Bones 3.02 The Soccer Mom in the Minivan

[KimberHodgela]

Hey girls! I wasn't sure if I should start a new topic for this one, and as we've yet to hear back from Ben (or have we?) about getting another area for episode discussions - I decided to start this. I figured the thread from last week would get pretty cluttered pretty fast once the episodes started to air.

So here begins discussion of this week's episode - Soccer Mom in the Minivan. What did you all think? I know just a select few of us have probably managed to see it by now, but our International Friends should join us within the next day or two - thanks to Ei's wonderful link

Overall - the episode was pretty good. I liked it better than last week's, and I'm not sure why. The storyline was pretty intriguing, and the whole "whodunit" bit threw me, so that's always nice. I thought I had read somewhere that the writers weren't doing the whole "psyche you out" killer thing, but ... I enjoy it.

Now what we're really interested in ... TJ and Michaela (or rather, Jack and Angela). Awesome, awesome stuff. I was amazed, and totally fell for them all over again. It's like this episode put us back where we were last year - the flirty, I-love-you, mushy love that made me fall for this couple in the first place.

We get a few great scenes of just J/A wonder - and I was very, very pleased to see my favourite line from the sides make it in! Angela (referring to Jack, and speaking to the agent Jack's been oogling): "I do facial reconstructions (*beat*, and glorious look by MC) and him.". Awesome stuff, people. I can't wait until you see it!

Not to mention we get a reference to the "Medieval Room", which obviously has become much more exciting than the "Egyptian Room" of last season.

Overall, without spoiling too much for you, and leaving room for others to comment, we get to really see our couple interact together, and some fine acting by Michaela and TJ. We also get to see that Jack is still very much in love with her, and she with him.

Enjoy - and let us know what you think when you see it yourselves! [/i]

[Sinkwriter72]

Quick thoughts:

I thought David Boreanaz had some really nice moments with the gentleman who played the agent (or cop?) that had been working the case for the past 30 years. Good 'in the moment' exchanges between the two of them, good eye contact and emotional connection. I was impressed.

As for Hodgins... heh hehhh. At first, if I'd been Angela, I would have been ready to smack him for all that fumbling around and babbling in front of the 'bombshell' from the bomb squad. He was just terrible, with all that leering! And man, did she have no concept of personal space? *still laughing*

But ultimately I liked how the writers and actors (TJ and Michaela) handled it. It wasn't some soap opera where the guy behaves like a jerk and the girlfriend immediately gets defensive and upset and worried and jealous. Instead, they behaved like adults (which doesn't insult the audience like the other kind of scenario would). He admitted to finding the woman physically attractive, but at the same time, I liked the change in his attitude toward her because of how she handled the case (I'll leave it at that so I don't spoil too much).

And I liked how Angela even acknowledged the woman's beauty, herself. Reminds me of my good friends (Sonnett and her boyfriend David), who have a joke within their relationship about how David finds the actress Claudia Black (from Farscape) attractive... he's 'allowed' because Sonnett says if she were to be with a woman, she'd choose Claudia too. That amuses me. They're very honest with each other, and don't take such things too seriously, which I really like and admire. And I saw that in Angela in tonight's episode -- she was more amused than offended by Jack's behavior, but at the same time she let him know exactly what was important to her. Very cool.

It's so gorgeous outside tonight, and the wind is making all sorts of glorious noise through the trees outside my apartment balcony, which makes me want to stay up, listen to it, and write some more, but I've got to train people on how to do my job tomorrow morning, bright and early, so I best sign off.

Hope you're all having a lovely evening, wherever you are!

[begolden]

Have so little time to dash off this post! But I had to check in and say that TJ was INCREDIBLE in this episode. There was so much subtext in his acting, not to mention humor. Oh, and those close-ups! You could tell that the director truly appreciated the range of emotion TJ is capable of displaying with facial expressions alone, as well as how those blue eyes could get even bigger when Hodgins is placed in an uncomfortable or surprising position!

The J/A was, to use a term from the episode, hot. They were in each other's space in quite a few scenes. Loved how Hodgins keeps a suit of armor helmet under his desk as a pretext for returning to the medieval room--LOL! That whole scene was sweet yet hilarious. First Booth complains from the catwalk that Hodgins is taking too long with the evidence. Once Hodgins finds what he's looking for, and Angela suggests a tryst, he turns it around and yells up at Booth to hurry up. During his whole conversation with Angela, while he's seated and she's standing very close to him, his eyes keep dropping to her cleavage--I'm not exaggerating! And of course that scene ends with Angela planting a big one on Hodgins. Did I give too much away?

My favorite line, and I am repeating it here from memory so it may not be totally accurate:

Angela: "I don't care what happens in your pants, as long as it stays in your pants."

[KimberHodgela]

Angela: "I don't care what happens in your pants, as long as it stays in your pants."

I think this episode has been completely and wonderfully quotable. Along with the "I do facial reconstructions" quote, the one you stated has got to be my favourite of all time.

And yes - TJ did an amazing job in this episode. When I think of it now, I remember him, and not so much anything Emily or David did/said. I think the writers/director are finallyl realizing what TJ can do with a scene, and giving him those opportunities!

[blue_eyes]

love this eppy. i was laughing so hard at jack fumbling over the bombshell from the bomb squad and i loved how angela handled it. if that was me i would have smacked him one. all in all a very good episode

[sapphiresilt]

I know I'll be in the minority here, but I absolutely disliked everything about the J/A storyline in this episode. I found Jack to be immature, insensitive, and downright disrespectful, and I am extremely disappointed in the writers for giving him such an OOC side story.

