The Baby in the Bough

They are driving and Bones tells Booth she is thinking about opening an account in the Cayman Islands. Booth wonders how loaded is she? She is offended by the phrasing, but says she just got a 7 figure advance.

He wants to know what the first number in those seven figures is. She says, it's a prime number but won't specify and asks what he does with his money. He says he uses his money for food and rent.

At the crime scene, someone asks him if he's agent Booth and he says, "Special Agent Booth." They are picky about those specials, aren't they?

Talking to the first responders at the scene, Booth begins with, "this is my partner" and she says she can introduce herself. Three years in and she just decided to get touchy about being introduced?

They are at the site of a car crash. There's a dead driver and a baby in a tree. Booth hears and recognizes its cry first. Bones thought it might have been a cat.

Booth tells Bones to cuddle the baby. She says just because she has breasts doesn't mean she has magical powers over infants. She says that he is the one with a son, anyway.

As Booth is trying to change the diaper, an awkward Bones puts the key they found in the diaper bag down next to the baby and the baby supposedly swallows it. They say they have to keep the baby, until the key passes through its body. So, Booth tells her to get used to the baby, because he will be with them awhile, as they must preserve the chain of evidence. They don't even mention the hazards to the baby of having a key in his digestive system, much less explain how he managed to swallow the thing without choking. It apparently went down as smooth as Pedialyte. Ridiculous.

The lab crew is taken by the baby, although a brusque Brennan tells then to get back to work [obviously, she is going to soften towards the baby by the end of the show and be all cooey and cuddly with it; you can see that coming from a mile away -- but she didn't get as sappy about it as I expected]. They say that Brennan is the official guardian of the baby while he's in their care because she's registered as a foster parent. She did it for Russ, so she could take care of his stepdaughters if anything happened to him and his girlfriend. Has he ever thought of getting married to the woman, if he's going to make his family obligated to those kids?

Angela tells Jack she wants about a million babies. He says, "Cool."

They hear the baby crying on the monitor and Brennan says she'd figured that Booth would go, since he's "the baby daddy." That is, he has prior experience. Bones had just told Angela that she would go sit with the baby in her office, since he is her charge, so I'm not sure why she didn't actually go to the office, rather than stop to gab with Jack as they heard the baby crying and then tell Booth to go.

When they are looking at Angela's rendering of the child's mother, the baby seems to react to it. Booth says, "he misses his mother. He's sad." That's why he was crying. This seems to move Brennan and she reaches for the tot.

They drive to the city where the mother lived. It's been half abandoned due to natural disasters and a poor economy, The baby is in the back seat. Brennan frets that no one filed a report for the baby. No one is worried about him. Booth says, "well, you are." I can see that they will begin to think that Brennan might have to take the baby permanently and just when she cottons to that idea, then a loving relative will show up for the tyke and she will be sad, experiencing a sense of loss for something she didn't even know she wanted. You can see this plot coming from a mile away. [Well, that didn't actually happen. She wasn't going to let the baby go into foster care because, she said, his medical needs were too great, but they didn't get to the point of her considering keeping him permanently].

Interviewing a homeowner, they immediately find someone who recognizes the baby, whose actual name is Andy. Meg Taylor is the mother.

Neighbors haven't seen the baby's father in a long time. They find the couple who babysat for Meg. Prediction: the woman killed Meg so she could have the baby for herself. [I was wrong]. On the other hand, they might just have the woman there so the baby can go to a loving home at the end of the day. [I was right}.

At the lab, looking at the baby's feces, Zack thinks he might be on epileptic medicine. Booth snaps, "don't say that. He's going to be just fine." Epilepsy is not a death sentence. Why did they have Booth react that way? I mean, no one wants a baby to be an epileptic, but it is a treatable condition and Booth didn't have to freak out at the thought.

They get to the trailer where Meg lived. The door is open and Booth tells Bones to stay in the car and to drive away if she hears gun fire. She wouldn't do that normally, but he tells her there's a baby involved that she has to protect. She says, "I'm not leaving you here." He says it's about the baby not him. Promise him she'll drive away. She pauses and reluctantly promises. Well, I'm glad she was so loathe to leave Booth, but hope she wouldn't really keep that promise, if push came to shove.

There's a guy riffling through things in the trailer and Booth cuffs him. Turns out it's the baby's father.

Cam talks to Angela about having kids and says, "it't not worth giving up this body for that." Well, she does have a nice, tight thin body. We see the curves as she sashays away.

Brennan gives the baby a charm to play with, which I think is stupid, but Booth points it out too, asking what's wrong with her and telling her that the baby has already swallowed a key. She says she is watching him. But why watch him play with something that he can put in his mouth and choke to death on?? Why assume you can fish it out before it's down his windpipe? When the charm was on a chain around her neck, she told the kid not to touch it, but then she disconnects the charm (about the size of a half dollar) from the chain and hands it to him. He was safer when it was around her neck! What a nut.

When she discusses the baby's breast milk, Booth is uncomfortable. Really? Over the word breast? Even for a single man, that's no big thing and she asks if Rebecca breast fed and he said he's not discussing it. She wonders if he'd rather she used the word "teat."

When the key comes out in Andy's diaper, Booth prepares to take him to family services, but Bones objects. The baby has a medical condition and she doesn't want him cared for in an underfunded, understaffed facility. She's been in Andy's situation and she's not turning him over until she's satisfied he's somewhere safe where he will get the care he deserves. I predict that she will give the couple who babysat Andy money to care for him -- provided the wife is not the murderer. If the baby hadn't had health needs, I wonder what excuse she would have given not to turn him over to child services.

Cam comes in when they are fighting over who talks the most baby talk. I wonder if they looked domestic to her. In Brennan's defense, we never hear her talking gibberish to the baby. Booth just claims that she was doing it, when she wasn't.

Now Bones is calling her congressman to develop the city where Andy is from so that it will be back on the scenic highway route and the people there will have jobs based on the tourist trade. So, I guess she's going to do more with her money than just help the babysitters. She's going to help the whole town.

One of the guys at the tire plant where Meg worked was the killer. Meg knew he was embezzling, so he killed her. He said he needed the money for his family and you do what you have to. Brennan grabs him by the collar angrily and says that there was a baby in that car, "you SOB."

The baby had rickets, not epilepsy and will be fine. Booth, apparently terrified of epilepsy, is relieved. There's a letter from Meg to the babysitter. Meg wanted the baby to go to that couple, the Grants, if anything happened to her.

Booth says, "it looks like our little guy will be fine." Bones stares at him and he revises, "THE little guy." Bones says: "Andy." They felt like parents together with Andy. An omen of things to come.

Bones gives the baby to the Grants with tears in her eyes. Booth looks down, moved as well.

Talking to Booth later she says she's not ashamed to say she developed a certain affection for Andy. It's a byproduct of caregiving. He wonders if she changed her mind about having kids. She says, "Booth!" Not eager to answer.

He says that's ok. She has some time. Then adds, "Not THAT much time." She exclaims again and knocks coffee all over him, when she tries to jab him. She says, "look what you did." He says she is the one who hit him. How did he do it?

She tells him that she's rebuilding the bridge in Huntsville and hired the babysitter, Carol Grant as the project manager. It's a fortune, but she can afford it with her advance and selling the movie rights to her book.

Actually, they mentioned the Alaska "bridge to nowhere" in this show, but that bridge could have put Alaskans to work and developed the state making it more accessible to non-residents as well, just like the bridge that Bones is going to build will. So, I don't think that the bridge to Alaska should be considered as much of a joke as the world (or US media) has made it.

Booth says that towns live and die like organisms and sometimes we should just let them go.

Bones: And sometimes all it takes is one thing -- like a bridge -- for a town to start recovering.

When it's on the scenic route again, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and gas stations can reopen. He is proud of her, says "good for you" and smiles.

But he says, since she has no kids, there is no one to be proud of her (even though he clearly is). She says, "I don't do it for that."

He tells her for her next book she should buy a home in the city. Because Andy will miss her and they can come to visit. They could all go fishing and then all go home hmmm, his home too) and plop themselves in front of the 103 inch screen she will buy. Heaven. Football! He enthuses. [Glad he sees himself vacationing with her.]

He says she can make a 5 layer dip for the game She corrects that it's seven layers. How would she know that? How many Superbowls has she gone to? How many dips has she prepared?

He says seven is perfect and she can talk to Andy and he starts to mimic the way (he claims) she was talking to Andy. Goo goo, gah gah type words. She sticks a pacifier in his mouth to shut him up. He sucks.

____________

Reading DB's twitter, I have been spoiled enough to know that Booth and Bones get together. Someone claimed that they are the only couple on tv who were even better when they paired romantically than they were before. So, the inevitable seems to have happened in 2012. I don't mind this result. I like the domestic byplay between them already. They are good and funny. However, they don't have this eternal passion, burning, yearning, like people like to imagine that Mulder/Scully, Buffy/Angel and even Edward/Bella have. Bones and Booth live in the real world (sort of) not the paranormal one and maybe their relationship is that much more special because it's closer to real life. Although the trust that Mulder and Scully enjoyed was very real too, even if their alien abduction problems weren't. Anyway, I am happy with them being together, but not so anxious to watch it happen that I want to speed through to the current episodes like I sped through Buffy just to see the last (ccokieless and disappointing) scenes between Buffy and Angel. I'm ok with them, but I stand to be more upset than pleased if they start to have unnatural conflicts designed to keep them apart artificially and ruining what has been built up between the characters with petty jealousies, misunderstanding and accusations. I'd rather couples not get together at all, if they have to hurt each other in ways that betray their history, just so the writers can ratchet up and prolong viewer anticipation for the eventual union.

Player Under Pressure

ORIGINAL VERSION

Good show. The best of this dismal season so far. Written by Janet Tamaro.

[This show is aired out of sequence. Apparently, it's from last season. I only finally surmised this after watching 40 minutes of it, because of Jack constantly talking about Angela marrying him and Bones not knowing Booth was a jock. I guess the aired version of the show takes out the parts where they talk about things that have already happened in prior episodes. When I loaded the DVD, I saw that there were two versions of the episode to choose for viewing. I thought maybe there was just an "aired" version because of all of the erection talk in the show and suspected it had to be edited out for censors. But now I realize, it probably had to be changed because it was written a year ago. I wondered last year why Jack had apparently proposed to Angela offscreen. Now, I know that he didn't. Funny to discover things as a lone viewer that are already legend, lore and fodder for trivia games among show fans. After watching the whole thing, I read the show was pulled out of last seasons schedule, because of the Virginia Tech shooting, but there was no shooting on this show and I dont' think just because it was set on a campus it should have been yanked. It contains no similarities to the real life crime.]

