20 Things About Booth And Brennan’s Relationship That Make No Sense

When Booth (David Boreanaz) and Bones (Emily Deschanel) got together in Bones, it happened off screen. It took six seasons and 128 episodes of Bones for fans to find out that it happened. Bones followed FBI agent Seeley Booth and forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (nicknamed Bones) as they solved crimes in which bodies were so badly damaged they needed a biological anthropologist to identify them. Though the series was a crime procedural, the emotional center of the show was a result of the relationships formed by the teammates, including the slow-burn romance between Booth and Bones.

Booth and Brennan were opposites, in who they were and what they believed, but they had crime-fighting in common. That alone led to much of their banter over the years, both before and after they got together. Because the show was a procedural, the focus wasn’t exclusively on romance. Sometimes, that didn’t allow for enough time for conflicts and consequences to play out. It was inevitable that the two characters would get together. However, the road they took didn’t always make sense. Fans waited years to see them together, yet too much of their relationship took place off-screen. Viewers (and the characters) deserved better after the time they invested waiting for the show and the couple to get their act together.

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Bones Didn’t Show Them Getting Together

“The Hole In The Heart” Revealed The Relationship

Fans sat through six seasons, made up of 128 episodes, waiting for the two main characters to get together. They watched Booth and Brennan’s will they/won’t they dance. They saw them each have other love interests (and in some cases, they had significant relationships). Then, for some reason, Bones had Booth and Brennan get together off-screen. Fans saw him comforting her after an enemy took the life of one of the squinterns, Vincent Nigel Murray.

However, in the episode “The Hole in the Heart”, the audience didn’t see the kiss or overt romance. Instead, Brennan and Angela spoke about what happened briefly the next day. Then, in the next episode, the season 6 finale, Brennan announced that she was pregnant. Booth and Brennan’s relationship — and fans — deserved better from the main couple of the show after the wait.

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Their Relationship Didn’t Have a Typical Beginning

A Time Jump Meant Relationship-Building Was Skipped

The series played out the usual tropes of a will they/won’t they couple with Booth and Brennan. For six seasons, fans watched them ignore their feelings and admit they could be more. They watched their friends and family talk to them about their relationship without the two agreeing to explore their feelings. Fans even watched them date others – and Booth proposed to another woman.

Yet, the drama skipped the beginning of their romantic relationship entirely. They got together, and then Bones told him about her pregnancy in the season 6 finale. The time jump between seasons meant that fans didn’t get to see the beginning of their romance. As a procedural, Bones was never going to dedicate whole episodes to them dating. However, it just doesn’t make sense that fans didn’t get to see the beginning of them going from friends to more. In contrast, Angela and Hodgins were also one of the best Bones couples and had a lot more screen time devoted to developing their relationship.

Their First Kiss Was a Surprise

The Mistletoe Kiss Happened In Season 3, Episode 9 “Santa In The Slush”

For years, fans thought that Booth and Brennan’s first kiss happened under mistletoe in season 3. However, the 100th episode revealed that they kissed — and nearly were together — after their first case. Booth and Brennan only briefly worked together then. When that was no longer the case, they thought they could then be together. However, because she had consumed alcohol, they only kissed. Then, they both went home.

Yet, for five seasons (and 99 episodes), there had never been a hint of that happening or the two considering more. Sweets was surprised — as was the audience — when they revealed what had happened years ago. He’d always thought that a kiss would lead to more for them.

They Constantly Denied The Possibility Of More Between Them

Booth And Brennan Already Knew There Was More After A Secret Kiss

The usual trope with will they/won’t they couples on TV shows is that the two characters involved deny the possibility of anything romantic existing between them. They refuse to acknowledge that they could get together to friends, family, or anyone who asks about their relationship. That was what happened with Booth and Brennan until they finally were together and discover they’re having a baby.

