Bones & Life

[redbrunja]

Okay, so I'm finally caught up on television, so I wanted to share my thoughts.

Life:

Okay, so while Tidwell and Reese is growing on me (how can I resist, with scenes like the ones at the shooting range and all their interactions in  "Evil... And His Brother Ziggy" which at times had me laughing so hard I couldn't hear the dialogue?) I do have problems with the two hot girl x older, slebby guy pairings in the show.

One is interesting, two is sexist. Where are the hot, young male studs going for older women? And frankly, for much of this season, I was like, 'Tidwell, what they hell does someone as hot as Dani see in someone as slimy as you?" As my mother said: "She must really hate herself right now."

I disliked "Badge Bunny". For one thing, the whole idea of women screwing cops like that pisses me off, I TOTALLY don't believe it would be as sorority-like and jealously-free as they pictured it, and last, I find Charlie's screwing around very unattractive.

On that subject:

I hate the ex-wife and wish the writers would finish whatever arc they're trying to do with her and bring back the lawyer.

The last episode, "Canyon Flowers" was awesome - I loved Squeaky and Tex, and thought Squeaky had:

-an awesome name

-a delicious semi-retro look

-and was played by an actress who nailed the butter wouldn't melt in her mouth attitude.
 
Bones:

The He In The She: I loved the preacher's son. Like, he was an incredibly hot kid, all clean-punk, had a great voice, and in the end was saying things I agree with. I didn't like the first half of the episode, but it redemeed itself, mainly on the strength of him.

The Skull in the Sculpture: Oh, Angela. Why do you suck so? First of all, Angela used to be my favorite character. Now I think it's Booth. I hate how they broke up Angela and Jack and to rub salt in their writing travesties, now she's in a relationship with a woman? A relationship where she wants to commit? Bitch, no. It has been clear from the first season that Angela is afraid of commitment, and all her conversations with Sweets have only illustrated that fact. Now, I love me some commitment-phobic women, but this is just pissing me off. Angela is NOT the one who deserves an amazingly hot rebound relationship.

And the fact that the writers are saying that Angela never loved Jack (BLATANT LIES) and having her being willing to commit to someone (JACK DESERVED THAT EFFORT! HE UNDERSTOOD YOU AND GAVE YOU LOVE NOTES WITH FUCKING GLOWING FISH, UNGRATEFUL SWINE!)

Frankly, at this point, I don't think Angela deserves Jack who is, arguably, the perfect man.

The Con Man in the Meth Lab: There hasn't been an episode this good since Aliens In A Space Ship. I adored just about everything about it, all the Booth!love, Angela being her straight-shooting self. My favorite part was when, just as the audience is getting terminally frustrated with Brennan, she realizes she's been played and not only says everything we've been thinking, but pushes Booth!lite off his bar stool.

And as someone on fandomsecrets mentioned, the ending line is heartbreaking.

ETA: Additionally, I can't remember which episode it was, but when Sweets ends up telling that one intern that she was fired... that was the only three minutes of his entire air time that I have loved him. I am just a sucker for the 'I thought you didn't love me/where ashamed of me/etc' 'are you crazy?' interaction, and the one we got was a doozy.

 

Comments

[ryanitenebrae.livejournal.com]

The Con Man In the Meth Lab was rather incredible, and I think Angela is improving, on the strength of some recent spoilers. I'm rather convinced her relationship with Hodgins will return.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Well, we'll see what happens.

My problem is that now, while I have no doubt that the writers will eventually get Jack and Angela back together, I don't want them too.

[ryanitenebrae.livejournal.com]

I see Angela trying to commit to Roxie as an expression of her guilt, in a way. She feels her commitment issues got in the way of what could have been a great relationship, and she feels that she has to give that up now, so she's at least going to try and overcome them.

EDIT: I am totally with you about Sweets and Daisey.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Intellectually, I can see that.

Emotionally, I am like 'bitch, please.' Also, I'm not sure if the writers are aware of how unsympathetic Angela is becoming - I honestly don't feel like she's hurting enough for thise break up.

[ryanitenebrae.livejournal.com]

I don't see someone unsympathetic. Really, I'm just seeing someone who is scared, tired, and becoming insecure.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

YMMV on that one, I guess.

