'Bones' At Comic-Con

Bones at Comic-Con (from L to R: creator Hart Hanson, Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz. Photo: Fox)

Bones stars Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz joined showrunner Hart Hanson at the annual Comic-Con event in San Diego last week.  The trio took questions, chatted with the press and signed autographs for fans during a meet and greet session.  They didn't spill too many season 6 secrets, but they did set the scene for the dynamic between Booth and Bones when the season starts up in September.  As you'll recall, the pair had parted ways for a year to pursue other interests -- he was going to train soldiers in Afghanistan and she was participating in an important find in Indonesia.  They promised to meet at their spot on the Washington Mall in one year.  We were left wondering if the pair's absence would make their hearts grow fonder or tear them further apart.  Find out what's in store for these two after the jump (WARNING: SPOILERS CAN BE FOUND AFTER THE JUMP).

Conflict of Interests

The title of this week's Bones finale says it all: "The Beginning in the End."  At least, that's what I kept telling myself over and over again as I watched that heart-wrenching final scene unfold between Booth and Bones.  Where the finale scene in the 100th was heartbreaking (as in, actually painful), this one was more hopeful.  There was no denying Brennan's feelings as she and Booth said goodbye in the airport lobby.  It's only a year, right?  Like Booth said, what's a year in the grand scheme of things?  And absence makes the heart grow fonder, so in reality, this separation could wind up being a very good thing.  I know, I know -- I'm really sunny-siding this, but it's how I'm going to get through this very cruel, cruel summer.  Before we arrived at that emotional scene at the end, there was a very interesting process that caused Booth and Bones to decide to leave their work (and more importantly, each other) for a year.

'Bones' in the Court Room

First, I LOVED this episode.  Having said that, I'm nervous about next week's finale.  I don't like where things are heading on the Brennan front, but we'll discuss later.  Now, remember that I LOVED this episode when I make the next observation: Did anyone else feel that the characters were a bit out of character this week?  I'm not complaining -- not in the least -- because I liked seeing the more human side to Brennan and Hodgins.  It just took me by surprise.  They spend so much of their lives dealing with tragedy that I didn't expect either of them to crack when going face to face with the Gravedigger.  I was shocked to see Brennan having nightmares and emotional moments both on and off the stand.  Apparently, the entire experience had quite an impact on her because by the end of the hour, she was standing on the edge of a very monumental decision.

The 'Bones,' the Witch & the Wardrobe

In addition to being a huge fan of Bones, I'm also a big fan of Kathy Reichs's Temperance Brennan novels.  So this week's episode -- written by Reichs -- was a dream come true for this Bones fan.  I can't believe it took 5 seasons to finally get the stars to align, but it was worth it.  Plus, any episode that can combine a modern-day murder, witchcraft, Wiccan ceremonies and the articulated remains of a victim of the Salem Witch Trials is pretty much going to register on my good meter.  Unlike Sweets, I'm not super-studied on that particular dark chapter of our history, but my love for everything American history made the articulated skeleton angle of the story pretty cool.  But, it was Angela and Hodgins who provided the night's biggest "Did that just happen" moment, and I'm not referring to their incarceration.

Rock 'n Roll Fantasy

Bones took us to a place that was out of Brennan's element, but completely in Booth's: Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp!  Booth was like a little kid in a candy shop and Brennan was left trying to figure out why everyone was so excited about attending the camp.  She, of course, was much more focused on solving the murder at the camp and Booth's tie (which we'll discuss further later, I promise).  So in between rocking out, singing a duet and hanging out with a famous guitarist, Booth and Bones were busy solving the murder of one the camp's attendees whose remains wound up in the industrial washing machine at the hotel hosting the camp.  And in between that, Brennan was quite focused on Booth's new tie, but it wasn't really the tie that caught her focus.

