Bones (TV Series) The Ghost in the Machine (2012) User Reviews

ehh why do that?

[stratostzortzoglou · 6/10 · 24 November 2019]

This was easily an 8/10 but the ending ruined it, hence the 6. No, there was no need to watch the kid sing for 2 whole minutes, there was no need for the team to stand there as well and sure as hell there was no need to show us the live kid as he skates towards the afterlife in the lab (LOL), what were you thinking story man?

It should play out like this: team solves the crime, team finds the video (aww it's a love song), hands it over to the girl, girl watches this ALONE sitting on a park bench or in her own house (we see a 10 sec scene), then skip to the poor parents who lost their boy who stand in his room, holding his picture (I mean why forget the parents, losing a child is a tragedy) and then skip to Bones/Booth like in the original, bam, the end.

The First Person View idea was great, well done on that. It instantly reminded me of Hardcore Henry (great movie)

show the human side of our team

[charleswatts1212 · 10/10 · 12 October 2017]

I know a lot of reviewers didn't like this episode and I can understand why. It wasn't a cut and dried procedural like usual BUT the reason those of us did like it most likely is because it did a great job showing that even hardened professionals sometimes can't separate themselves from their emotions ( even stoic Brennan). Lets' be honest some of us would still like to believe in an afterlife and passed loved ones could find closure.Having his video shown to his crush in the end of the episode and seeing her reaction was quite touching. Now you should know I'm 62 years old and NOT an old softy but I did tear up by the time the boy's ghost skated away!

A special episode

[denniz-1995 · 9/10 · 23 November 2013]

I understand why they made an episode like this one, I mean it is almost always the same plot, find the body, solve it and catch the killer , this was a special episode and I actually liked it, cant really see why so many people says it was crap.

But then I can agree with some people when they say that it was too much when they carried around the skull everywhere in the lab and too the place the body was hidden but then again, they felt like he was with them so thats probably why.

Anyway I give this a 9 out of 10 because it was a special episode, I cant really complain

Very Disappointing

[brett-michael-johnson · 2/10 · 4 December 2012]

This episode looks like a "cross-over pilot" for a crappy new psychic detective show.

I hated this episode for several reasons:

1) The concept was a blatant rip-off of the "Point of View" episode of M*A*S*H; which itself was a rip-off of the Bogart movie, "Dark Passage".

2) The Jeffersonian is supposed to represent the Smithsonian, an institution dedicated to SCIENCE. No pseudo-scientific BS psychics should enter the narrative.

3) The fail on the play-on-words for the title: not distinguishing the activities "ghost riding the whip" from "car surfing".

The only reason I didn't give this episode the absolute lowest score, was Avalon doing Ruth Gordon's voice in her introductory scene. I loved Ruth Gordon.

Probably the only thumbs up

[dwacon-2 · 10/10 · 1 August 2015]

I am one of the people who have never actually watched an episode of Bones. I was asleep in front of the television and woke up as the show was starting. Groggy, I just sat there and continue watching… was interested to see Cyndi Lauper show up on screen.

I thought the storyline was well written, despite the cinéma vérité or whatever you call that style of shooting. Also, I picked up right away that the spiritual aspect was someone out of scope for a normal episode of this program. Still, I like the way that the mystery is played out, the twist at the end, and even the metaphysical appearance of the kid with the skateboard as the young girl realize that the boy had a crush on her.

Then, I come to IMDb and see everybody trashing the episode, LOL! Well… If I were a long term fan of the show, who knows? However, as someone who's never actually watched a single episode… I thought it was well done. I did get the MASH connection, but ideas are always recycled here in Hollywood, are they not?

Worst episode in the entire eight seasons

[nunga22 · 1/10 · 19 December 2012]

POV episodes can be difficult enough to watch; but an episode where the camera is CONSTANTLY moving, including rapid panning between characters having a conversation, is nauseating and distracts from what is actually being said.

The characters' dialog took a back seat to the visuals which made the episode even more difficult to watch. I'm only half-way through watching the actual episode and not sure I'll even watch the rest of the program.

My house mate is sitting here with his eyes closed because the episode is easier to listen to than to watch.

This is the first time I've written a review for any episode of any program. I'm giving up on the rest of this episode. Please go back to the scientific-centric format of Bones and leave the visual effects out of it.

Loved it!

[utkari02 · 10/10 · 15 June 2023]

I loved the concept of telling the story through the lens of the body. It was a risky move that I think was pulled off very well. I know others don't agree, but everyone is entitled to their opinion.

I really enjoyed seeing how each of the characters responded to the concept of a persons soul being trapped in the bones of their body after death. It really spoke to how much some of the characters really believed, whereas others played along as more of a "just in case" thing.

