In This Section
TV Guide Spotlight
Also on TVGuide.com
|
« Bones
Episode Recap: "The Santa in the Slush"
Episode Recap: "The Santa in the Slush"
Well, that kiss was certainly a nice holiday gift for us all, wasn't it? The way Bones gripped Booth's collar, how the two of them blushed, her gum ending up in his mouth… Though when it was over and they got to mumbling about how little it meant to each of them, you'd think you'd just seen two teenagers kiss for the first time in a public game of truth or dare or something. But it was so sweet. I think we all waited a long time to see if something like this would ever happen between them, and I rather enjoyed seeing how innocent it all ended up.
As for the dead Santa, he appeared to not quite live up to his good name as the jolly man of myth, despite his milk-and-cookies-swilling dossier. Santa was instead accused of picking pockets and ruining Christmases for folly. I didn't think the episode did a very clear job of connecting Kris Kringle's death to Jeff, the Santa who killed him, or even giving Jeff a motive to commit the crime. The money with the serial numbers was in Kringle's drawer, apparently fingering him as the pickpocket, but Jeff was the one who got beat up by the secrity guard? What was Jeff's deal? And did he kill Kringle over money? Jealousy? I feel like important parts of the Santa case just got cut out. Either that, or I’m just sorely confused.
In any case, this episode really put me in the holiday mood for egg nog and snow and family. It might be the first show I've seen this season to touch on the magic of the holidays, corny as it can often be on TV. But it was great to see a family as disjointed as Bones' finally getting together for the holidays despite prison walls, lies and trips to Peru (which I hope we all know is indeed not in Africa). I expected a sort of Bones-style tragic-feeling ending where not everything gets solved and not everyone is happy, but somehow the magic of Christmas put things right. Daddy Bones got to see the whole family together for the holidays, Russ got to keep his charade going for the kids, Bones saw her family happy for a day, Booth got to spend Christmas Eve with his son Parker, and everyone else exchanged presents and looked snappy in their Christmas sweaters. Well, except for Cam, who was tethered to a Sex and the City-style gigantic flower pinned to her dress. Even though I should really blame the costume people on the show, I'm giving her a free pass because she proclaimed in a factual-sounding way to all the empiical thinkers in the lab that the importance of Santa is that "Santa is magic"
Still, that pin. Oof.
I also totally thought of Chuck's Captain Awesome on the mention of Parker's mom's boyfriend, Captain Fantastic. Hilarious, but none too original.
Quotes:
Caroline: "You kiss Booth on the lips for no less than 1 steamboat, 2 steamboat... 5 steamboats."
Bones: "What about a Christmas tree?"
Caroline: "No tree, not even if you squeeze his buttocks"
Hodgins: "Santa was around some other food source before he died. My bet's on milk & cookies."
"Was there tongue?"
Booth: "I'll have a talk with Caroline"
Bones:"NO!"
Check out more clips of the Bones gang in our Online Video Guide.
|
TVGuide Links:
|
|
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 2:28 AM
|
Agree with your assessment. I was confused about the whole murder/pickpocketing. I thought I just wasn't paying enough attention. Was the I only one who wanted Bones to go to Peru? I thought it was a bit predictable that she stayed.
Why is Patricia Belcher not a series regular?
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 3:32 AM
|
I love Christmas themed TV episodes. I had to grab a tissue at the end of the show. The look on Bone's face when she saw the Christmas tree and said "I love my present", and the look on Booth's face as he watched Bones through the trailer window was priceless. I also loved that Parker participated in the tree giving. It was truly a family Christmas.
The only nit I have with this episode is that I figured out the murderer the first time we saw him. Believe me, I am not that good at guessing the killer. The suspect was poorly written in this episode - no character background and no motive. But that is my only nit.
I loved the clues that squints unraveled about Santa and their snarky comments. Watching Bones and Booth sniff butts and the gang of Santas ganging up on the murder while singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town was just hysterical.
I loved that Booth gave the man back all the money that was taken from him. Watching Booth get an unexpected hug was great.
The kiss was just yummy. I hope they continue the slow romantic burn. It is a lot of fun to watch.
And I love Caroline. She steals every scene she is in. Why can't they make her a regular?
By the way - Sweet was only supposed to be on for a four episode arc. Now he is permanent. Here is an article from USATODAY.COM on the kiss.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-11-26-bones-kiss_N.htm
And if you have not read the TVGUIDE interview with David Boreanaz last week here is the link:
http://www.tvguide.com/news/bones-david-boreanaz/071120-02
I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season.
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 6:06 AM
|
|
First, Bones suffers from the "guest star" theory more than ANY other show. As soon as you see the name of someone famous, you just know they're going to be the killer. This episode had Reggie Vel Johnson and David DeLuise. Reggie ran the Santa place, and David was a Santa...with a black eye. Gee, how tough was that to figure out. Now, I guess I'm a little confused too as I was very tired and nodded off during the Santa Butt Sniffing Scene and woke up after. So, I backed up the DVR and watched the end and it was great! I didn't rewatch the butt sniffing scene and so since I nodded off, I don't recall what happened. I think DeLuise was the Santa who the security guard tracked him down and punched him (thus the black eye.) Now, I took it as Kris was the pickpocket and DeLuise caught him with the money and was going to turn him in unless he got paid. How else to explain Kris having the money and secret drawer? Well, whatever, in my sleepy stupor, I deleted the episode so I'll have to wait until it pops up on youtube or someone here explains what happened. The kiss was lame, and I don't know why the prosecutor got freaked out. She WANTED them to kiss, but was appalled by it? Maybe I was just tired and didn't get it. I found the ending very touching and Bones saying she loved her present was outstanding. And with that I accidentally deleted the episode and went to bed!