[My original thoughts upon seeing the episode for the first time, not realizing it was actually an episode from the prior season]

Booth and Bones investigate at a University campus. In the gym, Booth says the last time he was behind the bleachers was when he was a student trying to sneak a cigarette and make out. Bones is surprised that he once smoked. He says he was a jock and she asks, "You were a jock?" Um, yeah. He said it at least 50 times in the time capsule ("you were that guy") episode.

They find a decomposed body, which was pushed through a grate, chewing it up. Bones figures an alcoholic passed out near the heater and his body practically melted, plus rats got to him. Please, there's no way a body decomposes that much in a few days, no matter what the heat or rodent conditions are in a school.

The security guard, Cutler, turns out to be a former athlete who was drafted by the Detroit Pistons. The decedent, RJ Manning, was 20 years old and had a necklace with a #11 medallion on it. Seeing that after just hearing about the Pistons reminds me of Isiah Thomas. Strange to give him the last name Manning, especially since, like Danny, he was going to be the top draft pick. And was a power forward like Manning.

Manning was killed by multiple blows to the head.

At the lab, Zach asks when Angela is going to move in with Jack and he says he doesn't think she will. I'm surprised. I remember her not moving in before, but after that they not only got engaged but tried to walk down the aisle, so I thought living quarters had been resolved long ago, especially since they were talking about making "family" Christmas traditions in the holiday episode. Whose house did they do that at, if they aren't roomies?

At the school gym, Booth is showing Bones how to play basketball, while she's lecturing him about how society puts too much emphasis on sports. I bet she'll get a basket without even trying [she did and smiled at her success.] Bones says that athletes suffer from arrested development, acting out childish games as if they have adult importance. Booth says that he was a jock, so when she criticizes the mentality, what is she saying about him? She says he grew out of it. He says he didn't. He only stopped because his shoulder went out. He leaves by saying he was in a war, so if sports is a childish substitute, he can live with that.

Outside, while talking to the other forward who will replace Manning in the lineup now, Booth says he's still mad at her. The replacement forward's girlfriend, Celeste, takes offense to Bones' questioning and immediately says she does not like Bones.


All the students defer to Mr. Francis, the team advisor who seems to have a finger in every pie associated with the team and their families.

Hodgins asks Cam why Angela won't move in. She tries to talk about the case, instead of answering his questions, studiously ignoring him. She concludes that Manning was on steroids. Jack says that they'll get married and Cam is stunned into paying attention and answering him directly. I don't understand. They already did that. Angela knows it's a permanent commitment and is waiting for her divorce to come through. Why are we re-treading the territory. Are they that anxious to have a wedding take place during another sweeps period? Cam says she doesn't give advice (she does, sometimes) but that she doesn't think that Angela would go for the orthodox proposal. Hodgins thinks that's a good point. He's already proposed to her about 3 times and she accepted in the end. Why are the writers acting like they have amnesia?

None of the other players have steroids in their system and it doesn't look like something that Manning would do, since the coach has zero tolerance for it. This is discovered after Booth tried to get a confession out of him by saying he knows that the Coach might look the other way, to have a successful team and further his own career. The Coach surprised Booth by revealing that he has terminal cancer from steroid use, so no, he wouldn't encourage his boys to do that. Booth was barking up the wrong tree, except one player did use steroids (he faked the urine sample). And it turns out Francis was his supplier.

Angela says no to Hodgins. I don't understand. Why won't someone on the show point out that they already tried to wed and that she's married already. Was that all a dream?

Bones talks to the security guard and asks him was being an ex-jock worth it. The injury to his body. The strain on his relationships. Booth comes in and guesses the guard would do it all again. Bones shakes her head, critically. Jocks understand each other, she says, but their priorities are askew. Some would say that hers are too and that she makes sacrifices for her job which are ultimately hurtful as well.

Turns out Francis signed RJ, still a student, to an illegal representation deal, to share in the proceeds when RJ went pro. In the meantime, he set RJ's family up with money, cars, etc. We know Francis can't be the guilty one, this early on in the show. Booth has bonded with the security guard. They even interrogated Francis together. I bet the guard is the killer [I was correct].

Manning was killed while having oral sex. There was blue lipstick on his penis and RJ also had gonorrhea. They go to find the other athlete with gonorrhea to see who it was that both he and Manning slept with. Who wore blue lipstick? They find pre-seminal fluid in RJ's system and Bones says that a post-adolescent male has 11 erections a day. Good to know.

When the show started, the student-employee who smelled a foul odor from the bleachers was a punk rocker with heavy make up. Why don't Bones and Booth remember that? She should jump to their mind immediately as having blue lipstick.

In the locker room, Bones asks if Booth is still mad at her for saying he's emotionally stunted. If anyone is stunted, it's her. So, yeah I'd still be mad.

They're in the shower and Bones is talking to naked ball players. Booth told her she could wait outside, but she ignored that. When would FBI protocol even allow this to happen, much less the University?? It's as unlikely as Booth going into a girls locker room to talk to naked female suspects.

The guy with gonorrhea asks if they think he had sex with RJ, who had it too. They hadn't thought of that before and looked at each other before Booth says, "I don't know. Did you?" No. The guy said he can't discuss sexual topics with her looking at him, because she's hot and he's naked. Booth tells her to go stand around the corner. Why should she, Bones wants to know, "because he's shy!?" The boy says, "Maybe you didn't notice, but I got no reason to be shy."

Booth tells her the boy can't concentrate so she must cover her eyes or stand aside. Eye covering doesn't work for her (well for the student either, because the boy can still see her and still be distracted), so she goes to another room. The boy tells Booth that Bones is "smokin'". Well, I wouldn't say all of that. She looks ok and could reasonably arouse a 20 year old guy who is already naked in the shower.

The guy says there are basketball groupies and he and RJ easily could have had sex with the same girl. He doesn't know who it might be.

Well, upon further reflection, he remembers that the one girl he didn't wear a condom with was his poly-sci tutor and he doesn't think that RJ "tapped that" because, he whispers, the girl was not hot. Enraged, Bones peeks up from over the row of lockers and questions the fact that all of the people he had sex with the only one he's ashamed of is a "not hot" girl!

Bones looks up at the top of the lockers: "What are you doing?"

The poly-sci student is the punk, pierced girl from the first scenes, proving I'm a better detective than either of them. RJ gave the STD to her and then he wouldn't talk to her, so she gave it to Decker for revenge, to let RJ know she was still alive. Well, why would RJ care that she was sleeping with someone else and how would he know that Decker had the SDT anyway. You gave your disease to someone else? I don't think that's the kind of thing that makes a guy jealous, if he finds out. They ask the girl for her DNA, because the woman who was with RJ when he died may have seen the killer. She throws her used kleenex and her hair at them and says, "knock yourself out."

The DNA is not hers. But many of the cheerleaders wore blue lipstick. It matched their team uniforms. RJ's girlfriend was a cheerleader, but she wasn't with him that night. She said he liked all kinds of girls, but she's just one kind. "The permanent kind."

Bones asks if the girl planned to live like that, with a philanderer. The girlfriend said that RJ came home to her. "That's the way it would have stayed," from his crummy little apartment to the mansion he would have gotten. Bones wonders if she's crying because she loved RJ or because she lost her mansion. Booth mouths, "the mansion."

Bones tells Zach that the girl made the decision to hold on to him by letting him have sex with anyone he wanted. Zach says that the idea that one person could satisfy all needs of another --- or even more than one need -- is sentimental and mawkish. Well, Bones has said in the past that people weren't meant to be monogamous. She wouldn't put up with it in exchange for a mansion, but in the past she has indicated that infidelity was to be expected.

We learn that the security guard's daughter was the cheerleader with RJ. Someone also spat at RJ, as there was a residue of saliva near the body. Her dad did that, I'm sure, when he found them together. Celeste is holding hands with her boyfriend during the interrogation, but the boyfriend pulls away, when he hears about the oral sex she gave to RJ. Bones and Booth thought the boyfriend was the person who spit at RJ. They didn't even consider that it might have been the father. Again, I'm a better detective.

Once they get to the gym, the guard confesses even before Booth and Bones can ask a question. He came in on Manning and his daughter. It killed him to see his daughter doing that. It also sounds as if he was jealous of RJ for being the "Magic Boy" and also mad because RJ had an STD and knew that when he took the daughter underneath the bleachers.

Guard pulls out a gun. Booth tells Bones he needs her to leave, NOW. She doesn't move and guard says it's not them he intends to shoot.

Booth tells the guy not to go down without a fight. Bones says, "What are you doing? You WANT him to shoot you?" He tells her to go. Surprisingly, she does.

The guard says he was just like RJ once, under the same bleachers in fact. He tells Booth he wouldn't understand. Booth says they were all like that. Guard says when you have a daughter, it's a different perspective. Booth tells him people will understand. Booth says he understands and recites guard's basketball stats.

"No one changed directions on the open court like you. Do it now. Just change direction again." Booth is intense, focusing on talking the guard down. DB is very good in the scene. Guard informs him that he, Cutler, died a long time ago. "I'm just putting him away." Oh-oh. So, did reminding him of his former greatness backfire? Just as he moved his arm and Booth thought he was lowering the gun, is the opposite going to happen? This is one of the times I should have been watching in real time for maximum tension, rather than pausing constantly. Even in releasing the pause button, I'm a little scared. I don't want to hear the gunshot go off and see Booth's reaction. Just as the suspense peaks, Bones appears from the other side of the bleachers and takes the gun out of Cutler's hand. I should have known that she didn't just walk away quietly, just like she didn't walk out of that locker room.

Booth nods to Cutler, moved and quiet, "All right." Emmy reel moment for DB.

Angela tells Hodgins she's not planning to break up with him, when he asks, if they're still together. He wants to know if he'd asked properly if she'd say yes. I have no patience for this, because they won't address the fact that she is married and DID say yes to him before. It's odd and maddening.

At the diner, Booth is still harping on the fact that Bones said adolescence was stunted for jocks. Bones says, "I never meant you." He says that he's one of those guys. She says, no he isn't.

"You don't play at being a warrior. You are a warrior. Every day you're definitely a fully developed man." He seems self-conscious, says ok and decides she should leave the tip.

Bones continues, even Cutler knew Booth was lying when he said he treated women like that under the bleachers too. Oh, did she believe Cutler? Bones said yes, because Booth still knew the first girl's name whom he took underneath the bleachers. He shifts in his seat and doesn't say anything. It's rather tender. She looks at him and takes the last sip from her malt. "Let's go," she says. He rises from the table, wearing a milk mustache.

The Man in the Mud

A couple takes a dip in a hot bubbling mud (sulphur) pond and finds a skeleton.  Booth and Bones show up to check it out.  She gets a tanker truck to suck up the mud and carry it back to the Jeffersonian.

They go to Sweets and discuss the case.  They talk about the couple going out for a romantic evening, getting naked, only to find those bones when the girl is poked in the "anus."  Bones says it twice and Booth says, "You really like that word, don't you?"