'Bones' Jumps In

I have a feeling that Dr. Catherine Bryar is going to be one of the least popular characters to ever grace a few episodes of Bones.  It's not her fault, but she has the unfortunate task of being Booth's love interest and her name is not Temperance Brennan.  Yes, most unfortunate for her.  I'm not totally convinced that her presence on the show is a bad thing (I'll explain later), but I do find it tough to watch her scenes with Booth and even tougher to watch Booth and Bones talk about her and Andrew amongst themselves.  Ever since that darn 100th episode, there has been this undeniable heartbreak hanging in the air between them.  It's so strong, it's palpable through the television.  But, these two are a classic case of two people who need to both be ready before they take that enormous leap.  Until Bones comes around then, they need to go their separate ways even if that means emotionally killing all of us (and most likely, themselves).  Which brings us to my earlier point: Catherine just might be a good thing.

High School Reunion

OK, Bones is killing me!  "Kiss from a Rose?!"  Kiss from a frickin' Rose??!!  And this was only the first episode since the heartbreaking, gut-wrenching 100th episode last week.  I'm not going to make it to the end of the season.  My heart can't take this!  It's one thing to continue to keep them apart (just to be clear, I don't like this option), but it's so much worse to torture us with these heart-breaking moments.  Thankfully, the show threw us a bone with the Angela/Hodgins story and mixed in a lot of humor with the case, because otherwise, I think I would have been in a puddle on the floor for the second week in a row.  Things started out alright, but took a turn when Bones found out that her high school reunion was coinciding with the murder she was investigating in her home town.  High school reunions can make for many awkward moments, but I'm pretty sure no one's is as awkward as Brennan's was this week.

One Hundred 'Bones'

There is only one way to describe this week's monumental 100th episode of Bones: HEART-WRENCHING!!  The episode was important for so many reasons with the most basic being that it gave us the beginning of the story between Booth and Brennan.  But, it was so much more than that!  Of course, it was heart-wrenching -- OMG, was it heart-wrenching -- but it was also funny, revealing and it had me on the edge of my seat (especially during that last scene).  On the one hand, I was worried that too much might have happened in the past between these two and on the other, I was worried that not enough happened.  Luckily, the show struck the right balance and in the process, showed us exactly how Booth and Bones wound up where they are today.  And then the ending moment happened and everything changed right before our eyes.

The Truth in the Fiction?

After an entirely-too-long hiatus, Bones was finally back this week.  And while there was nothing earth-shattering or particularly exciting about it, it was just nice to have the gang back on my TV screen.  Things did not start out too well, though, as Sweets met a new friend and then promptly watched him die right in front of him.  This tragic scene unfolded while he was riding a Metro subway train that was in the process of derailing thanks to a major water main break.  Oh, and did I mention the body that made a freaky appearance when the water rushed the side of the train?  Normally, I laugh at the crazy ways this show comes up with to reveal human remains, but this week I was torn between the sadness surrounding the incident and the on-the-mark depiction of the craziness that is D.C. (I live here and I can't even tell you how many times water mains break).  Meanwhile, Brennan was being interviewed for a Japanese magazine about her latest novel which had everyone in the lab buzzing about page 187.

'Bone' Chilling

I think "Winter Finale" might be my new least favorite phrase!  I'm going to miss Bones for the next couple of months especially with the 100th episode waiting in the wings when the show returns in April.  Until that day arrives, we have this week's episode to chew on.  I had read ahead of time that the weather was going to be one of the important elements of the episode.  The masterminds behind the show wanted it to help set the tone and mood, so they used a lot of night scenes and rainy days to help create the darker story involving a mental hospital and possible devil and/or devil's minion victim.  This is usually a light-hearted show that finds a way to make murder funny and doesn't take itself too seriously, so the darker theme was definitely a departure from the usual fare.  It was an interesting change-up and it certainly worked, but there was one scene that sent chills up and down my spine.  It was well beyond freaky!

