'The Couple in the Cave' Ep Reaction - SPOILERS

[doc_3]

My immediate post-ep reaction, so I reserve the right to totally have a different opinion in a few days...

And I'm very conflicted about things so expect me to contradict myself a dozen times ...

On to my reactions:

Comments

[gina227]

she seemed to have that knack of connecting with people on their level

Agreed. That's what makes a good journalist, I would think, being able to feel out each individual person you have to interview. Makes me wonder how fast she's going to cop on to the whole wreckage of emotions between B&B. Booth also has a bit of that; we've seen him use it to get info during investigations at times.

it smacked of 'say it until it's true'

I said this somewhere else already, but Booth is being slightly manic and annoying with the whole "I'm sooo happy!" shtick.

Brennan basically spelled it out for Booth when they were in the bar at the end

Originally she seemed like she was trying to feel him out to see if maybe he and Hannah would end now that they're separated. At the beginning of the ep, she said something like, "Maybe you weren't really in love with her," and then she was being a bit snarky (or maybe nosy in her awkward way) with the "I wouldn't make any comparisons to your situation." Like, she just had to keep pointing out that Hannah was back in Afghanistan. And then Hannah showed up and I think it rocked her world a little to have to see the happy couple and know that things could very well be as serious as Booth claims they are.

Even what she said to Clark seemed to have subtext that was all about her and Booth. "You repeated an inconclusive assumption I made without all the evidence." Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that really seemed accusatory towards Booth. Like: YOU were right about us and I was wrong, but you just took my word for it and found someone else while I was working through it. And that ties right in to what she was saying to him at the bar about love being ephemeral and not being ale to depend on it.

All in all, I feel heart-crushed for Brennan, a little ticked off at Booth, annoyed that Angela doesn't seem to be getting it, and hopeful - all rolled into one.

Yes. Total yes. I'm exactly the same right now. Though I think Angela does get it. I think they all get it, but they've just given up on trying to get her to see reason.

[doc_3]

Oh, the Clark thing was totally about Booth. You hit the nail on the head with your assessment there. I think she feels very betrayed by the fact that Booth took her word for everything, and then when she turned out to be wrong - he had already moved on. Well, says he's moved on. (Repeatedly).

[limone1]

I said this somewhere else already, but Booth is being slightly manic and annoying with the whole "I'm sooo happy!" shtick.

He certainly is! It's not his style. He wasn't like that with his girlfriend in S1, Tessa. Cam and Booth were sneaking around and we didn't see much of him and Catherine, no it doesn't seem like Booth. I think he wants to be happy and if he was over Brennan he wouldn't be rubbing her nose in his happiness. It's as if he is still upset about her "No" in the 100 epi.

[gina227]

I don't think he's really doing it to rub her nose in it, though. It's almost as if he has to keep pushing it to convince himself and to convince her and everyone else. Because he knows that if he allows himself to be vulnerable around her, if he lets down his guard, he's going to fall right back into his old patterns.

[limone1]

I saw Booth's behavior as trying to convince himself and those around him. Maybe rubbing her nose in his happiness is too strong a word, but I think he has a need to show Brennan he has moved on.

Booth going back to "pining" after Brennan would have been painful to watch and introducing Hannah was a good way to develop the story, but I hope it won't be a whole season of Booth and Hannah...