'bones' 1x18-1x19, and ficlet

[thecarlysutra]

I owed myhappyface a Bones ficlet for helping me out with some canon questions. It's untitled Booth/Caroline bickering:

Booth brought her chocolates. Her day was about to get really irritating.

Caroline glanced at the dull sheen of the chocolate box’s pressed-cardboard, then raised her take-no-prisoners gaze to her visitor.

“What do you want, Booth?”

Booth flashed his charm smile and rocked back on his heels a bit, his huge hands stuffed into his $1200 pockets. The paws on that boy.

“You always assume the worst, Caroline. I was in New Orleans, and I thought – hey! – my friend Caroline is in New Orleans; I should drop in and say hello. You know, be neighborly and all that.”

Caroline didn’t blink. Booth’s smile wavered a bit. “And then I thought, you know, as long as I’m here, I might ask you for a tiny favor. Since we’re friends and all.”

“A tiny favor? Seeley, I know I don’t have to tell you that prosecuting a federal case is not a tiny anything—”

“No! I promise, it’s not a federal thing. It’s just a tiny, local misunderstanding . . . a little jurisdictional dispute, that’s all.”

Caroline crossed her arms over her ample bosom. “Uh-huh. You need a parking ticket cleared up or something, cherie?”

The charm smile had all but faded; he had switched to his innocent schoolboy face. Caroline was in big trouble now. “No, just a little . . . as I may have stated, there was a misunderstanding . . . and my partner was arrested. A little.”

“You want me to pry a prisoner away from the NOPD? What’d she do, cher, forget to feed the meter?”

Booth squirmed under Caroline’s unwavering gaze. “She’s been falsely accused—”

“You know damn well I don’t care how she was accused. What’s the charge?”

Booth tongued his cheek. “Murder. But it’s—”

“Honey, you’ve got no good sense. A murder charge is a little misunderstanding and a tiny favor? I should—”

Booth grinned. “I brought you chocolates.”

“You brought me trouble. As usual.”

Booth just kept smiling. That boy could smile paint off a wall.

Caroline sighed. “Let me get my coat. You owe me, Seeley.”

“I already owe you, Caroline.”

“I know it,” Caroline said, letting Booth help her into her coat. “Don’t think this’ll slip past me, either.”

“Nothing gets past you,” Booth said amiably.

“Don’t you forget it, cher.”

Now,

The Man With the Bone

Holy crap, another Angel crossover -- Rodney Rowland, who was in the first ep of S5. I'm telling you, we need to start a friggin' chart. (Dude, wasn't he on VMars, too?)

I hadn't seen this episode before, and omigodtheawesome. I loved this so much -- pirates! The boys being dorks about pirates! Goodman and Angela detecting! Consistent characterization!

Okay, I really like Brennan compartmentalizing members of the armed forces into archetypes. It's so anthropologist-y -- the trying to understand people by recognizing the groups they're in and the roles they play -- and it wasn't forced; the whole thing was just beautiful.

Booth: The guy was a Navy Seal.
Brennan: So? You were a Guide.
Booth: Ranger! I was Ranger, Bones, okay? I was not a guide; guides, they show you waterfalls; they sell you cookies. I was a Ranger.
Brennan: Are Rangers afraid of Seals?
Booth: What? No, come on, Bones: Rangers aren't afraid of anybody, okay . . . ? Seals are pretty good, though.

Look, not only is she identifying him, she's trying to figure out the groups' relations to one another. This is gorgeous. I'm so proud of you, show!

Sometimes Cullen gets on my nerves -- except, you know, that his presence causes DB to say, "sir" a lot, and you know what that does to me -- but I really liked him in this episode. Maybe it's because he was tempered by the mirroring interaction of Brennan and Goodman. I loved this whole scene. Awesome.

Oh! Oh! What else was really awesome:

Booth: Whoa, maybe you just want to, you know, chill a little.
Brennan: Chill?
Booth: Yeah. You know, take a pill.
Brennan: Listen, dude, my lab was violated, my bones were stolen, so I think I’ll remain warm for a little while longer.
Angela: Honey, maybe you should focus on your breathing.
Booth: Breathing.
Angela: Count to ten.
Booth: Ten.
Angela: Have a shot of Jack.
Booth: Shot of Jack. Look, we're doing everything we can; I promise you we're going to find your bones, but you've got to allow us to do our job.
Brennan: Guess I wasn't helping all that much, was I? I'm . . . I'm . . .
Angela: Sorry.

