TV Review: BONES – Season 10 – “The Purging of the Pundit”

By RACHEL REITSLEFF / Contributing Writer

Posted: October 20th, 2014 / 11:58 AM

Emily Deschanel in BONES - Season 10 - "The Purging of the Pundit" | ©2014 Fox/Patrick McElhenney

Stars: David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel, Michaela Conlin, TJ Thyne, Tamara Taylor, John Boyd, Ignacio Serricchio, Will Vought, Kate Hampton, Gary Basaraba, Jonah Wharton, Maouzam Makkar, Amanda Leighton, Erinn Westbrook
Writer: Michael Peterson, series created by Hart Hanson, based on the life and writings of Kathy Reichs
Director: Tim Southam
Network: Fox, Thursdays @ 8 PM
Airdate: October 9, 2014

Rush Limbaugh has been murdered. Okay, not really, but BONES’ deceased of the week, a heavyset right-wing radio host named Hutch Whitehouse, is clearly based on the man. “The Purging of the Pundit” has a lot of fun with both the horrific nature of the vitriol spewed over the airwaves by its fictional blowhard, while at the same time pointing out that spreading hate isn’t good for the psyche – but not ultimately blaming any of this for Hutch’s ultimate demise.

After Hutch’s remains (which have been ravaged by stoats, no less) are found in a storm drain, the Jeffersonian team tries to figure out why he has injuries consistent with torture. Turns out that Hutch was into bondage as a way of psychologically coping with the guilt of saying provocative things he often didn’t believe.

At the same time, Booth (David Boreanaz) continues to reject help from FBI agent Aubrey (John Boyd), until Brennan (Emily Deschanel) uses her logic – in her analogy, the United States after World War I – to persuade Booth to give the guy a chance. Aubrey also weighs in, telling Booth that since the late Sweets told Booth that Aubrey was trustworthy, this means that Booth is disrespecting Sweets’ opinion.

Although Hutch’s wife (Kate Hampton), dominatrix (Maouzam Makkar) and producer (Gary Basaraba) are all questioned, along with a white supremacist (Jonah Wharton) who didn’t think Hutch was extreme enough, the culprit turns out to be Hutch’s on-air partner Alan Spaziano (Will Vought). Tired of being Hutch’s liberal verbal punching bag, Spaziano still didn’t want to give up his job; when he heard that Hutch might quit, Spaziano tried to blackmail the other man and wound up killing him.

The forensic aspect of the episode is enjoyable, as is the return of Cuban refugee lab assistant Rodolfo Fuentes (Ignacio Serricchio), whose regard for both himself and others provides some pleasing humor.

Although Booth’s journey from wariness to trust seems a bit abrupt, it’s nice to see him listen to Brennan and to Aubrey, both of whom are persuasive in their arguments. Boyd, who has an easygoing demeanor as Aubrey, seems a good addition to the group; he’s likable, has restraint and his character doesn’t do anything we question in his job as a federal agent.

Also, even though it turns out not to be pertinent to the case, it’s a kick to see the characters listen to samples of Hutch’s philosophy and recoil in horror. “The Purging of the Pundit” is pretty much a pleasure.

Related: TV Review: BONES – Season 10 – “The Lance to the Heart”

Related: Exclusive Interview with BONES show runners Stephen Nathan and Jonathan Collier on Season 10

Related: TV Review: BONES – Season 10 – “The Conspiracy in the Corpse”

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