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Category:    Home > Reviews > Drama > Comedy > Medical > BONES – Season Two

BONES – Season Two

 

Picture: B     Sound: B-    Extras: B-     Episodes: B

 

 

“Sticks and stones make break my bones, but names will make me go in the corner and cry for hours” (Eric Idle).  Well there won’t be any name calling here, but there will be plenty of sticks, stones, and bones.  Now available for the first time on DVD is BONES: Season Two , featuring a storyline that once again centers on a distinct and fantastic crew of forensic experts and an experienced police force who do everything in their power to solve some of the most unlikely and unsolvable crimes.  This season rejoins FBI Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) and skeletal remains expert Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) along with her crack team.  At first glance BONES seems like nothing more than another forensics drama like the now fading CSI series, but behind the veil of bones and bugs the real story lies in the people.

 

Now frequent readers of this site may notice a change in this reviewer’s attitude over last season, but the fact of the matter is that the series has evolved.  Last season, BONES mainly went after just the crimes and only began to develop personal relationships and emotion very late in the season; which to this reviewer was too late.  Making Dr. Brennan (Bones) so disconnected from her fellow cast, being a social hermit, only stood to distance the audience from her as well.  Season One was a good start and was truly enjoyable, but Season Two could be the spark that lets this series hang around.

 

In Season Two, character development gets flung into high gear.  Most of the angst Seeley Booth had about being a sniper (which writers had no intention to go that far back) has been dropped for more relevant topics like his son, drama centering on current crimes, and most importantly a bubbling relationship with Dr. Brennan.  Dr. Brennan has also been toned down a tad this season, no longer being a total social reject; now if that is alluding to her growing as a person having all these great friends around or just a plot device change?  Who knows and who cares?!  All that matters is that it works much better this season.  Even the other characters of the series were kicked up about ten script notches this season, now being much more vital to the series and plot.

 

Other actors such as Michaela Conlin (Angela Montenegro on the series), T.J. Thyne (Dr. Jack Hodgins), and Dr. Zach Addy (Eric Millegan) are all simply brilliant.  Emotion and heart run through every line.  For a series that focuses so heavily on a cold topic like death, the supporting cast lends a dimension of heart and soul that is just astounding.  As previously stated the supporting characters are given a much more intense purpose this season having their own story arches and sense of importance to the series.  This improved the series ten-fold by no longer letting it be a one man show.  A huge thumbs up to the supporting cast.

 

The series continues to give each episode an unemotional label such as ‘The Blonde in the Game’ or ‘The Woman in the Sand.’  As previously proposed by this reviewer titles of each episode can possibly be alluding to two concepts, one being the title character has a great sense of detachment from people and/or that the deceased individuals are merely a faceless pile of bones until the great Dr. solves the crime.  This hypothesis remains valid and in many ways the second part of the hypothesis seems to be the most likely option.  Overall, a creative and interesting use of titles.

 

One of the plot devices of the series that was majorly used this season was the relationship between Dr. Brennan and her long lost (supposedly dead) father.  To this reviewer this concept is still in the air and is not quite sure how well it is working.  The idea did seem to evolve quite well with the progression of the season, but not so great that it can be deemed a solid plot device.  If anything it did seem to give a greater dimension to Booth’s and Brennan’s relationship.  So maybe all is not lost.

 

The technical features on this 6 disc set are very, very well put together.  The picture is presented is slightly improved over Season One in an 1.78 X 1 Anamorphic Widescreen image that is clear, crisp and in good light/dark balance.  The light/dark being a big issue on the filming of this series and the manner in which it is designed.  The sound is once again presented in a 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround that is clearer than last season and truly ‘pops’ and ‘bangs’ when necessary.  The extras are not huge but nicely presented to fans of the series offering a chance to hear audio commentaries on select episodes, a gag reel (pretty funny), deleted scenes, and a featurette exploring the visual effects of the series.  Not a bar bones release by any means.

 

Last review this reviewer stated this series was a cross between CSI and Numb3rs.  With the coming of Season Two, to compare this series to those would not do it justice.  Season Two truly allowed BONES to stand out on its own as a great series with an array of dimensions.  No corny onliners and visual effects are holding this series together; it is the people that make this series great.  Skull to Phalange.

 

 

-   Michael P Dougherty II


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