I also love me some Cindy Lauper, so bonus points there!

I don't normally write reviews for episodes, but I felt compelled due to the oddly low reading of this episode.

Bones series has lost its way.

[doug-spicer-2 · 1/10 · 3 December 2012]

The is the worst episode ever. This series is about science, not all this wacky doodle junk science crap and psychic bull. This show is on the way to the junk heap with all the other shows that have jumped the shark. There seems to be no level the writers won't sink. The music score was not too bad. Too bad the show could not move to a more traditional point of view after a few minutes of arty stuff that was at first interesting and then just dragging along in the disturbing shaking camera style. If I wanted to watch the Blair Witch Hunt style of filming I would go to the graveyard of where stupid failed crapped is buried. We watch Bones for the science and the tradition of the Jack Webb formula: define the problem, investigate crime and solve the case.

Verbalising the thoughts many have about death

[djewoofoo · 10/10 · 7 August 2021]

This is a really interesting episode. Many of the negative reviews clearly don't understand the medium of TV. You have the various characters talking to the remains of a teenage victim, but they're really verbalising their inner thoughts (TV don't work so well if you can't hear what people are thinking!). It's the only time we really see things from the victims point of view, but we also get a real insight to the inner turmoil the work of investigating murder has on the various main characters. Really very nicely done.

I actually loved this episode

[faye-hermans · 10/10 · 23 August 2013]

I really enjoy seeing Bones transition over the years to embracing a bit more spirituality. Obviously when one parents a child there are bound to be changes in ones perception. It's been a recurring fact that she, because of her difficult childhood, has buried much of what makes us vulnerable. She tends to stick to the facts as her safety net, but that's just it - these feelings are merely buried. Through her relationship with Booth and her friendships with her co-workers she is beginning to trust more and more each season. I believe because the episode dealt with a child's death - it touched something in her and made her react as she did.

I understand the issues some of the others have with this episode. It seems to be out of the "norm" of who she is. But life is a journey for all of us. We all change and adapt depending on our experiences. And we all can "act out of character" in times of stress. I think by showing her growth it gives her character some realism. Kudos to the writers for allowing her to evolve.

Worst episode ever

[keithhaugen · 1/10 · 5 December 2012]

I would have given this a 0 rating if it was an option. From this point on in this review I think I will follow the saying "if you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all".

• Camera point of view of the skull was an interesting experiment. In my opinion, it failed, but sometimes in the 8th season of a show you have to risk trying something new, so that was good.

• They got all the non-squintern characters involved. I think getting Brennan to participate in the scene in her office near the end of the episode was a stretch, but perhaps not completely unbelievable given her transition over the past couple of years.

The bridge from the Material to the Unknown (Spiritual?)

[akicork · 9/10 · 17 December 2017]

Across the series I can see tension from this question. In Booth, it is his need to provide hard evidence which will stand up in court, against his simultaneous gut feelings. In Brennan, it is her drive towards empirical truth - the dominant force of her mental character - against (I think) her acknowledgment that the scientific theory on which her empiricism is based is *not* the whole truth. Several times in the series she refers to the possibility that time may not be the linear stream that we perceive, and she also clearly recognises the consequences of quantum theory. One of these is Schrödinger's Equation, which (as I understand it) says that every particle of mass in the Universe occupies the entire Universe (i.e. we are all everywhere) - there is just a probability attached to a particular particle being in any one space-time location. So the 260 bus service from Ardmore to Cork might arrive on the Moon - but that is a *very* low probability. A far higher probability (close to 1!) is that it will arrive in Cork - but we can't be absolutely certain.

Brennan actually has the same "gut" problems as Booth, she just acknowledges them differently. Booth says "instincts" and Brennan has a recognition that scientific theory is not yet complete - she does not yet know the full truth that she yearns for, so cannot form absolute concusions.

I was glad to see Cyndi Lauper back as the psychic - for me, she fits right into the role - and I think she obviously personifies this central dichotomy. I was sorry that she only got three more reappearances in the series. And I wish they had made more of her singing talent while they had her!

Awful.

[harriss-tom · 1/10 · 13 December 2013]

I hated this episode, it went against the grain of all previous episodes.

Brennan is an atheist, and always before, reason was shown to be behind everything… whenever there was some weird supernatural thing, they found it had a scientific explanation (like Booth's visions).

But now, the supernatural view is shown to be "true", there really is a spirit that Brennan just refuses to see… but then she finally "admits" it is real, if not verbally, then by her actions…. reason is "proved" to be wrong, and raw emotionalism and mysticism wins out.

