It’s another Bones season finale. Why do I sigh when I say that? It probably has as much to do with last season as this one
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First let me say that I like Bones, so let me get what I don’t like out of the way. I don’t like the gore (I don’t like it on CSI or other shows either) but I know some people enjoy it so I just close my eyes or look away. I will admit that while I find Brennan interesting I also find her hard to relate to which is probably the reason why I like Bones and I don’t love it.

Bones is an entertaining show. The cases are interesting although a bit formulaic but the characters are what sell it. They are the heart of this quirky procedural. There are times when the supporting cast is what has kept me tuning in. Hodgins is my favorite. He gets the best lines and makes me smile more than any other character. He and Angela make an unusual and engaging couple and I’m thrilled that they finally got them back together. I wish there had been a bit more build up but I’ll take what I can get. I’ve enjoyed how Sweets has become one of the family. It took a while but he now feels like he truly fits in with the team. I’ve liked Cam since she came on board. She’s the best boss they’ve had; professional enough to earn the role yet comfortable enough to feel part of the team she’s in charge of. Heck, even though I never completely bought the Zack as serial killer apprentice storyline, I’ll admit it was a unique way to write out a core character.

But back to the season finale. I need to mention last year’s finale because it relates to how I feel about the current one. Last year was the alternate universe/coma/dream sequence finale where everyone played a different version of themselves. In this version Booth and Brennan were happily married. There was nothing wrong with that episode. It was well written, acted, and darn entertaining. The problem was the hype. After four seasons fans wanted to see their lead couple take steps towards becoming an actual couple. All of the spoilers and pre-interviews teased about a payoff. When it only occurred in the alternate universe, fans were left feeling cheated.

Many fans held out hope that we’d still see real movement in the Booth / Brennan relationship this season. Other than a couple of small scenes that went nowhere (including a great hurt/comfort scene where Brennan is stabbed in the arm) we really didn’t see much movement. Then we all heard that the 100th episode would be the don’t miss show. We all tuned in and waited. In the last few minutes Booth took the gamble. He opened his heart and told Brennan how he felt and fans hearts everywhere jumped. That is until Brennan shot him down. “I don’t have your kind of open heart.” Seely Booth practically begs her to give them a chance and she can’t or won’t make that leap. Was it a good scene? Yes, but come on already! Five years of this dance is enough. During seasons one through three I found it entertaining. By season four I wanted more but now at the end of season five, I’ve gotten bored.

So that leads us to this year’s finale, “The Beginning in the End.” The title alone is meant to give fans hope. Yet the end of this season leaves us with all of our friends leaving the Jeffersonian. Daisy breaks up with Sweets to follow her career. Hodgins and Angela decide to take an extended honeymoon in Paris, Brennan heads with Daisy to Indonesia, and Booth signs up for another year of military service to train soldiers in Afghanistan.

Booth finds Brennan at the airport (the man does look good in uniform). He tells her to be careful in the jungle and she tells him not to be a hero, “Don’t be you” she says. They stare longingly into one another’s eyes, they grasp hands and Booth tells her that one year from today they will meet at the reflecting pool on the mall near the coffee cart. She agrees and watches him leave. Both characters look near tears as they take one last look back and then walk away.

That’s the end of season five. We are left with the hope that season six will bring this pair together but honestly, I’m not as excited as I once was. You can only get your hopes up so many times.

So what do you think? Worth the hype or just another turn on the Bones merry-go-round?

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Tags: Bones