Bones Review: Welcome Home...
This week the Jeffersonian team was charged with uncovering the identity of a Jane Doe who could neither hear nor speak in "The Signs in the Silence." The episode signaled a strong and welcomed return from many weeks of static and predictable storytelling to deliver a heartfelt and engaging hour of television.
Nothing makes me more pleased than to see Bones returning to their roots and investigating their characters, their motivations and their relationship to the world around them.
This episode certainly did so, and was reminiscent of "The Doctor in the Photo" in it's depth and the hint of drama that permeated the search for Jane Doe's identity.
What really brought this episode home was Brennan's willingness to go with the idea of a stuffed animal as a gift to Angela and Hodgins unborn child.
It was only at the beginning of the episode that she scoffed at the idea. It demonstrated how the presence of something seemingly inconsequential can mean the world to a child, from a person who typically disregards the sentimental as irrational.
It was no doubt a result of the case and the impact it had on Brennan. It really humanized her in a way that we haven't really been seeing in a while.
Furthermore, there were two instances in this episode in which Brennan took issue with people assuming she was cold or unfeeling, and she was honest about it. Brennan rarely makes a point to correct others assumptions about her behaviors or what they are implying. I was proud of her.
Also, Booth's admission that he was displeased with his handling of the abusive father brought back Booth's troubled childhood. It seemed that Amy's/Samantha's situation spoke to them both on some level, which may be somewhat of a foreshadowing of the return to closeness that has slowly redeveloped in these last few episodes.
The content of the episode overall was excellent.
The use of a girl who could neither verbally communicate with them nor hear them added a very sobering and serious tone, which was amplified by the discovery of abuse. I was heartbroken to see the x-rays that clearly showed the pain the young girl had been put through. What's even more sad is that this clearly isn't something that's unheard of in the real world. That thought alone was sobering for me.
In the end, though, the young girl was returned to her birth parents, who appeared with the stuffed bunny from her youth in hand, ready to welcome her home.
On the Hodgela front, have to give props to TJ Thyne and his labor pains freakout. I have never heard so many hilarious variations on the phrase "Where are my keys?!" He's going to make such a great dad. Can't wait to see him in action.
This was thought provoking and engaging television that was delivered tonight through "The Signs in the Silence." So there's only one real thing to say to the show that I have continued to hold out for episode after episode:
Welcome home, Bones.
C. Charles is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.
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August 7th, 2011 11:12 PM
I love the show.As much now as ever.
Rank: Extra
May 8th, 2011 11:39 PM
That ep was actually really good, Bones is kinda getting a little draggy, they should hotten up the chemistry between Booth and Bones b4 they start loosing viewers.
Rank: Extra
May 8th, 2011 7:57 PM
This has been the best episode in this season by far! Emily gave a great performance and the overall plot was really heart feltand moving! cant wait for the next epp!
May 8th, 2011 12:35 PM
I do like bones but sometimes i wish the writers did something more.................. EXCITING
May 8th, 2011 5:11 AM
If you didn't know any better this episode might have happened in the 3rd season for all anyone could tell. Great story line and it was so refreshing after this lousy season.
May 7th, 2011 8:16 AM
I actually didn't watch this episode when it aired because I had given up. I just watched it on Hulu and it definitely felt like "Bones" again. I haven't been engaged for the whole show in a while and this one did the trick. It was interesting and full of heart and made me remember why I like these characters so much. I thought recently Brennan felt a little too goofy but this was the Brennan I know and love. Yay!!
May 7th, 2011 7:45 AM
We're back, Baby! I abolutely loved this episode -- great case and character development, espcially for Brennan. Those impervious wall are really starting to crack and Booth hitting the abusive father/husband was brilliant as it showed us that repressed rage that he carries with him from his abusive childhood. When Brennan was defending herself to Aristoo when he was questioning her objectivity on the case one could see that Brennan is not as uncaring and cold as one would first think. Her determination to find out what happened to Jane Doe makes Brennan in a league of her own as a forensic anthropologist. Where most people would be unable to reach into a young deaf mute and communicate despite the girl's mistrust after years of abuse Brennan manages to do so. The reunion of Samantha with her birth parents and the stuffed rabbit was very emotional. This is probably one of the best episodes of Bones, not only of season 6 (which was disappointing for the first half (absolutely hated Hann
May 6th, 2011 8:48 PM
Yeah! This IS Bones!
Rank: Extra
May 6th, 2011 1:52 PM
Absolutely stunning episode! I laughed at Hodgins' baby panic, and I cried when the girl was returned to her family. Really excellent personal development for Booth and Brennan. Great stuff!
Is it next Thursday yet? I cannot wait to see who gets killed by the sniper (please don't be Caroline, please don't be Caroline!)
May 6th, 2011 1:30 PM
Bones won back my heart (and my Thursday night t.v. viewing) last night. Great writing, wonderful story. I laughed (TJ Thyne was hysterical) and cried like a baby. Excellent!