Angela = Awesome
Booth/Angela = OMIGODSOAWESOMEIHAVENOTTHEWORDS

Omigod, soooo giddy over this whole episode. Whee!


The Man in the Morgue

I'm not sure how I feel about the look, we're involved in the modern landscape! thing. On the one hand, I think that responsible media is an excellent platform for discussing contemporary issues. But is Bones responsible media? Aside from one or two mentions of FEMA that were less social commentary than quick jokes, the setting seemed more like a sweeps draw. I don't know. You guys have thoughts on this?

On the other hand, this episode successfully placed the Bones team in another (minority) culture without turning anyone into a stereotype or a caricature, for which I am grateful. However, I have to say it:

VOODOO IS NOT A RELIGION. IT IS A SERIES OF RITUALS. HOODOO IS THE RELIGION ASSOCIATED WITH VOODOO. VOODOO IS NOT A RELIGION.

I just feel the need to say that after the sixty or seventy times that Brennan insisted voodoo was a religion. She's an anthropologist; shouldn't she know better?

I love Caroline. For serious, she is too awesome. There should be more of her.

I love Booth's quick hands; that thing at the end with her earring? I had to rewind it to see when he took it from his pocket. So much of the characterization on this show is done through dialogue, that I'm thrilled when there's some defining action. Excellent.

(Not that I don't have ulterior motives for liking Booth's quick hands . . .)

There's some pretty good Angela/Hodgins stuff in this episode. Clearly, Hodgins has been thinking about Angela already (probably since he saw that picture of her in a bikini . . .) since, after Zack tells him that he's noticed Hodgins acts "taller" around Brennan and Angela, Hodgins goes on this whole tangent about Angela, to which Zack is completely oblivious. Then the Angela/Hodgins thing later . . . ? Aww . . . Seriously, hooking up Angela and Hodgins was probably the smartest thing the producers ever did, because if they hadn't, no way I would be able to stop shipping Angela/Booth. But when she's with Hodgins, I feel kind of . . . I don't know, dirty about it, so I'm free to focus on the unresolved sexual tension between Booth and Brennan.

I'm rambly complicated, I know.

In summary: I like fieldtrip episodes, and this wasn't an exception. Cool.

What did you guys think?

Comments

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Hee, "The Man with the Bone" was probably the first fun episode I watched from this show. Dude, pirates! The boys were incredibly giddy and fanboyishly geeky about the pirates, and I liked how Angela just shrugged it off and said "it's a guy thing" when Brennan was all confused. It was just amazingly awesome.

I liked the "where the hell are my bones?" bit, following of course that classic Booth/Angela talk-over towards Brennan. It was so cute, fast-paced, and made of awesome.

Thank you for recognizing the whole "voodoo is not a religion" bit. While watching the episode I was like, wait a minute, don't they have it all backwards? Of course I remember this because I think I was still in my witchcraft and religion class at my college so we were studying upon it, but yeah. Brennan should've known better.

I did, however, like the Jesus-is-a-zombie debate between Booth and Brennan. It made me giggle.

Aww . . . Seriously, hooking up Angela and Hodgins was probably the smartest thing the producers ever did, because if they hadn't, no way I would be able to stop shipping Angela/Booth.

Seriously, Angela and Hodgins are so adorable together. But that shouldn't stop you from pairing off Booth and Angela! I think after reading your Bones recapping posts I've actually begun secretly shipping them too, even though I do love the Hodgins/Angela relationship. Is that wrong? I don't know, I just love the chemistry she has with everyone.

[carlyinrome.livejournal.com]

Hee, "The Man with the Bone" was probably the first fun episode I watched from this show. Dude, pirates! The boys were incredibly giddy and fanboyishly geeky about the pirates

Seriously, I loved that episode to death. And it was completely new to me, which made it like a fun surprise.

