S12.E01: The Hope In The Horror

[WendyCR72]

Brennan has been kidnapped by her former assistant, Zack Addy, as Booth and the rest of the lab desperately search for her.

[AntiBeeSpray]

Loved tonight's episode :). It turned out nicely.

[ddawn23]

So the killer in this episode had grown nearly to adulthood as one half of conjoined twins joined at the base of the spine. At some point there was an attempt at surgical separation that left his twin dead, but left him so great he was able to walk around and show absolutely no evidence he'd grown up sharing his legs with another person. The only evidence on the twin's remains that pointed to him having been a conjoined twin was a very subtle deformation of a single bone. This is the most ludicrous bullshit I've ever seen. Conjoined twins aren't one regular person with another person sprouting out of them. Twins joined at the waist would have extreme and extremely obvious spinal and rib cage abnormalities. This show has always demanded a lot of the viewers' suspension of belief, but this is insane.

And to top it all off when Wendall points out that the tiniest amount of research into this extraordinarily rare surgery will give them the killer's identity, Brennan says "No, no. That'll take too long. It'll be much faster to have Angela age up the dead twin's facial reconstruction and let us see if we recognize him."

*headdesk*

Edited January 4, 2017 by ddawn23
Typo fixed

[BooksRule]

I agree that the whole conjoined twins plot (although an interesting idea) was presented way too unrealistically.  

For a moment, I honestly thought that Sara Rue's character (I forget her name) was going to turn out to be the killer (the psychiatrist, although he seemed really creepy and dangerous, was too obvious a suspect, so I didn't think it was him). 

I do have one question:  I remember an episode way back where Zack confessed that he hadn't actually murdered the guy he was accused of killing (the lobbyist?).  I think he asked that it be kept a secret because he felt he was better off where he was.  But everyone seemed to be surprised when he said that he hadn't killed anyone.  I pretty sure I remember Cam being there when the conversation took place, but was she the only one?  

[AntiBeeSpray]

Maybe. But at least the episode turned out decently. Science, aside. 

I think I remember that one. A bit of a retcon there that they did to bring him back I guess. But meh, at least they've wrapped things up ok.

[kat165]

Books, no, Zack said it to Sweets when Sweets returned him to the looney bin. Zack had escaped to help the others with a case. At the end of the ep Sweets returns Zack to the bin and Zack says to him, very matter of factly, as they approach the gate, "You know, I never did kill anyone." Sweets wanted him to confess/make it known to others but Zack refused, and he said that Sweets couldn't tell on him cause they had dr./patient confidentiality. Sweets never told anyone and no one knew. Booth had been there a few minutes before but he left Sweets to deal with Zack. So Sweets was the only one who ever heard this.

I think this was season 4, ep 5, "The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond."

Edited January 4, 2017 by kat165
more info added

[KayElektra]

I randomly decided to watch this ep after years of not watching.  Yay, Zach not being still completely looney!  No idea what the hell else was going on, though.  Also, the plot seemed very thin, then again, hadn't watched in a while.

[Mama No Life]

7 hours ago, ddawn23 said:

So the killer in this episode had grown nearly to adulthood as one half of conjoined twins joined at the base of the spine. At some point there was an attempt at surgical separation that left his twin dead, but left him so great he was able to walk around and show absolutely no evidence he'd grown up sharing his legs with another person. The only evidence on the twin's remains that pointed to him having been a conjoined twin was a very subtle deformation of a single bone. This is the most ludicrous bullshit I've ever seen. Conjoined twins aren't one regular person with another person sprouting out of them. Twins joined at the waist would have extreme and extremely obvious spinal and rib cage abnormalities. This show has always demanded a lot of the viewers' suspension of belief, but this is insane.

And to top it all off when Wendall points out that the tiniest amount of research into this extraordinarily rare surgery will give them the killer's identity, Brennan says "No, no. That'll take too long. It'll be much faster to have Angela age up the dead twin's facial reconstruction and let us see if we recognize him."

*headdesk*

Let's not forget tracking Brennan through the Jeffersonian with her hand lotion.  That was absurd.

Even in concern, Booth yells at Bones constantly.  They didn't always do this so it has to be a choice?