This was a total reversal of the themes of the rest of the series. There are very few shows that champion reason, so it is especially sad to see this one start to cater to the insipid crap that is modern superstition.

Fantastic

[karenlustig · 10/10 · 24 January 2021]

Fantastic episode it shows so much about each of the characters & the perspective shift is brilliant. I appreciate the creativity and the spirituality. Great episode

Already jumped the shark

[Miles-10 · 1/10 · 22 December 2012]

Bones has already jumped it. This episode confirmed it. I watched it to the end only to see the mystery solved, but it was not even a good mystery. There are so many things wrong with this. The actors were abused by being made to say so many bad lines. I would say Bones herself was out of character, but that's old news. She's been out of character for years, but especially since she has shacked up with Booth. Cyndi Lauper makes a second appearance in the series, and it's for this(?). There is singing involved, too, and it isn't Ms. Lauper, so... nothing to see here, folks. I recommend moving along. And changing the channel. Stick a fork in Bones. (Technically difficult to do, of course, as Bones might remind us.)

Hi Bones Booth!

[autumnjubilee · 9/10 · 31 December 2023]

I have rewatched Bones about 15 times and this is one I can't wait to see everytime. I don't skip episodes, but if I did this one would not be one. However, at this point the show has gotten a bit routine. Dont get me wrong I love this show but this feels new. I love when Avalon comes back, pulling from old stories and continuity is a reason I keep rewatching. It shows the humanity and care of the gang. Also parents who care about their child, they knew this bout his life and were upset bout his death. This episode is the reason my husband and I made playlists for each other. I love that Booth does this for Bones.

Surprise!

[kols · 10/10 · 3 December 2012]

I hate POV, its shaking camera motion, constant shifting of frame and focus, etc. etc. What was fun and spooky in Blair Witch generally makes me nauseous, pretty much in every other POV I've encountered.

So, when this episode began I wasn't real happy - I'd been looking forward to something that now looked ruined, for me.

It wasn't and I've got another Bones favorite. The key: using POV as a tool to explore the psychological interaction between the 'victim' and the 'team'. Always a subtext, the writers used POV to make that subtext explicit and succeeded majestically.

There are weaknesses: overlong overuse of the cloudy transition, a mundane and slightly boring puzzle, a few short scenes that don't work well but the real story, the bond between investigators and and investigatee was wonderfully expressed as was a new, subtle subtext of off-screen plot elements (like Booth's interview of the father), far outweighing a few small particulars.

So, to the writing team, Thanks.

5-16-15 Wow!

Saw this episode again yesterday and stand by the above. Yes, the POV is a little irritating but the story itself is sweet and, ultimately, touching. The POV actually helps: the boy's spirit's locus is his skull until the very end, when the real reason for its lingering, is revealed. The episode is a love story, unrequited, until the boy's spirit sees his video delivered to it's intended recipient, freeing him to move on.

Personally, I like it better after each viewing but the real reason for this addendum is the reaction of you, the audience.

28 reactions! Most negative - fine but there must be something about this episode that's really jangling a lot of nerves. I can understand that a little. The whole Pelant Saga has me clawing at the walls screaming but, like it or hate it, this episode seems way too innocuous to inspire that kind of passion. Too bad we can't reply to reviews 'cause I'm really curious why this review sparked such a flood of responses.

What. Is. This. WTF?!

[awynm · 1/10 · 14 October 2013]

This is possibly the worst episode of television I have ever seen. I love Bones, I think it's a great series; it never fails to make me laugh, cry, smile wryly, and otherwise enjoy myself watching a great serial detective/drama/comedy series.

But *this*?! Just do yourself a favor and skip this one; it's utter bullshit that has nothing to do with anything. Obviously some Fox producer let his retarded nephew write and/or direct the episode, and it shows.

If I could rate this episode 0 out of 10, I would. I literally couldn't even finish the whole thing. Had to stop about 30 minutes in.

Bones has been on for 9 seasons now; it *is* starting to get a bit stale, but it has never come close to jumping the shark like this before. Whoever allowed this episode to air should be fired and banned from television forever.

8 years of episodes & this is the most original of the bunch

[oberlanderrg · 9/10 · 31 May 2019]

Watching an episode overcome its shortcomings to provide an hour of great tv is worth a first review. To that end, admittedly, the opening dialogue in this episode proves inconsistent with previous diagnostic efforts on Bones' part. Also, even after suspending disbelief, the idea of an anthropologist carting a skull around to all the locales drummed up during a murder investigation seems goofy.

