Bones 4.05 The Perfect Pieces In The Purple Pond

[ThyneAlone]

I really do think it's a bit strained to make a body of water turn purple when peed in, not to serve plot but merely to assist alliteration! Still, there we are, and the purple gave TJ a chance to identify the particular algae that were causing the colour, so no complaints here.

And at last they've had to recant a bit, then. So Zack didn't actually do the deed *gleeful malicious grin*. So it was done by the previous apprentice who was murdered by the Master to make room for Zack! How does that fit with the supposed timescale of all this, I wonder, but then disbelief has not been suspended exactly here, more like dangled from a noose by a short cord from a high branch. Disbelief's neck is definitely broken.

But it was great to see and hear Zack again (though he is going back to being robot boy a bit, that'll be from being on his own too much), and to realise that we miss him as much as the team does. Poor Wendell Bray, the new intern, didn't have a chance, did he? Though he lent some joviality to the proceedings with his understandable misinterpretation of one of Brennan's blunt remarks as implying that she wanted sex with him! Again, Michaela talking to him about it ... great. Great character continuity; Angela remains the convenient shoulder and advisor. Though I wish she were showing as plain a reaction to the break-up as Hodgins is. I wish she would talk to her best friend Brennan. TJ carried through superbly from last week with his snappiness towards Cam (and anyone else who came near him, but Cam got it in the neck, I feel, for daring to suggest that Jack took over Zack's lab space), but his spiky attitude at work (if you don't like it, fire me, otherwise let me do this the way I want) convincingly melted away when he visited Zack - so like the old days with the jokes and the genuine warmth and understanding. A King of the Lab reference! Wonderful. TJ is definitely still the best thing on the show, especially since the writing has become more plodding and less credible as genuine conversation; he seems able to inspire belief in his character all the time.

Plots do remain somewhat inconsequential - this one centred round OCD and its ramifications and again there was the weekly nod to grossness, this time in the therapy - licking things that had been in a toilet bowl, etc. This theme was of course a good way of bringing in Zack, who would clearly understand the mind of an obsessive compulsive, but I thought the motive was feather light and didn't convince. Would this particular obsessive murder another? Wouldn't it all be worryingly messy, emotionally and physically? Certainly an undesirable gap in routine, I'd have thought. Signs of reaction in the murderer would surely have shown up early on. And big cheer for Zack, but for goodness' sake, how can a supposed killer just walk out of a psychiatric institution unhindered (not that it wasn't an absolute delight to see them all laughing together in the diner, and indeed working together in the lab)? On the other hand, comparable to Brennan talking about the dog (read -Zack) last week was the very funny scene with the OCD guy who owned up to the murder because he was certain that if he sat beside someone at the wrong time that person would die. Really nice parallel with the way Zack felt himself to be guilty of that other killing because he had joined with its originator and was thinking in a particular way. Kudos to whomever wrote that!

I have to say that the BB relationship worked far better this week. One more step in learning to trust and lean on one another, as Booth stops trying to be macho and allows Temperance to deal with his backache. They didn't have any more of those awful 'meaningful moments', and they didn't have much physical intimacy except when aforementioned back was straightened, but they did bicker gently and naturally; and suddenly there was a lighter feel to everything.

I quite liked this one, but it's still not up to S1, it's not balanced enough. Sometimes cases are weird rather than strongly plotted; the emphasis on the BB relationship is still overshadowing the squints' rapport, thus diminishing the team performance; and for a show that always puts character development over procedural, it is showing us remarkably little about individuals, their histories and families (though of course Brendan Fehr is on the horizon as Jared Booth and Angela's Roxie should be turning up soon). But I am at least getting a feel for themes again. This did feel as if it were dealing to some degree with obsession, Zack's and Jack's in particular. Because Jack is still all about Angela and dirt!

PS Got Sky digital today. And Yanks In The UK is showing on Sky1 at 9. Cup pretty much running over even though the heavy cold is still in evidence!

[late_heart]

Ah, my reactions are really not enthusiastic for this one, I'm afraid.

First, TJ was fabulous, as was Eric. No qualms about the acting in this epsiode, or the show, for that.