Instead of wanting to get involved in it like he did on previous cases, Sweets seems bored and asks if it would be fair to say they use work to avoid personal issues.  He asks if they ever discuss anything that's not about work.  Sweets says even when Bones and Booth discuss their relatives, it's because they came up during a case.  [Not really.  Booth discussed Parker even before he was nearly kidnapped.  And they have discussed each other's love lives as well.]

Sweets says they have an inability to discuss their personal lives.  That's obvious, he thinks.  Booth doesn't like Sweets' tone and says he doesn't respond well to snotty.  Bones says they have a drink after a case and Booth has pie, but she doesn't like pie.  It's too sweet.  Booth says she should give pie a chance [bet she'll have a slice at the end of the show, but I was wrong].

Bones says it's better when they discuss murder though.  Sweets wants them to have an evening out where the subject of work is verboten and tells them to come out for an evening with him and his girlfriend.  Why?  They are supposed to be FBI partners, not friends.  If the show wants to use him as a profiler that's fine, but I wish they would stop using the premise that Bones and Booth need therapy just to keep this guy around and to further a relationship via plot shortcuts because they are, obviously, too lazy to build through good writing.

Sweets says if the night out goes well, he'll sign a consent form and release them back into their environment [so you know it won't go well].  Booth:  What are we, brook trout?

Bones agrees to the outing.  Sweets asks if Booth thinks it's too much to prove.  Feeling that he's being given a challenge, Booth takes the dare and says ok.  He has nothing to prove.

Sweets' girlfriend works with tropical fish.  They will be meeting at their ceramics class.

Victim, Tripp, was a competitive motorcycle driver.  Booth says Angela and Bones wouldn't know him because they're "girls" and Angela says she doesn't like that comment and follows up by knowing all about the race the victim won two weeks ago.

They interview another driver, Danny, who brings his lawyer.  Booth takes pleasure in showing the guy footage of how Tripp cut him off during the last race.  He got mad at Tripp for dating his twin sister Phillippa and cheating on her.  The lawyer is nervous about the questioning and calls Booth a cowboy and Booths tells him not to sweat it, "Princess."

Booth tells Bones that Danny's not afraid of him at all. Don't know why he says it.  It's an interrogation gimmick to get a reaction from the suspect, but I don't know what reaction they're going for.  If it's good cop/bad cop thing, it's way too obvious and even the tone of their voices is teasing, rather than truly conversational.  Bones says why should Danny be afraid of Booth when he goes around the track at such fast speeds.  Danny says, "now her I like."  He asks if Bones wants to go out with him sometimes and Booth says she does not.  Bones says let her speak for herself.  Booth reminds her he's a murder suspect.

Zach says that the murder weapon was "sharper than round, but blunter than sharp."  Cam said that actually made sense to her and Angela says she and Zach have been spending way too much time together.  Not enough, really.  But, again, is this a clue that the writers are heading in that direction?

In Sweets' office when talk has come to a standstill, Booth says he hates sitting in silence, although he notes that Bones doesn't mind it. Bones said Booth gets bored, when no one is talking.  She says that Booth talks and talks during stake outs.  She said that Booth doesn't just talk about work at those times and Sweets says she's lying to protect her partner.  Sweets says the office should be a truth zone.

Booth says he doesn't want to go on a date.  Sweets says it's a social outing for the purpose of evaluation.  Not only won't it serve that purpose, but I'm inclined to think it's probably unethical to propose such an event.  Booth says he's not a ceramics guy.  He wants to climb a wall or bowl.
Sweets says that, of course, Booth wants to do something Booth is good at [no, why wouldn't he just want to do something he might enjoy].  Booth says he'd go to a movie or dinner.  Somewhere where he doesn't have to make something.  Sweets insists on ceramics.

Driver Danny is test driving his new cycle (the one Tripp used to own) in front of Bones and Booth and his family when it fails to decelerate on a turn and he crashes and burns.

They go to the ceramics class and are dressed like hippies (although Sweets and his girlfriend, April, are not).  Booth is wearing a kerchief.  Bones is enjoying making pottery.  Booth makes a horse and Bones praises it.  Meanwhile, April and Sweets argue, as she thinks he is patronizing.

Booth tells Sweets "your thing there is drooping," [his sculpture].  Booth is thrilled with his own horse sculpture.  Bones and Booth start throwing clay at each other and laughing, so Sweets throws some at April, who only gets madder.  [Since this went well for Booth and Bones, does this mean they will be released from therapy?].

In the car Booth says, "Sweets didn't get any last night."  Bones said they're too young to be in a serious relationship.  In the old agrarian days, early relationships were necessary for survival, but that's not needed today.  Booth says, "You can play the field and not plow it."

Bones says that was distasteful.  She says she likes April.  Booth:  "She talks to fish!  Ok.  I'm with Sweets one this one."

Danny's father signed over 10% of the family's energy drink company to Tripp, to get him to stay with the driving team, since he was the best driver, so that would be an incentive for Danny and his sister Phillippa and other jealous drivers to kill Tripp.

They start looking at each other up and down and smiling while discussing the case, which is reminiscent of Mulder and Scully standing in the doorway of Pusher's bathroom, discussing crime evidence, but looking as if they were doing a lot more, if you couldn't hear their conversation.  Of course, Bones and Booth were kind of joking at the time, saying that once you put a theory out there, you couldn't change it.  No changeys and take backs!  Mulder and Scully hadn't been joking or flirting.  They were just gazing rather appreciatively.

April comes to see Temp.  Amazing how people get into the Jeffersonian unannounced, when I know it's got tight security.  April said fish choose their mates based on color striations.  But if the color changes, then attraction does.  She says there's an age difference between her and Lance. He just turned 23 and she's almost 27. [ So, then why was Lance trying to be the one to counsel her during date night, instead of the other way around?]

"What's the age difference between you and Booth?"  Five years Bones says [real life 7], but she tells April they aren't dating -- or aren't colored fish. 

It looks like Phillipa is the murderer, but her lawyer says she has a twin brother (now dead) and juries hate DNA evidence and twins.  So stupid.  Fraternal twins don't have any more DNA in common than a regular brother and sister would.   The lawyer says Booth can't win, but he says he is still going to make the arrest, to let everyone know what Phillipa did, including her father.

Afterwards, Bones said she is ok with what Booth did in the interrogation room.  [What did he do?  Arrest Phillipa, even though they can't prove the case at trial?  Who is she to be ok with that or not?  It's his job. Furthermore, an expert can prove the difference between her DNA and her dead brother's despite what the lawyer said, if the case should come down to that.] She says she just likes it better when they can put the bad guy in jail.  Sweets comes in.  Earlier Sweets said he participated in a study and can tell when people are lying, but now Booth and Bones can detect that he is lying, when he pretends that he bumped into them by chance.

April dumped him, Booth guesses.  He's right.  This is like Detour when Mulder and Scully go off with the partners who love trust-building activities, while Mulder and Scully don't.  Of course, in the end, Mulder and Scully rely on each other and thrive, while the other partners fall apart, despite all of the training they've had at working together. Sweets couldn't teach Booth and Bones how to be partners.  Booth says that he and Bones are going bowling (they hadn't planned to; he just thought that up on the spot) and invite Sweets.  They assure Sweets they didn't think April was pretty anyway.  Booth says come on, let's go bowling.  A dejected Sweets declines, but Booth grabs him by the rolling chair he's sitting in and pulls him out the door.

I hope this means that they turned the tables on him and, as he promised, are no longer under his therapeutic care. 

The Santa in the Slush

It's another Bones Christmas show and can only be an improvement upon the last one I suffered through.

Two women dressed as elves are outside in the alley behind the mall. They find a body dressed in a Santa Claus suit in one of the sewer grates.

Meanwhile, Bones is visiting her father. He has a strand of large fat chains around his neck. They're the kind of chains that you use for your snow tires. He wonders why she doesn't ask why he's wearing them. She says it's because he's in jail. If she really thinks that prisons make the convicts wear chains like that, she should be before Congress right now, fighting for his civil rights.

He is wearing them because he is playing Marley in the Christmas play.

They both agree that the last good Christmas they had was 16 years ago when her mother was still alive and before the kids were abandoned. She remembers the Christmas she got a tool box. He said it was for Russ, but she took and Russ let her have it. It reminds me of a story that Ivanka Trump told about her brother getting a building construction set and she took it and built a replica of her father's skyscraper. Donald Trump remonstrated her for taking her brother's gift, but gave her tips on details she missed in the building.

Max says he would like to spend another Christmas with his family. Again she reminds him that he's in jail. So, is Russ and Mom is dead. She said she's going to Peru for the holiday to look at some bodies they found there. He says that skeletons and Christmas aren't a good mix. She insists that she's looking forward to it.

In the car with Booth, he observes that she has that sad little girl look she gets after seeing her father. She denies it. He tells her that Max can still spend Christmas with his family. They can use one of the conjugal visit trailers. She doesn't seem to latch on to this suggestion. What are his plans for Christmas? He says that he is thinking of driving a truck off a bridge, because Rebecca is taking Parker away to Vermont to spend Christmas with her boyfriend, Captain Fantastic (commands a Coast Guard cutter).

Booth says skeletons and Christmas do not mix, just like her father did. Are Booth and her father two of a kind? I'd hope not.

At the crime scene, Cam wonders why Booth is cynical at Christmas. He says no reason. Bones quickly tells Cam that Booth will be without Parker and Cam says "that sucks majorly."

At the lab, when Zach debunks all of the Santa myths and tells them that their victim can't really be Santa, Cam seems to want to believe it's so and that he is.

Brennan goes to see the horrible complaining Russ. When she tells him that the girls can see him in the trailer, he is mad, because he didn't tell them he was in jail.

Booth is asleep on the sofa in her office waiting for news from the squint about their crime. He asks about Russ and tells her that Christmas is about making the impossible happen. Oh, like him spending Christmas with Parker? Why is she rubbing that in? If he were brooding openly about it, that would be cause for her to address it. But he's not and she just keeps raising the subject.

They get an address for the Santa and they seem to be dressed more casually than usual as they walk along the street. He is in a coat and a sweater. She is in jeans and high boots and a knit cap. He pushes her, because it looks like she will be hit by a car. She says that she's sorry he can't spend Christmas with Parker. What! If she doesn't say that every 5 minutes do they think the audience is going to forget? Bones says that's not right for her to take the boy away at Christmas time when she knows how Parker feels about his dad.

The deceased lived above a toy store. And lived like he was almost a real Santa. They find he worked for a temp agency and head there to talk to the employees. In the car, she says, "thinking of Parker?" Oh, man. She won't quit. The writers won't quit. He denies thinking of his son and she denies thinking of her family.

