18 Favorite Episodes of ‘Bones’
When a show has had more than 200 episodes and has been in our lives for almost twelve seasons, it’s nearly impossible to narrow down the best and most memorable moments, especially when it’s a show like our beloved Bones.
That said, I’ve taken on the challenge anyway, and I tried to do exactly that before the show returns for its 12th and final season.
This list could have easily gotten out of hand because there are so many great episodes to choose from, but with a little help from our readers (thank you!), I’ve narrowed down 18 of the very best episodes of Bones.
Here they are:
1. The Man in the Fallout Shelter (Season 1 Episode 9)
This early episode of Bones has the team at the Jeffersonian quarantined on Christmas Eve, and it gives us a chance to get to know each character just a little more.
On Bones Season 1 Episode 9, “The Man in the Fallout Shelter,” we learn Booth has a son, and we see Brennan become emotional as she talks about the night her parents disappeared.
2. Two Bodies in the Lab (Season 1 Episode 15)
Bones Season 1 Episode 15, “Two Bodies in the Lab,” is the episode that will change the way you listen to Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded,” forever. When Brennan finds herself in danger during a case, Booth goes home with her to keep her safe.
They have a fun moment together while listening to Foreigner, and the episode ends with Booth saving Brennan, and Brennan canceling a date to sit by an injured Booth in the hospital.
3. Aliens in a Spaceship (Season 2 Episode 9)
Bones Season 2 Episode 9, “Aliens in a Spaceship,” is one of the most memorable episodes of the show. Period.
It’s the introduction of The Gravedigger when Brennan and Hodgins are buried alive, and Booth and the team race the clock to save them, getting there just before time runs out. The high-stakes, emotional episode also proves how deep the connection is between Booth and Bones.
4. Stargazer in a Puddle (Season 2 Episode 21)
On the Bones Season 2 finale, “Stargazer in a Puddle,” Angela and Hodgins prepare for the wedding, which doesn’t quite go as planned. It makes for a wild finale episode, to be sure. Meanwhile, Max reaches out to Brennan but has to allow Booth to arrest him.
5. The Santa in the Slush (Season 3 Episode 9)
Not only is Bones Season 3 Episode 9, “The Santa in the Slush,” a special episode when it comes to Brennan spending Christmas with her family, but it’s also the first time Booth and Brennan kiss.
That’s thanks to Caroline Julian and some mistletoe, and but the kiss is clearly one that means something to each character, regardless of the reason for it.
6. The Verdict in the Story (Season 3 Episode 13)
When Brennan’s father goes on trial, the Jeffersonian team has to testify against him, while Brennan is on the other side. She remains loyal to the man who abandoned her, and is convinced of his innocence. This makes for a powerful, deeply emotional episode of the series.
Of course, the team has trouble being on the opposite side as Brennan, particularly Angela — who refuses to testify against Max.
Angela: Friends don’t send friends’ fathers to the electric chair.
7. The Wannabe in the Weeds (Season 3 Episode 14)
Honestly, seeing Brennan belt out “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” is a good enough reason for Bones Season 3 Episode 14, “The Wannabe in the Weeds” to make this list.
But this is also the episode where Booth jumps in front of a bullet for Brennan, and Brennan kills the woman who shot him. It’s a shocking moment that makes this episode unforgettable.
8. “The Pain the Heart” (Season 3 Episode 15)
This episode is as amazing as it is heartbreaking. “The Pain in the Heart” begins with us (and the rest of the team, including Brennan) being led to believe Booth is dead from being shot in the previous episode.
That’s cleared up quickly, but we’re still left with a loss by the end of the episode. To the shock of everyone at the Jeffersonian, and to all the viewers, Zack is revealed to be Gormogon’s apprentice.
9. Double Trouble in the Panhandle (Season 4 Episode 11)
Every undercover episode on Bones is a good time, but nothing beats Bones Season 4 Episode 11, “Double Trouble in the Panhandle.”
On this episode, Booth and Brennan head to a circus to go undercover as Buck and Wanda Moosejaw, and they even perform a few tricks while trying to solve their case. It’s the kind of fun episode that makes the show special, largely due to the special dynamic between Booth and Brennan.
10. Hero in the Hold (Season 4 Episode 14)
It’s the return of The Gravedigger, only this time, it’s Booth who’s in trouble. As he fights for his life, he gets help from an old friend, and we learn a bit more about his past when he was in the war.
Meanwhile, Brennan and the rest of the team race the clock to find Booth before it’s too late.
11. The Parts in the Sum of the Whole (Season 5 Episode 16)
Bones Season 5 Episode 16, “The Parts in the Sum of the Whole,” is an important turning point for Booth and Brennan’s relationship. It gives us a look back at the beginning of their relationship through flashbacks as they tell their story to Sweets, and Booth realizes how he really feels about Brennan.
12. The Doctor in the Photo (Season 6 Episode 9)
Bones Season 6 Episode 9, “The Doctor in the Photo,” takes a different approach as it offers a powerful, emotional episode that has Brennan identifying a little too closely with a victim.
It’s not only an episode that’s significant for her character, but it’s also one that’s just incredibly well-written and well-acted.
13. The Blackout in the Blizzard (Season 6 Episode 16)
The episode title is pretty explanatory when it comes to the conditions the team finds themselves working in on Bones Season 6 Episode 16.
But what’s more important is the way Booth and Brennan continue to discuss the possibility of beginning a relationship — though they still aren’t ready yet.
14. The Hole in the Heart (Season 6 Episode 22)
Another heartbreaking episode, “The Hole in the Heart,” is when Vincent Nigel-Murray dies. It’s also the episode when Brennan crawls into bed with Booth, sad about her intern’s death. We can gather what happens next, and that’s confirmed in the following season when Brennan reveals that she’s pregnant.
15. The Future in the Past (Season 8 Episode 1)
Bones Season 8 Episode 1, “The Future in the Past,” has Booth and Brennan in a totally different situation. Brennan is on the run after being framed for murder by Pelant, but she still manages to communicate with the team in her own way in hopes of getting her name cleared.
16. The Woman in White (Season 9 Episode 6)
This one is pretty obvious, right? It only took NINE seasons for Booth and Brennan to tie the knot, which finally happens on Bones Season 9 Episode 6, “The Woman in White.”
It was well worth the wait, because the wedding was everything viewers could have hoped for. It’s romantic, fun, and entirely perfect for their characters. That’s rare for a TV wedding these days, too.
17. The 200th in the 10th (Season 10 Episode 10)
The milestone episode breaks format in the most incredible way as it re-imagines each character in a homage to the classic film, To Catch a Thief. It’s a fun episode that celebrates the show in a special way, and it gives us the opportunity to watch Booth and Brennan fall in love all over again.
18. The Loyalty in the Lie (Season 11 Episode 1)
Once again, we worry about Booth’s life on this season premiere. “The Loyalty in the Lie” includes a time jump from Season 10 with a glimpse of what life has been like for Booth and Brennan after leaving their jobs.
But when Booth disappears and remains show up that might be his, we see Brennan at her best — examining them with care and letting the bones tell a story. Turns out, they aren’t Booth’s. They are, however, his brother’s.
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What’s your favorite episode of Bones? And what are your hopes for the 12th and final season? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
3 comments
One of my favorites is when it is discovered booth has a brain tumor and the next episode is the dream he has that they are married. Such a great show it’s hard to pick. I loved sweets and Gordon Gordon wyatt.
I love the show in fact about the box set, but what I don’t like about it is after season 2 it no longer names the episodes it just shows what two of them are about so you have to go through each different part to see which one you’re on
The Maggots in the Meathead is hilarious (-:
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