In the last episode of Bones, we saw the return of squintern Finn Abernathy, who was crossing his fingers that Opie and Thurston’s Hot Sauce, his creation with Hodgins, would do well nationally. Sadly, Cam’s daughter, Michelle, decided to break up with Finn.
This week’s episode of Bones, titled “The High in the Low,” has the crew trying to solve the murder of a marijuana dispensary employee.
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Creatures of Habit
We kick off the episode with a man attempting to escape from prison. He, of course, crawls into a log to hide from the search dogs and finds a body. The writers of Bones never fail to amaze me with the creative ways that the victims are found. We also see Booth and Brennan at the shooting range because Booth is gearing up for the FBI’s competency test. Brennan mentions that Booth is a creature of habit, and he denies being “set in his ways,” so Brennan decides to drive them to the crime scene. Booth becomes pouty since he is always the driver. Hilarious!
Hodgins thinks that the remains have been in the log for less than a year, and Brennan identifies the remains as belonging to a Caucasian female. Termites are eating through the victim’s bones, so they are up against the clock. Booth is in a race away from the myriad species of bugs that are trying to bite him, so he heads off to the car.
A Squintern’s Return
At the Jeffersonian, the team gets to work, but the remains are still covered in bugs. It must be Hodgins’ birthday or something! He is able to narrow down the time of death to about four months prior.
The team is thrilled when they hear a familiar voice — Wendell is back! He has lost his hair from the chemo treatment and does look very ill. When Angela tells him he looks sexy, Brennan angrily spouts off the mortality rate of Wendell’s cancer. Wendell is eager to get back to work, and after looking at the victim’s bones, he believes that the victim suffered from lupus. He also takes a moment to tell the team that cancer is, for now, a part of his life, and he doesn’t want any special treatment. It is really difficult seeing him like this.
After examining photos of the victim, Sweets believes that the person who killed her did not care about her. He also thinks that the murder was spontaneous because of the way the body was shoved into the log.
Identifying the Victim
At the lab, Angela is excited to show off her latest high-tech imaging equipment, called THEO, which is able to create a hologram image of the victim from the skull’s dimensions. Angela discovers that the victim, 28-year-old Abby Briggs, was reported missing four months ago by her sister. Angela confides to Cam that she is angry about Wendell having cancer, but Cam suggests that they follow Wendell’s lead. Hodgins and Wendell bond while Hodgins removes the termites from the bones, and Wendell notices defensive wounds on the victim.
Booth and Bones sit down with the victim’s sister. Ms. Briggs confirms that her sister had lupus and had to drop out of art school because of the physical pain she was in. Abby was using medical marijuana at the suggestion of her doctor because she had a reaction to other types of opioids. She was even working at the Full Health Wellness Center dispensary.
On the way to the dispensary, Booth and Brennan engage in a healthy debate over whether marijuana should be legal. They meet with Dr. Richard Burke. He isn’t surprised that Abby is dead because he feels she wouldn’t have left her job because she loved it so much. Burke and the dispensary’s security guard remember a college kid who got in an argument with Abby the day before she disappeared.
An Angry Dispute
Booth brings in Adam, who admits to making a fake medical marijuana card. He states that he just wanted to get high to celebrate winning an award from Fulton University. Booth knows that Adam went to the student health center with two bruised ribs the day after Abby disappeared. Adam claims that the security guard at the dispensary hit him with his flashlight when he threw him out.
Wendell’s Secret
Hodgins and Wendell discuss the fact that Wendell has a medical marijuana card and how much it has helped him during his chemo treatments. Wendell worries about how this will be perceived and asks Hodgins to keep it quiet. Later on, Brennan recommends cannabis for medicinal purposes, much to Wendell’s surprise. They also notice that Abby had a fractured jaw caused by a heavy, round object.
Booth decides to try one of the critical thinking games that his wife has been recommending. Sweets has Abby’s sketch book, and she was a talented artist. She was also fond of drawing pictures of the dispensary security guard staring at her. Sweets uses the sketches to get into the victim’s subconscious. It all boils down to the fact that she wanted nothing to do with him.
A Chat with Carl
The security guard, Carl, rockets to the top of the suspect list, and Booth decides to bring him in for a cozy little chat. Carl says that Abby was flirty with him at first, but she changed and had become very secretive. He also doesn’t have the same flashlight that he had when Abby was there. Brennan and Wendell find that the guard’s flashlight dimensions are not a match.
Wendell Under Scrutiny
Wendell also confesses to Brennan that he is using medical marijuana, and she is supportive of him doing whatever he needs to in his fight for his life. Wendell also talks to Cam and she is concerned because the Jeffersonian is a federal institution. Cam fires him since his marijuana use could jeopardize cases, but she seems sorry. That is so harsh! Poor Wendell cannot catch a break. Hodgins and Angela are furious that Cam would fire Wendell when he needs them the most.
A Camp Site Killing
Booth is puzzled when he discovers that Abby was buying tents and hot plates a few months before her death. Perhaps she was branching out into her own marijuana business? The team finds the murder site based on some of Hodgins’ scientific magic with tree pollen. Abby’s camp site is definitely the murder scene as there is a boulder with blood on it. She was also growing cannabis there, and half of the plants are missing.
A Little Help from His Friends
Booth feels terrible about Wendell losing his job and meets him at the diner. Wendell wonders if Booth would have done the same thing as Cam. Wendell feels that he is only trying to fight the cancer any way that he can. Booth understands and supports Wendell as a friend, but still maintains that he has to follow the law.
Abby’s marijuana plants are found to have strong medicinal properties without the compounds that cause intoxication. Angela notices on the dispensary security footage that Abby was shaking hands with some of the patients but not all. She was actually dealing from Burke’s dispensary.
A Solid Alibi?
Booth and Brennan bring in Dr. Burke, and he admits that Abby asked about that particular strain. Burke asks for an attorney.
Meanwhile, Brennan and Cam discuss that the blood spatter from the crime scene points to Abby having a sliced carotid artery. Brennan is also angry with Cam for forcing Wendell to choose between his health and his job. Burke has an iron-clad alibi, so he didn’t kill Abby.
Guess the Weapon
Wendell comes to the diner to see Brennan and Booth and hands over his case notes. Brennan finds some helpful notes to add to the ever-increasing list of possible murder weapons. Finally, the team figures out that the weapon was a triangle with a sphere on top of it, and the trophy is from Fulton University.
And the Killer Is…
Adam’s trophy tests positive for blood, and Booth uncovers the true motive — Adam was selling marijuana on campus. Four months earlier, he sold some product that did not cause intoxication. That is why only half of Abby’s plants were taken when Adam realized that it was useless to his customers.
Wendell gets a knock at the door and sees Brennan and Booth. They bring the news that Caroline said that Cam can re-hire Wendell as a case consultant as long as he has no physical contact with any evidence. Wendell is moved when he realizes that Booth figured out a way for him to keep his job. He even gets his own office.
Booth takes his exam, and he aces it. Brennan even breaks out the bubbly to celebrate.
I am conflicted about this episode of Bones. While I understand that using Wendell’s illness lets the conversation about medicinal marijuana take place, I also feel a bit manipulated. In any case, I am thrilled that Wendell is back.
Bones airs Mondays at 8pm on FOX.
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Kim has been covering television entertainment since 2013. She is addicted to Real Housewives, Pump Rules, Dancing with the Stars, and many more shows.