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 7:23 AM
|
I believe that Jeff actually turned out to be the one doing all the pickpocketing and that dead Santa confronted Jeff, so Jeff killed him, maybe? But that doesn't explain all the cash in dead Santa's false bottom drawer. You are right--that was a bit confusing.
Otherwise, great episode! I loved the fact that the kiss only happened in front of Caroline rather than the entire lab. Upon seeing the previews, I was afraid it happened at some lab Christmas party, whereupon Bones and Booth would be teased mercilessly from then on.
I also loved Sweets with the elf hat ("I'm all ears") and his explanation of why lying to kids at Christmastime is okay, followed by Bones' awkward and amusing attempt to explain the same reasoning to her brother. Great episode!
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 8:08 AM
|
Booth made me also think of Captain Awesome.
Great kiss! I feel like this was the producers' way of giving fans something they want, but in a non-romantic way, since I'm not holding out for a Bones-Booth romance anytime soon.
Loved the end with Bones and her family. It makes me so happy now that Russ is back. I love seeing Russ and Max in the same episode. And Caroline must have really pulled some strings to be able to get Russ into some non-prison clothes.
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 8:09 AM
|
|
By the way, they definitely made a point of saying that Jeff was the pickpocketer, not Kris, although I too was confused about the money.
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 8:10 AM
|
The kiss was lame, and I don't know why the prosecutor got freaked out. She WANTED them to kiss, but was appalled by it?
I didn't see it as her being appalled, I saw it as shock. She had expected a quick peck on the lips but she got more than she expected. I admit, I'm surprised, and a wee bit disappointed, Angela didn't walk by and catch the kiss.
I love Sweet and Caroline, though.
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 8:22 AM
|
I think at the end when Bones told Booth "I love my present" it was really sounding like she was going to say "I love you". She kinda put a slight pause in between the "I love" and "my present". That ending was just very touching.
And I think they both enjoyed the kiss, although neither would ever admit it.
I wonder if Zach and Cam are going to get together? I don't know why, but I kind of get that feeling.
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 8:31 AM
|
1. Jeff was the pickpocket. Kris confronted him and got killed. The secret drawer had mostly money Kris had picked up through the years - only the new 50s were pickpocketed. I presume Jeff knew about it so put the money there to set him up.
2. Bones really does Christmas episodes well. The Season 1 ep is my alltime favorite Christmas episode for any show. This one was awfully good, too. Kudos to the writers/showrunner.
3. Sorry, when I heard Captain Fantastic, all I thought about was Elton John!
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 8:38 AM
|
This is the way I see it happened:
Jeff was the pickpocket. Kris found out about it and threatened to report him. Jeff panicked and killed him. Afterward, thinking he would try to throw suspicion off himself, Jeff planted the money in Kris' house, hoping it would lead back to the security guard.
And I too adored the kiss. I think Caroline was just speechless afterwards, not appalled. 
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 8:48 AM
|
|
The show isn't perfect, but it is one of my favorites. This is what I think happened. Jeff was the pickpocket, Kris figured it out. He confronted Jeff, Jeff killed Kris. The money was actually Kris'. The $50's came from his most recent paycheck that his boss had cashed for him just before he died.
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 9:03 AM
|
The Money was Kris and I think it was said that it was about $1200 in mostly small bills. It was explained by Kris not paying his rent for the past couple to get back at his landlord for taking his toy ideas and not sharing the profits.
The Kiss seemed out of place. It seemed that the writers tried to fit it in and it didn't seem natural. The chemistry between them is real but having Caroline ask Bones to kiss Booth because she was feeling puckish didn't work for me.
Love the show one of my top 3 and I hope it doesn't move to Friday!!
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 9:20 AM
|
I love Caroline! As one who's wont to use the line, I loved it when she explained her request that Bones and Booth kiss with "because it will amuse me". I actually mouthed it with her. Love her. And I've known people like that, people I'd like to maneuver into what seems an obvious, inevitable situation in order to speed things up. Good for our Caroline. (And better for us since, of course, the romance will go back to the back burner where it belongs.)
Loved the spirit of fun in the whole episode, loved the Koptic guard and Booth getting his Christmas money back to him, loved Angela's "facial reconstruction". Like most people I did find the whole motive thing confusing and didn't even realize it until long after the show had ended.
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 9:43 AM
|
I love Caroline! As one who's wont to use the line, I loved it when she explained her request that Bones and Booth kiss with "because it will amuse me". I actually mouthed it with her. Love her. And I've known people like that, people I'd like to maneuver into what seems an obvious, inevitable situation in order to speed things up. Good for our Caroline. (And better for us since, of course, the romance will go back to the back burner where it belongs.)
Loved the spirit of fun in the whole episode, loved the Koptic guard and Booth getting his Christmas money back to him, loved Angela's "facial reconstruction". Like most people I did find the whole motive thing confusing and didn't even realize it until long after the show had ended.
|
|
Nov 28, 2007 9:46 AM
|
|
|
