Bones 5.14: The Devil in the Details

[kayleigh_marie]

No one has posted a thread about this, so I took it upon myself to do so (:

First thing's first, Devil in a church!

Alright. Down to business. I really enjoyed this episode, for many reasons.
One being that I love the banter between Tempy and Seeley when they discuss religion. And Booths' constant thoughts being occupied with the possibility that Temperance's disbelief in religion could get him smote.

The bit with Jack and Arastoo and the nunchuks was even better than when I'd seen it in the clip.

I love when they involve Sweets in the field work, because he's one of my favorite characters. So this episode was very ideal to me.

I have one thing I disliked slightly. The "great devil" (I think that's the phrase) bit was not my favorite. Though I understand Hodgins being very paranoid, I did not see Cam thinking the way he did. I don't know what else to say about this subject other than when Arastoo began talking about his experience as a translator to Cam, it was very touching. I do enjoy a bit of personal information on the Interns, and it was definitely time for Arastoo to give a piece of himself.

Did anyone else think it was amusing that the first person Brennan had connected with in the past, I don't know, 2 seasons, was a mental patient? I laughed a bit.

Sorry, this went on a bit long.

[Jude40]

Hi everyone

This episode was very dark, seriously disturbing and really sad but I thought it was excellent television.

Before I get in to the review it wasn't the best quality I've ever watched on line so I didn't catch why Brennan was driving so if anyone can enlighten me that would be cool.

Now to the important stuff this episode is gonna stay with me for a good while it always does disturb me when I think about how people's lives are changed so dramatically by mental illness, the way the family of the victim was torn apart was so very sad.

I really liked Sweets in this episode it showed how good he is at his job. I liked the fact that Brennan recognised the usefullness of psychology and psychiatry when she saw how the hospital staff dealt with the patients.

I also liked the way that this epi recognised that there are different types of faith all equally important to those who have the faith and that whatever type of faith you have it can always be shaken.

I believed that Cam could actually be slightly threatened when she took Arastoo's comments the wrong way its amazing how easily we can all feel threatened by 'the bogeyman' in whatever guise. I thought Arastoo's actual explanation of his comments was really emotional and it reminded so much of Booth's experiences escpecially the birthday party story he told Brennan in 'The Soldier on the Grave'. It kinda makes you see that in reality good and evil, black and white are usually more shades of grey.

Ok as much as this episode was quite dark the ending just made you see that no matter how bad things get there is always a new day, ok that's kinda simplistic but it did leave you feeling optimitic.

Last but certainly not least for an episode that wasn't particularly light the nunchuck scene was just completely hysterical like I've said in the past I love Hodgins mischevious side; it provided some light relief in a serious epi.

I reckon that's all for now.

Catch you later

Jude x

[ThyneAlone]

Now most people know that my favourite Bones eps are the theme-y ones. As has already been pointed out, this one has an important theme – belief in various forms, how it manifests in people, how it touches our lives. So, yes, I quite enjoyed it, in spite of the niggle that’s been gnawing at me incessantly since S1, i.e. that, with Arastoo’s various soul-barings and those of others, we probably know more about some of the interns’ backgrounds and experiences than we do about Hodgins’. Sigh.

I’m not convinced that anyone who killed a member of his family, for whatever reason, would leave the body engulfed in flames on an altar for all to view, nor that horn implants would be quite that obvious or successful, nor that, given a church fire, the clergy’s reaction would be to kneel down in front of it and pray. On the other hand, it made for some neat and imaginative filming and effects. I particularly liked the view down onto the altar from the crucifix – one sacrifice gazing at another, or the glimpse from heaven into the pyre of hell.

I also appreciated the Gothic quality and hidden corners of that magnificent asylum. Again, the visuals – wonderful. Sheeting rain and shadows climbing the staircase like the iconic Expressionist Nosferatu image. Very Dracula, even to the secret depths, which, ok, did not contain coffins, but were certainly a gateway into death. An electrocution that looked a lot like a crucifixion.

In a world of different manifestations of belief, no one can say for sure whether any are ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ or ‘deluded’. Hence the asylum was a marvellous metaphor for human existence in many ways; people living together in a group yet isolated from one another by the worlds within their minds. We had inmates who believed that they were the incarnations of evil, of good and of healing; we even had an employee who believed he was doing good in some measure by supplying heroin. A grim world that turns our ideas upside down and transforms everything from safe empirical black and white into grey. Who’s to say that the inmates aren’t right? And who doesn’t think from time to time that society itself is a madhouse?

And is evil real and active, or is it simply the reverse face of good? Do we all carry the seeds of it, which frankly I feel is a lot more creepy and dangerous? Arastoo’s Great Satan was something he battled every day in himself, rather than an outside force; I guess the reaction of Hodgins and Cam was understandable if a little simplistic. But his explanation was indeed extremely moving, in the same way as Booth’s anguish at killing someone he could relate to as a father and a real human being.

To insert humour into all this darkness was a massive achievement in which TJ played no small part. The nunchuck scene and its attendant dialogue were hilarious. ‘Knock yourself out. I did.’ Lol! But of course he had some other splendid lines. My favourite was the plaintive, ’I don’t want to be the Great Satan, I just want to be a minor demon.’ And a thorn in everyone else’s flesh, obviously! Love the way he still has that childlike resistance to authority that sees him coming in to work in an ‘inappropriate’ T-shirt.

In the end, the driving questions behind this episode have to remain unresolved. It’s interesting, however, to contemplate the similarities in the way that belief drives both Brennan and Booth, though at first glance they seem to be polar opposites. Both may experience events that seem to teeter on the brink of true evil; yet both can wake from this abyss to face the new day, inspired by the fact that there is some order and beauty in the universe – no matter what the source.

[SmackyKennedy]

I can't say anything better than what's been said, so I'll leave it with random thoughts.

I always enjoy the ones dealing with Booth vs Brennan's beliefs, makes for great tension between them.

The one thing that didn't fit for me either was the priest and the altar boy kneeling and praying instead of hauling *** out of there. Great special effects throughout though.

Nunchuk stuff was hilarious...The part where he had to cover his eye to see and passed out cracked me up. It was nice to learn more about Arastoo (who I also thought looked darn good in this episode), but ThyneAlone made a good point that we are learning more about the interns than Hodgins lately. Writers need to work on that one.

I thought the girl who played the "Angel" mental patient did a great job, very creepy, kept picturing her when I was trying to go to sleep.

I did think it was funny too that Brennan connected with the mental patient of all people.

Slow work day so I'm off to watch more of my season 1 DVDs.

[Sinkwriter72]

The one thing that didn't fit for me either was the priest and the altar boy kneeling and praying instead of hauling *** out of there.

Or, you know, get a FIRE EXTINGUISHER or some baking soda or something to put the thing out! Call the fire department in case you're worried your whole church might go up in flames. *shakes head* Forced melodrama.

Side note: this episode was not scary or dark to me (especially with the cheesy flames that flared up in between scenes). But then, I used to watch The X-Files, so you've got to work pretty hard to rattle me after that program.

I loved Hodgins in this one, though. He made me laugh a lot. The jokes about his inappropriate work attire (love the character detail of that), how he begged to be able to call the victim Hell Boy until the real identification was determined, hitting himself in the head (but still finishing his work before falling onto the floor and passing out, heee). So much love for TJ in his performances.

I also liked how Brennan talked about what she holds on to, what her faith is in, like math and science. That was an interesting bit.

Steph, you wrote some fascinating things about theme, especially that part about the asylum as metaphor. Very cool. I'd like to reread your thoughts and ponder them some.

[ThyneAlone]

I'm flattered, my lady. Go for it!