Bones 1.18 The Man With The Bone

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ThyneAlone
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Bones 1.18 The Man With The Bone

Post by ThyneAlone »

OK, so I made a decision. It’s a quiet period, of necessity, just now, thanks to the writers’ strike. We’ve talked a lot about the episodes we like and I have spoken about the reviews we used to write weekly when I was a frequent visitor to tv.com/bones. Well, pitilessly regardless of length, I am going to re-post my reviews here, with the intention of stimulating some much-missed Bones discussion. Hope they give you pause for thought!

At home, Friends-style, we call this ‘The One With The Pirate’. It’s strange I’m not more familiar with it, given the generous and enjoyable dollop of Hodgins it contains. It’s partly because of the convoluted and unlikely plot – double skeleton theft, I mean a whole skeleton? - and partly because the appeal of pirates is lost on me. Never felt drawn to ‘Treasure Island’, never watched the ‘Caribbean’ series. “It’s a guy thing, sweetie,” Angela confides knowingly, but gives this the lie by finding the legend ‘cool’ herself! Of course, it’s chiefly, though not exclusively, men who are lured by the romance of the risk, challenge and financial rewards of high seas adventuring. Me, I focus on the hunger, discomfort, injury, scurvy, syphilis and, at the top of the list, untimely demise in one’s twenties.

There’s joyous shared humour in this ep, and repartee so quick-fire it’s easy to miss. Right from the start, the squints take bets on whose this mysterious phalanx might be, with wonderful child-like reactions (“you can’t change yours!”) which say a great deal about their relationship. I like, too, the running gag about Harry the incompetent FBI medical examiner who gets a worryingly sexual kick out of angering Brennan and being manhandled by her (“I’m always open to being corrected”!).

Familiar by now with the way the team works together, we feel very relaxed in the lab – as are they. Zach smilingly admits an interest in the pirate, Jack treats him with friendly exasperation (“Pirates aren’t Santa, Zach!”) and Brennan is far less rigid than we’ve previously seen; she calls Hodgins ‘Jack’ for the first time I recall, is flirtatious and maternally indulgent with the boys over their pirate fancies, jokes about Hodgins working with a parrot on his shoulder and even very nearly apologises to the gang for her misdirected fury when her bones disappear.

As in ‘Woman In The Garden’ and some episodes of S2, it’s fun to see a side of Hodgins’ strong personality outside the lab. He’s well at home in this situation, dancing infectiously with confidence and elation at his obsessive nature’s whim. There’s no modesty – he knows he’s good – he’s a certified cave diver (when he boasts about this even Brennan is tempted into one-upmanship) with 3 doctorates, and perfectly at ease with the power these skills bring. There are a few embarrassing piratical moments, notably the yo-ho-ho-ing in the shaft, the dreadful ‘bug man’ pun and the absolutely cringeworthy “Avast, ye lubbers!” However, the male bonding we mentioned earlier is pleasing to see and well in evidence. Although Hodgins has never really ‘gelled’ with Booth, they are as one on the pirate issue, laughing and excited in unison. Their shared mania also endears him to McGinnis, whom he rapidly disabuses of the impression that he’s a ‘weekender’ ‘looking for something to brighten up his boring-ass life’. However, for me it doesn’t quite ring true, given his secretive, defensive nature, that he allows his fascination to blind him to danger – it seems naïve and foolish to entrust McGinnis with his life on so short an acquaintance.

I was never sure whether the picture Angela produces at the end was an image of the pirate or one of Jack! For which reason I am leaving you lot to comment on its possible subconscious significance!
Lines I love:
Brennan’s retort to Booth’s earlier “still no TV – why do I even bother?” – “I had the time (to cave dive all over the world) because I don’t own a TV.”
Goodman, to the security guy: “Think of me as a grieving parent.” So very Goodman!
Booth: “That’s not music, it’s bagpipes”. Almost a quote from my husband!

