Love, Murder, and Tater Tots. Review: Bones – “The Secret in the Proposal”

Season 9, Episode 1

Air Date: Monday, September 16, 2013, 8/7c on Fox

Rating ★★★★★

“I’d die for you. I love you.” – Booth

Booth (David Boreanaz, L) talks with Aldo Clemens (guest star Mather Zickel, R), a friend and ex-priest from his military days.

The depths of Booth’s (David Boreanaz) love for Brennan (Emily Deschanel) knows no bounds. After last season’s cliffhanger, Booth has to make the tough choice given to him by the villainous Christopher Pelant (Andrew Leeds) of either calling off the wedding or saving the lives of five innocent people. The only hitch –Booth can’t tell Brennan why he’s calling off the wedding, leaving her to speculate wildly about his reasoning.

As we dive into “The Secrets in the Proposal,” we find Booth sitting at a bar, downing shots and confessing his sins to Aldo (guest star Mather Zickel), his former Ranger buddy and military chaplain. Of course, the only thing that pops into my mind is that Booth drinking again due to insurmountable duress isn’t a good thing. I should have trusted him to not overdo it but hey, I’m human. Unfortunately, the strain of not being able to tell a soul about Pelant’s threat gnaws away at Booth until he asks Aldo if there is a place they can talk without any electronics. “You’re tinfoil hat paranoid,” Aldo replies. After hearing what Booth has to say, I’m sure Aldo will gladly fashion his own “tinfoil hat.”

While at a crime scene, Brennan (Emily Deschanel, R) tells Booth (David Boreanaz, L) she’s been trying to reach him…”Christine wanted to talk to her daddy.”

Deschanel gives a vulnerable and compelling performance as she tries to grasp the possible end to her relationship with the man she loves. The way she conveys the hurt and pain she feels after Booth calls off the wedding is heart wrenching. Boreanaz, of course, is stellar in his execution, particularly when he becomes irritated with everyone butting in, especially Angela (Michaela Conlin). The confrontation is eye opening, even if it is via video conference.

Despite having a gruesome case to solve that involves a murder via a large hotel air conditioning unit, Booth and Brennan are at odds throughout the episode. Many at the Jeffersonian are conflicted about whose side they’re on. Angela, of course, is steadfast in her loyalty to Brennan. We all know why Booth is pulling away but Angela takes no prisoners. “You’re ruining her very fragile heart – you should be ashamed of yourself!” I love Angela. She’s a fiercely dedicated friend and I adore that she tries to protect Brennan…even from Daisy’s (Carla Gallo) rambling by stuffing a tater tot in her mouth. Who hasn’t wanted to shut up Daisy on occasion? Admittedly, Daisy cracks me up in “The Secret in the Proposal,” I don’t know anyone who gives themselves a “high five,”do you?

Freddie Prinze, Jr. guest-stars as CIA Agent Danny Beck.

One delightfully intriguing surprise is the appearance of CIA Agent Danny Beck, played excellently by Freddie Prinze, Jr. Of course, I’m sure Sweets (John Francis Daley) didn’t want the physical altercation between them but I think it makes for interesting television. I wonder whether the CIA and/or other agengies may become regulars this season. I’d love to see more of Prinze…I miss him on the screen (big or small). I’m dying to see him on Lifetime’s new series Witches of East End as Leo Wingate.

The case this week involves a couple of CIA operatives trying to negotiate with a European manufacturer to get an asset into China via a dam project. Of course, with any Bones case, there’s a murder. When the hotel a/c unit is brought back to the lab, Hodgins (TJ Thyne) and Daisy come up with an ingenious way to sift out the rest of the remains. It’s disgusting but effective. While the case itself pales in comparison to the saga that Booth and Brennan are trudging through, the mother of one of the CIA operatives makes an indelible impression on me. I laughed when Marianne Thorn (Kathleen York) tries to continue drinking her martini after Booth handcuffs her. It’s hilarious.

Can’t a lady finish her martini before she’s hauled off for possible murder?

The recurring theme in “The Secret in the Proposal” is having faith in people. Despite finding a strip bar’s business cards in Booth’s pocket, Brennan learns she needs to “have faith” in him, something that doesn’t come easy for our beautiful brainiac. Marianne Thorn, despite her daughter Lily’s (Lucy Walters) elusive behavior, she should have trusted that Lily wasn’t a high priced call girl. And for Cam (Tamara Taylor), she should have trusted that Hodgin’s elaborate experiment with the parachute and a/c unit would work like a bloody charm.

After all is said in done, I know Pelant will not be ignored and I know he will strike. As the clock in the kitchen flickers during Brennan and Booth’s embrace, I know Pelant will enact some kind of sick and twisted revenge. This episode is a dark yet humorous return for Bones and I can’t wait to see how this season unfolds.

Tune into Bones, Mondays* at 8/7c, only on FOX. (*Bones will move to Fridays in Nov 2013.)

For more on the show, go to http://www.fox.com/bones/.

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Follow the creator and cast members: @HartHanson, @David_Boreanaz, @TJThyne, @JohnFDaley, @pejvahdat, and @joeldavidmoore, as well as the author who wrote the books the show is based on @KathyReichs.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.