I just don't see Angela hurting enough. Sure, she says she is, and then she gets a new relationship and got better, even if she did get turned down for a move-in.

I may, however, be getting more critical as time goes on.

[solace-adrift.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I think the problem with Dani/Tidwell is that it’s so very clearly coming from the writers and not the characters that it makes you question the writers’ intent with it. If the two had genuine chemistry between them it would be easier to judge it less like a trope and more like an actual relationship. The other older/younger relationship like that in the show, (at least if it’s the one I think you’re talking about) is less troubling because at least it’s played straight: the guy quite clearly realizes he’s totally out of the girl’s league.

But really Dani’s characterization this year has been shot all to hell (like everyone else’s), so I don’t really see it as sexist, more just the writers not realizing that they shouldn’t write while drunk.

Word about the lawyer chick.

Con Man in the Meth Lab was enjoyable, even if it was a tad heavy-handed (moreso than Bones normal heavy-handedness that is) and Booth’s dynamic with his brother fit well. And the way it’s woven into Bones/Booth works beautifully. It actually really makes you wonder why the writers can write that so well and then just utterly screw the pooch when it comes to Jack/Angela. I would say more, but your rant nicely sums up my opinions of that travesty.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I actually think Dani and Tidwell have chemistry - but the repetition of the two types of romances is like a waving red flag that it's the writers fantasies coming out to play.

And Ted/what's her name is easier to swallow, simply because Ted is charming, which makes it far easier to buy. (Plus, that woman is marrying Charlie's father, so she obviously likes older guys.)

On the whole though, I haven't noticed a problem with characterization, but other people have mentioned it. Can you give me examples?

It actually really makes you wonder why the writers can write that so well and then just utterly screw the pooch when it comes to Jack/Angela. I would say more, but your rant nicely sums up my opinions of that travesty.

You really do wonder. *sigh* And feel free to say more, if you'd like.

[solace-adrift.livejournal.com]

With Dani… the example that comes to mind is when she confronts her father about framing Charlie. That should be a powerful scene, it should be one that’s fraught with tension. Instead she just seems to blurt it with no setup and very minimal impact afterwards. It’s like the writers know what her issues are and are intent on hitting all of them, but can’t be bothered to let them arise out of the plot organically. And we’ll have to agree to disagree with Tidwell/Dani.

With Charlie it’s mostly that in twelve episodes nothing’s really happened with him. We haven’t found out anything new about his character, and he hasn’t really changed. Investigating His Past was a lot more emotionally interesting in the first season as well. In this one it just seems to be something he’s doing on the side.

They also seem to be using his wackiness for comedy a little more than they did in the first season, which takes away from the seriousness of the show over all. Which would be alright, but they also decided to replace the old captain with Tidwell, who I would go so far as to describe as a zany character. On his own that would be alright, but in all of the police-meetings we now have two weird characters instead of one and it makes Dani seem like she’s babysitting them. It shifts the tone from having Charlie be one weird character in a mostly realistic world, to just a weird world. It also doesn’t help that a lot of the Murder Plots have gotten increasingly bizarre and whimsical.

It’s just… it’s really a pity compared to how well and subtly the characterization was handled in the first season. The show started with us barely understanding Charlie and by the understanding him, and how Dani goes from willing to turn on Charlie in the first episode to the trust she’s willing to show him in the last.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Oh, I really see what you mean, especially in regards to Charlie's lack of character development.

And it's really a shame, too, because dealing with Charlie's past (and Jack Reese's role) would be a great way to spent time on Dani's issues.

I admit I like the zany murders, and feel that's a staple of the show, but TOTAL WORD on how Tidwell and Charlie are two much zaniness for the show. I think it would be one thing if he was just their captain and not Dani's love interest, but him being both DOES put too much pressure on Dani to be the sane one.

[solace-adrift.livejournal.com]

It is a staple of the show, and I too rather like, but they seem to have been turned up a notch from last season and with the realistic-to-weird ratio already off, it tips the whole thing over the edge.

Word with the Charlie’s past/Jack Reese/Dani thing. That would have been perfect.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't it?

I hope when they get back from hiatus they'll do more with Dani's relationship with her dad and Jack Reese's role in Charlie's arrest. And also more with Rachel. 'Cause at the moment, Charlie is failing hardcore with her.