Bones 8.21 The Maiden in the Mushrooms

[omelette73]

mmm I'm confused, I have to admit it and I didn't like the episode.
I mean, Hodgins is the cutest guy ever, - as always - the Opie & Thurston interaction is always fun, but... the way the writers are dealing with the Cantilever crack is ridiculous, and - I quote - "we had to mortgage the house to pay off a few final debts after the collapse of the Cantilever Group"... would be the big explanation?

A multinational company crack, a company with a Gross Domestic Product of a small country, that is the single largest donor to the Jeffersonian AND all that Angela and Hodgins had to do was mortgage their house? Seriously?
Where do they live? In the freaking Buckingham Palace?!?
Come on!

The all bite/Brennan storyline was honestly exaggerated if not ridiculous. I mean, I get the point, I get that they want to show how her rationality go to hell when it comes of her daughter, but... seriously? She took Christine's dental impression? Isn't that definitely too much?
I really dislike when they ridicule Brennan's character like that.

[Sinkwriter72]

I'm with you. They finally mention the money issue beyond a brief joke and it's still a non-issue. *sigh*

So Hodgins and the intern (Finn?) will strike it rich selling his grandmother's hot sauce recipe, and no real consequence will ever be fully felt for Hodgins and Angela in 'losing' all their money to Pelant. Ever since it happened, the writers barely mentioned the money issue except as a brief joke. I don't understand that.

If the loss of all their funds caused the Cantilever group to completely dissolve -- as was said in last night's episode -- then doesn't that mean the Jeffersonian loses the bulk of its funding? Because the Cantilever group was said to be the Jeffersonian's biggest contributor. Shouldn't the dissolution of that company mean that the Jeffersonian should have had to do major cut-backs? Shouldn't Brennan have been freaking out about the Jeffersonian not being able to afford all that fancy equipment and all those interns and staff and work space anymore?

Something this big affects Hodgins and Angela, which could have been interesting, maybe even given us a glimpse into more of Hodgins' backstory, how he may have grown up if his parents were that wealthy and what that might have been like for him and how he took on such a private path about it back in the early seasons. (Which could also be interesting because it's in direct opposition with how Booth probably grew up, with more blue collar roots, which helpfully connects Hodgins' story to the lead characters and ties everything together.) And as omelette73 pointed out and as we've all discussed in previous episode posts, it affects the Jeffersonian in a big way, too.

So if the writers were going to do something this big that would affect not only Hodgins and Angela on a personal level but the Jeffersonian and the entire team on a professional level, seeing what they did do with it -- which was basically NOTHING -- is such a disappointment and a major cop-out.

They could have used that as a big cliffhanger at some point in the season, that the Jeffersonian was going to have to close or revert to its basic museum-like roots instead of also being used as a crime lab, and the team was going to be split up in some big way, or... I don't know. They could have done something, but instead it's like they just half-assed it in order to crack a couple of jokes about Angela and Hodgins having to slum it and eat baloney sandwiches or something, and that's it. What could have been devastating and scary, or on a smaller level awkward and weird and challenging for the characters, just ended up seeming kind of pointless and weak.

What was the point of any of it if there were no real consequences to something that big happening to Hodgins and Angela (and by extension the rest of the team and the Jeffersonian)? What was the point? The writing just doesn't find genuine depth anymore. I miss the early seasons when things had a point and Brennan and Booth weren't treated as caricatures and the show had more of a 'team as family' feel with Brennan and Booth connected to their team on a stronger, more personal and emotional level than what we see on a regular basis now.

And on another level, I strongly object because I feel like it's once again wasting TJ's talents. He could have been given a strong B story that carried through many episodes here and there, but instead the whole thing became a total non-issue. Why don't they give him more to do? I don't understand why they wouldn't want to make their episodes stronger and more interesting and fully developed for their characters (and by extension, for their talented actors).

*sigh*

On a positive note, I will say that I laughed at Hodgins' declaration that he was going to burn the hell out of Finn's mouth and that he would like it! I always enjoy his experiments, so it was neat that he was able to disassemble the hot sauce recipe using the Jeffersonian equipment. If only he could do that for some of my own grandmother's lost recipes... alas!

And I was glad to see that despite Brennan's insistence upon Christine's innocence, she actually turned out to be most likely guilty of the biting, and she even went on to bite Brennan. LOL. Good. Because Brennan would have been insufferable if Christine had been innocent and therefore 'greater than the average kid.' *eyeroll* She's going to be one hell of a tough mom if she expects perfection from poor little Christine at every turn.

[stargazer]

Overall, I thought that this episode was kind of weak. The actual case didn’t stand out in my mind at all. I honestly had to think for a few minutes to try and remember the details of the case and even who the murderer was. I agree with comments on previous episodes that sympathy for the victim is lacking in most cases of the recent several seasons.

As usual TJ’s acting was excellent, but I did have an issue with a part of the hot sauce storyline. It seems out of character for Hodgins to use someone else’s hot sauce, especially if it has a note saying that it is someone else’s personal property, community fridge or not. I know that this is a minor issue, but I just don’t see him doing that. Even if he’s short on cash, I would think that he would think twice before taking it, putting himself in their shoes and realizing how that person would feel when they realized their sauce was gone. BUT…I always enjoy the Opie/Thurston relationship between Hodgins and Finn and I think that they work really well together. I love the playful nature between them and I was glad to see Hodgins redeem himself in the end. Oh, and I live in the south but can anybody tell me what “Hillbilly broth” is?? LOL!!