Yet the 100th episode revealed they’d kissed and almost were together after their very first case together. Denying that there could be more between them after that makes no sense. Yet, that’s what happened for 99 episodes, before that reveal. The shock of that first kiss called into question everything Booth and Brennan said about each other up until then. It might have worked if they hadn’t both been so vehement about just being coworkers and friends.

Booth Had Brennan Detained at the Airport

Booth Abused His Power To Get Her Assistance

The first time Booth and Brennan were on screen together in the pilot, he manipulated the system. Brennan returned from two months in Guatemala identifying victims of crimes. In the airport, an agent from Homeland Security detained her for having a human skull in her bag.

Then, Booth showed up to fix things. He used the opportunity to try to recruit her to help with a case. She only agreed when he agreed to her conditions. On the one hand, it led to the first time fans saw the two banter. On the other hand, Booth enlisted another federal agency and had Brennan detained at the airport. He took things a bit too far to get her help.

Booth Lost Out On Time with Christine Because of Brennan

Christine Was Born In Season 7, Episode 7 “The Prisoner In The Pipe”

One of the team’s recurring nemeses was Christopher Pelant, a computer genius. He managed to not only evade capture more than once, but he also framed Brennan for a crime. With no way to prove her innocence immediately, she took a page out of her father’s book. She went on the run, and she took Christine, the daughter she shared with Booth, on the run as well.

Her time away meant that Booth lost out on time with Christine, and that should have been a bigger deal than it was. It was a lose-lose situation; one of them would have had to be separated from her. However, Bones could have remedied that by having it be a serious discussion for the couple that lasted longer than it did and wasn’t forgotten about after a handful of episodes.

Brennan Shouldn’t Have Needed Aldo to Understand Why Booth Turned Down Her Proposal

Brennan Proposed To Booth In Season 8, Episode 24 “The Secret In The Siege”

Just like it took years for Booth and Brennan to get together, it took time for them to get married. It was up to Brennan to do the proposing, and she did. Booth accepted until their recurring nemesis, Christopher Pelant, intervened. Pelant threatened the lives of five innocent people if Booth married Brennan. Booth had to turn down her proposal, but it took Brennan talking to Aldo to understand that he had his reasons.

Considering how long she’d known Booth by that time — and that she knew how important religion was to him — she should’ve figured that out on her own. She likely would have, too, if the series hadn’t brought in Booth’s former Army buddy and counselor to provide even more insight into Booth.

Caroline’s Obsession With Their Relationship

Patricia Belcher Played Caroline Julian

Everyone in Booth and Brennan’s life commented on their relationship (or lack thereof) at one point or another. Why weren’t they together? Had they ever been together? Don’t they want to be together? Anyone who entered their lives and was around them for even just an episode seemed to have an opinion.

However, Caroline Julian took that one step further. When Brennan wanted to orchestrate a family get-together — in prison — she had one condition. She made Booth and Brennan kiss under the mistletoe. Fans liked it because it was the couple’s first kiss, on-screen, at least. However, it’s strange how invested Caroline was in their relationship and how that was dropped seasons later.

Their Conflict Over Brennan Going On the Run Shouldn’t Have Been Resolved So Quickly

Brennan Goes On The Run For Three Months

When a recurring nemesis, Christopher Pelant, framed Brennan for a serious crime, she had to go on the run. She and the others couldn’t clear her name quickly enough. So, she did what her father would have done. She took Christine, and she left her life behind for a new one for months. That meant leaving Booth behind.

That should have led to more tension in her relationship with Booth than it did. However, like other aspects of their relationship, that was addressed (but resolved quickly) or glossed over. While no one would have wanted to see Booth and Brennan separated any longer considering that they had been, she did make a decision that directly affected him.

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They Both Forgot Hannah Existed

Katheryn Winnick Played Hannah Burley

After leaving the FBI and the Jeffersonian behind for months, both Booth and Brennan returned to DC. He wasn’t alone. He’d met a journalist, Hannah, and they were not only together, but it was serious. It was serious enough that he proposed. It would never have lasted, even if she’d said yes, though, because of Booth and Brennan’s relationship.

