Bones: The Complete Fifth Season

At first glance, Bones is a solid crime procedural. But as the series enters its fifth season, it's clear that Bones really works as a romantic drama as well. Not romantic in the mushy sense, but in a way that makes viewers' hearts skip a beat (from joy at seeing a good coupling, not from the shock of all the gory bodies being discovered, examined, and dissected). FBI special agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) and forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan (Emily Deschanel) have a complicated relationship that gets stronger over time. The writers have done an admirable job in throwing viewers a few bones to hint at what could be for the pair and this is no more evident than in the season premiere, where Booth is given the OK to return to work and Bones returns from a soul-searching trip to Guatemala. And in the 100th episode ("The Parts in the Sum of the Whole"), which Boreanaz directed, the series goes back in time six years to when Booth first met Bones. And it's clear that the two were attracted to each other then, sharing an admiration of solving a case efficiently and correctly. Who knew that decayed bodies could be such a turn-on? There's a lot going on this season, and some of the episodes do fall short. The case revolving around witchcraft doesn't ring true and the quest to ID body parts found in a shark isn't up to par by Bones standards. But overall, the season is a winner. Whether the team is racing against time to deal with a serial killer, finding clues left by a compulsive hoarder, or simply celebrating another wedding, the viewer is left anticipating what comes next. The six-disc set includes all 22 episodes from the fifth season, which originally aired during the 2009-2010 television season. "The Bodies of the Bones" featurette is as fascinating as it is gross and "The Nunchuck Way" special feature is pretty cool. While the gag reel is fun to watch, it at times may leave you wondering if the actors purposely made mistakes simply to put on the DVD. --Jae-Ha Kim