He says she can't blame Russ for not wanting the girls to know the truth. She says he's living a lie and Booth would never do that. He says he doesn't tell Parker the truth about Santa Claus. She says that myth is based on blackmail and she doesn't believe in lying to children. She says by the Santa reasoning they should figure out a lie that Russ can tell the girls so they won't know he's in jail. He says that that is a brilliant idea. She says that it was intended to be a scathing and incisive comment. See, she DOES do sarcasm, even though she said she didn't a couple of episodes ago!

He says she just wants to go to Peru without feeling guilty. She says he needs to accept that he won't be with Parker. I CAN'T TAKE THIS! He has accepted it. He is not in denial. He's not railing against the fates or Rebecca. Why does she keep bringing it up? Does she want him to be miserable? She's like Barbara Walters trying to get someone she's interviewed to cry: "How did it feel when you found your mother dead?" They glower at each other and agree that they are not enjoying Christmas.

Cam and Zach are in the lab and I almost feel that the writers might be thinking of putting them together as I have suggested. She asks him what he is doing. He is going home to Michigan. She is going on a family cruise, but doesn't think she will enjoy it.

At the temp agency, it's full of Santas. They all loved the deceased, Kris Kringle, and are sad that he is dead. He was a model Santa. The best one there. As they gather around to hear the news, Booth tells them that they need to back off.

Bones asks one why he is limping and he asks if she wants to see his shins. She wonders why she would want to see his shins. He says because kids kicked him. Well, if she asked him the question, I assume it's because she thinks he might have been attacked while killing Kringle. So, why would she NOT want to see his shins? I know she only said she didn't for plot humor, but it doesn't make sense, really.

Hodgins is at the lab giving Cam technical information and she says she understands why Booth hates talking to him. Wow, she's just a Booth expert, isn't she. He is surprised. Booth hates talking to him? She softens the blow and she says not him specifically, just lab people. They find that the Santa sat in some expensive Chinese delicacy, so they are looking for his place of death as a Chinese restaurant. Booth heads there in the car, but she can't make it.

Bones says she has a meeting with Caroline to see if she can get the trailer for the family to use. The prosecutor supposedly has to sign off on the arrangement. No way! The prison administrator would handle trailer permissions, not the prosecutor on the murder case. That's so absurd. Booth reminds her that Caroline is a lawyer, so she will probably do Bones the favor, but she will ask for something in return. Bones said that's only fair, but Booth thinks she's likely to change her mind. She doesn't know Caroline like he does.

Caroline says she will grant the trailer but no Christmas tree, because someone else made a knife out of one, so they're banned from now on. However, the Brennan clan can gather in the trailer otherwise, with one condition. Booth said she'd say that.

Caroline: "Did he say I'd ask you to kiss him . . . No cheeks, no noses, right on the lips." She wants them to kiss under mistletoe. When I saw the screen cap for this dvd episode, it was a picture of them kissing and I felt they would do it under mistletoe, but I thought it would be of their own volition. I did not know Caroline would order it! When I heard, I was excited for the scene, because I wanted to see what Booth's surprised reaction would be, more than I wanted to see them lock lips.

Bones: "People kiss people on the nose?"

Caroline says do it under mistletoe. Why?

Caroline: "Because it will amuse me."

Bones: "Why?"

Caroline says it's because they are so formal. Agent Booth, Doctor Brennan (they aren't formal with each other really). "It's Christmas and I have a puckish side. That will not be denied." Caroline says they have to kiss for no less than the count of 5 steamboats.

Bones: "That's blackmail."
Caroline: "That's correct."
Caroline says that's the deal, take it or leave it.

Bones tries to bargain: "What about a tree?"
Caroline: "No Christmas tree. No way. Not even if you squeeze his buttocks."

Bones wonders if she can just take Caroline out to dinner instead. Caroline, "You kiss Seeley Booth on the lips and I'll make sure your daddy has his dream Christmas. No tree mind you, but otherwise as good as an accused murderer can expect."

Booth and Hodgins go to the alley behind the Chinese restaurant and finding wallets in the garbage bin conclude that there might have been a Santa pickpocket. Booth walks off leaving a sputtering Hodgins in the garbage bin.

At the diner, Booth is talking to Parker, while Bones is at a nearby counter listening to them. Is Captain Fantastic a new boyfriend or the one we've already seen, because Parker used to like the old one. Booth tells Parker that if his mom likes the man, then they should respect him and like them too. Bones turns around and says, "Is that true?" Booth says he likes the guy. "Wow," a disbelieving Bones snorts. "Bones!" Booth says. Parker worries that Booth will be alone for Christmas (I remember having that fear about my own divorced dad). Booth says he will spend the holiday with Bones and their friends. Bones says, "I'm going to Peru."

Booth: "We're all going to Peru." When Parker goes to wash up Bones says, "You lied a lot to him." Booth: "That's the magic of Christmas, Bones."

Booth talks to a Muslim security guard that might be a suspect. Booth assumes that he doesn't celebrate Christmas, but the guy does. He got into an altercation with a Santa who pickpocketed him and knocked him down, but everyone around looked at him and, due to his ethnicity, thought he might be a terrorist, so he got out of there. Booth looks like he feels contrite about his assumptions about the man.

In her office, when Booth comes in with a clue, Bones is busy moving a chair so she can stand on it and hang mistletoe. She is also chewing gum. She is hilarious because even though she looks a little self-conscious and averts her eyes from him, she also looks purposeful, busy and business like (though smacking gum like a gun moll). Like she's going to do this very professionally and efficiently and not be an embarrassed school girl about it.

As she moves furniture to hang the mistletoe. Booth asks her, "WHAT is with the mistletoe?" I'm sure he's especially wondering, since he knows she doesn't like to celebrate Christmas. She says, "I was going to talk to you about this." She says Caroline said they had to kiss, for her to get the trailer. This is the only way she will let her family have Christmas.

Booth: "By having us kiss."

Bones: "yes."

Booth: "Why?"

Bones: "Because she is feeling puckish."

Booth: "Puckish? What's that mean?"

Bones: "Listen Booth, she's going to be here any second. Do you want some gum?"

"No. My breath is just fine." It's not clear whether he is saying it's fine for kissing or whether he is still taking it all in and not aware of what he's saying.
He says that he will talk to Caroline. "No!" Bones exclaims and he jumps, taken aback by her vehemence. He looks like he might have a half smile, as if he's thinking maybe she WANTS to kiss him, for reasons having nothing to do with Caroline.

Bones: "I'm only telling you out of professional courtesy." What? Otherwise she would have just forcefully kissed him, without warning? That might have been better.

Booth: "What!"

Bones: "so that you won't be surprised."

He says that when she says kiss, she means kiss on the cheeks. And he turns his head from side to side to mimic cheek kisses. No, that's not it. Bones: "No, the lips. [he smiles, perhaps, or at least swallows uncomfortably] Like brother and sister. Colleagues. French people who meet on the street."

He exhales, nervously. "Caroline's feeling puckish huh?" As if he thinks puckish might mean something similar to what it rhymes with.

Bones: "it means playful and impish." Caroline comes in and says she's arranged the trailer. What about Bones' end of the deal. Bones points up to the mistletoe, indicating that she's all ready. Caroline pushes Bones underneath the mistletoe, telling him to take a step to his right, "right under the cute little sprig". He opens his mouth to speak, but only gets out half a syllable. Bones grabs him by the collar and kisses. The camera doesn't really stay on their lips that long [though there's an extended DVD version that does], but focuses a little on the heart-shaped space formed between the meeting of their chins and chests.

After the kiss, they look almost smug, satisfied. Booth stumbles backwards, smiling. A lot happier than my morbid two did after they kissed on New Year's Even in Millenium.

Caroline looks on somewhat astounded, as if she got a lot more than she bargained for and it's making her feel rather awkward.

Bones: "Is that enough steamboats?" She asks Caroline.

Caroline (flabbergasted): "The whole flotilla."

Booth: "I don't know what that means, but Merry Christmas (smiling, but looking at Caroline)."

Bones: "It was like kissing my brother."

Caroline: You sure must like your brother.

Booth: (helping) She does.

Bones: I do.

Caroline leaves. Bones says that she's sure Caroline feels really foolish right now. Caroline is thinking they like each other more than she ever thought. Booth gives one of DB's patented sideways glances and says "yeah." Sheepish and stuttering he says he better go look at some . . . forensic evidence. Bones can't think of an adequate excuse either and stutters too that she has stuff to do . . . with Bones. Bones walks over to her desk. Booth, "I understand completely." He pulls a wad of gum out of his mouth, transferred via the kiss. He sticks it back in his mouth and whispers, with nervous smile, "Thanks for the gum."

Why doesn't Booth thank him? That's one of the funniest things about the scene is that she acts like she can molest him at will for the sake of her family's Christmas and he's lucky she even mentioned what was going to happen. She doesn't even consider seeking his cooperation first, much less his permission. That's what makes her "professional courtesy" line so funny.

At diner they meet with Sweets who is in elf ears [I think he's a regular cast member and not the cannibal, darn it!]. Bones says she has a crisis. Booth says, "Just mistletoe."

Bones: "Not the kiss. That was nothing."
Sweets: "You kissed?
Booth: Mistletoe.
Bones: That's not the crisis.
Sweets: Was there tongue"
Booth: "All right. You know what? Get your own sex life."
Bones: That has nothing to do with sex.
Booth: Nothing. There was nothing . . . mistletoe
Bones: Totally sexless.

Bones says that Booth, who is a very honest purpose, says that deception is necessary at this time of year. Sweets agrees. He says that it's necessary for the Christmas spirit, to bring back innocence and joy. It's our responsibility to allow kids this. Bones says "ok." She finds that very helpful. Booth says it's what he's been saying for the last 4 days.

Bones goes to tell Russ that they will lie to the kids and they won't know it's a prison. He is still ungrateful and says that he gets better advice in prison. He also has the nerve to gripe that there's no tree and says it isn't Christmas without a tree. She says she's going to Peru and he complains that dad wants them all there. Those convicts sure want a whole lot.

The lab figures that the killer was probably one of the Santas, who hit Santa with a brass bell. Booth and Bones go back to the temp center to investigate the Santas. They line them up and smell them for Chinese food on the back of their clothes. Not as funny as the show thinks it is. After they arrest young Dom, the other Santas gather around and sing "Santa Claus is coming to town". Booth and Bones look worried and frightened, surrounded by the red and white clad crazy guys.

Again, I should have guessed that the recognizable name guest star, David Deluise, would be the guilty one.

Case solved, everyone begins to celebrate Christmas. The squints have a party. Cam puts a bow on Zach's head.

