Bones Round Table: A Round of Applause

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Congratulations, Bones, on 200 episodes!

This week, TV Fanatic writers Mary Kate Venedam, Christine Orlando and Ashley Bissette Sumerel are joined by Bridget Lisewski from The TV Junkies for a discussion of Bones Season 10 Episode 10.

Won't you join them?

What do you think it is about this show that has kept it going for 200 episodes... and counting?

Mary Kate: I feel like it may be because there are two different shows in the one. The first half of Bones was the Booth and Brennan will they/won't they, and the second half has been what has happened since they've been together. When Booth and Brennan got together, it almost reinvigorated the series to appeal to new fans and keep the older ones.

Christine: Several reasons. The murder mystery is always entertaining for viewers. The characters are all unique and as a team they have great chemistry, plus they've all grown over time so there is always something new to explore. Finally, as a shipper, I'm drawn to a good love story. I almost stopped watching Bones altogether around season 5 when the romance stalled, but since Bones and Booth have gotten together I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Bridget: I think there’s so many reasons, but first and foremost, you have two incredible leads in David and Emily. They have great chemistry, and they were the first thing that attracted me to the show.

But it’s not just them. The whole cast is great, and outside the core cast there’s always been unique, fun, and interesting characters that come in and out of their lives, whether it be squinterns or others. The writers have found ways to keep things going, because they’ve let these characters naturally evolve. It’s great as fans that we’ve been there to see them all grow and become who they are today.

Ashley: For starters, we really never know what to expect for this show. Sometimes it is very serious, and other times (like for this episode), it is simply fun to watch. There have been plenty of surprises and shocking moments throughout the series, but it isn't overly dramatic all of the time.

And of course, there are the characters too. Booth and Brennan are amazing partners who still have their fundamental differences. More than that, they continue to grow and develop, and especially to learn from each other.

Why do you think Booth and Brennan were given these particular roles (jewel thief who steals for justice, detective battling sexism)?

Mary Kate: It kept the meaning why Booth does what he does. He was a jewel thief and gave money to men he served with, and he is an FBI agent because he wanted to wrong the things he did as a sniper. It's a similar goal, just different careers. Brennan was a detective because of her position as a female leading in the job, just as she is as a forensic anthropologist. It was a clever way to keep them true to character, but also change what they do to fit the Hitchcock theme.

Christine: Exactly, Mary Kate. Booth was still looking for justice in his own unique way. Brennan was still amazing at her job but a bit misunderstood because of the sexism of the times. They were still the characters we loved, just thrown into this unique and very entertaining setting.

Bridget: I think both roles, at their core, were part of who Booth and Brennan are today. Booth still had that moral compass where he was fighting for justice and trying to right the wrongs he’s seen committed, very similar to why he works at the FBI today. Brennan battling sexism is also very similar to her fighting to be one of the top scientists in forensic anthropology. They were little twists, but at the end of the day, each character had the same morals and traits we know in them today.

Ashley: I agree with all of you. I think these roles were the perfect way to take the same characters and place them in an earlier decade.

Stephen Nathan commented that this episode would be a "classic examination of the show and of the romantic nature of the show." Did this episode achieve that? If so, how?

Mary Kate: I think so. With the exception of Cam's character, many of the main cast, Angela, Hodgins, Aubrey, and Squinterns, were true to their character's personas, just in a different time period and situation. I also liked how they included the relationship between Booth and Brennan and Angela and Hodgins.

Christine: Yes. Despite the different time both Booth and Brennan and Angela and Hodgins still had the chemistry we've come to love. This episode gave us the opportunity to watch as they met one another for the first time all over again.

Bridget: That was one of my favorite things about the episode, that we got to see Booth and Brennan fall in love all over again. It was a reminder to fans how far we’ve come from the early days of the show and it was fun to watch them flirt and banter back and forth again.

Ashley: Absolutely. This episode did a wonderful job of reminding us about the core of the show. We got to see Brennan and Booth fall for each other, but we also got to see the traits that make them so fundamentally different from one another. I also noticed references to past scenes of Bones, past dialogue, and so on. It was really fantastic.

Aside from Booth and Brennan, which re-imagined character was your favorite?

Mary Kate: Hodgins, no question. I liked everything about his re-imagined character, especially the hair. I liked how they made him the most eccentric of the characters and very true to the character.

Christine: I have to agree. Hodgins was wonderful in this. He was quirky but brilliant and more than willing to give Brennan the credit for coming up with an entirely new field of study. Plus, he still thought Angela was beautiful. How can you not love that?

Bridget: I agree with Mary Kate that Hodgins was pretty great. It’s hard for me to pick an overall favorite, though, because everyone in the cast did so well jumping feet first into this project. That’s another thing I loved about this concept; it was such a cool way to bring everyone back and have it all make sense. So I’ll say Hodgins if I had to pick, but really the whole cast deserves a round of applause.

Ashley: I think we are unanimous in choosing Hodgins as the favorite. I'll echo Bridget, though, on the whole cast. Even the smallest of roles were great to watch. All of the squinterns, Cam, Angela, Max, Aubrey. Even Pelant! Now that was a nice touch. Next to Hodgins, I'd say my favorite was actually Daisy. Her character was so different, and it was fun to see her in that new role.

We all have to share our favorite moments or quotes from this one. You can even choose more than one. Go!

Mary Kate: I liked the scenes with Hodgins and Clark in their lab-type office. They were the lighter moments of the episode. I also just liked the look of the episode, incorporating the look of Hitchcock movies in the sets and costumes. It was a fun episode to watch even just for that.

Christine: I love old movies so I was enamored by this episode from the opening credits. I also loved how Sarge could look at Booth and Brennan and know that they were meant for one another. And then of course there was Booth telling Brennan, "We haven't kissed yet. That doesn't seem like justice to me." The entire episode made me smile.

Bridget: I have so many favorite moments. The whole thing was so great, right from the opening narration that pulled you into the time period and then the opening credits that immediately set the look, feel, and tone of how the episode was going to go down. It was all great. The entire Bones crew really should be commended on this one. As for favorite quotes, I had quite a few, but given that I watch way too much television, I couldn’t help but love:

Brennan: Don't you have faith in science?
Booth: Of course I do, Darling. Without science, we wouldn't have television. And I'm definitely getting one of those.
Brennan: I told you not to call me Darling.

I also enjoyed seeing Booth in his little apron serving up morning coffee. Angela’s right, “Booth is a dreamboat I’d like to take a sail on!”

Ashley: The opening credits may have been my favorite overall, but I also really enjoyed the beginning of the episode when Brennan was following Booth. He was taunting her in this whimsical sort of way that was fun to watch. And the music that went along with it was perfect.

The driving scenes were wonderful, as well. The banter between Booth and Brennan as they drove along was perfect, the arguments about who would drive reminded us of a running joke in the series, and most of all-- they were stunning to watch!

What about you, Bones Fanatics? What were your favorite moments from this episode, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

And remember, you can also watch Bones online anytime via TV Fanatic.

Ashley Bissette Sumerel was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in September 2017. Follow her on Twitter and on Google+.

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Bones Season 10 Episode 10 Quotes

This is not time to play with dinosaurs, Darlin', Let's skiddattle.

Booth

Brennan: Which is why I have a proposition for you.
Booth: Please, Darlin', you're gonna make me blush.