'bones' 1x14-1x17, and the WTF is wrong with DB's tattoo picspam
After my intense disappointment with "The Woman in the Garden" comes four really stellar episodes, two of which were new to me. Here we go.
The Man on the Fairway
This was a solid episode. There's character change without bastardized characterization; Brennan manages to deal with her parents' disappearance without morphing into a completely different character. I don't understand why every single male who cameos has to be a potential love interest for B, but whatever. Hardly my biggest concern. And the characters are even doing risky, omigod the writing could go wrong at any minute things with the hiding from Goodman, but they manage to do something divorced from the norm (in the case of Brennan and Zack; I'm sure Angela and Hodgins had no qualms about the sneaking) while never straying from character. Their actions were perfectly, convincingly justified. I am so proud of my show!
(Also, the sneaking was funny. "Never freeze up on me again!" Hee.)
I really liked the frozen pig experiment. It was clever and visually interesting, and everyone's reactions to the experiment rocked. (As a segueway from that, I really enjoyed the interactions between Hodgins and Goodman this ep; much more natural and enjoyable than their battle in "The Woman at the Airport.")
Ho, I loved this:
Brennan: Assume the victim was frozen solid when he was fed into the chipper.
Zack: No way!
Booth: The correct response would be "Yes way."
-- because it was funny (I'm really one for the soft jokes, I know it) and because I'm always telling people, "The correct response is ________," as in, "How awesome is that? The correct response is very awesome." Ha.
I also liked Booth and Zack's "bonding" ritual. I like how Booth does what's best for Booth while finding a way not to hurt Zack, and I like how confounded Brennan is by the whole thing.
Good episode.
Two Bodies in the Lab
I had seen this one before (more than once, I think) but I watched it twice, once with David and Emily's commentary and once without.
Okay, holy God, where to start. I know: ADAM BALDWIN! HOLY CRAP, IT'S JAYNE!
The beginning of this episode is a little hurried, but there's so much interesting character stuff going on that I don't care.
(Sidenote: "cugini" is Italian for "cousins," which I only noticed in passing the first time I watched the episode, but now cannot ignore because, during the commentary, DB insists that it sounds like a sandwich topping, and he and Emily talk for, like, three whole minutes about cugini sandwiches.)
At this time, I'd like to urge anyone who hasn't already to watch the episode with the commentary. I do this pretty compulsively anyway, because I'm really interested in the behind-the-set/script/camera aspect of shows (and a Pop-Up Video addict) but this track is really funny. DB and Emily have excellent chemistry, and I think they may be a little drunk. For reals; listen to it.
Hodgins/Booth interaction = Awesome. Too awesome to comment on.
Booth/pudding interaction = Awesomer still.
Okay, I don't know what my kink is, but I find Booth hotter in this episode than in any other. What with the unkemptness and the . . . bruising . . . and . . . okay, I have a thing. I get it.
The first time I saw this episode, I remember being irritated that Brennan was so presumptuous as to go through Booth's medical files, but this time, I realized that she was panicked and had to find something comforting; some logical, non-emotional way to deal with the situation, so she did what she does best and went to the bones. It's actually really touching, if you think about it.
In conclusion: this is an awesome, awesome episode; I could probably write a whole post just about it. (But I'll spare you.)
The Woman in the Tunnel
HOLY CRAP, IT'S SKIP!! Seriously, we need to start keeping a list of the Jossverse people who have cameo'd on this show. 'Cuz damn.
Okay, also high on the squee list? When Booth and Brennan are watching the documentary footage that Skip (shut up, that's his name) found, Booth is wearing Converse. Why? I don't care; it's very, very cute.
Brennan should know that discharging a weapon at a crime scene compromises evidence.
The whole dual societies thing? Fine. The whole Harold-is-homeless-Booth thing? Holy crap, wouldn't it be nice to just, for once, like, for fun, have a metaphor or an allusion or a parallel that you just left alone and didn't bring up in dialogue every scene? That would be swell.
I kept waiting for someone to close the blinds or turn down the lights in Harold's interrogation room, and I'm really glad it was Angela. Her attitude toward Harold was interesting, but I think it's less about her fear of "crazy people" she's not dating (as was emphasized in the dialogue) and more a personal fear of being trapped somewhere.
I really liked Booth and Goodman's interactions in this episode; I really like whenever they're onscreen together. Aw, Goodman nostalgia.
The Skull in the Desert
To begin with: the what the fuck is wrong with David's tattoo? picspam.
I was under the impression that David just had one wrist tattooed. However, watching "The Skull in the Desert," I became very confused.
Witness the tattoo on the left wrist (I've circled the tattoo in all the pictures -- with my super-advanced, very not pathetic homemade circle -- like you don't know what you're looking for):
Witness, just moments later, the tattoo on the right wrist (but the watch is still on his left):
And, to corroborate my suspicions (and because I couldn't find a good right-wrist shot from this ep in any galleries, and my DVD player is done taking screencaps after the batch I did for my new layout), a right-wrist shot from "The Man on the Fairway":
It would be just neat if someone could explain this to me.
ETA: Okay. I was unaware that DB had two tattoos, and I guess that could explain it. I'm a little disappointed that the mystery's over:
OKAY. Moving on. I really loved that there was an Angela-centric episode, especially because it gave us a view into her past, and you know how flashback-ep hungry I am. I love that Brennan dropped everything just because Angela was worried about something not logic-based. I love that Booth came out to help his friends, and because he was so pleased at the suggestion that he could "get federal" on people.
Brennan was awesome in this episode. She was an amazing friend without compromising her character and becoming . . . Angela, I guess. This was really, really good, and I really liked getting to see that side of her. See, HH? Brennan can be soft and human without freaking out and morphing into She-Hulk someone she's not.
The mystery in this ep more or less came out of left field, but you knew that white artist guy (who was, incidentally, also on Angel) was involved because . . . well, he was just so mean. Heh.
Good episodes, show! Keep it up!
What do you guys think about all this?