Booth gives money back to the security guard who was pickpocketed and gets a hug from them. Then, back at his desk, a police officer brings Parker in to see him. Did Rebecca change her mind or are they still leaving for the airport soon? We learn that the boy ran away from home. Went to a policeman and said his father worked for the FBI. That's how he got to the office. Booth calls Rebecca and promises to take Parker to Vermont after they spend Christmas day together.

After the squint party, Bones is looking at her plane ticket to Peru. Soon enough we learn she's opted not to go. She turns up at the trailer to be with her family.

She and her father agree it's the best Christmas they've had in 16 years.

Booth sets up a Christmas tree for her family outside of the trailer and the fence around the prison. He hooks it up to the car engine electricity and it's aglow with lights that they can look out of the window and see. Bones talks to him on the phone as she looks out the window and says she loves her gift.

Booth: "Merry Christmas, Bones." As he looks at her across the lot, it seems like he is almost near tears.

The Knight on the Grid

[The Extended Version, 2 extra minutes]

Booth is at a crime scene. Cam comes and says Bones looked a little hurt when he asked for her and not Brennan. He laughs and says Bones' feelings don't get hurt [is he crazy; she was just crying all last week about a SMURF]. He said she's not like Cam. She's not a "girl." Cam says that the word you are looking for is "woman. Who incidentally makes more money than you." I didn't know that. It's hard to say because even though we don't see people reporting to him, Booth seems to have lots of power. He seems to be able to order an unlimited number of agents onto a scene with a single phone call, without having to go to someone over his head. That could be just because the show doesn't want to pay for him to have a boss like he did in the earlier episodes [wonder if that guy's daughter ever died]. Plus, Booth works with the whole Jeffersonian gang. That must be a special FBI assignment. So, I knew he made less money than Bones, but I didn't know he made less than Cam too -- of course, she is Bones' boss, but she wouldn't even have that job without Bones. She spends so much time in the autopsy room, that she can't be directing much of anything at the Jeffersonian, so I think of her more as a coroner than an administrator.

Anyway, Bones would be more upset if he slept with her a couple of times and just broke it off than what Cam appears to be. So, Bones definitely has feelings to be hurt. Though, I feel Cam's holding her feelings in and, moreover, she doesn't get enough air time for us to see the full extent of her reaction to events. We do know that she hasn't had a steady boyfriend since Booth, based on what she told her dad. And it has been years since she and Booth were a couple, rather than just a tryst. But when does Booth think that Cam has had her feelings hurt?

The body they find still has flesh. So, is that why he didn't call Bones? Why would she get hurt. She complains when they call her on skin jobs. Why does she care this week? Booth tells Cam that Bones usually kneels next to the bodies. I'd just hit him on the head with the flashlight. Just because Bones does it doesn't mean that it's necessary for examination. It's just a gesture. How would he like to be told to do his job by copying the physical movements of other FBI agents? Cam complains that her bodies are always so much gushier than Bones', but she kneels.

At Bones' apartment a woman shows up at the door. Bones is hesitant but opens the door and says "yes?" Umm, I know she can fight, but I would have asked who it was before opening the door and I would have had had a chain on it. It's Amy, her brother's girlfriend, looking for Russ. Her daughter has cystic fibrosis and wants to see him. Amy eventually shows a picture of her daughter with Russ, but you'd think Brennan would have asked for i.d. before then. How does she know the woman is who she says? Her father's old friends have tried to kill both her and Russ before. You'd think she'd be careful.

As she gives Amy a doctor's name for her sick daughter, Bones notice that blood is coming out of a piece of mail she has on her table. She hurries Amy out of there. Coincidence that this happens the same day that Amy shows up for the first time? Bones opens up the package. It's the knee caps from the body they found.

Based on the grizzly package sent to her home address, Booth wants Bones to stay with someone. She says no. He tells Cam (in that administrative capacity that I see so little of) that Bones needs security at all times. Bones says no. Booth: "Cam who are you more afraid of? Me or her?"

Sweets shows up again. I don't like him. He's not needed.

Booth says, "It's an autopsy room. It's no place for therapists. What do you want?"

He wants to know why they missed their session. Um, couldn't he have called them on the phone to ask that?

The victim was killed with the Gormagon (17th Century anti-Masonic group, supposed to be extinct) knife. The serial killer. The cannibal. I guess Hart Hanson wrote this one [No, 10 minutes in we see that Noah Hawley wrote it]. I know why they had Sweets there now: to give the crew a reason to explain the background of the case to someone for the audience's sake. Sweets is the gimmick by which they refresh our memory.

Sweets tells them that there will be something special about the knee caps. Please don't tell me he will become part of the crew, as a full time profiler. That's not what I need.

Looking at the Gormagon stuff, Booth says his idea of art is a naked woman on the side of a van. Sweets says, "that's interesting." Actually, they make Booth sound like a neanderthal, but he doesn't act like one. He's not always eyeballing women and he is usally resisting those that come on to him. So, I don't know why they tell us he is "that guy." Maybe I spoke too soon. It turns out, he was mocking that type of person. He says very articulately, "No, it's not interesting Sweets, because it was a joke."

The victim was a priest, Father Doug Cooper. Booth says Sweets was right about the knee caps (guy kneeled a lot) and he is bringing Sweets in on the case. Bones' isn't impressed by the psychology. Zach is surprised that Booth wants Sweets' insight and says that Booth makes fun of Sweets all of the time. Booth says that's only when he messes with their heads. When he's analyzing other people, I guess Booth thinks Sweets is ok.

Booth likes the way that Bones dismisses Zach, but she denies doing so. She used to boss Zach around all of the time. I don't know why she stopped or feels she should be more respectful to him ever since he came back from the military.

The head priest they interview says call him Monsignor "or Steve." Bones calls him "Steve" and Booth tells her not to, under his breath. "He said to call him, Steve," she mumbles back. Steve can't believe someone "ate" Doug. Though just a part of him, Bones assures him. The heart. Steve says he shouldn't say that Steve was good at serving others, considering he was eaten. He concludes that there is too much evil in the world. Booth agrees, "Amen, Monsignor, Amen." Bones says, "Thanks Steve."

Booth and Hodgins go to a cemetery. Reminds me of the ones in Buffy. I feel sad and wistful. Booth can read the latin on the engravings because he was an altar boy. They find more Gormagon artwork inside, with a skeleton adorning it, which is made up of human bones.

Bones' goes to see Amy by her daughter's bed side. She tells her Russ is a fugitive and if he comes to see the child, he will be arrested the minute he enters D.C. Amy says no one will know. Bones says she works with the FBI. Amy says Bones' doesn't have to be involved. Just ask Max to get a message to Russ.

"You look my baby in the face and tell her she can't see her father, because you're mad at yours." [Huh? She can't see him because he left her in favor of helping his killer dad, even though you and your two daughters needed him more. It has nothing to do with Brennan.]

I don't know how long Russ was with Amy anyway, but I find it hard to believe that the kid is that attached to him. And the freckled brat doesn't make me at all sentimental. I don't care about her.

Zach figures out that the latest human artwork they found was made up of 15 different bodies, with parts from all used to make up a whole skeleton. He finds that the killer of the people who made up the artwork in the cemetery was older than the cannibal they identified before. So, there are two of them. One an old man, now.

Bones asks Max to tell Russ to come home. She says, "He'll come if you ask him to." So, it sounds like Max asking him would have more pull than Amy and the kids asking him. He knew that kid was sick when he left them. He sends money to Amy every month Max says, so he cares about Russ' abandoned commitment to Amy and her kids, but doesn't want his son to come back just to end up in jail.

They find old icons which show who the cannibal will go after next. A musician, a bishop and the next victim will be a "corrupter." Sweets says that's a heretic. A pretender to the throne [a politician running for office; I think they said someone high up in government was probably the cannibal in the original Gormogon episode, or, if it's a pretender, maybe the killer will target someone who fancies himself a cannibal too].

Bones is upset that Booth gave Sweets the case file. However, Sweets explains to them the information that Hodgins usually provides to the gang, that these human bone sculptures were made by masters and apprentices. When the apprentice makes his own complete skeleton, then the master knwos he has taught him enough to retire. The current Gormagon used to be an apprentice and now he's a master. He had an apprentice himself in the last episode, but that guy killed himself.

Sweets says that both master and apprentice were fatherless. They were widows' sons.

They think the corrupter is a lobbyist. They find the lobbyist associated with the other two victims (who had both taken a trip to Turkey recently, along with this lobbyist) and tell him he might be next to die. How does a cannibal master find an apprentice? Does he belong to the masons or some other group that might be behind this. He won't give them information. The lobbyist says people in Washington get their face eaten off all of the time. He says his cufflinks are worth more than Booth makes in a year and he's not going to sacrifice that. [Hey! Everyone on the show puts down Booth's payrate.] The lobbyist says his associates trust him to keep his mouth shut. Oh, this guy will end up dead, as punishment for his arrogance.

They say they know he's a member of the Knights of Columbus [hence the title; he'll end up in the grid]. He continues to be snarky and withholding.

Russ shows up at the FBI. Booth arrests him. Max apparently told him that Bones said that Booth wouldn't arrest him. Before taking him in, Booth lets him go see the girl in the hospital. Bones is grateful, but Booth denies doing them a favor. He says as far as the FBI is concerned he caught Russ at the hospital 15 minutes from now. Bones just thanks him again and kisses his cheek. I think that's their first kiss. I believe Mulder and Scully first kissed when she is in the hospital in Season 5. He comes in and kisses her hands, cheek. It was very sweet. This Bones kiss is nice. Booth is both exasperated with Russ and effected. He stares ahead and says to Bones, "Just don't tell anyone."

Why did they decide not to marry this Amy to Russ? Why is he just the almost stepfather? Since they had Bones say that technically the girl wasn't her niece, they do not just want to gloss over the fact that Russ isn't married. They want to keep it in our heads. I don't know how that will figure in the plot later, but I'm sure it will. Maybe Amy can testify against him if he's arrested, since there will be no spousal privilege. Although, even as a prisoner, he can marry, so he could gain the privilege then.

They find cameras in their Gormagon vault and discover that the cannibal has been watching them this whole time.

They decide to fool Gormagon. They will pretend to transfer one of the human bones sculptures that Gormagon loves so much, so that he will try to steal it and then they will trap him.

As they start their "act" Bones is talking in a loud and stilted manner, for the benefit of the killer who is watching and listening and Booth flinches because she's so obvious.

They then go undercover in a taxi. A motorcyclist drops a back pack near them. Booth recognizes the danger and tells her to get down. The pack explodes. Their car rolls. Booth climbs out and tells Bones not to move. He then runs to her side and pulls her out.

Bones said he knew who they were because she was sitting in front in the taxi and passengers sit in the back (which is what she'd been telling him earlier). He disagrees. He says the cannibal knew it was a ruse because of her bad acting and the fact that she was talking too loud. Bones, "Well, you shouldn't have shushed me." [Yeah, Gormagon heard that shush].

