Bones – The first part of the redemption

I really hate two-part episodes where you have to wait a week for the second half. I hate the week-long cliffhanger, which I feel is just cruel, and I especially am not fond of them when its my job to review the darn things.  It’s like reading half of a book, or watching half of a movie, or listening to half of a song, and then someone takes it away from you and goes, “Well, that’s all you get! Now tell me what you thought.” And this week’s Bones, to me, felt like the first of a two-parter.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I thought it was a good episode, but it feels really weird to review. I feel like, after seeing the preview for next week and hearing all the buzz, this episode exists purely to set up Brennan’s emotional breakthrough. Again, not complaining! Just saying it makes it hard to review.

Like, do I state for two weeks in a row that I really, really am over Hannah? Because I am.  I was actually starting to get to a Zen place and not mind her after that few-episode break from her we got, and then this episode all those icky feelings came back. The last episode she was in, her pronunciation got a lot better, but this time the mushing of words was back and I had to rewind and tilt my head a few times to make sure I actually got what she was saying. I had finally gotten over the fact that she looks so much younger than Booth (I mean, she’s absolutely beautiful and I’m totally envious of her hair but still, she looks so much younger than him, guys), and then the show throws in the Parker scenes and she looks like his babysitter, not his potential step-mom, and those icky feelings come right back.

I will say this — I enjoyed the handling of Hannah and Parker together. I liked that Parker, of course, hated her at first, and I liked the method Hannah used to win him over. That was endearing. But I guess my feelings at this point are like … you know those friends you had in high school, right, and they were perfect for each other, and everyone knew they were perfect for each other, and they liked each other, they just couldn’t get their act together? And they drove everyone nuts? Booth and Brennan have become that couple. I never thought I’d be irritated at Booth in regards to this relationship, but man, I am. Hannah’s so “amazing” for being able to get along with Parker? Really, Booth, that’s the word you want to use? Because no one, clearly, in the history of time, has been able how to figure out how to endear themselves to a child. Except for, you know, Brennan, who is sitting right there, has way more reason than Hannah to be awful at getting along with a kid, and yet has never had any trouble bonding with Parker. In fact, I’ve decided — Booth’s dating life should be decided by Parker from now on. That kid’s some sort of relationship savant. And yes, I am including in my consideration the episode where Parker asked Booth to “sex someone up.” Seriously! He knows what’s up.

I think what made the final scene with Parker, Booth, Hannah, and Brennan so painful was Brennan’s palpable heartache, which I really have to give Emily Deschanel props for. She’s always been good, but I think this season her acting has really grown by leaps and bounds. Her face during the arrest scene was particularly amazing at the line, “I’m just a kid from a broken home.” I kept rooting for her to say something along the lines of “so was I.” In fact, that would have been a really good moment, writers. You should have done that. But that empathizing with someone involved in the crime? Great lead-up! And it looks like her acting’s only going to improve next week, so I’m trying to sit on my hands in order to have some praise left for then.

I have often said (and been mocked for saying) that Bones is never wrong. Sure, there are times and plots, like when Zach left, where you think oh my God how could you do that, but then something like the squinterns happen and you wonder why you ever doubted in the first place. I’m not going to lie, my faith has been severely shaken for the first third of this season. But if part two of this November sweeps fix-it campaign is as good as part one, or as good as it looks to be? I think I’ll have reason to have faith once again.

Clacked by Julia Hass
on Dec 03, 2010 @ 16:51 EST5EDT