'Bones' in the Ditch

I love U.S. history, especially the Civil War time period, so this episode of Bones started off on the right foot for me.  Of course, the Civil War theme didn't continue throughout the hour (even though I was sure the body was going to be a dead re-enactor), but that was O.K. because the rest of the episode was interesting and fun.  This show always seems to give us plenty of viable suspects, so I tend to be surprised by the killer reveal each week, but this week's was extra surprising.  Plus, there was an intriguing underlying theme going on with Booth that brought out an ugly side of him and revealed something very interesting about the effect that he and Brennan have on each other.

High Profile 'Bones'

This week's episode was very risky.  The show took on one of this country's greatest mysteries, one of our most tragic moments, and perhaps, the incident most cloaked in conspiracies and secrets: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  I wasn't sure how this was going to play out, but I LOVED it!!  They presented both sides of the argument, they drew some interesting conclusions and they left us with almost as many questions as the assassination itself.  Whose bones were those at the Jeffersonian?  Who were "the men in black?"  Why was the team investigating the cause of death of the individual on the table?  None of it was clear at the end, but honestly, I wouldn't have liked it any other way.  Taking on something as huge as the Kennedy assassination deserves an ending with as much intrigue as the real tragic incident.  However, there was one mystery that the gang was able to clear up before the end titles: the owner of that positive pregnancy test.  Oh, baby!

'Bone' to Pick

All of these weeks off from Bones led me to two conclusions: 1) I really MISSED this show and, 2) I think I may have hit the frustration point when it comes to Booth and Bones.  The latter is a problem because it can quickly lead to total and complete apathy.  As of right now, I want to keep caring about whether they finally get together, but even that desire is beginning to dim.  I wasn't a fan of the cop out at the end of last season, but I thought that the season premiere offered a lot of promise.  There was something unmistakable about that look on Brennan's face when Booth chickened out before telling her how he feels.  And Booth -- so aware of his feelings for her for the first time and yet, so afraid.  Since then there have been glimmers (the wonderful Gordon Gordon and his table-for-two, Booth's grandfather, and that intimate moment at the exhibit), but most set-ups have led nowhere and Booth and Brennan seem to be no farther along than they were during season one.  I understand the show's struggle, but it is entering the place where it risks losing viewers' interest if it doesn't make a move soon.  Will the much-talked about 100th episode be the cure for what ails this stuck-in-neutral story line?

Family 'Bones'

The Bones Christmas episodes have become the stuff of TV legends in my house (the Christmas Episode of '07, a.k.a. "The Santa in the Sludge," still holds the crown).  We love to unwrap the latest episode each season, and we usually laugh and laugh throughout the hour.  This year's offering was supposed to shine even brighter because it contained the long-awaited moment when real-life sisters Emily and Zooey Deschanel shared the screen.  And there was also a little scene hinted at in the previews that showed Brennan unwrapping an evidence-laden Booth down to his boxers!  One of these surpassed expectations and the other fell flat.  But which is which?  Well, it boils down to what I expected and what the episode actually delivered.

Cheaters Never Win

One of the things that I really like about this show is its ability to provide side stories and undertones that allow the actual case of the week to not have to hold my interest in order for me to enjoy the episode.  Such was the situation this week when Booth and Bones investigated the murder of a local gaming champ.  I'm really not familiar with the world of gamers or any of the games they compete in for bragging rights.  I couldn't even tell you if the game in the story is real.  I've heard of things like "Dungeons and Dragons," "World of Warcraft," "Halo," and "Doom," but I have little to no idea what any of them are or how they're played.  But, it didn't matter with this one because I was busy focusing on the other stories that held my interest more than the case.

One of those other things was a hilarious plot line that involved the new movie Avatar, some really interesting tattoos and pitching a tent on the sidewalk in the middle of D.C.