Booth realizes that Gormagon knew the truck was a decoy. He wasn't trying to get the skeletal art back. He was trying to kill them.

He put human teeth in his bomb as shrapnel and Booth pulls one out of Bones' arm.

Booth realizes that he has to go rescue the corrupter, because that's why cannibal was trying to kill them, because they predicted his next target. He yells at Bones to stay where she is, the paramedics are coming to check her, as he runs off. I'm surprised she obeys.

The lobbyist is still alive when Booth gets to him. The killer runs. Booth gives chase. The killer grabs a kid out of nowhere and holds him as a shield. Booth says to put the kid down. He's a sniper and I look forward to him shooting the guy, even while he's holding a child. But then the guy jumps into the water with the child. Booth has to jump in (where his gun doesn't work), to save the kid from drowning. The killer gets away as the child weeps in Booth's arms.

Sweets thinks Hodgins is paranoid for thinking that secret societies still exist today. For all I know, Sweets might be Gormagon.

Temp goes to jail to see Russ and says she never told him to turn himself into Booth. Max lied. A surly Russ only answers that if he'd come to her, she would have told Booth anyway. So, he still believes that she trusts Booth beyond all else.

Anyway, she told Max to get Russ back and that he'd come if Max asked, so I'm not sure why she's so upset that he lied to Russ about what she said. It had the result that she wanted.

She tells him that it's not just that he violated parole, but the authorities believe he knows something about Max's murder case. He denies it. She looks skeptical. He says no one in the family trusts the other one. Why should they? After what he and Max pulled, she should not trust them.

She says he has never killed anyone. There are levels of bad and he wouldn't even be on level one, she determines. He says that's like she just told him he was a sissy. [I'd put him at Level One at the very least. I don't find him to be innocent.]

Bones wants Caroline to set Russ free. She is so dumb in admitting that Booth let Russ go to the hospital before bringing him to jail (after Caroline pretended that she didn't hear that when Bones said it the first time) that Caroline can't believe she's an actual genius. She won't go easy on Russ and drop charges. She tells Bones that the best she can do is let Bones speak at the parole hearing.

Gormagon pulled out his own teeth and put them in a bomb. So, we are looking for a toothless guy. Without teeth, it must be hard to be a cannibal. Bones says that Booth is right, Gormagon wanted to kill them. Well, I didn't know anyone doubted that.

They discuss the cannibal being fatherless. Booth says his father wasn't so great, but he came out ok [I thought he said in the past that his relationship with his father was good]. Bones disagrees. She says Booth's killed a lot of people and will probably kill more in the future. That's kind of funny, but rather a low blow. He can't believe it. DB is sort of smiling, so I don't know whether Booth thinks what she said is funny or not, but he feigns indignation. She says she's sorry. "You're a good man." He wonders if she's being sarcastic. She says, "I don't do sarcasm." I've heard her do it. But she had earlier asked if Caroline was being sarcastic [Bones doesn't recgonize sarcasm either], so Booth's words to her, tie into her own to Caroline.

He says that the point is Russ will be fine, unexpectedly linking her fatherless Gormagon concerns to her own, unvoiced family fears.

When asked by Bones, Booth declines to speak at Russ' parole hearing, saying he has to stand up for his own mistakes. Bones is always telling her family (and Booth) that she can't protect them from justice, but then she always wants Booth to make concessions for them, when the time comes.

They find an old office key that leads them to a former foster care worker. This was probably the master. He was in a job that helped him find fatherless, troubled boys and turn them into fine young cannibals. While pedophiles often groom young men for sex, I don't think it can be as easy to groom and recruit boys to kill and eat people. But I guess if you're motivated enough, you can be successful.

They go to see the old, retired man in a nursing home and he lunges at Bones, snapping with his mouth, when she tries to get his teeth imprints. She becomes angry and tells him they know who he is and what he did. Booth calms her down and pulls her away. Booth tells her he'll put a guard on Gorgonzola to see who visits him. Bones said he's doing that "gorgonzola" thing on purpose, isn't he?

At the courthouse, when Amy sees Booth she says she can't be friendly if he's who she thinks he is. Who she thinks he is? She saw him in the hospital room. He's the one who brought Russ in. She should know who he is.

Hayley, Amy's kid, drew Temp a picture that said "thank you Auntie Temperance" and I was sick to my stomach, upon viewing it. They are called into the judge's chambers and Bones and Russ aren't allowed to speak. The judge will listen to Booth, but he has nothing to say. Bones exclaims, "Booth!" I don't blame him. I wish he'd stand by his guns and shut up, but know he will vouch for Russ, in the end.

The judge reveals that the Arch bishop and Sweets both put in a good word for Russ (an abashed Booth makes it obvious that that was his doing) and the judge gives Russ 30 days in county jail (a cakewalk which Russ and Bones have the nerve to think is too much??)

When they leave chambers Caroline hits Booth and tells him he needs to consider what side he's on. "That's what's wrong with the justice system in this country." I'm sure that Bones will give him a pretty thank you, but considering that she was just about to bite his head off for not speaking up for Russ, I don't think she deserved what Booth did and Russ, a big time loser, surely doesn't deserve it. I'd like to see that character killed off before the series ends. I know that as of August 2012 Max is still alive, since DB just tweeted about working with Ryan. So, kill whiny Russ for me, at the very least.

Bones says "thank you again." Booth says, "I didn't do anything; again." Amy thanks him too. I'd tell her to back off after the frosty reception he got from her earlier, just because he arrested a man who helped a double murderer escape and abandoned his "family" to do it.

When he has Russ alone he tells him that if he runs again and hurts Amy and breaks his sister's heart, he will -- Russ interrupts and says he knows Booth will do something terrible to him. I sort of wanted to hear the rest. Booth might have said, "take out my gun and shoot you." That's his favorite.

Ending sequence: Bones is at the hospital reading to the freaky kid who lays her head on Auntie's shoulder (give me strength); Max and Russ are reunited in jail, a reunion no one was waiting for.

Angela is studying the case and jumps when Hodgins comes up behind her. Maybe they do want us to think he's Gormagon.

Zach and Cam are together in the lab (hmmmm, again I wouldn't mind a romantic thing between those unlikely two). Booth is at the shooting range. Bullseye. We should have heard more about what protection there is around Bones' because Gormagon is after both of them, still.

The Lobbyist is at home and goes into his closet to hang up his coat when a guy (whom I don't recognize) with a knife jumps out to kill him. That's how the show ends. I can't say I was startled, but I think I ruin things for myself by liveblogging the show, instead of watching the whole thing through first. I think I truncate the drama that way. I might have jumped if I'd just been watching without pausing every 2 seconds.

That killer wasn't Sweets was it? His mouth was agape, face contorted, so that may be why I didn't recognize the features, but his hair looked flatter than Sweets', though the color might have been the same. The thing is, it could have been Sweets, because how come we saw everyone else who works on the case in the closing sequence, but not him?

Interesting.

Boy in the Time Capsule

Directed by Chad Lowe, a friend of DB's.

A school opens a 1987 time capsule and finds a body inside. When they go to investigate on the school grounds, Booth remembers being MVP in his senior year. Unimpressed, Bones remarks that a trophy is a way to remember power and agility that has faded away.

Booth wants to take the whole capsule back to the Jeffersonian. That's a recurring thing now. He saw Cam and Bones order something massive taken back to the lab, saying, "oh we have room in the basement," and now he just wants to speed things up and get everything back there as soon as possible, no matter what case they're on. This time he's told that the presence of water in the capsule will contaminate the evidence, so it's not good to move it yet. Bones drains the water out first.

At the lab Zach remembers his own life 20 years ago and said he had a Michael Jackson glove. Bones tells everyone that Booth was a football player 20 years ago. "One of those guys," Angela concludes. Popular. Cam said she got grounded every week. So many rules to break, so little time. So, I guess she was popular too. That line between the squints and the not-squints again.

Cam is telling them to call the victim by his name (so stupid, next week she herself will be calling the corpse anything but; she just disagrees with and scolds them for the heck of it). Hodgins says that when you can ladle a person, it's hard to remember them as "Roger."

Roger's father used to abuse him. He was a drinker and the father, who is reformed now, just thought that Roger ran away and didn't report his son as missing.

In the car, Booth asks Bones what kind of teenager she was. She said she was busy studying and in all those hours of studying, "you never came across one hormone?" She says she liked one boy. The varsity Lacrosse captain. He was her Secret Santa and taped the gift to her locker. Everyone saw it. It was a Brainy Smurf doll. [Hmmm. What was the price minimum in their Secret Santa club and who organized the club anyway. Bones must have been part of a group to even be doing the Secret Santa exchange at all and if she was in a group, how is it that she got into the same one as the LaCrosse hunk?] Booth remembers (from that horrid Christmas show) that Bones hated Secret Santa and this guy from her teenaged years is why. What was the gift the guy gave her? Bones doesn't want to say. Booth says he can be trusted because he's her partner and promised not to laugh, but can't help it. He chuckles, even while denying that he's laughing. Bones said, "It was deliberate. He knew I wanted Smurfette."

Bones says, "Angela was right. You were one of those guys." One of what guys, Booth wants to know.

Roger's best friend, Gil, said he left a note with his mother (now deceased) saying that he was leaving because he couldn't be around his father or the kids at school who picked on him. Gil says that those kids picked on him too. When Booth first saw him, he told Bones he was another squint, just like the ones she had at home. Zach talked about being bullied in school. Now, this guy confirms the nerd's lot and, perhaps, will make Booth rethink his mocking. [although the friend's scenes are touching, I'm inclined to think he might be the killer].

They go to Sweets for therapy and Booth tries to get him to profile the killer. He says that Bones won't mind using part of their hour for the crime. Bones looks annoyed that he's speaking for her like that. Sweets asks her about any conflicts, since their last session. Booth says that they are doing fine, but Sweets said she looks angry. She says she told Booth a private story and he laughed. [Oh, please. He put her on a witness stand and told the prosecutor that her parents disappeared so she could be stripped bare emotional and vulnerable, in front of a courtroom and she got over that. But now she's mad because he laughed over Brainy Smurf? If that truly upset her, she needs some private therapy. It's not even amusing as comedy. It's just ridiculous.]

Booth said he was just "appreciating" her story and tells her not to get Sweets involved. I agree. If they can't work out something minor like that themselves, then they don't need to be partners.

Sweets said that childhood icons are very sensitive and he himself was very attached to Vultron. Booth gives him a dead stare and even Bones seems to think that's silly.

Sweets says that they need to even the score and Booth should reveal a vulnerability about himself. Open up to her, the way she did to him. Booth tells her to go play Vultron with Sweets. Sweets says that Booth was "that guy." The Golden Boy, wasn't he? [Booth gathered episodes ago that Sweets probably resented him because he was a jock and Sweets was nerdy].

