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Review: Bones, Season 6, Ep 22 “The Hole in the Heart”

Airdate: Thursday, May 12, 2011 9/8c

Rating ★★★★★★ 

*WARNING: If you haven’t seen this episode, this review contains spoilers. You have been warned.*

My heart is shattered. This is one of the most riveting and powerful episodes I can recall in a long while. I don’t think I’ve ever cried as much watching an episode of Bones as I did watching “The Hole in the Heart.” Sure, I’ve been teary eyed before but this was full-on waterworks, including the lip quiver. The writers have ripped a hole in my heart.

Booth (David Boreanaz, R) speaks with Special Agent Genevieve Shaw (guest star Tina Majorino, L)

A young new FBI Agent Genevieve Shaw (guest star Tina Majorino) makes a rookie mistake but you can’t blame her— Broadsky (guest star Arnold Vosloo) has experience she’s never dreamed of. While he visits his girlfriend’s grave, Shaw takes photos of him, but I think that’s what Brodsky wanted. His visit had a dual purpose – to pay his respects and to leave a cell phone for his former Army buddy Booth (David Boreanaz).

Broadsky admonishes Booth, “And don’t you forget – you never see the bullet that takes you down.” Frightening words, for sure. He’s doing “good work” killing people but I’m curious to know who he’s killing them for? I love the taut provocation Broadsky brings to the show. Vosloo brilliantly portrays a man right on the edge between good guy/bad guy. We perceive him as the bad guy but who’s to say he isn’t really the good guy and that Booth is fighting for the wrong side?

Ok, now the tough part – the reason for my broken heart. As we watch Broadsky look through his rifle’s scope intent on killing someone close to Booth, my heart catches in my throat.  The camera pans to Hodgins (TJ Thyne) waiting for Angela (Michaela Conlin), to Agent Shaw, Cam (Tamara Taylor), Booth, and Dr. Sweets (John Francis Daley). We also see Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and intern Vincent Nigel-Murray (Ryan Cartwright) working on the remains of another victim of Brodsky’s “good work.” I’m on the edge of my seat, my pulse is racing – who is he aiming for? The haunting song playing in the background, “Keep The Streets Empty For Me” by Fever Ray, perfectly sets the tone for what happens next.

Brennan (Emily Dechanel, L) and Vincent (Ryan Cartwright) work on the remains of Broadsky's latest victim.

 The cell phone Brodsky planted at the grave site had a dual purpose. As Brodsky calls Booth, who hands the phone to Vincent while he tries to trace the call, it activates a thermal imaging scanner. As the bullet shatters the glass of the Jeffersonian’s roof, we think Booth, Brennan, and Vincent would rise unscathed but no. The bullet pierces Vincent’s heart. As he lies on the floor, Vincent’s words are epically wrought with desperation as he clings to life. Cue the waterworks.

Vincent: “Ple…plea…please don’t, don’t make me leave.”

Brennan (emotional): “No, you don’t have to leave.”

Vincent: “I just…I love being here, don’t, just don’t make me leave.”

Brennan (sobbing): “We love you here. We don’t want you to leave.”

Booth (David Boreanaz, R) isn't taking any chances and has Brennan (Emily Deschanel, L) stay the night at his place.

Thankfully a commercial for The Hangover II came on giving me a little reprieve from my sadness. Like Brennan, Vincent was my favorite intern too. And kudos to Cartwright, he stayed true to character as he portrayed Mr. Vincent Nigel-Murray one last time. I was blindsided by his tragic demise. Brennan thought his final words were aimed at her but Booth comforts her by explaining that Vincent was talking to God.

Brennan (tearful): “Well, if there was a God, then he would’ve let Vincent stay here with us.”

Booth: “That’s not how it works.”

I’m still crying over Vincent but I begin to sob even more seeing Brennan so broken up. It pushs the fact home that Vincent is gone for good. Well, at least on Bones, that is. You can see Cartwright this summer on the new Syfy series Alphas.  The only positive in this episode is Brennan getting into bed with Booth.  Like Angela, I wait with bated breath to find out what went down in the bedroom but of course, that little tidbit isn’t revealed (a lot of words with the letter ‘B’ in there.) We may not even get the answer in the season finale next week. Curse you, writers!

Arnold Vosloo as Jacob Broadsky

As the showdown between the two snipers, Booth and Broadsky, goes down, I want Booth to pull the trigger and kill Broadsky. At the same time, though, I didn’t. While I want vengeance for Vincent, I love the tumultuous intensity Broadsky brings to the show. Booth didn’t kill him so hopefully we’ll see Vosloo back next season to give us more wonderfully suspenseful episodes such as this one.

The send off for Vincent was truly befitting for him. After the team recalls some interesting facts Vincent had told them over the years, they put his casket into the hearse, singing his favorite song, “The Lime and Da Coconut.” (I need more tissues!)

Tune into the season finale of Bones next week on Thursday, May 19th 9/8c only on Fox.

Photos © FOX Broadcasting Co., All Rights Reserved.

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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.

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.