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The Suit on the Set is the twelfth episode of the seventh season of Bones.

Summary

Brennan and Booth head out to Los Angeles to consult on the production of "Bone of Contention", a film based on Brennan's latest book and the work of the Jeffersonian team. While on set, Brennan intervenes after finding flaws with the actors' performances, not to mention the film's total disregard for science. Then she discovers that the prop cadaver being used is an actual murder victim, forcing her and Booth to launch an investigation that has real-world consequences in the land of make-believe. Meanwhile, Booth is offered a job on the studio lot, and embarrassing information is revealed about Cam's past.

Synopsis

Picture the pyramids. Now, two agents -- a man and a woman -- charge the screen as the ancient EXPLODES behind them. We're watching a movie preview for "Bone of Contention, based on a novel by Temperance Brennan. "Action so intense ... you can feel it in your bones!" promises the narrator. Back at the Jeffersonian, Camille, Angela, Sweets and Hodgins watch the preview. They all agree that the movie looks "awesome."

Back on set, the actors prepare for a scene while Bones complains that the director has changed pretty much all the details from her book. She then meets producer Mandy, who clearly doesn't care about Bones' contention that there are "errors in the science." Nor does the director. And nor does podiatrist Doug Philmore, who have met B&B before and is working as a technical advisor on the film -- much to Bones' horror. With the cameras about to role, the actors uncover a set of remains in the Jeffersonian set ... and they smell awfully authentic. Sure enough, the body is real! Actors begin passing out.

Mandy announces that the movie will shut down on the suggestion of security official Mike. Bones, meanwhile, is busy examining the body. It appears to be a male. Bones wants to solve the mystery so that the movie can continue (despite its scientific inaccuracies). "If you solve this, remember that it's all my idea," Mandy says. Actor Barry, who is playing the Hodgins character, takes a great interest in the case. Turns out the actor has doctorates in botany and microbiology. "If you have a useful talent, why are you an actor?" Bones asks. Barry calls actor his "first love," though he misses science. Bones is impressed and enlists the actor to help solve the real case. 

Booth, in the meantime, confers with security leader Mike, who used to be in the FBI. Mike talks about his new, great job, which allows him to work on movie shoots and surf everyday before work. He even mentions that a position is open. Would Booth be interested? Later, Hodgins is annoyed that Barry is actually working on the case -- and that he actually appears to be very, very smart. Angela then does a facial reconstruction of the victim and Barry immediately recognizes the face -- it's Hanson Stevens, the head of the studio. 

B&B then question Stevens' assistant, Nick, who denies having anything to do with the too-real prop. Mandy defends Nick, explaining that Stevens was known to "go AWOL" at least a few times a year with whatever actor he was currently sleeping with. Later, Booth asks Sweets, via teleconference, if he thinks Bones might be open to living on the west coast. The FBI guy is clearly thinking about Mike's offer.  Suddenly, Blaine, the actor playing the Hollywood version of Booth, enters. Booth mentions the actor's criminal history of assault. "I was just trying to get on TMZ!" Blaine claims.

Back at the Jeffersonian, Camille and Angela discover a threatening voice mail left on the victim's phone from screenwriter Liam Toynen. Liam has been reprimanded for visiting questionable websites, including one called the "Perfect Murder." B&B, in the meantime, discover a sprinkler outside Liam's bungalow that is splattered in blood. Could it be where the victim punctured his head? B&B then question Liam, who explains that the "Perfect Murder" website was for research and that he would never have killed Stevens as the studio head paid him hundreds of thousands of dollars to write "crap." 

Back at the Jeffersonian, Barry claims to recognize Camille from a low-budget movie called "Invasion of the Mother Suckers." Hodgins finds a still photo online ... and it appears to feature Camille. He orders Angela to find a digital copy of the movie online. "I'm on it!" an enthusiastic Angela says. B&B then interview the lead actress, Sherri, who admits she was sleeping with the victim. Suddenly, gardener Fernando enters with flowers. He is shocked to hear that the actress is sleeping with someone besides him. "I'd like to know where you both were Friday night," Booth says. Both claim to have an alibi.

Later, Booth tells Bones that he was offered a job by Mike. Would Bones be interested in living by the ocean? Bones rejects the notion out of hand. Back at the Jeffersonian, Angela has contacted the director of "Invasion of the Mother Suckers," now a high-school teacher, who has promised to send a copy of the film. Hodgins is giddy with excitement. Meanwhile, podiatrist Doug uses a "Robocop" suit -- metal legs, essentially -- to mimic the height, bone structure and the weight distribution of the victim. That way, they can differentiate between the victim's tracks outside the bungalow and the perpetrator's markings. Moments later, they figure out that the victim was hit by a car and knocked into the grass outside the bungalow. And who has grass embedded in her spots car? None other than producer Mandy.

Mandy explains that she swerved into a bush while texting. B&B ask head groundskeeper Valerie, Fernando's boss, to get a sample from the supposed bush to validate Mandy's story. Later, it turns out that Mandy was telling the truth. Hodgins and Barry, now working together and developing a mutual respect, discover that a substance found on the victim's hand wasn't glass, but the covering for a smart phone. Back at the real Jeffersonian, Angela examines the contents of the victim's smart phone and discovers clandestine video of Sherri getting intimate with the director. Uh oh. 

Bones then goes to confront the director, who resists questioning. Suddenly, Blaine flies into the frame and tackles the director. "I'm in character!" the actor tells Booth. "Figured it was what you would do." B&B then show the director the smart phone video of his rendezvous with Sherri. The director shrugs. So he was sleeping with his star? So what? The director then reports that he heard screaming the night of the victim's death. Back at the Jeffersonian, Angela clears the director's car, explaining that whatever ran over the studio head had a much tighter turning radius. 

Turns out the golf cart driven by Valerie matches that turning radius. It even has blood on the wheels. Was Valerie pushed over the edge by all the creative types disrespecting her various topiaries (Stevens, just like Mandy, had recently damaged one of them). Valerie admits her guilt after watching Stevens rip apart an elephant topiary. "He wouldn't even apologize!" he exclaims. Barry is overjoyed. "We solved a murder!" the actor yells. Meanwhile, Booth dismisses the idea of moving west. He wants to continue to work with his partner (in life and in work) full time. Back at the Jeffersonian, everybody gathers to watch Camille's film. She is terribly embarrassed by the movie, in which she plays a Pam Grier type vampire killed by a stake to the heart.

B&B then break the good news as everybody laughs: the studio is so grateful for the team solving the murder that all of the real Jeffersonian employees have been offered cameos in "Bone of Contention." Hodgins is overjoyed.

Cast

Main Cast

Intern of the Week

Guest Cast

Featured Music

  • TBA

Quotes

  • TBA

Notes

  • TBA


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The Family and the Feud
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The Past in the Present
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CharactersSeason 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12
CategoriesMain Characters ·  Relationships


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