"You thought you could get away with anything by turning on the charm." [Well, he's not that charming. I mean, he is. He's adorable sometimes, but not particularly when he's trying to be. And he doesn't even try to be that often. Secondly, he's not good looking. I don't know why people pretend that he is. He's Frankenstein-y. Even when he's slim he's not tone. His skin is not smooth and he seems to avoid fully shaving because of it, so there are always uneven patches of hair hanging around. His appeal is unquestionable, but it's not exactly physical.] Booth says Sweets doesn't know who he is.

Sweets says Booth's afraid to expose himself and he shouldn't be ashamed to ask for help. Bones affirms that he shouldn't . Booth says ok. He does need help: with this case. So, while Sweets profiles, Booth promises to reveal himself to Booth. "I know that sounds weird, but you know what I mean." Again, these jokes touch too much on DB's personal problems. They all must have a grand sense of humor on that set.

Bones insists that he reveal a humiliating episode from his youth.

Sweets tells them to role play with the rest of their time. She puts on a Sherlock Holmes hat and he seems to put on a cowboy hat. "Now, I know why I'm not allowed to bring my gun in here," he says.

Turns out Roger was a game developer. May have been killed for his ideas.

In the coffee room, Bones tells Booth that a lost base ball game is not revealing a vulnerability to her. Booth says it was a football game. So, he tells her something more personal, like he was in the bleachers with a girl. She asks, "Did you fail to perform sexually?"

"What?" He sputters, as if such a thing would be impossible [it reminds me of Angel objecting when people would call him a eunuch].

Bones says because that could be humiliating, but that's not the kind of thing that Booth wants to divulge. He said he got naked. Had on only his socks and St. Christopher medal and his date runs off. Well, him standing their exposed with no clothes is more humilating than her Smurf story, but naturally she won't see it that way.

He says the girl did that because she'd heard that he'd been with other girls. Bones says, "This is a story of sexual prowess. You're bragging." Well, not really. She didn't give him time to explain the embarassment he might have felt being naked in front of others who were not intended lovers.

Bones points out that he's laughing, "You enjoyed displaying your penis . . ." (DB again). Well, any idiot would have been laughing at her Smurf story too, 20 years later. You laugh at even the most hurtful experiences, given enough time and hers shouldn't have been that hurtful. It's not tantamount to Carrie getting pig's blood thrown on her.

Bones says that only her mother knew about Brainy Smurf. He says it was cold under the bleachers and he experienced shrinkage.

Roger's friend, Gil, says they were going to go into the gaming business together. Booth says Roger might have had another partner and the friend insists that Roger would never sell him out. They were best friends and partners. Well, he thought Roger was just "gone" for 20 years. If Roger would run away and leave the friend for decades, clearly he might do something with his gaming ideas without the friend too. If Roger was so loyal, then Gil's claim that he thought Roger left town voluntarily after graduation and was never in contact again doesn't make sense.

They interview a rich guy, Adamson, a Senate campaign manager who got into Harvard by paying Roger to take the SATs for him.

Sweets reads Booth's report on Adamson and says to Bone's that it's more revealing of Booth than the suspect. Sweets won't tell Bones why. He says he saw Adamson on tv and he's too sensitive about his image to be a killer. I don't think he's a good shrink if he makes those assessments based on someone's tv persona.

Hodgins comes in and is not impressed by Sweets who is psyched about working "in the field." Hodgins tells him he's in a secure lab, but to Sweets this is exciting. [I thought he was reluctant when Booth asked him for profiling info, but I guess not.] Bones seems put off by Sweets' exuberance too.

Jack says that the liquid in the time capsule came from a swamp. Roger probably waded through the swamp to get to a hot girl, Janelle Brown, that he was tutoring. He tells Bones he knows this because he was a boy himself. Bones wants to know if boys change after high school. He says, "only on the outside." This bothers Bones.

As they go to interview Janelle, Booth has another humiliation to offer Bones. He wanted to ask a girl to go out with him on the loud speaker, so he bribed a "suck up," one of the guys that would do anything to please the teacher -- of course, this language won't endear Bones, who probably was a teacher's pet herself. As he tries to appease her, Booth just digs himself a bigger hole.

Booth says he got laughed at for weeks for using the loud speaker. But, Bones wants to know, did she go with you to the prom? "Sure."

"This is merely another story of victory and sexual conquest."

He says being laughed at has got to count for something. Bones said he has no idea what public humiliation is.

Twenty years later, Janelle looks at an old picture of herself and says she wishes she was that girl again. She looks to Brennan and says, "You know what I mean." Bones doesn't like being included in that sentence.

Janelle said math wasn't her thing, so she needed a lot of help. Stereotype. Is she going to assume that Brennan shared this need too? Roger loved "The Cure" and Booth has to tell Bones that was a band.

As Janelle's son comes in, Bones seems to notice what I do, that the son is a nerd. His father isn't. So, maybe Roger was his real father, but the boy does not appear to be almost 20 years old, not old enough to have been conceived in 1987, not the coddling way the mother treats him. Bones steals a picture from the cheerleader's house.

In the lab, Angela uses the picture to compare facial features and is able to confirm that Roger was the boy's dad. They think that Janelle's husband found out they had sex and killed the kid.

Confronted, Janelle said that Roger was nuts about her and made her feel special and back then her husband, Terry, was "that guy." Bones gives a knowing look to Booth, who really doesn't act like "that guy" and isn't all into himself. Janelle's husband did what he wanted and didn't need her. But then when she told Terry she was pregnant he was happy and she realized he wasn't that guy after all and that he really loved her. Of course, Booth wanted to marry the mother of his son too.

Bones gives Janelle back the picture and Booth said, "you stole that." She did, but I wouldn't say that in front of the people she stole it from.

Sweets is telling them his profile of the killer and explaining that teens are dominated by their id because their frontal lobe isn't fully developed. Booth says that Sweets is only 22 himself. "How's your frontal lobe? Almost there?"

Sweets says, "Again. The hectoring tone."

Bones thinks that Sweets profile is comprised of just guessing, but Sweets objects it's solid deductive work by someone who is very intelligent. Bones just looks at him.

Sweets says the killer has been punishing himself all these years, working below his potential [it's Gil, just like I thought] and has probably confessed, but was Booth listening? Bones says that "Agent Booth is an incredibly good listener." [I appreciate her taking up for him and does she really think that "that guy" is a good listener. Typically, he'd be too into himself to listen to others]

Booth says he is a good listener. He says that's his strength.

They link asphalt in the capsule to Gil. Booth and Bones bring him in. They work together to mock and taunt Gil about his last meeting with Roger (and how angry he must have been that Roger wanted to take their software money and give it to Janelle) and provoke him into confessing. Roger told him he loved Janelle and Gil said she would never look at someone like him, not knowing that Janelle was pregnant with Roger's child and had already "looked" at him.

Roger hit him, so he jabbed Roger with a shovel. The death was an accident.
Gil cries and says that he loved Roger.

Case solved, at the diner, Booth tells Bones another story about a weird kid at school, who always talked out of Thesaurus. He called Booth and his friends Philistines. Bones said a Philistine is a smug, dolt who scoffs at higher intelligence. Booth says back then he didn't know what that meant and he looked it up. He said to his detractor, "I'm not Philistine. I'm Catholic." Bones laughs. [actually this is nice coming after the episode where he had her interrogate the doctor because the doctor thought Booth was stupid; he didn't seem to have a complex about it then, but it does have to get under his skin always being around the squints and having things explained to him].

Bones said that's pretty close to humiliation, but Booth says that is not the humiliating part. A friend of Booth's picked the boy up and dangled him over a stairway and made him cry. "How is this about you," Bones wants to know. Booth says, "I laughed."

"I don't understand."

"I could have stopped it. I could have stepped in and helped . . ." It could be very nice that he finds this humiliating, which puts her humilation to shame and it explains why he chose his profession as well.

"I chose my side and it was the wrong side," he says.

"So, you were humiliated because you didn't act like a hero?" She says with a smirk. But she's being the smug Philistine now. He was humiliated -- and hopefully he was then, too, not just now in retrospect -- because he betrayed his own sense of right and wrong to be popular and accepted by people who weren't worthy of it. If guilt made him feel humiliated back in high school, when we usually don't care how much we've hurt others, then that's not a small thing. As for the guys he hung out with, he should have increased their conscientiousness or separated from them, not stooped to their level and made himself less, to be equal to them. Of course, Booth doesn't say all of this in response to Bones. So, maybe it really wasn't that deep of a memory for him. He just tells Booth, 'Fine. I'm perfect. Nothing humiliating happened to me.'

No, she tells him it's a good story. A bad story, she corrects, but she gets its humiliating aspects. And she says it's good that he's evolved.

He has a smurf, which he now hands to her. It's the brainy smurf. She wanted smurfette. He says that Smurfette was the stupid, shallow smurf who only had her looks. "You're better than Smurfette. You have your looks and a whole lot more." So, he turns the 20 year old humiliation into a compliment.

She says that he just brought that smurf to charm her, in case she didn't like his humiliation story. But she accepted his story and forgives him for snorting over her story.

He says evolution is a long process. It takes 100s of years. She says 1000s.

"Why do you have to always correct me?" She says to help him evolve. And of course they are all up close and personal as if they're going to kiss and I guess that really titillates their shippy fans, but really it's much sexier if they bond without the physical tease. The nose to nose stuff seems so contrived. It would be too much even if they WERE a couple, so it's certainly not moving or believable, when they aren't a couple, for them to get that close to one another. Plus, less is more and we get this unnatural intimacy all of the time. If it was stimulating once, the appeal is bound to wear off the 200th time.

Intern in the Incinerator

A body is found in the incinerator at the Jeffersonian.

Angela recognizes the victim just from the charred skull. The dead woman was an intern in the building and they had coffee a couple of times. [Is this a Sandra Levy take off? Was she having an affair with a powerful man? Just from the show title, I expected as much.]

Sure enough, Angela reveals that the intern, Kristen, was seeing a mystery married man who worked there.

Bones is telling Kristen's father his daughter is dead. I don't know why she'd be performing that task alone. Reardon (the father) taught a class of hers once, so maybe that's why. But she's not always known for her tact in these "breaking the news" situations.

Bancroft is the head of the Jeffersonian who has returned from a trip to handle the uproar over the murder. He observes the people at the lab and tells Booth that scientists are difficult by nature, combative, skeptical, resistant. Booth says, "I've noticed."

Cam asks/orders Booth to come to her father's 60th birthday party, because she doesn't want to field questions about why she's still alone and never told them that she and Booth broke up. [Not what I need in a subplot.]

A reluctant Booth says she's an adult and can't live her life based on what people think. She says, "Seeley, it's not going to be like this forever. One day he'll die."

