Is the respect & trust still there?

This is posted in another forum. I think it could make for good coversation here as well.

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I agree that the baby issue was silly and they shouldn't have gone there. But then again, when haven't they done silly, inconsistent plot devices - even in series 1 -3 there were silly unrealistic scenarios.

I think this show has always set itself up as entertainment as opposed to realistic drama. (I mean the main character who is an esteemed anthropolgy expert has an ex-con killer who changed his face by plastic surgery to avoid detection as a Dad! Likely, I think not!) This kind of thing doesn't really bother me too much as long as the relationships remain believable and I think generally - in no small extent down to the acting of Emily and David - they have achieved this.

Anyway, for me, I think the love and respect is still there - it's just muddled by the other feelings that they both have for each other. Deep down we know that they would still do anything for each other don't we? Booth would still risk his life for her and she would still do anything to help him (even support his new relationship as much as it pains her to do so).

I completely understand the frustration - we want them to be happy together and that's why this SO storyline is so frustrating. Bones should just wake up to herself and Booth should realise that no-one but Bones will do. We can see it, their friends can see it but we need them to see it - both of them.

All I am hoping is that it will be all the sweeter when they do bring them together.

And I do think that we are going to see chinks of hope from Booth's demeanour over the next few episodes. Even in the spoiler sneak peaks for next week as he is leaving the diner it appears that he looks back at Bones - not once but twice. I think he is going to appear a little conflicted now that both Hannah and Bones are around.

My thing with this is. Bottom line the trust and respect are still there. It HAS to be there, for both of them. They would both kill for each other, they would both die for each other. That has not changed. I have no doubt about that.. Sure there are feelings involved now, on both sides. They are both to blame for the personal mess they are in, and they have both hurt each other. And because of this, things are awkward.
Maintaining a platonic male/female relationship is a very fine line to walk. Especially if there is sexual tension. It was only a matter of time, right from the beginning, that deeper feelings would surface. I feel that only serves to make their relationship stronger. Right now they are both hurt, and confused, and Booth is trying to get over Brennan, and Brennan is trying to play the supportive best friend.
Underneath the hurt and pretending it's still there. I'm sure of that.

I think the trust that is missing has nothing to do with B&B and everything to do with Hart and the viewers. He seems to feel that trusting viewers with a full blown B&B romance would scupper the show. In his mind, we are children who if given what we want will quickly become bored and go off after something else to play with. Maybe he's right. Who knows? The fact is, we probably won't ever know.

As for B&B, I don't think trust has anything to do with it anymore. Brennan has returned from Maluku and despite all of the 'she regrets her decision' crap from the interviews, I haven't seen a shred of regret or self-discovery in the Brennan of the premiere. She's just as clueless and narcissistic as she was when she left. 'Are you angry with me?' she asks Cam, standing in the skank box Cam has been reduced to using, unable to understand why Cam might be angry.

Booth has hardened and built a wall around himself. Who could blame him? After shooting all those Afghanis in the first few minutes, life is now good with Hannah. Watching Booth fend off Brennan's pit bull attempts to get him to confide his Hannah feelings and listening to Booth say cruel things about Brennan that the earlier Booth would never have said, it just confirms my fears that the show has not only jumped the shark but has come around behind it and shot it in the tail.

For me, the premiere had zero chemistry between B&B and the promos for Thursday don't offer much hope there either. I'm going to be very interested what the ratings say Friday morning because the next two episodes, apart from Booth and Hannah frolicking and glistening, look pretty mediocre.