Looking back at my reviews of Bones since it returned from hiatus, I haven’t been the most positive person, and I’m sorry for that. I don’t think that the show has done anything — apart from the allusions to Christ’s birth — that I can really point to and say “This isn’t right.” The “Don’t in the Do,” had many more elements that I enjoyed, but I was really put off by the characterization of a relationship that just didn’t feel true to what we had seen before.
I was really put off by all of the talk about Booth’s father being a barber, and that some of that knowledge had passed down to his son. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the relationship between Seeley and his father has never been characterized in anything approaching a positive light. It just seemed off that, all of a sudden, we would hear of something that they shared, and that it would be something that Booth retained. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that he would hold onto something positive in an otherwise negative relationship, but it seemed to come out of nowhere, with no comment.
Who would have thought that the Seeley Booth we meet all the way back in the first episode would voluntarily walk into a lingerie store with another character – male or otherwise? The looks on both actors’ faces when they looked at the store and knew what was happening next was priceless. Booth didn’t want to go there, and Sweets knew was going to be able to prod him into it. As much as I advocated last week that Bones needs to bring in Tina Majorino full-time to work with Seeley in the field, we would miss out on some of these great comedic moments.
Speaking of moments, there was a brilliant one shared between Bones and Cam that was wonderfully played by both actors. Bones had just shut down Arastoo pretty hard for relying too heavily on technology – and thinking about receiving more attention. In any other episode, it would have been a not-out-of-the-ordinary reprimand from a by-the-book boss. But there was a look on Bones’ face after he left that even Cam noticed. Was it just a bit of barely contained joy at being right? Or was it a release at being able to lash out (in an appropriate manner). My opinion? It was both, and I loved it.
It would be beating a dead horse to give Bones a hard time for ridiculous product placement, but beating dead horses is a specialty here at CliqueClack. If there is a show that always lives just on the other side of the “too-far” line, it is Bones. Am I the only one, or are the weekly car commercials getting a bit old?
Notes & Quotes
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Apr 17, 2012 @ 08:30 EST5EDT
The product placement is SO bad. Last nights ep it went for too long, one line is enough but not a whole conversation! The birth ep was pretty terrible, I don’t know what they wanted to accomplish with the whole baby in a manger. Plus,who has a first baby that fast? Only on TV.
No, it’s not only on tv that a first baby comes fast. I was my mother’s first child and was not born towards the end of the afternon as they told my mother after she arrived at the hospital that morning, but at the end of the morning.
And I read a few days ago that a baby was born while her mother was on the way to the hospital, and that was a first child too.
It’s annoying, but TV isn’t made for free, and Bones certainly isn’t the only show that does it. At least they’re tongue-in-cheek about it, having Booth make a snarky remark about it in some way. And at least they’re not beating us over the head with Microsoft/Bing crap this year too. (hope I didn’t just jinx that one…)
The fact that Booth’s dad is a barber didn’t come from nowhere; it was mentioned in an earlier season. His mum did jingles for ads, his dad was a barber.
*POST AUTHOR*
I didn’t necessarily mean what his dad did … more focusing on the fact that sudden positive memories. Just seemed odd to me, but I don’t remember the stuff you’re referencing from earlier this year, so maybe there was more foreshadowing I just missed.
Thanks!
The fact that his father was a barber was mentioned season 1 “Woman in Limbo” (along with his mom writing jingles), in season 4 “Double trouble in the Panhandle” and season 7 “The male in the Mail”.
And in season 4 he already mentioned that as the son of a barber, he knew his hair products.
(sorry for double post).
IIRC the positive memories came in the episode where he finds out that his father has passed away. It was when Booth’s grandfather gave him a box of keepsakes belonging to Booth’s father. Also Brennan telling Booth that she knew for a fact he had happy moments with his father and she mentioned the story of going to the World Series.
*POST AUTHOR*
Thanks! That was the missing piece of the puzzle I’d completely forgotten.
In the end scene of The male in the mail (7×04), it is said that Booth and his father had many great memories when he was a child. They went ice-skating at midnight once, they went to hockey games AND Booth used to spend a lot of time with his father at his barber shop. Brennan explained to him that, even though his father was violent, he should focus on those good memories. That’s why it didn’t feel odd for me that he “knows his hair”.
*POST AUTHOR*
Thanks Rita! That (too!) was the missing piece of the puzzle I’d completely forgotten.
It still doesn’t change the fact that Booth & Jared didn’t live with their dad for most of their lives. It’s never said at what age, Pops just says Booth was a “little kid” and that after he told his dad to leave “He never came back.” Booth’s ability to cognitively process and remember cutting techniques and hair products as a 6-8 year old is outstanding. I used to go to work with my dad too, and yet I can’t tell you jack about tractor trailer parts. My brain doesn’t work like Booth’s I guess.