I did, however, like the Jesus-is-a-zombie debate between Booth and Brennan. It made me giggle.

I love DB's face when Brennan says that Jesus was a zombie. That is just priceless.

Seriously, Angela and Hodgins are so adorable together. But that shouldn't stop you from pairing off Booth and Angela!

I'm definitely not stopping altogether -- as is evidenced by my journal layout and also my bones_alt_ships entry -- but I feel bad when I ship them when Angela's with Hodgins, so my Angela/Booth timeline has narrowed . . .

I think after reading your Bones recapping posts I've actually begun secretly shipping them too

Yay! I'm a pusher! Hee.

I just love the chemistry she has with everyone.

She does! She's so sweet and sensual and . . . gah. Love her. Best ship ever: Angela/me. (Or . . . Angela/Booth/Me? Hee.)

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I love DB's face when Brennan says that Jesus was a zombie. That is just priceless.

He was so indignant, I loved it. David just owns this role, for real.

Angela is so much love. By the way, I don't think I mentioned it before, but I LOVE your current layout! It's so pretty. ♥

[carlyinrome.livejournal.com]

For real. :)

Thank you so much! I'm really pleased with it. The original template is by snubicons, but it took so much modification with the colors and the brand new art that I'm particularly fond of it.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I love yoour little ficlet, your Caroline voice is perfect.

That boy could smile paint off a wall.

So very, very true.

[carlyinrome.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I actually enjoyed writing it.

Well, yes. Not even Caroline is immune to DB's hotliness.

[lostakasha.livejournal.com]

That was a terrific little ficlet -- and the world needs more Caroline! What’d she do, cher, forget to feed the meter? priceless.

and oh, yes, the paws on that boy!

I started shipping Booth/Hodgins with The Boy in the Bush, so by the time the pirate episode rolled around, I was completely committed to them. But I do get what you mean about having to 'fit Angela/Booth in' around Angela/Hodgins ... the show's progress hamstrung me with both A/B and B/H so I was frustrated for awhile and considered not writing them at all. When I couldn't get loose of their grip on my imagination I decided that I'd just label everything crack, or a departure after a certain ep, and said the hell with it and did it anyway.

:D

Booth/Angela is interesting and tres hot -- lots of potential. (It moves me more than the B/B, for sure.)

[carlyinrome.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm thrilled you liked it.

(And, word. Caroline is awesome; she deserves more fic!)

I started shipping Booth/Hodgins with The Boy in the Bush, so by the time the pirate episode rolled around, I was completely committed to them.

I find it hard to believe that anyone didn't ship Booth/Hodgins a little during the pirate episode. 'Cuz damn.

When I couldn't get loose of their grip on my imagination I decided that I'd just label everything crack, or a departure after a certain ep, and said the hell with it and did it anyway.

And can I just say, I'm glad you did.

Booth/Angela is interesting and tres hot -- lots of potential. (It moves me more than the B/B, for sure.)

I really agree! I think if the show was less formulaic -- "X-Files," "Moonlighting," etc. = winners in the past and therefore provide a safe bet formula -- then Angela/Booth would be such an hot interesting road to take.

[myhappyface.livejournal.com]

My love for you and this ficlet is too large to be contained by a comment box. The progression of Booth's charm smile, and how Caroline sees right through him while still falling for it. This was exactly what I wanted. Thank you so much!

I like that Booth is constantly playing with things - flipping a poker chip, fiddling with his tie - because (a) it's interesting, character-wise, and (b) dude. Giant man-paws. Which have thus far figured prominently in my vaguely-begun Booth/Rebecca ficlet.

I like your new layout, too! It's very pretty, art-wise, and it just looks warm. Thank you again for the ficlet!

[carlyinrome.livejournal.com]

Oh, yay! I'm so happy you like it!

Giant man-paws. Which have thus far figured prominently in my vaguely-begun Booth/Rebecca ficlet.

Omigodyes, that was very hot.

I like your new layout, too! It's very pretty, art-wise, and it just looks warm. Thank you again for the ficlet!

Thank you so much! I'm liking it a lot, too; mmmm, Angela/Booth . . .