In all the time that Jack has been with Angela, he has never once given any indication that he is the type of guy who ogles (openly or otherwise) other women when he is in a committed relationship (and that's one of the things I've admired about him). In fact, the only time he ever acted this gushing way was with the courier woman...but that was early on in S1 when the show was trying to establish him as a "man about town." Since falling for Angela, he has never shown this kind of immature and disrespectful behavior. I remember how upset many of us were when Booth implied that Jack wanted to get into the pants of his ex-fiancee...that whole episode looks so tame now compared to Jack's actual behavior!!

I know I've said that for once I want Angela to be the one who feels insecure in the relationship, but I never imagined this would be the way it played out. It's not as if Jack and this bomb expert flirted lightly and bonded over their mutual interest in their work. She was not even interested, and Jack was a pig...plain and simple. Quite frankly, he deserved a girlfriend who was *not* understanding the way Angela was. Yes, Angela is cool with it, and that's a credit to her, but who wants to witness a boyfriend make such a public a$$ of himself? Even Brennan and Zack looked at him with surprise and mild disgust.

Any scenes that came between Angela and Jack later were ruined for me. Jack seemed to get everything he wanted...unashamed open lusting and a too-good-to-be-true understanding girlfriend who then wants to "meet up" with him in the medieval room. I find that my whole perception of Jack has now changed, and I'm angry that the writers couldn't leave us with the Jack I had come to love.

And what makes it worse for me is that it had absolutely no bearing on the plot. None. At least Jack and Angela talked about the case this time when they were together, but the bomb squad bombshell was obviously just put there to cause friction for J/A. But why? Isn't a god-like absent husband enough? And why make Jack look so immature and, dare I say it, pathetic? I wanted to punch him when he was openly looking at her breasts...if he has had as much experience as we've been led to believe, wouldn't he have seen enough boobs in his lifetime? And she wasn't all that hot (despite what J/A thought!).

I'm sure most (if not all) of you will disagree with me, but I needed to air my viewpoint. I felt very disappointed and sad after that episode and don't know how I can view Jack in the same light. Such a shame.

[ThyneAlone]

Well, Eileen, I have been able to watch this and I can understand how you feel. As you suspect, I don't fully agree, I think you might be taking Jack overly seriously, but I do know where you're coming from.

Jack loves women. Well, that's how TJ sees Jack. He appreciates them, loves their company, relates well to them. OK he is also capable of the male bonding thing, but then he is clearly a healthy young male as well as a sensitive type - he runs a pretty high testosterone level if his love life is anything to go by. It is this mixture that makes him so interesting. But his morals have never been in question, there was never a suggestion that he was unfaithful in any relationship, be it the casual three-girlfriends-a-month ones or the Clarissa one.

Now you obviously feel this was crassly done and it was somewhat in-your-face. But I think what the writers are after is to get Hodgela back onto a normal keel after a very intense period of their relationship. That must mean Angela being her free-and-easy, relaxed self (as in 'the rules are we can both look but not touch') and Hodgins with the occasional lech and renewed conspiracy theory interest. They are very happy and trusting with one another now. Jack has taken on board all this stuff about God Like Spouse and Angela has managed to convince him not to be threatened, and now she has shown him she's not threatened either. She probably knew anyway that Frost would say or do something out of turn if she was around Jack long enough! This is like me and my husband sitting together in front of the telly as he follows Angela's every move and I sigh after TJ. Neither of us is bothered that the other is attracted to other people - bound to happen - it's just that we're in an exclusive bond so we don't actually make a move on others.

It was overdone, yes, and that's what made it seem disrespectful. I could have done without Frost's intimate and embarrassing invasions of Jack's space. And if she had shown any slight sign of discomfort with his reaction then I might have found it unpleasant; but she didn't, Jack was perfectly well aware that she is used to men reacting to her in this way and even encourages it with close physical contact - that's how she manages men! But I don't think the situation was there just for friction. I think it was meant to show that the J/A relationship is still solid despite the abortive marriage attempt. And that BOTH of them are working to keep it so.

Does that make you feel any better??

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Sorry but I am with Ei all the way.I felt totally uncomfortable with the whole plot line and felt embarrassed with Jack behaving like a silly ogling school boy.And in front of Angela which was disrespectful.This is a man who is very assured around women and not a bumbling teenager.

Obviously Eileen expressed herself perfectly and as always we are free to state our opinions.I cannot usefully add anything to her comments as she has expressed how I felt so well.Especially the not adding to the whole I see no reason for the scenes at all didn't forward the storyline.

Hope this isn't an omen for the rest of the series!!!!!!!

[ThyneAlone]

Sorry but I am with Ei all the way.

I can understand it. Why sorry?

This is a man who is very assured around women and not a bumbling teenager.

Well you sure as heck have a point there. But...I don't know...if he'd made his attraction obvious in an assured way I think I would have found it more offensive than a more innocent reaction. I thought half the 'bumbling' was a feeling of embarrassment, actually.

as always we are free to state our opinions.

I should think so! Absolutely.

especially the not adding to the whole..the scenes...didn't forward the storyline.

I guess it was intended as some kind of character development..It worried me a bit last week that the J/A thread of 'Widow' was so (similarly) divorced from the rest of the team's action. As you say, we don't want this becoming a regular event.
It makes me look forward somewhat with trepidation to ep 3. I mean, with pony play and all, it's going to be a bit hard to avoid crass sexual innuendo all over the show. I'm wondering whether, since they swapped eps 2 & 3 round, Jack and Angela are more 'normal' in 3.03. Have to wait and see!