Bones says she's never told anyone his/her child was dead, though she's been there when Booth did it. She says it's extremely unpleasant. The father didn't know who the intern, Kristen, was seeing.

The Jeffersonian interns were vying for a scholarship. The rivals may have had a motive to kill Kristen. It should have been clear to Booth that Kristen was dating an older or influential man. Otherwise why would she keep it a secret from her father and colleagues. So, I'm surprised when he asks her young peer if he's married. The intern replies that he's gay.

Hodgins finds that Kristen was dumped from the office suites at the top of the buildings. "It's always the suits baby," he says. Booth says that he, Booth, wears suits. Hodgins says, "yes. Yes you do."

Booth and Cam complain about the squints who think that the murder had something to do with the artifacts that Kristen was examining in the Gormagon room, where the cannibal artifacts are. Booth thinks that will change the whole focus of the investigation. They (the squints) always tell "us" (Booth and Cam) not to jump to conclusions, but when they do, it's a quantum leap. Again, I think Cam is a squint and she has told the guys not to jump to conclusions too and to give her facts. So, when they draw their us v. them lines, I'm not sure that Cam properly belongs on the side the writers are putting her on.

Cam bosses Bones around, as she does everyone else. Telling him he better answer her question about why he wants to know where a doctor's office is located in the building (he found the doctor's number on Kristen's cell phone) and also letting him know he can't get out of going to her father's party. If the only power she has over him is friendship, I don't know why she takes that didactic tone with him in both work and friendship.

Like Booth, Cam doesn't think the cannibal is the killer, because the victim wasn't eaten and wasn't male, the cannibal's preference. Booth discusses the fact that the squints are harping on it being Gormagon with Cam.

As Booth questions Aldridge, he discovers the doctor was neighbors with Ted Kennedy [my poor departed dear] and enjoyed other luxuries. Booth looks at a magazine article on the doctor, fingering it as he questions him and says he regrets not having paid more attention in school. Aldridge is arrogant and tells Booth that intelligence is not a matter of will, so it's not a character flaw to be less smart. Booth says, "Yeah, listen I appreciate the pep talk." Nice delivery from DB.

Aldridge, the doctor, says that his wife's family is generous, that's how he can afford so much beyond his salary. Booth wonders how generous they would be if they knew he was "boinking" the intern. Aldridge asks if they taught him that at Quantico: spring vulgarities on the suspect and he will confess all? Booth says, "Are you confessing all?" Does Booth want a confession for the affair or for murder. Booth doesn't get to answer. Bones calls him into the next room.

Showy direction in this episode. It shouldn't call attention to itself the way it does. When we first saw Bancroft, it was as if through a keyhole. Then, when they find blood in Aldrige's office, Booth asks if Aldridge will come willingly and the camera focuses on one loop of a hand cuff held in Booth's raised hand. Why?

[LOST A BIG CHUNK OF MY LIVE BLOG, OVER 30 MINUTES, CAN'T RECREATE ALL THE DETAILS]

Booth wants Bones to interrogate Aldridge, because Aldridge doesn't think Booth is smart. Bones tells Booth he's smart and he says "thanks," he knows. He tells her to refer to the victim by her first name. Bones says that that doesn't work with a serial killer, because they're a socio path. She links the murder to the cannibal, Gormagon (from the Widow's Son episode) and Booth says this has nothing to do with that. He tells her to get inside and she orders him to stop bossing her around and slaps his hand. Bones goes in there and tells Aldridge that he can't intimidate her with his superior knowledge, because she's smarter than he is.

Booth watches the interrogation from the other side of the glass partition. Afterwards, he puts on street clothes and meets with Cam. Her hair is down and she is in a dress. He says she looks great and insists that he's saying that as a friend, not a boyfriend. Her sister is picking them up, but is late. Booth defends her tardiness, but Cam is critical. He says he won't get in the middle of a family squabble. Cam says her sister, Felicia, is the jealous one.

When Felicia comes, as soon as Cam leaves, Felicia frets that she will be judged and Booth says that Cam's life is not so perfect. Felicia takes this to mean that there's trouble between them, calls Booth her poor baby and plants a big kiss on him, breaking apart just as Cam returns.

The next day, in the lab, Booth hangs out by Hodgins' area, wanting to talk to him man to man, the way Hodgins has sought Booth out in the past. He tells Hodgins about the kiss and Hodgins thinks the whole thing is amusing. He says that Booth has to tell Cam, before she finds out from her sister. Booth says this delicate juggling is more trouble now than when he and Cam actually were dating.

Cam talks to Bones about the interrogation and Bones doesn't know how Cam knows about it. Cam says Booth told her "while we were . . ." at dinner the other night. Her pause makes dinner sound like more than just dinner. Bones gives Cam a surprised look.

Later, she Hodgins and Booth are looking on the computer to see what Jeffersonian mail and packages Kristen was inventorying when she died, Hodgins and Bones discover that they don't have clearance to get into Kristen's files. Booth does. He uses Cam's password and says she won't mind. I wonder if this gives Bones another reason to think he and Cam are on intimate terms again. But like a needling child, Booth pokes Bones and says he knows her password too. "Daffodil." Why say it in front of Hodgins I wonder, since it is supposed to be secret. She says she never told him. He says that he has eyes. She changes her password and he guesses that she's putting in "daisy." That's her second favorite flower. He insists that he knows her and she should try a planet. She types and he guesses, "Jupiter."

They find Aldridge hung in an office. The lab determines it was not a suicide.

Later, Angela does a re-enactment which shows that Kristen wasn't stabbed like they'd thought. She was impaled. Her death was an accident. Bancroft comes in and tries to convince them that Aldridge killed Kristen accidentally and then hung himself. That's the story he wants to run with. They say that Aldridge did not take his own life. Annoyed with them, Bancroft says that that means that there's a serial killer still out there and that he'll come after Angela next, since she's the one who discovered Kristen's identity and her true manner of death. He tells Angela to "Be careful" as he leaves. I'm surprised that Hodgins doesn't get upset. Angela says that she thinks she's just been threatened. Hodgins just looks, more puzzled than angry with Bancroft.

Booth threatens to take out his gun and shoot Hodgins twice in the episode. Once it's just Hodgins and the other time it is Hodgins and Zach because of one of the experiments they did throwing a dummy off the roof. I guess that threat against them is going to be a running gag from Booth throughout the series.

When Booth finds her in the lab, Cam thanks him for coming to the party and says that he even managed to connect with Felicia. He confesses that Felicia kissed him.

"Like a peck on the cheek or a full meal?" Cam wants to know. Full meal, she guesses, from Booth's stuttering. Felicia thought she stole Booth away from Cam and Cam realizes that's why she was so nice.

Cam accuses him of kissing back and he says there was no kiss back. Ok, he bashfully admits that his lips may have parted for a second. Then, Felicia comes in. Felicia says that Booth didn't seem that into Cam, anyway. Booth says that they aren't really a couple anyway. They broke up a long time ago. Cam says, "If you want him take him." Felicia says she doesn't want him. Booth reacts: "you don't?" Felicia says no, she was just trying to get back at Cam for being so perfect.

They talk about missing lunch. Booth: "you two can have lunch after all this?" Felicia says, "please! Like you could ruin a meal?" I don't really like her streetwise tude. But Booth brings them together. When Booth wants to respond to Felicia, Cam tells him not to raise his voice to Felicia. "Let's go. Let him calm down. Wow," Cam says as she and her sister leave, united.

Felicia says, "Why did you guys break up? What did he do?" On her way out. An innocent Booth talks to himself, saying: "It wasn't me."

They have Cam give Bancroft a false lead about smuggling items into the Jeffersonian through the mail. Booth suspects Bancroft. Bones said there's no way, because he has a doctorate. Booth says that Dr. Kervorkian has a doctorate. His point being that doesn't mean you can't kill. But it's not Bancroft, but another doctor who takes the bait, in the trap they've set.

After cracking the case, Bones and Booth drink in his office. Good, because I was beginning to think that Bones probably felt left out, as if he had more in common with Cam than her. Perhaps, a part of her does think that.

They are playing some kind of drinking game, pretending to be Russian, taking shots and smashing the dixie cup after each one. He has a picture of RFK and JFK hanging in his office (is this linked to the drinking game, USSR and the Cuban Missile crisis?). Booth feels that Bones is upset not only because a "doctor" did it but because it happened in her house. Her favorite place. Her house of reason. The Jeffersonian.

She says it's not her favorite place. He says it is. How does he know? The same way he knew "daffodil."

He says he also knows she was hoping that it was gorgonzola, the cannibalistic serial killer. She is tired of him getting the name wrong. "Gormagon!"

The scientists, the squints and the eggheads wanted it to be a serial killer so it wouldn't be one of them. "Them?" asks Bones. Booth says, "You."

"Me?" asks Bones.

He says they were all offended that it was one of them. She says she is offended because . . . she pauses. He finishes, "Because you were betrayed by one of your own."

She says, "yes, are you going to betray me?" [Is she thinking of his ostensibly resumed affair with Cam when she asks this?] I thought she was going to say she was offended by the fact that he sees her as one of "them" and not one of him. This line between the squints and the others is only something they've been drawing in the last 2 episodes. He has alway considered them squints, but he and Cam haven't been aligned on one side and them on the other before now. Plus, even though she thought Kristen was a victim of a serial killer, it's not like she was that defensive about Aldridge being a suspect and she wasn't acting like she had a lot in common with him. In fact, Zach said that Aldridge told him that having a superior IQ didn't give him an excuse not to bathe. So, Aldridge was no friend of the squints.

But in answer to her question about whether he will betray her: He lifts his cup and says, "no."

I wanted to end the summary there, but things followed that I didn't really understand. Bones said that he won't betray her, half serious and then smiling as he handed her more liquor. I know that the moment was supposed to be humorous in part, but was it supposed to somewhat sincere too? I'm not sure. She takes the liquor and says, "Nonetheless, I will be vigilant." Well, what does that mean? Is she saying that even though he has promised not to betray her, she'll be on her guard. If that's what she means, is she saying this because of his relationship with Cam, which she suspects is deeper than he has told her? Is she saying that he might be keeping something from her, might hurt her, might be hiding a secret part of himself? Or is it just a russian drinking game joke that I can't understand.

Bones says "Nonetheless?" Is he wondering why she is using that term (which is not that fancy and one I use all the time) or is he wondering why she is questioning his promise not to betray her?

I don't know what they mean at all. If it's something frivolous, it's not really a funny ending. If they meant something serious and a little deep about trust, then I'd like to understand exactly what was imparted. Bad writing.
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Reading DB's tweets today (8/8/2012), I learned that the baby Bones has is going to be named Christine. I wonder if Booth had a hand in naming her, since that is a name with Christian connotations that I think Bones would avoid.