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Stephen Nathan, one of the executive producers of the Fox hit series Bones, wrote a message to the nation's television critics that came with the DVD of the first two episodes of the seventh season.
He wrote: "Bones finds itself dealing with a happily unsolvable situation: Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and Booth (David Boreanaz) are a couple. And they are about to have a baby. Sure, they have been stealing glances and secretly lusting after each other all these years, but we also have seen they couldn't be more unsuited for each other. Will it work out? How is a child going to change them?"
They are both very good and very interesting questions. The larger question is: How is the situation going to change the series, which airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox? After all, babies often are the kiss of death for series.
As usual, the murders in the first two episodes -- last week's "Memories in the Shallow Grave" and this week's "The Hot Dog in the Competition" -- are secondary to the relationship between Brennan and Booth and all of the secondary characters. Tonight's "Hot Dog" episode, which involves the murder of an eating contest champion, is the more involving of the two.
Relationship-wise, the episodes highlight the differences between the rational scientist (Brennan) who is clueless about how to behave when living with the more emotional homicide detective (Booth) she supposedly loves.
Of course, the scientist is self-aware when it comes to hormonal issues. But she isn't aware of her partner's need to have input in every decision about the baby, including being at the doctor's office to find out the sex and deciding where the family should live. The couple also has typical debates about money and sexual needs that they would be better off addressing before becoming parents.
Brennan's better financial situation -- she is a millionaire off her book sales -- is an amusing subplot, as Booth is determined to split all expenses 50-50.
Booth and her co-workers also seem determined to educate Brennan about how to behave in a loving partnership, making Bones seem as much like a couple's counseling session as a murder mystery.
Of course, what leads to love and romance often can be a mystery. As warm and lovable as some elements of these episodes often are, it is easy to question whether this couple can survive as long as the series already has.
Brennan and Booth are so different that, in real life, they might last about as long as Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries. But in the fantasy world of TV, one would expect love will triumph over all of Brennan's cluelessness and Booth's frustrations.
Rating: 3 stars out of 4