Glad Zach's storyline  will get wrapped up correctly...it always bugged me that no one knew he was innocent (well, relatively) but Sweets.  And damn how much did we miss Sweets tonight?  Delfs bugs.  At least get some glasses that fit.

[Badsamaritan]

Just watched this morning as I was getting ready for work. I'm so happy this show is back. I know, I know, the SCIENCE! is crazy, but Ion even care.

I thought it was really nice that Booth was the one who believed Zack. Nice callback to the earlier seasons when Booth didn't understand Zack. Oh, and at the end, when Brennan patted Zack on the shoulder with an open hand, I feel like that was a callback to when Zack was defending his dissertation and he explained that the older gentleman patted him on the arm with an open hand and it was a subtle sign of encouragement. I remember how he was demonstrating it on Brennan, and later in that episode she asked Booth to pat him on the arm as well. I'm also very glad Zack realized he couldn't kill anyone. When he was confessing to Sweets that he didn't kill the lobbyist, he said he believed he would have if Gormagon had asked him to. Speaking of, it was another nice callback that Booth went looking for them in the Gormagon vault. I always wondered if it was still intact.

I understand they had to get to the case but I do wish Hodgins and Zack had been given more time together. Hodgins was devastated thinking that Zack was a killer. I would have liked to have seen Hodgins be a little more disbelieving of it, maybe calling back to how Zack took over the experiment that burned his hands so that Hodgins wouldn't be injured. After all, it was that flaw in his logic that Brennan used to get him to confess to Gormagon's whereabouts.

I've had a love/hate relationship with this show ever since the Gormagon reveal and Zack's involvement. I stopped watching for a few seasons, until I heard they were finally getting Booth and Brennan together. I'm still not crazy about the time period from when Hodgins and Angela broke up to when they reconciled in 'The Witch in the Wardrobe' but I still watch reruns whenever they're on TV. I'm gonna miss this show when it's gone.

[Clanstarling]

I think they did a pretty fair job of placing the red herrings. Sara Rue, Wendell, and the other shrink (with the restraining order) were all suspicious at some point. At least to me.

I was never particularly fond of the Zack character (don't shoot me, but I've preferred the rotating interns since they started), but I did hate the Gormogon story line that "made" him a murderer. So I'm glad they've rectified it.

[BooksRule]

Thanks, kat165!  I knew that he had told someone about being innocent of murder, but I couldn't remember who it was.  

Even though it looks like Hodgins will be confined to a wheelchair permanently now, I do appreciate that they had the whole 'suddenly discovered miracle treatment' thing fall through.  I hate it when characters usually find some way to recover, when it would be so rare to happen in real life. 

[AntiBeeSpray]

7 hours ago, Badsamaritan said:

Just watched this morning as I was getting ready for work. I'm so happy this show is back. I know, I know, the SCIENCE! is crazy, but Ion even care.

I thought it was really nice that Booth was the one who believed Zack. Nice callback to the earlier seasons when Booth didn't understand Zack. Oh, and at the end, when Brennan patted Zack on the shoulder with an open hand, I feel like that was a callback to when Zack was defending his dissertation and he explained that the older gentleman patted him on the arm with an open hand and it was a subtle sign of encouragement. I remember how he was demonstrating it on Brennan, and later in that episode she asked Booth to pat him on the arm as well. I'm also very glad Zack realized he couldn't kill anyone. When he was confessing to Sweets that he didn't kill the lobbyist, he said he believed he would have if Gormagon had asked him to. Speaking of, it was another nice callback that Booth went looking for them in the Gormagon vault. I always wondered if it was still intact.

I understand they had to get to the case but I do wish Hodgins and Zack had been given more time together. Hodgins was devastated thinking that Zack was a killer. I would have liked to have seen Hodgins be a little more disbelieving of it, maybe calling back to how Zack took over the experiment that burned his hands so that Hodgins wouldn't be injured. After all, it was that flaw in his logic that Brennan used to get him to confess to Gormagon's whereabouts.

