Bones (TV Series) The Change in the Game (2011) User Reviews

*Spoiler* My review

[iLivonmyspace · 9/10 · 19 May 2011]

I was honestly disappointed in the last four minutes of this episode. The fact that Deschanel is pregnant in real life should not have manipulated the television story plot. I understand this would have been pretty difficult to maneuver around but it would have been worth it. Brennan and Booth's relationship has always been that of logic and the story line has always made sense but the fact that they are eligibly having a baby does not add up. I was generally just disappointed with the end. I feel that the fact that they are having a baby will eventually put an end to the story, it will suffocate and die.

For positive news:

Angela and Hodgins had their baby! What a cute baby it was! They discovered it wasn't blind and that was a definite cry moment for the show.

Overall, great show, great season finale. Can't wait to see what Hanson has for us next. SO excited for next time.

Oh, baby!

[partsofthewhole · 9/10 · 18 October 2023]

Hello, Bones Booth Pod! Just like that we've reached the end of Season 6! Not sure if I've posted this in time but alas.

This episode, or well the last few minutes of it specifically, tends to be the bane of many Bones fans existences. But instead of jumping into that, I just want to mention how moving the B plot of this episode is. Angela and Hodgins preparing for and the subsequent the birth of their son, Michael Staccato Vincent. There was humour, but what stands out to me is the scene before Angela gives birth. Angela and Hodgins affirming to each other that they are prepared for whatever the outcome is for their child's vision and them taking a few moments to appreciate each other before their lives change forever. Then Adele's 'To Make You Feel My Love' starts playing and if the tears weren't already flowing it they are now!

The song plays up until the final moments of the epsiode, where Brennan admits to Booth that she is pregnant and he is the father. Throughout the episode you can sense that something is weighing on her mind, especially during the waiting room scene and when she visits Angela post-birth and asks her what it was like. Hearing Booth say that having a baby is a good thing and it is the happiest day of A&H's lives gave her enough courage to tell him what is probably the biggest news of the show by far: That a little baby Boones is on the way, and confirming that something did happen between the two of them in 'The Hole in the Heart'.

Now many complain about the pace in which B&B's relationship is developing, and I too will admit that it went from 0 to 100 real fast, but after 6 seasons of slow burn I can't complain all that much. Yes, Emily being pregnant in real life moved up the timeline a little bit, but in story it can still make sense. The thread between the two of them snapped after such a terrifying experience and there is no way to redo it now. And having the reveal of Brennan being pregnant right after Angela gave birth? Very clever writing! Only time will tell how everything will be handled :) But I can totally understand the frustration of everything happening so quickly.

The case for the episode doesn't stand out much, really, minus the fact that Max is back and is noticing subtle differences between B&B with his 'Dad Sense'. Also in retrospect, Brennan mentioning not wanting her and 'Buck's' child to ever be anything like Amber really drives home how nervous she was in general about finding out she's pregnant and about telling Booth. The fact that the entire bowling alley agreed that maybe the victim deserved it for being a piece of work is a hoot, though. The murderer's reason being "The man didn't wash his feet!" will never not be hilarious and yet horrifying at the same time.

All in all a fantastic episode, but I will refrain from a perfect score because of the thought of an alternate universe out there where we could've seen the slowest of slow burns of all time. I can't wait to hear what your thoughts are on the episode and for what the future holds! Until next time!

Entertaining but Based on Giving Birth

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 15 February 2023]

First of all, let me get this out of the way. Booth says he has a bowling average in the high 280's. There is no professional bowler on the face of the earth that could do this. It would mean getting ten strikes in a row at the start of each game, game after game. Did he mean to say the high 180's which would make him a very good bowler. That said, we have two focuses. First of all, finally getting that baby born (taking the entire episode after she goes into labor). Then we have the guy who got ground up in a pin setting machine and Brennan and Booth going undercover as a couple of rednecks on a bowling team. Finally, we have a really significant announcement that concludes Season 6. Not another whole season.

Very powerful episode

[sreneel · 10/10 · 20 May 2011]

This episode had it all, laughs, tears, almost heartache. I wish it would have been a longer season finale. The actors really sold their emotions; I could feel how much pain Angela was in and the pain Angela was inflicting on Jack. They really sold how much they loved each other when describing what they loved about in one another. When the baby was born you could see the anxiety in their eyes and the relief that everything turned out well in the end. When Hodgins came out with his son, his face was beaming with pride, like every father should. I especially loved the ending, the way Bones was worried about the repercussions of a baby and how Booth reassured her that a baby was an amazing gift. When Bones told Booth she was pregnant with his child his smile brought me to tears, I have watched it over and over again. I do want to clarify that Hart Hanson stated that even before Emily found out she was pregnant they were going have Bones expecting eventually. The story line worked out, we have been following this show for six years, a lot of fans were getting anxious for something tangible to happen between Booth and Brennen. On a side note, what made this episode so much better was the lack of blatant Toyota advertising and the sometimes not so subtle political quips. Here is an excerpt from an interview with Hart Hanson;

Would this be happening now in the story if Emily Deschanel hadn't become pregnant in real life?