Seriously, though, even though I don’t get the main focus, there is much to revel in and, as usual, the episode makes some deeper points. There is, for instance, Brennan’s thoughtful reply when asked if she believes in the treasure: “I believe in greed – that’s the real curse”. And then two very different people seem to indicate that life is about making the most of the journey and its risks rather than aiming solely at its rewards.

Harry: “It’s not about right or wrong – it’s about the dialogue”.
Dane: “It’s all about the search, man.”

And finally. There’s a fantastic scene in which Harry delivers soil and water recovered from Macy’s throat to Jack. Watch carefully. I think this is one of those ‘glove moments’ to which TJ has referred, where he can’t get the glove on and there are fingers and thumbs all over the place. It is funny – and, I think, unintentionally!
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"We make our lives out of chaos and hope. And love." - Angela Montenegro

Kelly
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Re: Bones 1.18 The Man With The Bone

Post by Kelly »

Hi everyone. Here I go again reviving another old topic, but I just had to share my thoughts on this episode. While searching for this one, I saw earlier forums for episodes that I've seen. I'm tempted to revive those too.

With this episode, here were my thoughts while watching it:

I liked at the very beginning where Brennan is off on a tirade and uses the word titillating. Booth's comment was great! "Choice of words, Bones. Choice of words." That reminded me of how I can go off on a tirade and do Freudian slips like that. I tend to talk too fast as well when I'm excited about something. My words run together and the listener hears something that I didn't intend to say.

Booth's frustration over Brennan not having a TV. "Still no TV. Why do I even bother." I understand how he feels, but it makes me wonder if Brennan feels bad about being in the dark about things that the average person takes for granted. I know I feel that way some times. I mean, like when I first joined this site and surfed through the forums. At work, I am still struggling with this issue with the music that's played.

Hodgins telling Zack that pirates aren't santa. Here's another way I identify with Zack. I grew up to believe that pirates were myth; fantasy. I still have difficulty believing that dinosaurs existed. I know that the show does an episode or more on aliens, so I can expect to not believe that one too.

Brennan's come-back to Booth was nice. "I have the time because I have no TV." My internship boss doesn't have a TV either, so that’s why I relate to Booth’s frustration. I, however, have gone beyond it and began helping him identify programs, actors, etc. when a news story comes up that he needs to include in the talk show. If a song is played that is from a movie soundtrack, I find the YouTube video of it and send the link to him. It’s like I’m the pop culture expert with him.

Hodgins’ enthusiasm throughout the whole episode is great! I wonder if TJ enjoyed it just as much as his character.

Angela telling Brennan that it’s a guy thing is sexist. It’s not. I loved the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, I love watching sword play.

Brennan saying that greed is the real curse. I agree and not just about pirates and their treasure. Greed ruins relationships. I’ve experienced it and observed it. I remember a movie called Seven. It’s about a serial killer using the seven deadly sins in his work. Greed is one of them.

I’ll admit that I was nervous about Hodgins going down that cave shaft both times. The second time, I was wishing that Dane wasn’t the killer. I didn’t want anything to happen to Hodgins. I already know to expect him being buried alive in a later episode in a season I haven’t watched yet.

Brennan freaking about the missing bones made me think that if a joker or channel surfer hearing “Where the hell are my bones” would laugh if they didn’t know the context of the question. I know my former joker friends would have laughed anyway.

Question: What is Baldy’s problem with Brennan? He is REALLY irritating me. If I’m going to find out soon by watching more episodes, you don’t have to answer, but out of everyone on the show so far, I want him to leave. I don’t like him because of his attitude toward Brennan.
Dr. Goodman interrogating that security guard was great. “Consider me a grieving parent.” Later he says “who could kill you.” Yikes! I think that came from not only him taking his job seriously, but being a parent.

Booth saying, “That’s not music; that’s bagpipes.” Actually, for a person who likes Irish and Scotsmen, it’s actually bagpipe music. My mom likes bagpipe music and so I grew up appreciating it too.

