Bones Episode 5.1 — Harbingers in a Fountain
Bones Season Five Debuts on FOX (Warning: Includes Spoilers)
Sep 19, 2009
Bones has always been set apart from the myriad forensic crime shows on television by balancing its murder mysteries with romance, humor, and character development. However, fans began to wonder if series creator and executive producer Hart Hanson went too far last year with a continuing storyline that had FBI Special Agent Seely Booth (David Boreanaz) hallucinating old Army buddies and sarcastic cartoon babies, and considering acting as a sperm donor for his partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel). The season ended with Booth undergoing surgery for a brain tumor and experiencing an alternate dream reality while in a coma. Waking up, he asked Brennan, “Who are you?”, leading many to wonder if Booth had amnesia.
Cliffhanger Resolved — To An Extent
As the fifth season opens, we find both Booth and Brennan dealing with the aftermath of Booth’s illness and subsequent dream. The dream, informed by a book Brennan had been working on, portrayed the partners in a much different way – married, and expecting a child. It turns out that Booth’s question of “Who are you?” indicated confusion between the dream Brennan and real Brennan, rather than amnesia. It quickly becomes clear that this confusion has caused tension and anxiety for both partners.
Brennan’s best friend and co-worker Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin), concerned that Brennan isn’t dealing with the issue, has taken her to a psychic. The medium, Avalon Harmonia (played perfectly by guest star Cyndi Lauper), not only seems to be able to “see” the Booth/Brennan relationship all too accurately, she also perceives that Brennan was pregnant in the dream — a fact Brennan had not even shared with Angela.
Booth, on the other hand, is in his final talks with FBI psychologist Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley), attempting to become re-certified for duty, an event several weeks late in coming. It is obvious that while Booth insists he is fine, Sweets is seriously concerned that Booth may still be missing the dream “life” he shared with his partner. Reunited after a brief separation, both partners are all too excited to return to their normal, pre-brain tumor lives and investigate a mass grave that psychic Avalon has lead them to — a mass grave that includes the body of her own sister.
The Harbingers
The bodies found are those of the “Harbingers”, members of a cult who disappeared years before. Evidence emerges showing that the body of the cult leader is not among them, and he eventually becomes the prime suspect after Avalon explains that she was kicked out of the cult by the leader, who took money from all of the members, promising them an underwater utopia that never existed.
As the episode progresses, it becomes obvious that the case just provides background to the real story, as Booth and Brennan try to re-define their relationship. During the investigation, the entire team becomes concerned about the changes in Booth: Brennan notices that his rebellious wardrobe habits have disappeared, and Sweets has taken brain scans that suggest he developed feelings for Brennan during the coma. Booth turns to his friend and ex, Dr. Camille Saroyan (Tamara Taylor). Cam reassures him that he is the same person; but she has also noticed that he is in love with Brennan. She advises him to go with his heart, but with caution, just in case the feelings aren’t real after all.
Believing that the case has been solved, Booth is warned by Avalon that Brennan is still in danger. Arriving just in time to save his partner from a doctor who helped the cult leader commit the original murders, he lets his feelings show, holding Brennan and kissing the top of her head as he whispers to her that everything will be alright. Later, he is on the verge of revealing his feelings when he realizes that since the coma, he no longer hates clowns anymore. That small revelation makes him question his feelings, leading him to play off his declaration of love as merely appreciation for Brennan as a partner and friend.
The “Moonlighting” Problem
Hanson has admitted in many interviews that because “Bones” has always revolved around the relationship between the two main characters, there is a continual concern about developing their obvious romantic feelings too quickly. The issue begs the obvious comparison to the early demise of the ‘80s detective series “Moonlighting”, widely believed to have ended due to lack of story potential after the lead characters finally admitted their feelings for each other.
Fans who were concerned about the direction of the storyline last season can breathe easy. It does not appear that the “Moonlighting” problem will be an issue for “Bones”. Hanson has crafted an elegant solution to the problem by putting viewers in the know while the characters keep their silence. On the surface, the partners will be able to continue on their previous path this season, working together to solve cases as “just friends”. Yet all the while, the relationship can develop slowly and organically, as the fans enjoy already knowing the secret and watching out for clues to the growing romance.
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