I agree that Hodgins selling hot sauce seems like a strange solution to losing his fortune. I think the writers could have come up with something a little stronger or at least show more of how Angela and Hodgins have adapted to living without so much money, as well as how the loss of that money has affected the Jeffersonian.

Finally, I just have to mention TJ’s haircut. He’s always handsome no matter the length of his hair, but it was quite fluffy the last couple of episodes so it’s nice to see it shorter. He looks like he did during Season 3 and I like it.

[omelette73]

As usual TJ’s acting was excellent, but I did have an issue with a part of the hot sauce storyline. It seems out of character for Hodgins to use someone else’s hot sauce, especially if it has a note saying that it is someone else’s personal property, community fridge or not.

I get your point but I disagree, because it's not the first time Hodgins did something like that, if I remember well it happened already in "The fire in the ice", when he used Cam's mixer to mix some dead fishes! Cam was disgusted LOL and not really happy, to say so, and she pointed out there was written "personal property" under the mixer, and he reacted pretty much how he did in this occasion.
I just think he really believes that they share everything at the Jeffersonian!

[stargazer]

That's a good point, I remember that. But I still think that there's a difference between using/borrowing something for a work related purpose and taking something for your own personal reasons.

[omelette73]

That's a good point, I remember that. But I still think that there's a difference between using/borrowing something for a work related purpose and taking something for your own personal reasons.

There is a difference. I agree. And Hodgins understood that too, he saw Luke reaction and tried his best to make amend.
My point was that what he did, wasn't really not-Hodgins-like, because he already did something similar.

[stargazer]

True. He definitely redeemed himself.

[Sinkwriter72]

I don't think it was a terrible offense, mainly because 1) it's a basic condiment so Hodgins probably thought it was on par with sneaking a little bit of someone else's ketchup or mustard, and 2) he had no idea it was Finn's grandmother's special recipe and the last bottle ever. Frankly, if it was that precious, I really don't think Finn should have brought it to work in the first place. But then the writers wouldn't have their forced storyline, so ... oh, well. LOL.

[skftex]

I thought this episode was dull. And pretty much agree with you all about the hot sauce thing. Why did they bother taking his money away? Nothing happened when it went away. Also, weren't there photos of a yard sale or something? I guess those scenes got cut from an episode?

And, how many of you knew who the chef was at the end? They didn't even say her name did they? I know who she is but I watch those cooking type shows sometimes. Bet most of the people watching didn't even know that she is a pretty well known chef, Susan Feniger.

[SmackyKennedy]

Just random bits:

Hodgins: "I'm going to make your mouth burn and you'll love it." :eusa-clap:

Opie & Thurston really is a great name for hot sauce.

Brennan was a wee bit over the top (even for her) about Christine's alleged biting episode, but it was still funny. I don't think my kids have ever bitten anyone. Clearly they are WAY above average.

Funny, I didn't even notice TJ's haircut until he tweeted about it. Maybe it's because I'm so used to seeing it different lengths it doesn't faze me. Maybe it's because I'm too distracted by his eyes and his voice.

[ThyneAlone]

Oh Lord, this is exactly what I feared would happen with the Hodgins money issue, and here I am still needing about another 8 eps to catch up with it. Sounds like this was a wonderful opportunity to explore Hodgins' history. Missed of course.

Oh well I guess I am still watching. But for the actors now, not the storylines, I'm afraid.

[ThyneAlone]

Seen it now! yes, it was ok, reasonably entertaining, but there are a lot of issues you've all mentioned that make it frustrating. Like you I am annoyed that they haven't made something of Jack losing all his money. If only to give TJ something decent to do! But to completely ignore all the ramifications of the collapse of a huge company and the effect on the Jeffersonian, that's just ridiculous.

The biting story had me grinding my own teeth. Please! The woman is intelligent! Honest, she is! Everyone thinks his/her baby is special, but I don't think anyone, however besotted, would deny there are social mores to be learned and phases to be traversed as a child matures. I hope Christine isn't going to grow up to feel she is 'smarter than the average bear', because she'll be bullied to death. And accessing another child's daycare records? Isn't that actually a crime? Not to mention a sign of total lunacy. <sigh>

It seems pretty simplistic to solve financial difficulties at a stroke by just getting out there and marketing a new condiment. Rather contrived if you ask me. No, I didn't know that woman at the end from Adam, though I picked up that she was probably famous; and the Opie/Thurston reference is also a mystery to me.

The case was pretty banal too. Another not-too-sympathetic victim and a rather predictable outcome. Like I said - it was all right, but could have been much, much more.

[skftex]

Steph, Opie was the name of Andy Griffith's boy in the Andy Griffith show, small town country folk, like Finn is supposed to be. Opie was played by Ron Howard.

Thurston refers to Thurston Howell IV from Gilligan's Island, he was a multimillionaire, played by Jim Backus.

I guess they think that everyone has seen those two shows as they are considered classic (though honestly, Gilligan's Island was just silly).

[ThyneAlone]

Thanks Sharon, that's a help!
(This is me trying out our new quick reply option btw).
I've heard of Gilligan's island and had also heard it was rather silly, but I've never seen it!

[skftex]

I didn't notice the quick reply was now working. I tried to enable it months ago and it didn't work so I just left it enabled, so when he put the new updated style on I didn't even think about it. Yay. Something else that works. Now if we can just get the other little bugs out, it'll be good.