Hannah wasn’t just Booth’s girlfriend. She and Brennan were at the very least friendly. Booth and Hannah’s breakup occurred in the same season he and Brennan finally got together. However, once they got together, it was like Hannah never existed. Neither mentioned her, and it seemed like no one remembered the role she had in either of their lives.

Brennan’s Treatment Of Booth’s Religious Beliefs

Booth Was A Devout Roman Catholic.

The problem here wasn’t that they had different perspectives on religion. They didn’t have to have the same religious beliefs to be together. However, as an Atheist, Bones was very dismissive of Booth’s beliefs, which led to more than one disagreement between the two.

She did come to accept the importance of his beliefs for him over the course of their relationship. That included having Christine baptized (before she went on the run with her). Still, they could have taken the same sides of their arguments about religion without her disrespecting his. That wasn’t necessary for their relationship nor for the banter that ensued because of it.

There Should Have Been More Time Dedicated To Booth’s Gambling Addiction

Brennan Meets Booth’s Bookie In Season 10, Episode 19 “The Murder In The Middle East”

Booth had a history of a problem with gambling, as Brennan knew. During a case, he took a turn for the worst in season 10, and he lied to her about it. She only found out because his bookie showed up at their house when he owed a lot of money. That led to a brief separation for the two, though by the end of the season, he and their relationship were back on track.

However, there was then a time jump between seasons 10 and 11. Because of that, Bones didn’t give him and them the time they deserved to heal on-screen. Fans didn’t see what came next when he moved back in and the two were back together.

How Jealous They Got About Other Love Interests

Both Characters Also Denied Their Jealousy

It took Booth and Brennan years to admit their feelings, let alone get together. However, both often showed signs of jealousy when the other was in a relationship or just showed interest in another person. In the early days of the show, it wasn’t made as obvious. However, as the show went on, and they grew closer, they got more and more jealous, to the point that they should have admitted their feelings earlier. Instead, they’d be jealous, others would remark on it, and they’d deny it.

The only reason why this happened as long and often as it did was because they were a couple on a television show. It’s a common trope used with will they/won’t they couples, which Booth and Brennan were for six seasons, but it is something that becomes tiring for the audience.

Booth Arrested Brennan

Booth Arrested Brennan In Season 1, Episode 7 “A Man On Death Row”

In season 1, Brennan requested to be able to carry a concealed weapon. Booth denied her request, on the grounds of a felony charge on her record. He was the arresting officer, and he refused to say he was wrong to charge her. However, she shot someone who was going to hurt her but didn’t have a weapon himself. She argued that it was only his leg and the man was in jail for the rest of his life.

Booth delighted in sitting there and making her go through the process of submitting her request. He also enjoyed denying her request and told her he’d take care of any weapon needs. He even suggested she use her words if need be in a situation that might require her to have a weapon. It was another case of Booth using the power of the position he held in a way that inconvenienced Brennan.

Their Personalities Never Meshed

Brennan Believed In Facts While Booth Trusted His Gut

Booth and Brennan are complete opposites. Yes, opposites attract, but their opposing views were often the reasons for their conflicts. Brennan was a scientist first and foremost. She relied on facts and refused to use her gut when it came to the cases. She also wasn’t much of a people person and lacked some social skills. That meant she didn’t understand jokes or some comments those around her made.

Unlike Brennan, Booth listened to his gut. He was a people person and understood social aspects his partner did not. His religion was also very important to him, and it was often a source of contention between the two, especially in the earlier seasons.

Booth Thought His Brain Tumor Caused His Feelings for Brennan

Booth’s Brain Tumor Is Revealed In Season 4, Episode 25 “The Critic In The Cabernet”

In season 4, Booth learned that he had a brain tumor. During the coma following his surgery, he dreamed he and Brennan were together. In season 5, he was confused about how he felt about Brennan. It was possible the tumor and dream caused those feelings, and he had to figure out if that was true. Though brain scans suggested it was, he grew to realize that he truly did love her that season.

