The season of "Bones" so far

[fenchurch]

Over the last week or so, I've finally had a chance to get caught up on this season of Bones and, while I'm enjoying it, the show is still leaving me a bit flat this year. First, I should mention that for me it was already starting the season on shaky ground, after the confusing debacle that was the end of last season (I'm still absolutely convinced that the writers of all the genre shows got together to drop acid while they were on strike. It would explain a lot about the final episodes of many shows).

This season did NOT get off to a rollicking start , with the horrendous "visit to England" plotline. Wow. I didn't think it was possible to be that insulting, stereotyping and just plain wrong about a country with which we share a language, many aspects of our culture and have ready access to people who actually live there. I have to wonder if any of the writers involved in the show had ever even been there. And I especially cringed my way through the first episode, feeling embarrassed on behalf of the actors who had to actually try to pull those scenes off. Yuck. I did try to watch the first episode the night it aired and couldn't make it more than about ten minutes... and then the rest of the episodes just sat on my DVR waiting for me to get up the gumption to wade through the rest of the first one (on the off chance that something pertinent to other plots might happen).

The second episode (also taking place in England) was at least moderately better, then thankfully the show headed back to America. Whew.

I've been enjoying the parade of interns a lot more than I thought I would. I really hope they bring the older gentleman back sometime (the one who had once sold Hodgins a car). I liked him and thought he brought something different to the ensemble. I like where they went with the annoying girl, but I hope we never see the British guy again (okay, what is it with this show and insulting British stereotypes, anyway?). I also quite like the guy who keeps wanting to keep it professional and yet gets dragged into the personal drama anyway. It's a fun way to highlight the fact that the show is much more than just another procedural, but unless they could change him into something else just as interesting, I don't believe the character would have much long term staying power in the ensemble. All that said, I really miss Zack.

And speaking of Zack... the writers are edging their way toward redeeming themselves for the major, well, crapfest of last season's finale. It still doesn't make any sense, but at least they're making an effort to *make* it make sense. I hope we get to see more of him this season, especially if we get a bit more resolution to his plotline. I love the fact that he's essentially staying in prison because he wants to... and that it's obvious he could escape anytime he wants.

Then there's Hodgins and Angela. I'm still not entirely sure why they broke up and I watched the scene more than once. When my sister-in-law was here, I was working my way through the episodes and she asked if I'd seen the one where they'd broken up, because she'd missed it and had no idea how or why it had happened. And when I described the plot of the episode to her, she realized she HAD seen it and had completely missed the fact that they'd broken up... and I can't blame her because, well, it makes no sense and came out of nowhere. I think part of the problem is that the bulk of that episode seemed to be about how they were perfect for each other... and then suddenly, BAM, they're no longer together. And after seeing the last few episodes, the cynic in me is beginning to wonder if the writers did it simply so they could have Hot-Girl-on-Girl-Action^TM on the show (since that's what all the cool kidsother shows are doing nowadays).

I'm also left wondering things like are we supposed to be seeing that Angela is dealing with an inability to commit and that's what's driving her current relationship with her old girlfriend? Or is this supposed to be a genuine attempt for the two of them to be together? I *hate* when I wind up questioning writers' motives like this... because it shouldn't be an issue. You should be able to make your own interpretations from what's being presented and trust that you're been shown what they want you to see (yes, I still have BtVS issues).

As for the most recent episode... it was practically crack!fic, filled with impossible and improbable situations, but I really don't care. Rollicking good fun, all the way around, which is why I watch this show in the first place. Well, that and I love watching DB get to play a role where he can be goofy.

Comments

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

I missed quite a few episodes, and yet I still seem to be keeping up with the plot, but I suppose that's the point isn't it *g*. I have no idea what happened with Zack last season because I have the episode saved but haven't bothered to watch it.

The Angela thing is odd.

[dawnofme.livejournal.com]

I totally agree about the first episode. I was very turned off by it and was surprised that there wasn't more discussion about it. I thought I was alone. But, yeah, I felt really bad for the actors.

I've only watched the first four episodes this year, but one day when I'm bored and have nothing better to do, I'll watch the rest. So I didn't read a few of your last paragraphs :)

[jerusha]

I haven't been as annoyed with this season as many, but that's fairly typical for me. Once a show has my loyalty, there isn't much that will make me drop it.

That said, I'm really not liking Angela right now. My BFF commented that she had never really liked Angela, and that she was always irritated with me. I am enjoying the interns, though, and the continuing UST amuses me.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_jems_/]

And after seeing the last few episodes, the cynic in me is beginning to wonder if the writers did it simply so they could have Hot-Girl-on-Girl-ActionTM on the show
I kept wondering, from the very moment they broke up, if the writers did it so that they could put Booth and Bones together and it wouldn't seem like they were pairing up all the characters with each other, in that incestuous way TV shows often end up pairing everyone off.

It's a good thing I never gave a rat's ass about Hodgins and Angela, because that break-up was the lamest thing I've seen in a looooong time. I'd really be hating on the writers for making it so stupid... You know, if I cared.

[ayinhara.livejournal.com]

I kept wondering, from the very moment they broke up, if the writers did it so that they could put Booth and Bones together and it wouldn't seem like they were pairing up all the characters with each other, in that incestuous way TV shows often end up pairing everyone off.

That is exactly what I thought too, but I thought that Hodgins and Angela were a cute couple.

[sp23.livejournal.com]

I'm really not enjoying Bones very much this season, and when it changes times, I'll probably quit watching altogether. I don't like the way they broke of Hodgins & Angela, I'm so over Sweet it's not funny, and I can't stand it when Seeley acts like he has the intelligence of a stone. As for what the stupid writers did with Zack, well, that was strike #1.

[mirandaflynn.livejournal.com]

I've officially dumped Bones. It quit being 'mystery with occasional quirky interactions' to 'all quirky all the time'. I can't even get any UST interest in Booth and Bones since they're obviously completely incompatible on anything approaching a romantic relationship (devout Catholic/agnostic-verging-on-athiest doesn't work).

[jainamsolo.livejournal.com]

Was the most recent episode the one on the airplane? I watched that even though I don't watch the show, cause I heard a commercial for it and I am a total sucker for episodes like that (toss a couple characters in an enclosed situation they can't escape, bonus points if they still have to solve the case-of-the-week before they get out). It was pretty funny; not quite as good as the House airplane episode, but I still enjoyed it.