You're absolutely right about Sweets. Again, Cam should know better.
I think your characterization of Booth is the way he should be -- but the writers aren't that subtle.
The thing is: I don't think that Booth "plays dumb". He strikes me as being a man who is almost entirely without guile in his personal life. Dealing with suspects is another matter; that's a job, perhaps even "war" on some level. But where his personal life is concerned, Booth is almost painfully straightforward. Sometimes he plays devil's advocate with Temperance to make a point, but he doesn't ever lie to her about what he feels.
I've suspected for a while that the writers really don't like smart people. Bones, Zach, Sweets all have great book-learning, sometimes multiple degrees, and have high IQ's - but they're a mess in interpersonal stuff. The very bright like Hodgens and Angela and Cam are relatively more balanced. Booth -- not dumb, but definitely not squint-caliber in IQ -- is presented as being the smartest emotionally. Bones is being presented as smarter emotionally directly to the degree that she lets Booth influence her (as in last night not sleeping with Wexler).
I think they do the best job with the prosecutor (her name escapes me) who seems to be smart, savvy and emotionally in-touch.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-09-04 04:36 pm (UTC)I think your characterization of Booth is the way he should be -- but the writers aren't that subtle.
The thing is: I don't think that Booth "plays dumb". He strikes me as being a man who is almost entirely without guile in his personal life. Dealing with suspects is another matter; that's a job, perhaps even "war" on some level. But where his personal life is concerned, Booth is almost painfully straightforward. Sometimes he plays devil's advocate with Temperance to make a point, but he doesn't ever lie to her about what he feels.
I've suspected for a while that the writers really don't like smart people. Bones, Zach, Sweets all have great book-learning, sometimes multiple degrees, and have high IQ's - but they're a mess in interpersonal stuff. The very bright like Hodgens and Angela and Cam are relatively more balanced. Booth -- not dumb, but definitely not squint-caliber in IQ -- is presented as being the smartest emotionally. Bones is being presented as smarter emotionally directly to the degree that she lets Booth influence her (as in last night not sleeping with Wexler).
I think they do the best job with the prosecutor (her name escapes me) who seems to be smart, savvy and emotionally in-touch.