Bones Review: Doppelganger Hijinks

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Maybe the mayor of New York City had a little more in mind than the city's health when he banned super-sized sodas. If there's one thing I know for sure after tonight's episode of Bones, it's that I'll never look at a Big Gulp the same way again.

"The Gunk in the Garage" gave Booth and Brennan a break from the heaviness their relationship has experienced over the past two weeks and provided the show's remaining ensemble with a chance to shine.

Sweets in the Field

The episode opened with a funny scene between Booth and Brennan wherein Brennan tried to sweet talk Booth into an overly expensive baby stroller. She made the sad eyes at him as he lamented the stroller's cost and remarked that she never had this power over him before Christine.

After having declared that all baby-related expenses be split down the middle, despite Brennan's ability to pay for everything herself, Booth, at Caroline's behest, took on the task of creating a budget presentation for the FBI's audit team. This was clearly not his forte, as he threatened and then threatened some more.

If his presentation goes well, he'll have a greater chance at earning a promotion, but that promotion will take him out of the field and put him behind a desk. We all know that's not the place for Seely Booth, but that doesn't mean he can't try.

Because of Booth's preoccupation, Dr. Lance Sweets, the baby-faced shrink we've all come to know and love, took the lead on the case. His partner for the duration was Special Agent Olivia Starling. She's not a fan of his soft science and he's not a fan of her brash attitude.

The case was a fairly interesting one.

A man is blown up in a parking garage. When Sweets and Starling delivered the news to the man's wife, the man himself showed up. Surprise! He had a twin he never knew about and the wrong man was murdered.

This type of case put the focus on Sweets and, despite the title, shifted the emphasis away from the sexy science at the Jeffersonian. I mean, of course Hodgins blew something up. He's Hodgins. And Angela used her fancy computer to do some fancy computing. But Sweets was the star of this installment.

Using his psychological knowledge, he discovered that the dead man and his living twin had eerily similar lives and he used those similarities to determine not only the dead man's identity, but also the wife's motive for wanting her husband dead, all while winning Starling's approval.

Sweets is good at what he does. Starling? She'll get there.

Just moments before his presentation, Booth learned that the killer was planning to go after the living twin and dropped his audit report into Cam's lap to rush out and save the day. Desk work is not his cup of tea.

Booth, Sweets and Starling saved the day, but not before Starling had a chance to shoot Sweets. No worry. It's only a flesh wound!

Sweets told Starling that he's a taken man to which she replied she's known that much already. And then she kissed him. And it was strange.

I don't particularly like feeling like I'm being manipulated into rooting for a couple when no basis for a relationship has really been formed, but I think I was supposed to want Starling and Sweets to be together. Maybe? I'm not sure.

Overall, while it didn't do much in the way of advancing any seasonal story arcs, tonight was a fun episode. Booth and Brennan got to be happy. Angela and Hodgins got to be awesome. We got a healthy dose of Caroline and Sweets got to be the hero.

What did you think of "The Gunk in the Garage?"

The Gunk in the Garage Review

Editor Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.4 / 5.0 (137 Votes)

Miranda Wicker was a Staff Writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in 2017. Follow her on Twitter.

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Bones Season 8 Episode 3 Quotes

Hodgins: I've loved combustion variables ever since I blew up the multipurpose room for my middle school science fair project. First time I made it onto a watch list.
Cam: Yeah, that's a lot less creepy.

Booth: Don't do that. Not that look. Please. Don't give me the sad eyes.
Brennan: Please?
Booth: Ah, come on! No, I'm not looking. I'm driving.
Brennan: Come on.
Booth: Oh, you were never able to do this look before the baby! What did the baby do to you?