Dinner and a Favor

Thanks to his brain tumor-induced coma, Booth is more aware of his feelings for Brennan.  He's also aware that, on paper, they make a terrible couple.  And now, thanks to the always-fabulous Gordon Gordon, he's aware that the heart wants what the heart wants (and when it doesn't get it, that frustration bleeds into other areas) and a little bit of patience could go a long way.  But the one thing that Booth is painfully unaware of, is the fact that Brennan has the same feelings for him and she is just as frustrated by them.  If she weren't, she never would have written a story in which she and Booth were nightclub owners, married and expecting a baby.  Ever since she deleted that story, she has seemed changed.  There have been two moments this season when it appeared that had Booth closed his eyes and jumped in, she would have followed.  The first one was during the premiere when he told her he loved her (and then abruptly took it back by passing it off as their partner relationship), and the second was when her exhibit opened and he brushed the hair off her shoulder.  I'm convinced that had Booth not chickened out, Brennan would have dove in with him.  I guess we'll never know for sure.  I don't think that she ever considered the possibility prior to his tumor, and now she's probably trying to determine whether his feelings are real.

This week, Booth took a few steps that made a pretty convincing argument that his intentions are genuine.

Birds of a Feather

This week's episode of Bones could have been a preachy platform for animal rights enthusiasts.  It could have been anti-meat eater, but the writers did a nice job of presenting the wrongs of the chicken industry without crossing the line into activism.  Through the characters, we got both sides of the chicken debate (including painting the "PECT" activists as extreme).  As someone who loves animals and wants them treated humanely (but also enjoys a chicken sandwich and some BBQ), I appreciated the balance in this episode.  The point was made in an educational way and not anvilously dropped onto our heads or preached from a Hollywood pulpit.  I also liked the dynamic it created between Brennan and Angela with Angela taking the more sensitive, save-the-animals approach and Brennan the more "they're just chickens" one (ironic because, in real life, star Emily Deschanel is an animal rights supporter).  Loved the way Brennan (on Sweets's advice) let Angela "have this one" at the end.  Rational or not.  Of course, none of that chicken debate mattered because the victim wasn't killed over animal rights, but rather, gas money.

When we last left off, I had hypothesized that the writers couldn't realistically move forward without Brennan and Booth being a bit changed by their shared moment at the opening of her exhibit.  And from the looks of things this week, this hypothesis seems to be proving true.  And speaking of "looks," there were a lot of them in this episode.

'Bones' News: Keepin' it in the Family

BIG BONES NEWS!! According to E! Online's Watch with Kristin, star Emily Deschanel's real-life little sis Zooey will be making a long-awaited guest appearance this season. The site caught up with co-star David Boreanez at Cirque du Soleil's Kooza Santa Monica premiere on Friday night and he gave them the official word.

'I do know that Emily's sister is going to be on the next episode, which is exciting,' he told us exclusively. 'I think she's going to play Emily's cousin. It's a whole relationship thing that's going on now with us and it continues to grow and grow and get crazy.'

Seriously, how awesome is it that the Deschanel sisters are going to share the screen on Bones?! Can't wait for this episode later this season.

Meanwhile, the older Deschanel was out in Hollywood over the weekend for a cause near and dear to her heart (she's a huge animal lover). She attended the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's ship unveiling. Here are a few photos courtesy of Emily Deschanel Fan:



More photos HERE. Bones returns next month with all new episodes.

Mummy Dearest

Progress was the buzz word this week. When it comes to Booth and Brennan's relationship, it always feels like one step forward and two steps back. Someone is never on the same page as the other, so any sort of feelings get suppressed and the duo moves on and continues to solve crimes and pretend that there is nothing between them other than a professional relationship. I thought the same was going to hold true this week when Booth refused to admit that he did, in fact, have a problem with Bones dating his boss's boss (and not the "because you'll talk about me" variety). He insisted that there was nothing between him and Bones even though his feelings for her were eating away at him as he counseled his boss's boss on dating her. And then he learned that Brennan had shared his egg story. Somehow that tiny egg managed to change everything because it led to a pivotal scene that led to the first real progress of the series (it was the kind that the show cannot ignore going forward without it sticking out like a sore thumb).

Brennan had thought that Booth's egg story was something he had shared with many people. As it turns out, he had only shared it with her and the fact that she shared it with someone else, kinda crushed him. And seeing him crushed, kinda crushed her. I think she realized for the first time that Booth has genuine feelings for her, and this realization allowed her to be a tad bit more free with her own feelings. In the final scene, she gave Booth a first look at her history-making discovery. Even more important, she didn't gloat about her accomplishment and was insistent that Booth is the one who changes history all of the time. She also agreed that things between them should stay between them.