So what could override the inconsistencies with procedure and flaws in the plot? 8+ years of fun getting shown up by a sideways departure from the traditional procedural elements to pivot towards a spiritual, reverential, character-defying episode. The vantage point of the decedent reigning over the story, mixed with the care and unforeseen emotions shown by otherwise detached characters, really gave this one some juice. I wish there were more uncommon or unique points of view showcased in this series, but if there were maybe I wouldn't have found this as enjoyable as I did.

Worse than horrible

[barebob1 · 1/10 · 25 April 2014]

I hate the shaky cam, vomit cam etc. technique. I find it a cheap and unimaginative way of filming. I suppose the directors and camera persons find it innovative and realistic but I find it distracting and makes me dizzy. This episode made me so sick I "watched" most of it with my eyes closed. I love every episode of Bones but this one.

This is a great show usually. It has humor, feeling, intelligence, and the acting is wonderful. So I guess they are allowed one junk episode. I wish I had known about the shaky thing before I watched it, perhaps I could have taken a Dramamine.

If I never see a movie or show again that looks like it was filmed on a stormy sea it will be too soon. I only gave this episode 1 star because there was no other option. My real vote is 0.

Woof.

[AceRoccola · 2/10 · 16 September 2014]

Bones continues its downward spiral with the worst season's worst episode.

This POV episode features the return of Angela's recurring and absolutely irritating psychic/friend/plot device Avalon (played by Cyndi Lauper for no apparent reason) who improbably snakes her way into the lab in order to tell everyone that the soul of this week's victim, a teenage boy, is still around. Yeah, that's right. Just hanging around. In his skull. And we get to watch the entire episode from his point of view. Cue: everyone carrying around the skull for every important plot development and speaking directly to the skull at all times. Because why not.

For a show that was once about using science to solve crimes, Bones seems to have lost the plot entirely. Whereas Brennan and Booth in past seasons served as two halves of one never ending debate (skepticism vs. faith), Brennan has since been relegated to a minor role in this ongoing conversation. Angela condescends to her towards the end of the episode while trying to set the kid's soul free or whatever, saying something to the effect of "I know you don't believe in souls and stuff, but can you just help??", like a petulant child insisting that her fantasies be indulged by everyone around her. And it works. She just does it. Despite knowing full well that it's nonsense and having been established as a socially cold and clueless person who would never acquiescence to said nonsense if it was against her principles. But none of that matters anymore, it seems. Bones herself no longer even gets to join in the conversation, because the show has jumped the ghost shark and just flat out decided for us that psychics and souls and every stupid thing anyone has ever believed in is completely real and serious.

To add insult to injury, the episode ends with a cheesy sequence in which the team gathers the girl that ghost boy had a living crush on and shows her the video of a song he recorded for her before his death. And the audience gets to suffer through a full rendition of the deceased's Dashboard Confessional-lite warbling as a reward for sticking out this insufferable episode. Not done yet, however, this one goes the extra mile as Avalon, intrepid psychic, looks through the glass to see none other than Dead McKidderson's spirit as he SKATEBOARDS INTO THE AFTERLIFE. So yeah, the show is dead.

Different point of view

[dancallaway-62782 · 10/10 · 11 April 2024]

One of my favorite episodes as it takes a passive point of view of the dead teenager as the crew try to find out how he died. Also includes Cindy Lauper who always entertains.

Lauper is the one who senses the teenager has unfinished business and will nor pass on till he has closure which comes at the end of the episode just in time before his bones are cremated. That would not have been a pleasant experience on leaving this state of being .

At first each character except Avalon (Lauper) doesn't buy her story of the teens spirit still bound to his skull, but as time goes on each addresses thexteen to assure his spirit that they will give him closure. Nice job by the writers! 👍👍

I, Love this Series .... BUT...

[imhotep-09313 · 2/10 · 11 August 2022]

While, I, Love this Series Overall.

This Episode & others Like it ... When The Actors Talk, Directly into the Camera(as If the Viewer .. is the Victim...) are Complete GARBAGE, I, Hate it. Having the Actors, Look & Talk into the Camera ... it's Demeaning & such an Annoyance, Besides it Pulls You out of the Experience ... Thankfully every time, I Rewatch this Series, I make sure to Skip this Episode each & every time!!

Skip it. It isn't worth your time.

[zachariestp · 1/10 · 9 August 2022]

The premise of "you are seeing what the ghost of the kid sees" was absolutely awful. The writing in the first 5 minutes made me just skip the entire episode.

Didn't Like It!

[th-48057 · 4/10 · 3 March 2021]

Talking to the camera along with the camera moving all over the place ala Blair Witch, I didn't care for this episode.