Second, it was fun to see Ryan Alvarez without his demon make-up. He was in Angel, Season 5 as Sebassis' pet/boytoy, 'The Pee-Pee Demon.' Geez, I miss that show -- wonder if TJ made the AtS connection with him?

Third, I have so many issues with this episode that I don't have the patience to enumerate them. From Sweets taking over every conceivable role, to Brennan's insecurity about Booth reading her books, which I was certain he had based on prior episodes, to the whole 'Yay! Zack's here! Let's go eat!' thing.

Because if one of my near and dears busted out of the insane asylum and took the bus to come see me at work, the first thing I'd do would be to jump for joy. Where is the concern for his personal welfare? I'm just... *flails*

And just let's not talk about the retcon. I'm narrowly avoiding having a stroke as it is.


But other than that! Go Bones. Um.

[ThyneAlone]

You're absolutely right about Sweets. He did take over. What's up with him doing the interviewing!???? I forgot to mention him because my mind has started erasing him, you know, like when a car alarm goes on and on and eventually the brain just switches off? I think I have started to ignore him! And I reiterate that the plot was pretty lacy, ie full of holes. I do think however that we haven't descended as low as previous S3 & S4 levels.. Is that because of more TJ, is that blinding me?

probably.

And, er, does this sound completely stupid, what's retcon? Something to do with continuity mayhap?

And this belongs elsewhere, but you were watching AtS in S5? Whoo. It had driven me insane by then, and I was a devotee of the first couple of seasons..

[ThyneAlone]

I'm thanking the AntiBoneyard for putting me onto
this: because I agree!!

[begolden]

I'm a little late to the party, I'm afraid (I have a niece visiting that I haven't seen in over 20 years!). However, I did see the episode the night it aired, and had much of the same reaction as the rest of you.

T.J. was great, of course. I'm glad they've included him in so many scenes (guess Sweets can't really take over Hodgins' job, eh?). I also agree that Angela needs to be showing a little more of the same kind of sadness as Hodgins is expressing. The scene between Zach and Hodgins made me want to cry, it was so well-acted. God, I miss the old days in the lab! However, what's this about Zach not really killing anyone??? As glad as I am, I have to wonder if this is a little backpedaling by the writers due to the overwhelmingly negative response by viewers. Do we have any hope of getting Zach back into the lab in the future?

[ThyneAlone]

Hi Rebecca! Great to see you, and good to hear that you've been having a good time. From my own experience I would say there is nothing quite like the thrill of seeing someone again, years later, with whom you've kept in contact but whom you've never met in that time. It's a rush, and there is still so much to discover. I'm quite envious.

Excellent to hear your comments on the show too, measured as usual. Will we have Zack back? Hmm. I would say not without a whole lot more willingness on our part to suspend disbelief. I know people say it's a TV show and we should be able to accept little divergences from reality for the sake of the plots, but I find it really sloppy when simple legal and practical issues are swept aside in a procedural of all things. I had my misgivings at Max's trial - he'd never have got off that way in real life - and now here we have Hodgins blatantly handing over a case file to a mentally disturbed criminal (come on, put yourself in those lawyer's shoes); that has to be illegal, yes? And then someone just walking out of one secure institution and into another, unchallenged and oddly dressed? Where's security, where's CCTV (how did Grayson Barasa get into the lab the other week btw?)? And they all take him out for a meal instead of turning him right back over to the psychiatrists. Of course they do. It's Zack.

If they want us to take the Zack position seriously, no, he shouldn't come back. He hasn't shown remorse for his involvement, only for his mistaken logic, and he might well have killed someone had he remained driven by that flawed logic. He has still betrayed his colleagues to aid a psychopathic murderous cannibal, he's still an accessory. Realistically, he should be away for a very long time. If they want him to return to rectify their appalling misjudgment in making him the Sith apprentice, they will have to think a long way past 'well, he didn't actually murder anyone, he's ok.' I like my drama to take place somewhere on the planet Earth, unless it's Doctor Who!

[English Al]

caught up with ep 5 and 6 last night.

I loved this episode actually. To see Zack again was great. No doubt Sweets will be seeing the powers that be about getting him released soon.

I liked the intern and I hope he returns in the future. I've said that about so many though that the lab will be full of them!