Bones Review: One of These Things is Not Like the Other

I enjoyed this week’s episode of Bones, but am disappointed by the previews for next week, which seem to suggest we’ve already cycled back around to the Booth (David Boreanaz) and Bones (Emily Deschanel) will-they-won’t-they question. Hannah (Katheryn Winnick) and Booth broke up, what, two weeks ago?

I’m going to try hard not to rant, because Thursday’s episode felt clean and streamlined, with just the right amount of personal issues sprinkled throughout the case. The case centered around the return of Jacob Broadsky (Arnold Vosloo), the sniper who took out the Gravedigger a few weeks ago. He’s back in action, still killing the people he decides are too evil to live. He’s made that decision for a local counterfeiter, shooting him with a bullet altered to explode – much like a bomb – before impact.

Through the very specific style of killing, the team is able to zero in on Broadsky as the suspect pretty much right away, and things get tense between Booth and Brennan as she continues to make comparisons between her partner and the vigilante sniper. They head out to his Unabomber-esque private, booby-trapped property pretty much expecting to be attacked, but find nothing but an exploded deer (which leads them to the discovery of the special bullets). It also leads them to the location of the next hit, as Broadsky set up an exact replica of the room for target practice.

These snipers certainly are OCD.

That was a joke. Obviously, they have to be that way.

Using the information and getting some help from our beloved District Attorney Caroline (Patricia Belcher), they discover the location and identity of Broadsky’s intended target. He’s after a dirty cop who took a payoff to free a man who killed a mother and two young children in a drunk driving accident. In a very intense scene, Booth sets up to take out Broadsky as Bones assists with the surrounding conditions. It’s interesting to see Booth in his element, and even better when he takes out Broadsky’s gun instead of the man himself.

Booth continues to be bothered by Brennan’s offhand remarks that he should be able to think like Broadsky since they were trained in the same manner and by the same people. He pops in to see Sweets (John Francis Daley), who I adore more every time he gets a scene. Sweets gives a short dissertation on war, soldiers, and particularly snipers, laying out the obvious fact that killing someone traumatizes human beings, and no one can guess how they will react until they’re in the situation. Some soldiers get a feeling of superiority, some get a god complex, like Broadsky, and some are lucky enough to be able to compartmenalize their feelings about what they’ve done and come out relatively unharmed – like Booth. It’s a very nice scene, in which Sweets recognizes “it can’t be easy for you.”

He also suggests Booth talk to Brennan about what’s bothering him. She is his partner, after all. He broaches the subject during their celebratory drink, and Bones hurridly assures him though they share many common characteristics, he and Broadsky differ on a central point. Booth is good. Broadsky is bad.

Nice and simple, so Booth can understand.

Side notes: Angela’s father (Billy Gibbons) returns and insists on naming their baby. Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) and Angela (Michaela Conlin)  aren’t too keen on the idea, especially when he anounces his selection is “Staccato Mamba,” and Hodgins finds the courage to stand up to the frightening man. His bravery earns him the right to name his own child, along with a new “Dad” tattoo and a bad tequila hangover.

The guest star this week is Vincent Nigel-Murry (Ryan Cartwright), who no longer spouts interesting facts that annoy everyone because the writers have put all their best creations into therapy and turned them into boring, healthy people I don’t care to watch.

Booth and Bones get stuck in an elevator next week, so they discuss whether or not they should have sex. Duh. Why wouldn’t they? That’s exactly what I’d be discussing if I were stuck in an elevator.

Wait. I just reconsidered, because if I were stuck in an elevator with David Boreanaz, that really might be pretty high on my list of things to do.

Just sayin.

Season 6, Episode 15 “The Killer in the Crosshairs” (original air date March 10, 2011)

Bones airs Thursday nights at 9/8c on Fox.

Pictures Courtesy of Richard Foreman and FOX