INKSLINGER - By Willgirl

Great reviews for Critic you two!! My thoughts exactly....The moment between booth/bones at the end made it ALL better.

Now...I cant WAIT till your reviews for the finale...THAT should be interesting. Kudos to you, Im glad im not writing it, all it would be is a rant. lol

The End in the Beginning

You will have to excuse me if this comes off more rant like than review, but here goes.

This episode was a culmination to a season that I didn’t really like that much. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m not crazy about the direction the show’s been going. Bad characterization, subtle humour replaced by broad farce, ridiculous storylines.... But I had hoped in my heart that this episode was going to be different. I really wanted it to be good.

But what it ended up being was not a Bones episode. I can’t describe it but it felt like something else (although at some points it was a bad Grey’s Anatomy episode).

Let’s start with the alternate universe thing. At first, I thought the whole thing was in Booth’s coma head. I was interested at first to see where it went and especially enjoyed the narration by Hodgins. But after a while it seemed overdone.

Not that I’m saying there weren’t good parts. There definitely were. I loved the Nigel Murray and his cute hat as well as the appearance by Sweet’s band. And of course there were some cute moments between Booth and Brennan that would make even the most hardened viewer let out a little squee. Just the fact that they were together and it wasn’t horrible makes you consider the possibility that them being a couple in the future on the show could actually work.

But...it also came off a bit like a bad fanfic. Now before I go any further, let me say, I am a fanfic writer. I love good fanfic but there are certain things you can do in fanfic that you can’t do on the show. And yet, they did them in this episode.

The ‘case’ of who killed that guy was not that intriguing although I loved seeing Cam as the cop. I just find it hard to pinpoint why I really didn’t like this portion of the episode. All I know is that I didn’t really enjoy it at all. I get that it was a departure for them but it seemed too gimmicky. Even the appearance of Motley Crue added to that. And to be frank, it was also a little bit boring.

Of course it ends with the discovery that it wasn’t a dream that Booth was having but rather a story that Brennan was writing. When thinking back, you remember that if she was writing it, then clearly she is aware that she has feelings for Booth; something the show has been leading up to. I liked this aspect because I really don’t think Brennan is as clueless as she sometimes comes off.

Then this leads to Booth waking up and we discover he has amnesia. A note to Hart Hansen: I get that you want to have drama and really how can you top the whole, ‘Zach is the apprentice to Gormagon’ thing from last year? But giving Booth amnesia is like placing Bones into a really bad soap opera and I thought this show was better than that.

Frankly, it was trite and no matter what they do with it in Season Five, I can’t help but be disappointed. Yes, were things accomplished in this episode? Of course. Brennan discovered her feelings for Booth and that is a big step forward. But frankly, I just wish it was done in a different way. Yes, there was a great look on Brennan’s face at the end and yes, it does give the show a glimmer of direction that was so desperately needed this season. I just...really didn’t like it.

I didn’t come away from this episode angry but more disappointed. My heart sank a little at the thought of the show heading in this direction. I’m hoping instead, they turn it around and produce the most amazing season yet.

Overall, it was not enjoyable and those brief moments that were could not help the rest.

I give it[Only admins are allowed to see this image] .75 out of 5

There is a line in my notes tonight that says “17 minutes in and I don’t know what to think….what do I think?”

Here’s the thing….For the casual viewer, this episode might have been nothing more than a bit of AU fluff. For the more analytical minded, this episode may have turned into an overwhelming mish-mash of overindulgence, characticure, stereotype and cliche’. And for the die hard fan – well, I read somewhere that Hart Hanson considered this episode a ‘love letter’ to the fans.

So which one is right?

I know this is going to sound like a cop-out….but, I think they are all right. It all depends upon the perspective you choose.

On one level, it was nothing but pure fluff. A fun little story with some oddly behaving characters and lots of things that would have made little if any sense/impact to someone that wasn’t keyed into the Bonesian lore. I can’t cop to that perspective, considering the number of times I’ve watched and rewatched episodes—but I can be objective enough to see that.

On another level, and this is the one that got to me at first….it felt like something trying so hard that it was turning everything into a pale imitation of the key elements of the show. Sometimes there was too much. Too many characters, too much activity, too many shout-outs to the history of the show. There were things like the lightweight kanye-diddy hybrid that they turned Clark into, or the presence of Grayson, or the wan imitation of life that morphed from Angela. The outside of “The Lab” looked….well, horrible. They said “my wife” and “my husband” about a gadzillion times too many. I could go on and on…there were about a million things muttered by that little voice in the back of my head—the one shredding everything to bits to find some perspective on what was happening—before I told it to just hush the hell up.

Because at some point, oh around minute 19 or 20…that is just what I had to do. I was getting so little enjoyment out of the show and felt this creeping (rushing) sense of impending disappointment. And once I did that, once I let myself see this episode for what it was intended—to ‘read’ that love letter to the fans—something happened. I had fun with it. Have fun with seeing the Bizzarro Bones characters out of their comfort zones but still feeling familiar. Feel a little thrill at recognizing both the blatant and more subtle (to varying degrees) little bon mots that they threw in there for the fans to find. Enjoy some of those moments so much like those written and/or read by those that dwell in the land of fan-fic. And looking back, from minute one on, that is what this was supposed to be about—imagining the ‘what if’ right along with them, taking a break from being serious, and delving into the puddle of fluff.

