In Defense of Brennan

Hello Salty Goodness wrote:I think the ton of Brennan backlash was more due to how she was written towards Booth after the 100th, starting with Queen Bee and OCC with Hacker and pushing Catherine relationship. Imo, I do agree with Beaver re: Loser comment, I needed an actual sorry, not a speech that said a lot without the actual word, sometimes a simple sorry is more than enough...that said, all the characters are flawed, like we are too in RL, imo.

I can see what you're saying but personally I think the fact that she said it in a speech, in front of all their friends, meant more than if she had just went up to Booth and said "I'm sorry." I think it took a lot for her to say the things she said about Booth in that speech in front of Ang and Cam and everyone. I thought it was very sweet. And their non verbal communication on the bench afterwards was also pretty heart tugging, IMO.

It's funny, when I first watched season five, I wasn't on this board ... and I never thought anything about the way Brennan approached the whole Catherine situation. But I see now, that a lot of people took issue with it. I guess I just see her constant asking about Catherine, talking about that relationship, as her way of trying to convince herself that she did the right thing in the 100th. She thought, at the time anyway, that telling Booth to move on was the right thing to do. But, when he tries to do it, she has to face feelings of jealously (speculation on my part of course) and her way of dealing with this was to constantly question it and dig for information ... trying to convince herself that he was happy. I can see how that would be OOC for season five Brennan but I think she regressed quite a bit once Booth told her how he felt in the 100th, and to me at least, that justifies her for the rest of the season. Although, I do think that she will have to make the next move, not Booth. Because I think it would be OOC for him to keep chasing her if she's just going to run away.

And I love that TPTB still let us have those sweet little BB moments at the end of every episode, even though they're suppose to be dating other people. I mean, come on, that doesn't happen. I have close guy friends ... but I don't go out on a date with my boyfriend then ditch him to meet up with my platonic guy friend for dinner. I think the writers are trying to tell us something, to make us remember that these two are together, they just don't see it yet. Or at the very least, they're throwing us bones.

dreamerktm411 wrote:

Hello Salty Goodness wrote:Imo, I think the ton of Brennan backlash was more due to how she was written, especially towards Booth, after the 100th, starting with Queen Bee and OCC with Hacker and pushing the Catherine relationship. Imo, I do agree with Beaver, re: Loser comment, I needed an actual *sorry* not a speech that said a lot without the actual word, sometimes a simple "I'm sorry" is more than enough and just as affective ... That said, all the characters are flawed, like we are too in RL, and do and say things that we like/dislike, imo.

To me, her speech was more meaningful, than just two words that anyone can say. It not only showed that she knew she was wrong, but that she had learned from her mistake.

I agree. I thought her speech was more meaningful than saying "I'm sorry." The the scene when they are sitting on the bench in silence is a tear jerker.

bailey wrote:

Hello Salty Goodness wrote:I think the ton of Brennan backlash was more due to how she was written towards Booth after the 100th, starting with Queen Bee and OCC with Hacker and pushing Catherine relationship. Imo, I do agree with Beaver re: Loser comment, I needed an actual sorry, not a speech that said a lot without the actual word, sometimes a simple sorry is more than enough...that said, all the characters are flawed, like we are too in RL, imo.

I can see what you're saying but personally I think the fact that she said it in a speech, in front of all their friends, meant more than if she had just went up to Booth and said "I'm sorry." I think it took a lot for her to say the things she said about Booth in that speech in front of Ang and Cam and everyone. I thought it was very sweet. And their non verbal communication on the bench afterwards was also pretty heart tugging, IMO.

It's funny, when I first watched season five, I wasn't on this board ... and I never thought anything about the way Brennan approached the whole Catherine situation. But I see now, that a lot of people took issue with it. I guess I just see her constant asking about Catherine, talking about that relationship, as her way of trying to convince herself that she did the right thing in the 100th. She thought, at the time anyway, that telling Booth to move on was the right thing to do. But, when he tries to do it, she has to face feelings of jealously (speculation on my part of course) and her way of dealing with this was to constantly question it and dig for information ... trying to convince herself that he was happy. I can see how that would be OOC for season five Brennan but I think she regressed quite a bit once Booth told her how he felt in the 100th, and to me at least, that justifies her for the rest of the season. Although, I do think that she will have to make the next move, not Booth. Because I think it would be OOC for him to keep chasing her if she's just going to run away.

