand people’s frustration at Booth and Brennan not being together but it’s too hard for Brennan. She’s a complicated character with a traumatic past and it will take time, but I think that she will be able to conveniently work through it by the series finale. :)
*POST AUTHOR*
I guess I need to explain myself a little better.
Do I think that the reasons that Brennan (Out of deference to Jenny, whom I completely disagree with) gave were out of character? Absolutely not. To Monica’s point, I’ve watched the series from the first episode, and I understand exactly who the character of Tempe (Or can I not use that one because only Angela does?) is. I get that she eschews emotion and love, but she has also been a character who fights for what she wants.
What I saw in that final scene was someone who was too afraid to go out on a limb, to stick herself out there, not necessarily emotionally (Something that, too, would be out of character), but to try something different. From my perspective, she obviously loves Booth, even if she doesn’t understand that, or know why, but to ignore that pull? It is an act of cowardice that is totally not within the character of Temperence Brennan.
I could not agree with you more. The ending seemed hugely out of character for both of them, with it being a regression for Brennan especially. Her whole argument that she “can’t change” is patently false, as she’s changed greatly since season 1, and I really would’ve expected Booth to call her out on that. She may have a three-ring circus of emotional damage, but we’ve seen time and time again over the last 5 seasons that she is NOT a cold fish, and he knows it.
Argh.
After thinking about it, though I am so bummed by the ending, I think the way both Brennan and Booth reacted was in character. While, it is a shame because it was such a happy moment when he kissed her, it isn’t natural for Brennan to be like, oh yes, I love you and I have always known. I don’t think she gets that right away, it is going to take some more time. Though I am hoping not like too much time! I think the writers know how to get us a fans all excited and keep us coming back for more! I will definitely keep watching because they are going to get together! I think Booth needs to try to move on to see that he can’t and Brennan needs to see him with another woman to realize the depth of her feelings.
Though, I didn’t like that she said she couldn’t change. She has grown a lot in the last 5 seasons and I would have thought she would have noticed that… maybe not though!
Yes it’s been said once or twice before that Booth is related to John Wilkes Booth.