Bones has still got it

Anyone else feeling like a mixed bag of emotions after that Bones episode? On one hand, I’m completely depressed by the case of the week, but on the other, I’m totally stoked about the great state of Bones.

Before we go any further, I owe Bones an apology. I’ll admit, over the past couple of seasons there’s been more than one occasion where I’ve thought it may be time for Bones to just hang things up and call it a day. Sure, it had always been a great show, and I’ve enjoyed many of its episodes, but was there really anywhere left to go? Booth and Brennan are married, the rest of the team seems set personally, and are there really that many more ways to gross me out with a dead body? It’d be fairly easy to close up shop and call it a success all around.

Episodes like the one this week prove how wrong I was, there’s still plenty of gas in the Bones’ tank. Human trafficking has been explored on many shows as of late, but none seemed to affect me the way this Bones episode did. The show found the perfect balance between relaying the seriousness of the problem, and not depressing the hell out of me by mixing in some small, much needed, moments of levity.

From the moment I saw the scary Dharma Initiative guy from Lost, aka Mr. Lee, I knew he was bad news, so it was no surprise when he turned out to be a human trafficker. David Boreanaz’s face said it all, as he listened to the girls’ heartbreaking story about coming to the U.S. in hopes of a brighter future. The visual of each woman holding up a picture of her family back home really drove home the despair and fear involved for each girl. It’s a feeling that only seemed to get worse as each twist and turn of the case was more heart breaking than the last. State Department official Alex Radziwill said it best when he told Aubrey, “Welcome to hell kid.”

Even with the case solved and the bad guys sent away, the victory still felt a bit hollow. There were no winners this time around, and the end scene between Booth and Brennan was exactly what was needed to wrap up this stellar episode. I think we could all relate when Booth told Brennan, “Don’t ever let me take any of this for granted Bones, how lucky we are.” When confronted with the horrors that exist, Brennan was right, look for the silver lining. For her, she’s thankful because, “I could’ve so easily been like her, just missing the opportunity to live my life with you.” By bringing the focus back on Booth and Brennan, Bones reminded us, that yes, there is a silver lining, and it’s a pretty good one at that, even after 10 seasons.

While they may be going strong, there are some other “couples” that needed work, beginning with Agent Aubrey and Booth. I enjoyed the way Booth bounced ideas and theories about the case off of someone that was not a squint. Brennan has always had her team of like-minded individuals, and it’s nice for Booth to now have someone that thinks like him. It was also nice to see the serious side of Aubrey emerge, as he apologized for thinking too much about his career, and recognized that he “was sort of ass-like.” I’ve said from the start that Aubrey presents an opportunity for Booth to serve as a mentor, and it’s lessons such as this one that will make Aubrey a great agent.

Elsewhere, Arastoo returned just in time to have his dissertation idea rejected by Dr. Brennan. While I’ve always enjoyed his relationship with Cam, I respected the way they never used her position as boss for his benefit. When she tried to do just that, it was great to see both Brennan and Arastoo bristle at her actions. They were right, it was his discussion to have with Dr. Brennan, one he did eventually, and things worked out for the best.

The bigger problem seemed to be Cam’s reluctance at moving their relationship to the next level. Arastoo’s right, they’ve been together awhile and marriage seems like the next step. It bothered me that we didn’t get to hear more of what was behind her reticence, and he let her off the hook way too easy for my taste. I wanted to hear why Cam is holding back, and hope these feelings are explored more in the future.

I’m not above admitting it when I’m wrong. I was wrong about Bones. The 10th season has been thoroughly enjoyable, and I’ve never been more invested with these characters. There’s growth in them, especially Brennan, that is very rewarding for viewers. She and Booth continue to challenge and support each other, perfectly balancing the other out. The shake ups on the team, losing Sweets and adding Aubrey, have me as engaged as ever.

Bones I was wrong. I won’t doubt you again. Please accept my apology.

Sincerely,
Bridget

Other favourite Bones moments:

• Dr. Brennan’s teaching moment of the week: While goats have been known to eat all kinds of weird items, such as shirts and watches, they will not eat human remains because they are not carnivorous.
• It was impossible to not be charmed by Hodgins this week. Between his awful goat chasing skills, excitement over getting to use the phrase “bat cave,” and his line about “excrement being our friend,” the dude was on fire this week.
• “They need somebody low to the ground to deal with the bottom feeders.” – State Department official (and dwarf) Alex Radziwill for the win!
• While they may be getting closer as partners, Aubrey’s not ready to share his food with Booth just yet. Hands off the man’s tuna melt!

How do you think Bones is doing after 10 seasons? Did you want more of an explanation out of Cam? Let us know in the comments below and take a look at the next all new episode:

Bones airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox and Global.