Bones 8.20 The Blood from the Stones

[stargazer]

Well, this episode brought Dr. Andrew Jursic as the documentarian whose job it was to film the staff in order to raise funds for the Jeffersonian. I guess that this was a result of the Jeffersonian losing it’s funding from Hodgins’ company, but it’s probably just a drop in the bucket of what they need to keep the place going. I do wish that they addressed that issue more thoroughly, but we’ve all discussed our opinions on that subject in other threads. LOL

I really enjoyed the teams’ reactions to being filmed. Hodgins was obviously playing to the camera by constantly smiling and talking directly to the camera. I loved his declarations of “King of the Lab” over and over. Too funny!! Brennan and Clark were also vying for screen time, but I think Brennan’s desire was more from jealousy that Clark was getting most of the attention. I thought it was hilarious that Clark addressed Brennan as “Tempe” as opposed to “Dr. Brennan” after Dr. Jursic told her to try to be less stiff and more likeable. I’m surprised Clark didn’t have to pay for that later on. LOL!! In the end I think that it was a good thing that she was able to see herself at work and realize how cold she seems to most people.

Caroline and Andrew are a perfect couple and I would like to see more of their whirlwind romance. Caroline is always a delightful character and I look forward to her scenes.

My favorite quote of the episode:
Booth: “That’s a dead foot!” Hahahahaha!!

[ThyneAlone]

A mixed delight I thought. For instance, Andrew and Caroline are admirably well suited, but I think their meetings could have been made slightly less cheesy and more believable - the adolescent saucer eyes don't work for me! And another example, it was great to have Clark there, interacting with Brennan as only he can - but on the wafer-thin premise that the Jeffersonian board want a more likeable 'poster' face? Really? And then it's terrific and very true to character that Booth is so keen to bring someone to justice for the death of 'one of our own', but his brutal treatment of Paula Byrne argues against his basic humanity.

I found the case rather confusing. First of all we seem to have a straight diamond smuggler, then he is an undercover cop investigating ATM thefts, then he's a thief for his wife's sake? All the different 'Reubens' and others' reactions to them were hard to keep track of. Nevertheless, I liked the way that we were thrown off by numerous red herrings - no-one in the interview room seemed entirely innocent of wrongdoing! And that was a magnificently icy moment at the end from Reuben's wife, when she said unpleasantly, "Oh, I wanted it. I just didn't want Reuben." Great delivery.

The fact that their work is being filmed changes the group dynamic in the lab, with everyone wanting the spotlight. Hodgins' and Clark's grins to camera were especially hilarious. It was very interesting that it made Brennan evaluate her own behaviour. Being called stiff, stern and imperious would affect anyone, and her self-doubt is clear even before she watches the recording - Cam has already had to sidestep Tempe's blunt query as to whether Clark is more likeable than she is!

"I've read about this, but I've never seen it." These are words that chime with me. Brennan is talking about the effect produced by microclimates on the body; I remember the same phrase used by a health inspector who came to look at my fiancé's digs at university, upon seeing a 'fruiting growth' - that is, a real, tried-and-tested, healthy mushroom - emerging happily from an electric point. Sorry, got sidetracked there, but I remember it really well!

There were some laugh-out-loud moments in this. Caroline's "I love old things" takes on a sense no longer purely limited to coffee after her meeting with Andrew; and I particularly loved Hodgins' exclamation at discovering completely different kinds of bugs infesting different parts of the body because of the microclimates. "This is like Congress!" Wonderful.