Yes. This was something that we had been discussing even before Emily found out she was pregnant. It's very difficult to find a way to deal with two characters who everybody knows should be together without embracing what everybody calls the Moonlighting curse. We had to find a way to keep the integrity of those characters intact, and yet move them along because you can only wait so long. So we wanted to avoid that part of the relationship where you first get together and the fresh glow of love, and you're sharing dessert, and you're overly polite. We didn't want to do that. Booth and Brennan have disagreed about fundamentally everything — except each other — for six years. That will continue. Their characters will remain the same: Booth and Brennan will have completely different ways of dealing with the pregnancy, completely different ways of dealing with where their life goes from here. Booth is the marrying kind as we know, and Brennan is not. Where are they gonna live? How are they gonna raise the child? How are they gonna continue to catch murderers together when they have a baby hanging around? So all of these issues will be dealt with in the way that they're always dealt with — from opposite sides. The ultimate pragmatist meets this romantic who has faith that everything will be worked out as long as you look at it the right way. These are issues that won't die. We hopefully have found a way to continue what everyone loves about Bones while really kicking it up a notch and adding a whole new set of complications now that these two people actually find themselves together.

Here is the link to the rest of the interview with Hart Hanson explaining the story line was not compromised.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/05/20/bones-season-6-finale-pregnant/

Totally enjoyable

[cal1946 · 10/10 · 20 May 2011]

I found Bones' announcement to Booth and his answering grin of joy a delight. I have been watching this show for six seasons, waiting for Booth and Bones to finally get together and I believe it will add a new dimension to the show (unlike the previous reviewer). I think the writing is marvelous, the situations excellent and the character interaction such fun to watch...it is going to be a long summer waiting for the new season to start. I must admit I will miss Mr. Nigel-Murray but I am sure the writers will come up with a new equally interesting character. After all, the show survived the demise of Zackaroni (I do miss him though). Wonder what will happen with Sweets and Daisy, how about Cam, Wendell, Mr Vaziri, and, of course, we will be watching little Michael Stacatto Vincent Hodgins as he follows in his mother's or father's footsteps...Who knows. I am looking forward to more of my crime fighting friends at the Jeffersonian and their compatriots at the FBI.

Muahahhah finally

[WandaAtTheBowlingAlley · 10/10 · 19 October 2023]

I loved this episode. Recently Ive been listening to a rewatch podcast (BonesBooth :) and have been getting into Bones again. The case is ok but I love a undercover episode featuring Max. I love the personas they take on and Max noticing the change been booth and bones. My fav part is the scene when Angela gives birth and the song that plays is Make You Feel My Love by Adele.

I think that perfectly sums up the ending and relationship between booth and bones. Bones reveals she's pregnant and booth, at first didn't know how to react until she reveals he's the father. His widening smile and glimmer in his eye is everything.

P. S. I love the call back to the Signs in Silence with Brennan giving Angela the stuffed rabbit.

I'm out

[rosa_alba-74130 · 1/10 · 3 April 2024]

This episode is where i lost all interest in Bones, and only saw some few later episodes at the insistence of others.

First - i never saw any chemistry between Bones and Booth, professional respect yes, but nothing more. Them as a couple is just so wrong. Why do American series need to pair of everyone ? Why can't women and men just be friends and colleagues ?

Secondly - A person as meticulous, organised and precise as Dr. Brennan gets pregnant by accident/chance ? Really ? That is just ridiculous.

That is what silly uneducated teenagers do. Normal educated adults use birth control.

Dr Brennan is always presented as extremely intelligent, and then this ?

It seriously spoiled the rest of the series for me, as i lost all respect.

The rest of the story in this episode is really silly too.

No more Bones for me.

The Bowling Song

[katewestrich · 5/10 · 5 February 2023]

Yes, this episode includes Buck and Rhonda, but that's missing out on the main point of this whole episode. This episode of television features one of the most fantastic songs by the under-appreciated artist Raffi. The Bowming Song! I worked at an amusement park for five years and in the children's area, they played only two albums on repeat every day. Two albums of Raffi songs, all day long for five summers. It could break you, or you could lean into it. I leaned in. The Bowling Song is by far the best. I don't know why this wonderful song doesn't appear more episodes of television. Kudos to the producers of Bones for recognizing it's excellence.

I would have rated this 10 stars until the very end when it was implied you need a kid to form a family. Solid breeder logic that excludes other forms of family.

Over the top

[lor_ · 4 July 2023]

Whimsy vies with gory criminality in this oddball episode set in a bowling alley. Certainly the show's Writers Room must have had a ball trying to justify the content of this script, much of it not actually humorous but merely silly.

Balanced against the whodunit aspects of the story (involving a nutty set of quirky suspects) is the fans' involvement with Angela's pregnancy, treated humorously but with some real panache as well. Throw in some campiness as the series' two superstars get to wear bad wigs going undercover in the Woody Harrelson world of bowling. Why Ryan O'Neal (and his distracting face, resulting from Hollywood's love of plastic surgery) is thrown into the show playing Bones' dad is a bit mystifying.

As far as the unusual makeup effects of the deceased's remains spread all over the bowling pins and pin-setter at the alley, I have long wondered about the extreme popularity of "gory" cop shows on tv in recent decades, like this one, NCIS and CSI. In movies, the fnas' fascination with gore is a ridiculous (but lucrative) phenomenon, so is this harmless tv obsession merely a santitized version of the same fetish?