I've had a love/hate relationship with this show ever since the Gormagon reveal and Zack's involvement. I stopped watching for a few seasons, until I heard they were finally getting Booth and Brennan together. I'm still not crazy about the time period from when Hodgins and Angela broke up to when they reconciled in 'The Witch in the Wardrobe' but I still watch reruns whenever they're on TV. I'm gonna miss this show when it's gone.

^ That's me too. As long as they treat the characters and the fans decently, I don't mind. As long as the plots are along with it.

I liked that as well. Showed just how much he's grown as a person.

I'm going to miss the show as well.

[mojoween]

Me three!  I'm watching a rerun right now, which I do whenever possible.  It makes me miss Sweets though.  I would be fine if he AND Aubrey could have been on together.

Next to the asshole dude who I can't think of his name right now, Wendell was always my least favorite squint because his normalness bugged me but it occurred while I was watching that I would be sad if he were not on the show.  He and Hodgins are so cute together.  I too thought he might have been the killer because Emily directed him so creepily in the basement.

Emily and Eric are so ... puffy.  Age comes for us all.

If only Booth and Bones could act like they tolerate each other, let alone love each other, things would be golden.

[Calamity Jane]

So funny, my daughter was predicting what's next as the show went along (as well as scoffing derisively at the Dissociative Identity Disorder, which her training says is not real), and she came up with twins well before conjoined twins were revealed.  I often ask her why she doesn't write this stuff because she seems to understand what script writers are going to do next long before I do.  

Anyway, our conclusion was that the show is just going to throw everything in the pot for this last season, no matter how far-fetched or ludicrous because, hey, why not.  It's rapidly working its way into Scorpion territory.  I don't mind the outrageous on that show because that's what it's always been, it's the premise (and better at it than the new MacGyver, in my opinion), but I expected a bit better from Bones.  I'll watch because it is the last season, but my expectations have been lowered.  

[kat165]

You're welcome, Books. I've watched the older eps so many times I know a lot of them by
heart. This was really my mom's show and she's got all the dvd's up until season 8. I think
she stopped watching at that point because of Pelant, loathed that guy. It's a bonding thing
we do, watching all the old eps together. I haven't watched the show in several yrs but came
back just to catch the last season.

Funny, my mom was such a fan & she came back too last night to see Zack and get some
closure on the show. But said that it was so boring she turned it off about 20 minutes in!
What a said statement. What on earth happened to this show?

Mojoween, Wendell was/is my favorite intern. Although I honestly I like them all except for
Daisy and Jack Klugman's nephew. Not too crazy about Raj's (BBT) girlfriend either. I forget
her character's name. I think I only saw her in one ep before I stopped watching the show.
I still miss Vincent Nigel Murray. :) Too bad the actor is on such an awful show now that I can't
bare to watch.

Yeah, Emily and Eric are both really puffy. With Eric I think it's the meds that the actor takes.
I'm not up on Emily but is she still trying to lose 2nd baby fat? It's been a very long time since
I've watched.

Calmamity Jane, since I watch with my mom (usually) I love that you watch with your daughter.

Edited January 5, 2017 by kat165

[Willowsmom]

Emily never lost the first baby fat.

[Delphi]

1 minute ago, Willowsmom said:

Emily never lost the first baby fat.

Mean,  but true.   I've always thought she was the prettier sister but she really never lost the baby weight.   Sort of like Ginny Goodwin on once.   I wonder if it's the actresses not caring or them not being able to. 

 

I tuned in for Zack and I was not disappointed.  He was my fave of all the interns,  I stopped watching for a long time after that.   But Wendell was my fave intern so this episode worked out. 

Also,  yes,  finally,  someone get Zack out of a damn asylum.   Your a team of lawyers, law agents and geniuses and you've let him rot in an asylum years. 

[Calamity Jane]

18 hours ago, kat165 said:

You're welcome, Books. I've watched the older eps so many times I know a lot of them by
heart. This was really my mom's show and she's got all the dvd's up until season 8. I think
she stopped watching at that point because of Pelant, loathed that guy. It's a bonding thing
we do, watching all the old eps together. I haven't watched the show in several yrs but came
back just to catch the last season.

Funny, my mom was such a fan & she came back too last night to see Zack and get some
closure on the show. But said that it was so boring she turned it off about 20 minutes in!
What a said statement. What on earth happened to this show?

