Spaceman in a Crater is the nineteenth episode of the second season of Bones.
Synopsis[]
The team investigates the death of an astronaut who appears to have fallen to Earth from a high altitude. While Brennan and Booth question his associates at the Space Agency, Hodgins theorizes about a conspiracy involving extraterrestrials. Hodgins asks Angela to marry him but she refuses, asking him to keep trying.
Summary[]
Brennan and Booth are called out to a field, with cows grazing to investigate a crater in the ground. Further investigation leads to the discovery of a human body, who seems to be crushed.
Back in the lab, the team studies the body. They start teasing Hodgins for his conspiracy theories regarding aliens. Hodgins defends his theories and stalks off in a huff. Brennan notices an anomaly in the bone structure. The bones are extremely porous, which means that the victim is either 130 years old or he's been to outer space.
Zack and Hodgins are discussing the case and Zack theorises that the only rational explanation is that the victim was an astronaut. Zack informs Cam, who directs him to Booth. Booth finds out that the missing astronaut is Colonel Kelvin Howard. Angela's drawing of the skull matches the image Booth has of Col. Howard.
Booth and Brennan talk to Col. Howard's wife. They find out that he owns a private plane and that he was training other astronauts to go to space, as he himself couldn't due to the loss of his medical clearance. Booth finds out that the plane is still in the hangar.
Booth and Brennan, accompanied by the forensic team, scope out the plane. At the hangar, they are faced by Nina Sanborn, Howards' boss, who demands ID. After an unpleasant conversation about Col. Howard's work, Booth produces a warrant for his documents. What he receives are pages of work with several lines and paragraphs blacked out for confidentiality. He calls in Hodgins to help him fill in the blanks with his "paranoid ravings". Hodgins asks Booth's advice on proposing to someone, presumably Angela. Hodgins also tells Booth that Howards' replacement to "repair" a telescope in space will be able to provide him with some answers.
Bones and Brennan talk to a colleague of Col. Howard, James Adams, and find out that the colonel was talking to the STC (Space Travel Coalition). Cam is reluctant to remove the flesh from the bones, but after an argument with Zack, she concedes and tells him to do whatever he needs to do. Booth and Brennan talk to the CEO of the STC and find out that Cal approached the STC, wanting to pilot one of his flights, but changed his mind six weeks previously.
After some digging, the team figures it out. Howard was killed by the propellers of the plane of James Adams and his wife Colleen.
Hodgins finally works up the courage to ask Angela to marry him. She declines but tells him she hopes that he never stops trying.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Temperance Brennan - Emily Deschanel
- Seeley Booth - David Boreanaz
- Jack Hodgins - T.J Thyne
- Angela Montenegro - Michaela Conlin
- Zack Addy - Eric Millegan
- Camille Saroyan - Tamara Taylor
Recurring Cast[]
- Marcus Geier - David Greenman
Guest Cast[]
- Nina Sanborn - Andrea Thompson
- Jean Marie Howard - Lisa Waltz
- Commander James Adams - Ian Anthony Dale
- Colonel Bob Reid - Glenn Morshower
- Colleen Adams - Sarah Bloom
- Loni Gowan - Judith Moreland
- Dr. Henry Pascal - Rob Brownstein
- Adam Bahr - Michael Rodrick
- Farmer - E.J. Callahan
- FBI Forensic Tech - Burnadean Jones
- Space Agency Employee - Aalok Mehta
- Waiter - Christos Sourmelis
- Astronaut - Michael Dane
Featured Music[]
- "Shipwrecked" by Shane Alexander
- "l Hold On To You" by Marjorie Fair
Notes[]
- The aircraft used as the "vomit comet" is not the Airbus A300 Zero-G, it is a Boeing 737.
- The episode "Player Under Pressure" was originally supposed to air, but was delayed in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre and aired in season 3, replaced by this episode. The original version, which includes a storyline that was referenced in this episode in which Hodgins asks Cam how to propose to Angela, and later tries to propose, failing and they re-shot new scenes for Hodgins and Angela for aired version.
Quotes[]
- Hodgins: This guy's wearing loafers. Aliens don't wear loafers.
Cam: Even if they want to pass unnoticed amongst us?
Booth: Before taking over?
Hodgins: This is harassment. You know, it's illegal to mock people for their fundamental beliefs.
- Cam: Why do you know that?
Zack: My knowledge is vast.
Cam: Why did I ask?
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