Still, that brain tumor called into question all of Booth’s actions and feelings about Brennan for a brief period of time. Considering that neither was willing to admit their feelings up to that point, it didn’t seem necessary to suggest his were because of a tumor. Of course, another Bones storyline was dropped completely regarding his brain tumor – memory loss caused by the surgery was never mentioned beyond immediately after the successful removal of the tumor.

Brennan Wouldn’t Risk Being With Him, But Didn’t Like Him With Anyone Else

“The Parts In The Sum Of The Whole” Is The 100th Episode Of Bones

In the series’ 100th episode, Sweets learned that Booth and Brennan kissed after their first case. Following their talk with him, Booth took a gamble and told Brennan he knew she was the one. However, Brennan couldn’t take the same risk. She played it safe and didn’t want to risk losing him.

Each stayed true to who they were at that point in the show (and the audience couldn’t fault them for that). It was still hard to see Booth so hurt. After “The Parts in the Sum of the Whole”, it took almost a year for her to try to remedy that. Instead, fans had to sit through her being jealous of his subsequent relationship with Hannah. Those were two of the most emotional scenes for the couple before they got together.

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Booth Didn’t Tell Brennan He Was Helping His Brother

Booth’s Brother Is Killed In Season 11, Episode 1 “The Loyalty In The Lie”

In season 11, Booth helped his brother, Jared, but he didn’t tell Brennan what he was doing. She was his wife, and he shouldn’t have kept her in the dark. In fact, when Jared’s body was found, it was briefly thought that it could be Booth’s. Brennan had to examine the bones like any other and figure out herself that she hadn’t lost her husband.

After everything was over, and they found Booth, the couple spoke in the hospital. However, they resolved things much too quickly, considering how dangerous and serious the situation was. There was no reason for Booth to keep Brennan in the dark. Bones clearly wanted her to think that she could have lost him, but that could have happened even if she knew what he was doing.

Brennan Wrote Booth A Letter When the Gravedigger Captured Her

Brennan And Hodgins Were Buried Alive In Season 2, Episode 9 “Aliens In A Spaceship”

In season 2, Brennan and Hodgins were victims of a recurring nemesis of the team. They thought they weren’t going to make it back to their loved ones, so they each wrote a letter. He wrote to Angela, and she wrote to Booth. At her wedding to Booth, she read that letter as part of her TV show vows. She had written about her early, messy feelings for him, but she denied her feelings for him for years after that.

However, that didn’t make sense given what followed — and that’s because it wasn’t the original letter. The original “was totally unsuitable for wedding vows,” executive producer Hart Hanson told TVLine. “They had to be completely rewritten.” The original note apparently said, “Don’t blame yourself if you didn’t get to me in time. I enjoyed working with you.”

Emily Deschanel’s Real-Life Pregnancy Affected the Beginning Of Their Relationship

Emily Deschanel’s First Son Was Born In 2011

It took six seasons for Booth and Brennan to get together. As soon as they did, they were expecting a baby. That was because series star Emily Deschanel, who played Brennan, was pregnant.

“Emily being pregnant certainly figured into it to a certain extent,” executive producer Stephen Nathan told TVLine. However, it did allow them to take the story in the direction they wanted. “By going this route, we didn’t have to have them go through the traditional love-dovey stage,” he explained. “We avoid all of the [trappings] that people commonly associate with the Moonlighting curse.” Still, the characters and fans deserved better than rushing into their relationship — and kids — after waiting that long to see them together.

Many of the aspects of Booth and Brennan’s relationship that didn’t make sense during the show’s run were a result of having to incorporate real-life situations into show storylines and the Bones writers creating more conflict for the characters.