S09.E20: The High in the Low

[Lisin]

The Jeffersonian team investigates the death an art school dropout struggling with Lupus, whose remains were found inside a log in a forest. When the team learns about the victim's use of cannabis to treat her pain, it leads them to the dispensary where she worked, and they uncover more shocking details that could have contributed to her death. Meanwhile, squintern Wendell Bray returns after starting cancer treatments, and while working on the case, he starts to open up more about his illness, only to reveal some shocking news that may end in his termination. Also, Booth preps for his FBI Competency tests.

[shapeshifter]

As someone with constant chronic pain that not even prescription opiates helps, I so wish low THC marijuana was available for that purpose.

Anyway, the coincidence of Wendel's first case back being about medicinal marijuana while he was using it for medicinal purposes was pretty silly--but not out of the norm for the show.

[immortalfrieza]

Well, it's what I feared. Wendel is reduced to being nothing more than a walking device for the writers to talk about the horrors of cancer while the other characters awkwardly walk on pins and needles whenever he's around.

Characters can't just be characters anymore, they have to make some sort of statement or they have no worth.

Anyway, the coincidence of Wendel's first case back being about medicinal marijuana while he was using it for medicinal purposes was pretty silly--but not out of the norm for the show.

Not out of the norm for fiction in general really. Having contrived coincidences like this one all over the place is the bread and butter of fiction.

I was disappointed by this episode's conclusion.

The pothead kid

was probably the most obvious out of all the potential suspects in the episode. I would have hoped the writers could have come up with someone better than the first one the audience is going to guess.

[rainsmom]

Although I'm a proponent of decriminalizing marijuana, I find the heavy-handed preaching in this episode annoying. I would rather have seen valid arguments from both sides instead of having everyone on the same side.

As far as "who dunnit," I knew as soon as the kid said in the first interview that he won that specific writing award. They never include specific information like that unless it's going to be pertinent to something in the case. When Bones and Angela were building the murder weapon, I said out loud, "And I bet it's the shape of that writing award." Yup. Predictable.

It was good to see Wendell again. I also thought it was predictable that Cam had to fire him. I live and work in Washington state where pot is legal, but using it is still grounds for dismissal at most workplaces. I honestly didn't know the laws about the use of medical marijuana, but I can see Cam's point. Whether it *should* be that way is debatable, but federal facility aside, she has to be concerned about cases being thrown out. I was really surprised (but glad) he could be rehired as a contractor.

[Splash]

I never enjoy the hour long PSA's that this show seems to do occasionally.  I have no issues with marijuana use, so that didn't bother me, but I found the fact that everyone seemed initially shocked by Wendell's "confession" and their immediate overeager support obnoxious.  If they had to beat us over the head with the issue, why not have Wendell be against marijuana use, even for medicinal purposes, but become convinced throughout the course of the show?  It would make more sense with what we know about the character, to have him decide to start using it and resign because he knows that federal employees aren't allowed to use for any reason.

I also really hated that Hodgins and Angela were pissed at Cam because she fired Wendell.  It's not as if she could have went to her boss and said, "Oh, come on; it's Wendell!  He's a good guy and he has cancer!" and expect the rules to change, just because he's a special snowflake.

The main plot didn't hold my interest in any way, but I did like Booth's plot about trying to get a higher score on his tests, rather than just being satisfied with just doing 'good enough'.  

[StillCrazy]

This show does not know how to do subtle.  Now I wonder if they gave Wendell cancer just so they could do this episode. 

[Jellybeans]

I am a "pothead" because I have MS and the traditional meds screwed up my kidneys. I was happy they talked about the difference in CBD's and THC. Many people do not know that the Charlotte's Web strain is not psychoactive but effective for pain.

[nitrofishblue]

I sure would like to find a source for the Charlotte's Web since I have to take pain meds daily. Right now I take a slow release morphine and use oxyicodon when needed. The side effects of this really drive me nuts. I don't know which is worse, the pain or the side effects. I did feel that the writers went overboard in trying to get their point across. The show did have one good result, people are doing some talk about the use of pot for pain relief.

[Jellybeans]

I sure would like to find a source for the Charlotte's Web since I have to take pain meds daily. Right now I take a slow release morphine and use oxyicodon when needed. The side effects of this really drive me nuts. I don't know which is worse, the pain or the side effects. I did feel that the writers went overboard in trying to get their point across. The show did have one good result, people are doing some talk about the use of pot for pain relief.

The only place to get Charlotte's Web (non-pyschoactive) is in Colorado I believe. Two brothers developed the strain. It is not readily available except for children with seizures.

I am sorry you have to endure the side effects of morphine. I don't think most people realize medical mj is a legit way of managing pain.

[webruce]

Was nice to see Wendell back. He was so worried about Bones and Cam finding out about his medical pot use. Cam really got it for letting him go. Hodgens was really mad. Booth finally came around. Caroline fixed it for Wendell. Will be nice to see him again. To bad it can't replace the real stuff. I was surprised they came around so quickly.

Abby Briggs body folded over in that log. Hodgens so happy over all those bugs. Hmm grew Pot without "high" qualities. See I thought we talked to dealer Adam Caputo was to soon. I figured between Guard Carl Collins, Dr. Richard Burke and even the sister, Mallory. So I was kinda surprised.

Booth working to pass his test went nice. 97% great!

Edited June 11, 2014 by webruce

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I'm catching up on the end of this season and I'd conveniently forgotten that Bones can be about as subtle as a sledgehammer. They make SVU's PSAs look mild and tactful. I support legalized medical marijuana but watching this episode made me cringe.

 

Sometimes it's difficult for me to believe that these characters are supposed to be fully functioning adults who are experts in their fields because they act like children. Poor Cam had to deal with Hodgins and his self-righteous anger and his attempt at a huffy silent treatment. So you'd rather that EVERY case Wendall works on be thrown out and the murderers set free? Whether you agree with the law or not, that is what could happen and Cam was right to let Wendall go for that very reason.

 

Instead of being adults about it and understanding that letting Wendall go was in the best interest of the Jeffersonian and any future cases, Hodgins (and to a lesser extent Angela) decided to get mad at Cam for enforcing the rules. It drives me crazy when people do that because they refuse to understand that the person enforcing the rules usually isn't the one who actually made the rules. I know managers who have had to enforce rules that they don't agree with because not enforcing those rules puts things like funding or liability issues at risk. The fact that Cam was willing to put her personal feelings aside and let Wendall go clearly illustrates why she is in a management postition instead of people like Hodgins or Angela who are incapable of doing something necessary like that.

 

If Cam had let Wendall stay in his original capacity as an intern and then the student writer murderer had been allowed to walk on a technicality because of Wendall's involvement in the case, would Angela and Hodgins say, "It's okay that there's a murderer walking the streets free as a bird because it was very important for our friend Wendall to keep working with his while he was going through treatment for his cancer"? While I understand wanting to be supportive of Wendall, they were being so short sighted.

 

I am not sure how Wendall being a consultant instead of an intern who handles the remains is a huge improvement that would prevent the validity of the Jeffersonian team's findings from being called into question.