I like this show. I really do. But… that doesn’t mean I’m without critique. (Now or ever really.) What keeps me watching is the high quality of acting and the creative storylines – all good stuff. The characters totally pull off the scientific jargon and even the likely exaggerated extrapolations.
It’s just that I find that Temperance Brennan (aka. Bones) could not possibly be a sustainable friend in real life. Not even close. These people who love and admire her so much, who are completely devoted to her, would have kicked her to the curb a long, long time ago. [Aside: Do people still say “kicked to the curb”? It feels outdated suddenly. Pretend it’s vintage so I can remain hip and relevant. Thanks.] She has zero social skills, very little tact, a limited sense of humor and an unchecked ego that’s always teetering on the edge of obnoxious, saved only by her obvious skills and attributes. Does this sound like someone you’d choose for a friend?
Given her brilliance and her strong powers of observation, her obtuseness seems a bit overdone. Really overdone actually. I mean, she’s had 30 something years to figure out how to relate to the rest of the world, the perceived little people, but it’s virtually impossible for her to apply any learned behaviors. I just don’t think that fits. She must know how much more effective she’d be if she would simply adhere to even the slightest bit of convention, but it’s like she physically Can’t Do It. This would have been ok at the start of the series, but the character hasn’t shown any growth whatsoever. Actually, in recent episodes it almost seems as though she’s regressed, and it’s very annoying.
Since part of her character eccentricities include weirdness about love, she and Agent Booth aren’t yet ready to become a couple. And while the end game obviously has them riding off into the sunset, in the meantime Booth has to find temporary solace somewhere. Which leads me to a concern I began to foster during last night’s episode. He is waaaaaaaay too gaga over his new journalist girlfriend. Don’t get me wrong. Bones doesn’t deserve him yet, and he really deserves a little happiness in the meantime, but NOT at the expense of Booth’s manly manliness.
He’s totally whipped over this chick! Again, uncharacteristically so. The culmination of this realization struck during a particular scene when the gf was leaving their apartment for the day. After he delayed her with the lovey dovey about 20 times, she was about to walk out the door and he said – ack – “I’ll miss you.” Doe eyes and everything. What have they done to Booth?!?!? Are they turning him into a pansy?? It was so upsetting for me. I fully expected the gf to look at him in mild alarm/disgust, but nope, she just smiled coyly/charmingly/destructively. I add “destructively” because she let him get away with that crap.
Fine, fine, I’ll relax. I just wanted to make my point. I can’t imagine anyone will be happy with a mamby pamby Booth. And by “anyone”, I mean me. I want him to remain aloof and unaffected. I want him to be strong and intense and, yes, obviously in love with someone who’s not Bones (because she does not deserve him yet), but not like this.
Let’s just hope it’s a one-off. They may simply be over-emphasizing this relationship to drive Bones crazy, and I do approve of that strategy. Fingers crossed, Booth will be back to his familiar commanding ways next episode. Because in the end, I truly do want Bones and Booth together, her ridiculous ways notwithstanding. But I won’t believe it’s legit unless it’s the “real” Booth. Bones wouldn’t fall for anything less… and neither would I.
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