That isn’t to say that there were not some disappointments that still leaked through. For example, the amnesia thing was a cheap and disappointing soap-opera device that I thought might happen but was hoping wouldn’t. The pregnancy was a plug-and-play moment not worthy of the show. And this is going to sound odd….but the anticpated and/or reviled (depending upon your perspective of the spoilers) well, it frankly didn’t register in the way that I thought it would….maybe it is just a matter of expectations, but it just felt downright surreal...which I guess, considering the nature of the storyline was kind of the point….but it does raise an eyebrow in regards to all the semantics that were waved around about this not being a ‘cheat’ like the Santa in the Slush kiss….cuz AU, coma-dream or book….it wasn’t real….(though, to clarify, that is something I’m actually happy about….but I won’t open that can of worms again….)

But those things are off-set by one area that I did let myself get a little analytical about. Assuming that this was Booth’s in-surgery-anesthesia-dream-or-whatever I was filtering everything through his perspective, wondering what it said about his view. How he would do anything for her, wants her to be proud of him, her having doubts….all the way down to the way Jared was presented as Booth-lite (detective but not a special agent, lighter suit, red tie that is not quite the red tie). Here and there, it had me wondering what elements of the characterizations and dialogue we were seeing bubbling up from Booth’s subconscious and what was just whacked-out-from-the-meds goofiness. Then we see not only was Booth dreaming, but Brennan was writing. And depending upon which of the three sides you fall down on (coma-dream, book or mix of the two) it leaves us filtering out whose insights/subconscious/perspectives we were dealing with. Yes, it is a little messy (and let’s be honest, a little bit of hokey storytelling)…but something in me likes this (potential? possible? Ana’s-lost-it-or-completely-misinterpreting?) element….because that is the real hearts-and-flowers, X’s and O’s part of that love letter….the part where we are told flat out how one or the two of them views their relationship, the fears and hopes that they have…even if it wasn’t exactly clear who was saying what in the end…..

So—given the fact that any of these viewpoints is perfectly valid depending upon the perspective—and that in a slightly schizoid way I can kinda see all of them....how in hades do I rate this one?

I guess it comes down to this….when I let go of the angst, and the analytics….I really enjoyed it….but I gotta take points off for that hokey as hell amnesia bit …so…hmmm…okay…ummm…...


[Only admins are allowed to see this image] [Only admins are allowed to see this image] [Only admins are allowed to see this image].5

YAY! I was hoping I would get to read this before bed.

GREAT reviews.

I agree with both of you. After reading the part Ana mentioned about Hart's "love letter", it makes it clearer to me. He tried (however dissapoiting it was) to make us happy.

What makes it better in all aspects was the point of view from both booth/bones. We now know for sure, that bones does LOVE booth. We knew that already, but now its on "paper." This part (booth's dream/brennan's story) does give us hopeful direction [for their relationship] for next season....as long as they clear up the stupid amnesia junk.

I didnt really like the direction/development of this season either, as Will said. But im optimistic in the hopes that they will turn it around and deliver a kick-butt fifth season. Back to the science, back to the real characters, back to the REAL B&B fluff.

Um, will, you mean "Zach is Gormogon" right? You said "Gravedigger."

willgirl wrote:
This episode was a culmination to a season that I didn’t really like that much. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m not crazy about the direction the show’s been going. Bad characterization, subtle humour replaced by broad farce, ridiculous storylines.... But I had hoped in my heart that this episode was going to be different. I really wanted it to be good.

Yeah, gotta agree with you there. Season Four, or as I like to call it, "What the hell were they thinking?!" has been a HUGE disappointment compared to S1, S2, and even S3.

But what it ended up being was not a Bones episode. I can’t describe it but it felt like something else (although at some points it was a bad Grey’s Anatomy episode).

Let’s start with the alternate universe thing. At first, I thought the whole thing was in Booth’s coma head. I was interested at first to see where it went and especially enjoyed the narration by Hodgins. But after a while it seemed overdone.

Two things, you know of a good Grey's Anatomy episode? And, yes it was a bit confusing at first but once I saw Brennan typing and her voice replaced Hodgins I knew it was her 'dream' and not Booth's, which of course gives us all the tasty insight into Brennan's state of mind as she's waiting for Booth to wake up.

But...it also came off a bit like a bad fanfic. Now before I go any further, let me say, I am a fanfic writer. I love good fanfic but there are certain things you can do in fanfic that you can’t do on the show. And yet, they did them in this episode.

Also a fanfic writer and I agree. In fact they only major cliche they didn't toss in the pot this week was someone raping Brennan. (And as a side note, what the hell is up with all the 'rape Brennan' fanfics? It's a little disturbing.)

Then this leads to Booth waking up and we discover he has amnesia. A note to Hart Hansen: I get that you want to have drama and really how can you top the whole, ‘Zach is the gravedigger’ thing from last year? But giving Booth amnesia is like placing Bones into a really bad soap opera and I thought this show was better than that.

Frankly, it was trite and no matter what they do with it in Season Five, I can’t help but be disappointed. Yes, were things accomplished in this episode? Of course. Brennan discovered her feelings for Booth and that is a big step forward. But frankly, I just wish it was done in a different way. Yes, there was a great look on Brennan’s face at the end and yes, it does give the show a glimmer of direction that was so desperately needed this season. I just...really didn’t like it.

I didn’t come away from this episode angry but more disappointed. My heart sank a little at the thought of the show heading in this direction. I’m hoping instead, they turn it around and produce the most amazing season yet.

Overall, it was not enjoyable and those brief moments that were could not help the rest.

I'm leaving that exactly as you wrote it, it's perfect. Amnesia happens, yes, we know, we get it. It is also extremely rare in real life. This was a daytime drama drive-by on a once great show. It's sad really, and endemic of TV these days. Well time for me to change CD's to some Muddy Waters and get a fresh bottle of scotch, I'm not quite done grieving over this episode.

Robert Modean.

Meegs82 wrote:Um, will, you mean "Zach is Gormogon" right? You said "Gravedigger."

yea, I fixed it!