And I love that TPTB still let us have those sweet little BB moments at the end of every episode, even though they're suppose to be dating other people. I mean, come on, that doesn't happen. I have close guy friends ... but I don't go out on a date with my boyfriend then ditch him to meet up with my platonic guy friend for dinner. I think the writers are trying to tell us something, to make us remember that these two are together, they just don't see it yet. Or at the very least, they're throwing us bones.

I think when they are dating other people, we get the best B&B moments. I think it's the writers way of telling us that it in the end, there will always be a B&B. I also think that writers already have B&B in a relationship, but they just don't realize it yet.

I guess I just wish that the Brennan's "you're not a loser" speech never had to be said in the first place, the jerky Jared plot in Con Man and fallout due to this, did those characters no favors, imo ~ it is a creative decision, that I didn't agree with and just bugs me. lol.

You know what's funny... I actually really love the Jared plot and his character too, now. I'm with you in that I didn't like it when the episode first started... but WOW did his presence help push Booth and Brennan closer or what??!!

We got to see Booth earlier on giving some pretty clear indicators of his feelings for Brennan (on the phone when Jared asked her to go to the function with him... priceless Booth face)... We also got to see some major HOT Booth when he was so angry during interrogation and confronted Brennan with HUGE emotion ("Is that how you see me... like this clown etc...")- this is still one of my favorite Booth scenes to this day... Then in the end... the bench scene where Brennan and Booth are sitting and share cake, and Booth simply says "My dad drank" to Brennan... talk about him really starting to open up to her. And Jared was kinda the catalyst for all this (IMO) [Only admins are allowed to see this image]

Plus we got to see huge Brennan growth because she made a huge mistake and she also completely beat herself (and Jared [Only admins are allowed to see this image] ) up for ever doubting Booth. It led to that wonderfully emotional speech that showed major Brennan growth very early on.

Bailey, your post got me thinking it is interesting to see all the povs on the characters. And how we view their progression/regression, especially Brennan post 100th epi. I am interested to see how her time away and her own wanted perspective affects her character in Season 6.

Hello Salty Goodness wrote:Bailey, your post got me thinking it is interesting to see all the povs on the characters. And how we view their progression/regression, especially Brennan post 100th epi. I am interested to see how her time away and her own wanted perspective affects her character in Season 6.

Me too. It will be interesting to see what her "time off" from murder and Booth has done for her. She's taken off like this before (seemingly every Christmas/summer of her career) but never with such obvious intent of trying to figure something out about herself. I hope they really pursue this next season instead of dropping that storyline.

And, yes, I agree ... these forums are fascinating to me, to see how dozens of people can watch the same show/episode and come away with totally different opinions and feelings. I think it really says a lot about prespective and how much we bring of ourselves into something as simple as watching a television show.
Also makes me realize how frustrating it would be to be in charge of such a show ... can't please all the people all the time, ya know?

the beaver1965 wrote:Salty, Thank you. A simple SORRY would have sufficed , not all that mumbo jumbo.

I really have to disagree with that. Saying sorry would have been a completely inadequate gesture. Sorry is for, "I was late for dinner." Or, "sorry about the mess on the table." Sorry for dating your brother and believing him over you? That would come off as completely insincere. Everyone in their group knew what she did. She made a PUBLIC apology so that everyone would know that she KNEW she'd screwed up. She talks about just how great Booth is because at different times in the episode she'd talked about the things Jared had said to her, and that she believed. She's telling Booth and all of their peers just how completely wrong she was. In my opinion that is far better, and far more meaningful than saying, "Hey, I'm sorry."

joybrennan wrote:

the beaver1965 wrote:Salty, Thank you. A simple SORRY would have sufficed , not all that mumbo jumbo.

I really have to disagree with that. Saying sorry would have been a completely inadequate gesture. Sorry is for, "I was late for dinner." Or, "sorry about the mess on the table." Sorry for dating your brother and believing him over you? That would come off as completely insincere. Everyone in their group knew what she did. She made a PUBLIC apology so that everyone would know that she KNEW she'd screwed up. She talks about just how great Booth is because at different times in the episode she'd talked about the things Jared had said to her, and that she believed. She's telling Booth and all of their peers just how completely wrong she was. In my opinion that is far better, and far more meaningful than saying, "Hey, I'm sorry."

ITA. Great post. Besides, it's Bones. Nothing about the way she speaks is ever simple. Her speech was totally in character, twas the Brennan thing to do.

Wait a minute, who else in the group knew that she thought he was loser? She never TOLD anyone what she thought.

bailey wrote:

joybrennan wrote:

the beaver1965 wrote:Salty, Thank you. A simple SORRY would have sufficed , not all that mumbo jumbo.