Harry Tepper: “It’s not always about being right or wrong. It’s about dialogue. An intense conversation can be the most wonderful kind of intercourse.” Holy crap! What?!? What a metaphor! I remember reading that TJ likes deep, meaningful conversation and not small talk. Could he have the same philosophy as this guy? In a way, I like this. I mean, in order for me to feel loved/liked by someone, I need to spend quality time with them engaging in conversation. I wouldn’t consider it so intense as to say what Dr. Tepper did, though.

The conclusion to the case where Brennan admits that the victim indeed was a pirate is great. I especially liked how Booth and Hodgins grinned ear-to-ear “argh”ing.
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Re: Bones 1.18 The Man With The Bone

Post by skftex »

Okay, it has taken me so long to do this one that I had to watch it again. Oh poor me. HAHAHA I like this one of course, lots of Hodgins and he is being all pirate-y so how can you NOT like it?

The doctor in the morgue in this one is weird. And I like how Brennan yells at him for compromising the finger. You’d think 18 years he’d know that it would be evidence so it doesn’t need to be “decontaminated.”

Hodgins, Angela, and Zack are guessing about who the bone belonged to, and Angela wants to change hers to French trapper and Hodgins says she can’t change hers. There are apparently RULES to this game and Hodgins is a stickler for them. HAHAHAHA

Hodgins gets excited about pirates! So cute! And Angela says “You can’t change yours!” HEE HEE I’m not sure pirates are a guy thing though, I know lots of women that seem to like the idea of pirates.
“Pirates aren’t Santa, Zack! They DID exist, they DID have treasures, and they DID burying them.”
And it cracks me up where TJ can’t get the glove all the way on and the fingers are kinda just hanging there. :D

Hodgins so excited about going down into the pit, and Booth is actually worried about him. Hodgins is shocked when he finds the skull. And apparently he found an entire skeleton.
Someone planted a skeleton in the shaft. Hodgins is going to be so sad!! Dr. Goodman and Cullen are being territorial. I like when Goodman stands up for his people though.

Booth’s metaphor about a golden goose continuing to lay the eggs is convoluted but “It’s a hoax Dr. Brennan, like Piltdown Man.” Soooooooooooooooo clear. Why can’t Booth say things like that? Because he probably has no clue what a Piltdown Man is, and neither did I until I looked it up. :P AND I couldn’t even understand what Goodman was saying so I looked for a transcript and found the one written by SINKWRITER! Thanks Sherry!!! :greetings-clappingyellow: :D Booth’s reaction to that was pretty funny, sometimes DB does a good job with the faces too.

“Stolen again.” “Re-stolen sir.” Uhmmm what is the difference there? Stolen again, re-stolen, whatever!

Hodgins has the treasure bug! But he is the bug man. He even brags about having 3 doctorates. But his reasoning is flawed, they argue with him all the time about stuff, so his 3 doctorates don’t work that way. HAHAHAHA

“That’s not music its bagpipes.” :P Booth must not have any of the Scottish in him! ;)

I love it when Brennan hits Branson Rose. LOL No way he’s special ops, that’s just a bunch of PR crap.
The three musketeers were always pirate-y to Hodgins. :violence-duel: :P Hodgins singing, “Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.”

Brennan couldn’t possibly really think a Ranger and a Guide are the same thing. Even if she doesn’t get pop references she surely has heard of Army Rangers? Especially since she works with a former one?

Brennan is really worried about Hodgins being in the shaft. I always feel bad for Dane. He was serious about his work, and lost his brother, I can understand why he’d not be happy with people messing with it. I always think Dane has the knife backwards when he is holding against the air hose.

Hodgins found a gold coin and he doesn’t want Goodman to take it from him. HAHAHA I love the Hodgins pirate drawing. I asked TJ where that drawing is now, and he didn’t know. He said he’d have to ask. :sad: Poor lost Hodgins drawing. :/

THE END! I am going to try to get all of season 1 done this weekend. I only have 4 more now and all four of them are pretty good. The end of season 1 really was strong.
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Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.-Camille Pissarro