Bones

Booth nearly had "The Killer in the Crosshairs," but ultimately came away empty-handed last night in the second installment of Bones' ongoing sniper story arc.

While this week's perpetrator, who we first met back in January, got away and left this chapter open, Booth and Bones began a new one ... which is basically their old one.

Beginning with the jogging scene at the beginning, B-squared is back to their old rapport of crime-solving, acting all cute and debating deeper philosophical issues.

Booth didn't get his man, but the episode had us hooked.

Is there such a thing as a just sniper? Is Booth so different from Dexter or his nemesis Jacob Broadsky? Brennan put this out there more than once, and Seeley struggled.

At times it felt like we were being hit over the head with it - Broadsky BAD, Booth GOOD - but David Boreanaz displays Booth's internal conflict with just the right nuance.

Also delivering an understated, strong performance? Arnold Vosloo. The actor playing the evil Booth counterpart is intimidating and mysterious because he doesn't overact.

Whether he's listening to country tunes in preparation for the kill or confronting Booth face-to-face, Broadsky has an ice-cold calmness to him. Even Booth is a bit spooked.

This week's Broadsky victim is a man in witness protection who - like the Gravedigger - the gunman himself sought out, contacting his former drug lord to suggest the hit.

Convenient when that happens, isn't it?

Booth realizes that in both cases, their locations were classified and a U.S. Marshall whose life Broadsky saved overseas is the leak with which he's getting his information.

After Booth calls her out on this, she commits suicide shortly thereafter. That's sure to do wonders for Booth's already fragile psyche, which Brennan has rattled a little.

This isn't just about upholding the law for Booth. It's about proving to himself that what he thought of as a noble profession can still be one, and punishing his adversary.

When he learns the sniper's next target will be in a courthouse bathroom, he's determined to put a stop Broadsky's perverse sense of vigilante justice once and for all.

If only he didn't get the wrong bathroom.

This case is testing Booth's resolve in more ways than one.

After coming up short, he's reassured by Brennan that he and Broadsky aren't the same because they have the same training. Perhaps that's just what he needed to hear.

Overall, it was a solid episode full of action, underlying themes that made you think, terrific acting by Boreanaz and a healthy dose of old school Brennan-Booth interacting.

With she-who-must-not-be-named out of the picture, it was nice just to watch them joke around, but also broach more serious topics as well. Like nothing ever changed.

We're already looking forward to the sniper's return. Will Booth ultimately get his man? Do you think it will tie in with the introduction of The Locator later this season?

Elsewhere ...

• Angela's dad is hilarious. While we were slightly annoyed he made us wait to actually reveal the ultimate baby name, and that she didn't ask, it was worth it.
• Staccato Mamba. Somehow, coming from Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, we can kinda see it. Maybe Hodgins will come around, lest he end up in an alley again ...
• We have a request, Mr. Montenegro. Take Sweets and Hodgins next time.
• Momentarily, it looked as if Caroline could be the target, and one of the Bones characters rumored to be killed by the sniper this spring. But it was not to be. Yet.
• How delightfully creepy was the opening montage of Broadsky's pre-"work" routine and the time lapse of the rats devouring the victim, set to twangy country?
• Cam's haircut is ... interesting. We think we're on board.

What did you think of last night's Bones? Discuss!