Bones - The Predator in the Pool, S05E18

My sense that the 100th episode of Bones has given the show new life continues to deepen as the new episodes interest and entice me. I now pay full attention, interested in what new and tiny development will reveal a clue to how the victim died and who was the murderer. Sure, the characters' stories are ever present, but I have no complaints there. These characters are what make murder mysteries more interesting than a simple case solve ever week. The main thing is, though, that the characters are back to being colour, while the cases are the backbone, instead of letting the show stand up on feelings alone.

A murder at an aquarium was discovered when a recently released shark washed up on shore with a human leg in his gullet. No comment was made about the failure of the reintroduction of that shark to the ocean, but I will let that slide. I will also not make mention of the "it only happens on television" moment when the Aquarium coordinator swore it was impossible that anyone had been eaten in her tank at the same moment as a giant fish burped out a human skull. Clearly, she did not have all the facts.

I did enjoy meeting the new love interest for Booth (David Boreanaz). She seemed very sweet and spunky and confident enough that she might be able to be in a relationship with him without constantly worrying about his continuing affection for Brennan (Emily Deschanel). I also laughed myself silly when Brennan told him "You deserve a good woman," and he replied, "So do you." He clarified what he meant, of course, by I was still amused.

I was also amused by Hodgins (T.J. Thyne)'s desire for a bigger boat, and Sweet (John Fracis Daley)'s comment that 9-year-olds are essentially psychopaths.

Most of all, I was glad to see the team working together to uncover pieces of the puzzle. Booth harassed mafia without Brennan always riding shotgun, and Hodgins discovered the murder weapon by carefully surveying the particulates. Between him and Clark (Eugene Byrd), it seems some actual work got done in the lab this week.

If next week's episode continues on this line, I am sure to be delighted with the rest of the season and very excited about Season 6. That was not the case a few weeks ago.