But, the most telling moment of all involved no dialogue. It was just the two of them standing much closer than partners with a strictly professional relationship should be looking like one or both of them might lean in and kiss the other if the rest of the gang hadn't entered at that kismet moment. And then she straightened his bow tie and he brushed her hair off her shoulder and I swear the two of them were both completely aware of their feelings for each other for that one fleeting moment. I was so excited to see the promises of the premiere finally getting on a roll and then we got the bad news that the show is on hiatus until November (due to MLB playoff coverage). Let's hope the show picks up right where it left off.

And now, here's this week's edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly:

THE GOOD: No surprise here: that ending scene between Booth and Bones at her exhibit. By far, the closest they've purposely come.

THE BAD: Sweets asking Brennan to give Daisy another chance while she was at a crime scene trying to get to the mummified body. Baaaad timing!

THE UGLY: Wow! So many things to choose from this week, but I'm going to settle on the sawed off, exposed cranial cavity of the deceased doctor. This wasn't going to be this week's winner, but then they threw in that one little drop of gooey blood. Instant winner!

If you missed last night's episode ("A Night at the Bones Museum"), check it out for free at Hulu.com.

There Goes the Neighborhood

In this week's episode of "When Shows Collide:" Bones and Desperate Housewives. Fitting since both shows tend to be more of a satire of their respective genres rather than traditional examples. So, what happens when a show pokes fun of another show that pokes fun of its genre? Lots of funny parallels and a lot, and I mean A LOT, of dirty laundry. And of course, Booth and Bones were right there in the middle of it trying not to get dirty. As you would suspect, most of the residents of this little chunk of suburban bliss had motive to kill their green-conscious neighbor. Thus, more than one of them was on the hook for murder by the end of the hour. One was angry over an unfortunate incident involving his dog and a laxative, one was fed up with a $5000 phone line scheme and another was upset about a series of unfortunate affairs that truly kept things in the family. All of them were pushed to the brink over the hideous windmill in the victim's yard that drove down the property values. Just another beautiful day in the neighborhood.

The bigger part of this episode, though, had nothing to do with the dark side of suburbia. It was the little things in this one that added up to one big awesome-fest. It turns out, Arastoo (this week's featured intern in the revolving door position vacated by Zach a couple of seasons back) doesn't really have an Iranian accent. He was faking it to justify his devotion to Islam and to avoid the usual questions he faces as a Muslim. Once the cat was out of the bag, the questions commenced, but they quickly ceased and the Jeffersonian crew went back to business as usual. I LOVED the reaction from each of them when they discovered the truth.

Meanwhile, Parker got to spend some quality time with Angela, which led to an awkward conversation about his father's lack of a sex life. Booth became concerned about Parker's preoccupation with finding him a girlfriend, so Sweets suggested that he show Parker that he has healthy, normal relationships with women. Of course, he chose Brennan and she accepted. Over dinner at their diner, Parker managed to get a little truth out of Brennan and to reveal his true motive: he wants a pool (his friend's father started dating and that led to access to his new girlfriend's pool). Before that revelation, he asked Brennan why she doesn't date his father. Booth seemed just as eager as Parker to hear the answer. She replied that it would be "inappropriate" because they work together. Huh, so if they didn't work together, she'd give it a whirl? I'll take it. It's progress.

And now, here's this week's edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly:

THE GOOD: Sometimes it takes a child's perspective to inject a little honesty into the situation. It was nice to have Parker around in this one.

THE BAD: The victim! He was overly neighborly with too many of the women on his street, but the worst was learning that he was double dipping in the Sayles house!

THE UGLY: The body in the BBQ pit. Yum! Now that will ruin an appetite!

If you missed last night's episode ("The Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"), check it out for free at Hulu.com.