Mojoween, Wendell was/is my favorite intern. Although I honestly I like them all except for
Daisy and Jack Klugman's nephew. Not too crazy about Raj's (BBT) girlfriend either. I forget
her character's name. I think I only saw her in one ep before I stopped watching the show.
I still miss Vincent Nigel Murray. :) Too bad the actor is on such an awful show now that I can't
bare to watch.

Yeah, Emily and Eric are both really puffy. With Eric I think it's the meds that the actor takes.
I'm not up on Emily but is she still trying to lose 2nd baby fat? It's been a very long time since
I've watched.

Calmamity Jane, since I watch with my mom (usually) I love that you watch with your daughter.

I'm retired and spend about 1/3 of my time with my daughter, 1/3 with my son & family, and 1/3 at my own place.  So I don't always get to watch with her, but it's more fun when I can.  

[marascross]

Let's have Zack act creepy so we'll think it's him.

Let's have Faulk act creepy so we'll think it's him.

Let's have Delfs act creepy so we'll think it's her.

But actually, it's really...........some guy.

Well of course we'll never guess it's Dr. Whatsa-whosis, because we know nothing about him!

I didn't hate it, but it didn't love it either. They spent way too much time trying to confuse us and way too little time on plot logic or emotional logic. I definitely give them a lot of credit for caring enough about the show to go back and try to fix a failed storyline. Many show runners would simply sweep the embarrassing parts under the carpet when they've gotten to the point of winding down a series. I didn't think that they achieved the satisfying resolution to the Puppeteer arc that they promised, though.

The biggest problem was making the villain someone we didn't know, who no sooner is thrown at us than he's disposed of. They leave us with no handle on who he was or why he would become a serial killer, just some babble about conjoined twins and absorbing the other's personality. I'm still stuck on what was supposed to have happened there. Surgery to separate conjoined twins is generally attempted at a young age, not when the subjects are teenagers. I also don't know what surgeon would attempt it when it would surely result in the death of one of them, since he'd be missing the lower half of his body. I could only see it happening if one of the twins died and became a hazard to the health of the other. But then what -- they give you the leftover bits to tuck under your arm and take home to bury or seal up in the wall as you see fit? It just doesn't bear thinking about. I never took seriously the idea that the killer could be Zack, but it would have been more satisfying, even though easier to guess, if it had been Delfs or Faulk or someone else we at least had some history with.

I also thought some of the emotional reactions of the characters were off. Last we saw, the Jeffersonian crew still loved Zack and thought of him as manipulated rather than evil. Even in the middle of last season, Hodgins still described him as a "sweet kid" and "a good friend" who received too much exposure to death. So why so ready to accept that he had somehow graduated from brainwashed dupe to full-blown, manipulative, diabolical serial killer? It's not as if they'd never seen a red herring before. I can see Booth being in a lather because his wife is missing, but Hodgins' absolute conviction of Zack's guilt strikes a false note. I would rather have seen a more complex discussion between Wendell and him instead of the silly shenanigans with the handcream sniffer. They could have simply reasoned that since Zack can't drive, and there's no sign of their exiting the building anyway, he couldn't have taken Brennan far, and the basement is a good place to hide. Done and done.

I would have also preferred to see Booth's celebrated gut used in a more incisive way. His change of heart about Zack's guilt comes after a scene in which Zack demonstrates caring, empathy, and guilt -- and one would think that anyone would begin to doubt he was a serial killer at that point. Well, except Karen Delfs, apparently, who continues to insist on Zack's guilt and comes up with a completely stupid DID theory despite the fact that Zack confessed to deliberately, consciously killing the lobbyist eight years before. I guess that explains why she was banished to Kansas City. She's absolute shite as a profiler. Anyway, suppose Booth had arrived in time to see Zack pull back from killing Roshan, and was the one to have the insight that if Zack couldn't kill the sociopathic waste of humanity that just tried to murder him, he couldn't have killed the innocent lobbyist years ago, either. That has greater impact than Zack saying it himself. Booth has beaten himself up for years about having been a sniper, and he could identify with Zack's desire to punish himself by staying locked up.

[GreenScreenFX]

Who read this in an English accent about half way through?