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Episode Recap: "The Baby in the Bough"
Sometimes, I tell ya, this show acts like it really wants to be a sitcom. It wasn't rocket science that Bones' idea of mothering went from "How about some visual and auditory stimulation?" to "You don't know what they'll do with him there, we can't take him back yet, it's better here!" There’s always the funny mishap, then the true life lesson is learned. I'm not complaining. I love the comedy in this show, even when it borders on cheesy (Brennan shoving the pacifier in Booth’s mouth in the last scene?). It just makes me wonder if this crew really ain't all that different from the likes of the Cosbys. Just with dead bodies and like, science and stuff.
The baby came into the picture after it was found, literally, up in the bough of a tree at the site of his mother's fatal car crash. Rock-a-bye lucky baby in the treetop. After fetching the youngster from the treetop, Bones found a mysterious key in the child's diaper bag and clumsily left it out near him and was swallowed by him. So this is how the squints wound up taking care of a baby for an entire episode. Clever, clever. I was wondering from the promos how they were going to work that little detail out. But since he swallowed evidence from the case, B&B had to stand by their little man waiting for the key to come back around. Why do I have a feeling that digging through baby poop is no big deal for this team? They see a lot worse.
In the process, the crew found out that the baby was named Andy, his charred remains of a mother was Meg, and they came from a poor West Virginian town where Meg worked in a tire recycling plant to make ends meet in lieu of the baby's daddy not being around to help. There she worked under the plant's manager and with visiting company accountant who was also now missing and was known to flirt it up with Meg.
Andy's dad, who was never really a suspect, showed up at Meg's trailer looking for some grub, and I was hoping a shower, when B&B found him and took him into custody. The suspects kept tricking in, but the team couldn’t find any evidence to link any of them to Meg’s death.
Once Andy delivered his diaper surprise and the key was retrieved, it was found to open up a safe deposit box at a bank, where B&B found a gun whose serial number was scratched off, bone and brain fragments stuck in its barrel and male DNA left on its trigger. The team deduced that either Meg was an accomplice or a witness to another crime, and that’s how she came to have the gun. The bone and brain were found to belong to the accountant, but it wasn't until B&B revisited the tire recycling plant for clues that they realized the missing accountant's body could easily have been chopped up and turned into mulch. Miraculously (and with a little science) finding the mulch bag with the accountant’s finely chopped remains, B&B knew their culprit was the plant manager. He'd been embezzling money from the already economically depressed plant, and the accountant learned of the discrepancy on the books and was going to report him. He killed the accountant to protect himself, but not before Meg saw what had happened, and so became a victim herself.
So the lesson tonight was really just “human greed is bad”. Don’t steal from the people who depend on you for economic stability, and don’t kill innocent people to protect yourself when your scheme goes wrong. That’s just common sense, y’all. Instead, do as Bones did and rebuild a broken bridge in a small town with your extra money so that other people can have a better life! Too bad we don't all make Jeffersonian-caliber money. Speaking of giving better lives, did anyone else half-expect Bones to want to keep the baby in the end? I knew she wouldn’t really, but it was clear that this little person had actually made a space in her controlled, overly logical heart ("There was a baby in that car, you son of a bitch!"). Just once, I would love to see a passion play from her for someone, anyone, some sign that she really needs someone. I don’t expect this show to end any time soon, but if I never see Bones really love someone outside her immediate family, I think I’d really be sad for her despite her giant brain and perfect bone structure.
This episode was long-awaited, and again I'm not really sure why it was skipped over. Maybe it works as a better transition into the next episode? I was just excited to see the entire team at work once again, doing what they each do best to solve crimes. The season started out so energetic, balancing its weekly murder fare with the Gormagon puzzle and Angela's ex-husband's story line, and I loved seeing all the characters so involved. I don't feel like it's been quite the same since. The rest of the season has been a little more uneven, for which we might blame the writers' strike. Hopefully next week's trial for Bones' dad will prove to turn it all around.
Quotes
•Bones: "just because I have breasts doesn’t mean I have magical powers over infants."
•Bones, with a stuffed toy: "Elephants are not purple, this is wrong."
•Angela to Hodgins, on the baby: "Get used to it. I want like a million of these."
•Bones: "Phalanges, phalanges, phalanges! Dancing phalanges!"
•Booth not saying "breasts."
•Booth: "That is right, people. I am a constant surprise."
You can find more Bones goodness in our Online Video Guide.
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Apr 29, 2008 8:30 AM
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"Phalanges! Phalanges!" was definitely my favorite line. I expected Bones to be resistant to having a baby around, and of course early on she fulfilled that expectation - making sure the baby has food and a clean diaper but not clear about giving the child the kind of attention he wanted. Luckily there were several other Squints to give adorable little Andy love and attention until Bones came around. What a cute kid, and responsive too! The ending was of course a little pat but clearly the best way to go.
