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The Dentist in the Ditch

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The Dentist in the Ditch is the thirteenth episode of the fifth season of Bones.

Synopsis[]

Booth and Brennan are called in when a human skeleton is found in the trenches of a Civil War battleground. Brennan determines that the remains are those of a present-day dentist, but a residue stuck on the bones is keeping the cause of death from being determined. Meanwhile, Booth's brother Jared returns with interesting news. Jared has fallen in love and is going to be married to Padme Dalaj.

Summary[]

A Civil War reenactment is underway when one unfortunate Confederate discovers a human skeleton buried in the dirt. Back at the Jeffersonian, Booth is back home. Jared arrives and says that he has fallen in love while traveling. Before Booth has a chance to react, he gets a call: time to get to the murder scene.

Moments later, Booth and Bones investigate the skeleton, which the latter identifies as a modern man. The bones, which are almost completely encased in a block of clay, suddenly begin to emit spiders. Hodgins notes this particular species is not native to where the body was found.

Booth, in the meantime, meets Jared's new girlfriend, Padme. The two appear to be very much in love, but Booth is suspicious. Back at the lab, Bones notices "occupational markers" consistent with various careers, including dentistry. Vincent then commences cleaning the clay from the skeleton.

B&B then head to the home of the victim, where they find Lucas, a contractor living over the garage, watching football. He is shocked to discover his employer is dead. He then says that the victim owed him money so he had no reason to kill him. The man then explains the victim had a terrible breakup with his ex, Christopher. Booth and Bones then head to Christopher's house. He explains as soon as Danny's practice took off, the dentist dumped him. Bones then notices an arrowhead in a nearby tree, which could have caused the trauma to the victim's sternum.

Back at the lab, Vincent dismisses the possibility of an arrow killing the victim, saying a wound on the victim's sternum just isn't deep enough. Vincent then has a brainstorm: rhubarb. Turns out the properties of the plant contain an acid which can more quickly dissolve the clay.

Booth, in the meantime, brings in the victim's dental hygienist, Grace, for questioning. The woman filed a complaint against her employer for giving her Hepatitis C. She claims that he had cut her during a procedure. Grace then admits to cheating on her husband and blaming the victim as an excuse.

The rhubarb, meanwhile, has done its job. The injuries are consistent with a football. So Booth and Bones do a little research and discover Danny played for a local team. Coach Hendler is shocked to discover the player has been murdered. When Bones suggests the man might have been killed because he was gay, the coach laughs and explains that the entire team is comprised of gay men. Bones then finds blood inside Dan's football helmet and the location is consistent with marks on the skeleton. Booth asks if he was hit just a little too hard at practice, but the players say no.

Back at the lab, Booth runs a background check on Padme and discovers she used to be escort. Booth wonders if Jared knows -- and whether it would affect his plans to marry the her. Camille, in the meantime, discovers more blood on a towel taken from the practice field. The towel belonged to Dan, but the blood belongs to Cyd, an opposing player. Turns out Dan recently forced Cyd to fumble, thus costing the latter to fumble. The two then had a post-game fistfight.

Later, Booth tells Jared his girl was arrested for prostitution four years prior infuriating Jared. Cyd is then brought in for questioning, where he admits to calling the victim a "f--," but denies killing him. It doesn't take long for Booth to get Cyd to admit he is gay, too. The two used to date, but secretly. Back at the lab, Vincent discovers three fractures on the skull.

Vincent says that the victim's skull exploded from the inside out, meaning the victim was killed and buried in the dirt, where seeds worked their way into his skull. The seeds then sprouted, causing the forehead to burst outward. "So head trauma was not cause of death," says a disappointed Bones. "We have no cause of death."

Bones examines the now bleached skeleton, measuring, staring through a microscope and consistently furrowing her brow. When the montage ends, Bones announces she has found a small, previously unexamined nick on a particular bone. Vincent takes a look and concludes it is consistent with a dental saw. Hodgins' then notes the spiders could have come from the same part of Virginia where dental-hygienist Grace makes her home. "That should be enough for an arrest," Camille notes. Booth and Bones hop in the car and head out to confront the lady.

On the way, they discuss Jared and Padme. Bones notes Booth has long said that "love conquers all", so why is he so concerned over his brother situation. Booth mulls it over. The two then arrive at Grace's home, which has a fairly new driveway, one closely resembling the victim's own. Grace explains she used the same contractor, Lucas. Back at the lab, Vincent examines Lucas's paving tool and discovers the victim's blood. Lucas in brought in for questioning.

He admits to arguing with Daniel over a job, the two began fighting so he hit Daniel in self defense. The only problem, as Booth points out, is that what Lucas did was stealing from Daniel, insulting him after he got caught and after hitting him he let him die and dumped the body in a ditch.

Booth and Bones convene to a bar, where they meet Jared and Padme. Padme explains she told Jared about her past and the two will soon be getting married. Jared then asks Booth to be his best man, to which he accepts. Bones offers a toast to love.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Intern of the Week[]

Recurring Cast[]

Guest Cast[]

Featured Music[]

  • "What's in The Middle" - The Bird and The Bee

Notes[]

Robert Gant, who played Coach Jason Hendler of the gay football team the Cardinals, was a regular on the US edition of Queer as Folk (2000).

I don't know what that means[]

Quotes[]

Hodgins: Do you know what Vincent Nigel-Murray is? He's a genius!
Brennan: Yes, but so are we all. Except for Angela.
Angela: Oh, right, and yet, who do you turn to when you need pretty pictures?


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