I really have to disagree with that. Saying sorry would have been a completely inadequate gesture. Sorry is for, "I was late for dinner." Or, "sorry about the mess on the table." Sorry for dating your brother and believing him over you? That would come off as completely insincere. Everyone in their group knew what she did. She made a PUBLIC apology so that everyone would know that she KNEW she'd screwed up. She talks about just how great Booth is because at different times in the episode she'd talked about the things Jared had said to her, and that she believed. She's telling Booth and all of their peers just how completely wrong she was. In my opinion that is far better, and far more meaningful than saying, "Hey, I'm sorry."

ITA. Great post. Besides, it's Bones. Nothing about the way she speaks is ever simple. Her speech was totally in character, twas the Brennan thing to do.

I found it to be one of her clearest speeches ever. It was poetic - her description of Booth that starts "the quiet man" is really beautiful. Besides, it's wasn't like anyone in the group wouldn't get it (unlike, say, this year's Christmas speech - which was hilarious! )

joybrennan wrote:

bailey wrote:

joybrennan wrote:

the beaver1965 wrote:Salty, Thank you. A simple SORRY would have sufficed , not all that mumbo jumbo.

I really have to disagree with that. Saying sorry would have been a completely inadequate gesture. Sorry is for, "I was late for dinner." Or, "sorry about the mess on the table." Sorry for dating your brother and believing him over you? That would come off as completely insincere. Everyone in their group knew what she did. She made a PUBLIC apology so that everyone would know that she KNEW she'd screwed up. She talks about just how great Booth is because at different times in the episode she'd talked about the things Jared had said to her, and that she believed. She's telling Booth and all of their peers just how completely wrong she was. In my opinion that is far better, and far more meaningful than saying, "Hey, I'm sorry."

ITA. Great post. Besides, it's Bones. Nothing about the way she speaks is ever simple. Her speech was totally in character, twas the Brennan thing to do.

I found it to be one of her clearest speeches ever. It was poetic - her description of Booth that starts "the quiet man" is really beautiful. Besides, it's wasn't like anyone in the group wouldn't get it (unlike, say, this year's Christmas speech - which was hilarious! )

I completely agree with this, I personally think it's her most heartfelt speech to date ( also the first if I'm not mistaken?) plus it's one of the rare instances where Brennan outright admits she was wrong about something.

gordongordonfan - as usual we are of one mind, Conman made me dislike Jared ( for that episode anyway, it's hard to dampen my love for BF I've had a serious crush on that guy since Roswell) But it gave us soooo many great moments, not the least of which is ANGRY Booth, he was livid with her in that scene, and man it was all kinds of HOT!

Yeah, The Con Man in the Meth Lab made me dislike Jared too. But I sort of am okay with him now. Hopefully, getting married and finding love will help to take his ego down a notch.

And, also, I wanted to straighten something out by saying that when I started this topic, I wasn't meaning to take Brennan's side over Booth's. I love both of them. Trust me, if people were hating on Booth, I would defend him in a heart beat. (Booth being my soul mate and all. )

dreamerktm411 wrote:Yeah, The Con Man in the Meth Lab made me dislike Jared too. But I sort of am okay with him now. Hopefully, getting married and finding love will help to take his ego down a notch.

And, also, I wanted to straighten something out by saying that when I started this topic, I wasn't meaning to take Brennan's side over Booth's. I love both of them. Trust me, if people were hating on Booth, I would defend him in a heart beat. (Booth being my soul mate and all. )

I don't think you implied that you were "taking sides" at all! Your post was well thought out and you did not start hating on Booth (your soulmate) at all.

I really like Jared now; I remember actually clapping when Jared decided to help Brennan and the squints in "The Hero in the Hold". I hope we see more of him in S6.

dreamerktm411 wrote:Yeah, The Con Man in the Meth Lab made me dislike Jared too. But I sort of am okay with him now. Hopefully, getting married and finding love will help to take his ego down a notch.

And, also, I wanted to straighten something out by saying that when I started this topic, I wasn't meaning to take Brennan's side over Booth's. I love both of them. Trust me, if people were hating on Booth, I would defend him in a heart beat. (Booth being my soul mate and all. )

But he's my soul mate too. LOL

I know what you mean. I want B&B to get together, but a part of me wants Booth to stay single. And I so wish every guy in real life was like Booth. He's like every girl's dream guy rolled into one man.