The one thing I thought this show did well was remind us that there are small towns all over the country that suffer for jobs and it's all too easy to forget about them, or assume people will just move. And we've all experienced downsizing and the fears when the accountant shows up.
Anybody recognize our bad guy? I had to look him up because it was bothering me, and found out he was Biff from Back to the Future!
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Apr 29, 2008 8:39 AM
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Just a BTW but, although I'm sure Brennan is well-paid at the Jeffersonian, her bridge-building money is a result of her very successful writing career (remember she writes mysteries) and sale of movie rights to her books. Which resulted in Booth's practically drooling every time he mentioned her needing to buy a 103-inch plasma TV and have a second vacation home where they could all go fishing. Hmmm, Bones fishing--now there's an image.
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Apr 29, 2008 9:59 AM
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I knew it was gonna be the tire place boss. I mean, he was Biff from the Back to the Future movies, so the "law of the recognized guest star" meant that it had to be him.
I think for now on whenever I'm around a baby, I'll wave my fingers in their face and say, "Phalanges! Phalanges!"
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Apr 29, 2008 10:11 AM
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Yup, as soon as I saw Biff (or, for those video gamers amongst us, Maniac from the later Wing Commander games), I knew that he'd be involved somehow.
It's like on Psych!, where in the first two seasons, if there was ever a female that Sean was interested in (and who wasn't a police officer), they'd be the criminal and he'd end up without a girl again.
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Apr 29, 2008 10:25 AM
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While it wasn't a true 'shipper moment, I love that Booth assumed he could just bop down to the potential guest house with her and hang out as a family with Andy...even if it was meant humorously. She never corrected him. 
As the first "real" episode after the Christmas kiss, I was expecting more reaction. Yet this was originally scheduled to air in the fall before that happened, yes?
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Apr 29, 2008 10:40 AM
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Ok, "Biff" was also on a few episodes of Ghost Whisperer where he was an EMT with Melinda's hunky husband & he had a thing for Cameryn Manheim (I know that's so wrong on the spelling) & then he ditched her. Dang, he was Biff like on that too....
I so cracked up at Bones with the baby & the "Phalanges, Phalanges, Phalanges". I'm sooo going to do that with my little nephew now...My mother's gonna crack up because she watches that show too & will know exactly what I'm doing.
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Apr 29, 2008 10:55 AM
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I really liked this epidsode. Then again, I like just about all of them. 
My roommie came home and started cleaning out the frige last night and I missed the first part of the final act, I saw it as B&B started talking in the car, but I missed the other part. So can anyone fill me in on what happened to little Andy. I have a pretty good idea, but I'd like to know for sure. A brief synapsis would be great!
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Apr 29, 2008 10:56 AM
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Ah, of course I left out the happy ending! I'm good at that. Meg left a note saying that she wanted her nice neighbors who couldn't have children to take care of Andy. So at the end, Bones had to (almost) tearfully hand over the child.
To be honest, my first suspect was the neighbors. I really thought their kindness would prove to be a front. Sure showed me.
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Apr 29, 2008 11:11 AM
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Thanks Sandra, I was pretty sure the neighbors would get Andy. They can't have their own, so it was nice. They seem to be a good family and the dad is very smart, we didn't get to see the mom demonstrate that, but I am sure she is too, and they clearly love Andy. So great ending there.
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Apr 29, 2008 11:18 AM
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Angela and Hodge are getting annoying. Remember when Angela had real dialog that was not about her fiance??? They are going too far with all their cutesyness and googlie eyes.
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Apr 29, 2008 11:44 AM
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•Booth: "That is right, people. I am a constant surprise."
My roomie and I both laughed right out loud at this line. The look on DB's face was awe ... wait for it ... some.
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Apr 29, 2008 12:12 PM
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Do you know what would be a nice surprise from Booth? Him grabbing Bones and laying one on her?
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Apr 29, 2008 12:31 PM
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Angela and Hodge are getting annoying. Remember when Angela had real dialog that was not about her fiance??? They are going too far with all their cutesyness and googlie eyes.
I have to really disagree about this statement. I love the Angie/Hodgy dialogue in this episode. Angela wanting a "million" kids was an awesome moment, with Hodgins looking at her like she held the sun - that's good stuff! I love those two together and would love to see more scenes with them!
I really just loved the whole episode. I am not a huge fan of the "Gorganzola" and prefer these light-hearted versions of Bones!
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Apr 29, 2008 12:54 PM
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While I live Bones and have watched it since day 1, I have a complaint about the misinformation regarding gun laws in this country (my complaint isn't with just show).
1. They assume that all guns are registered to their owner's. This is patently false. No guns are registered on a Federal level and few are registered at the State Level. Legally purchased guns can be tracked somewhat, but you need the gun's serial number to do so.
2. It is not illegal for pawn shops to purchase guns, they do have to get a Federal Firearms License (FFL) just like all other gun dealers.
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Apr 29, 2008 1:34 PM
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