I have noticed that Bones is obsessed with punk, emo and metal kids. Not sure why this is the case, but quiet often someone with heavy eyeliner is involved. This week a skeleton is found being used as a prop for a Norwegian metal band. It allows the cast to make all sorts of references to metal bands and underground music. Its all a bit shallow, but its saved by two very important elements.

First off, Bones snagged a great guest star. English actor and legendary comic Stephen Fry returns as Dr. Gordon Wyatt. He’s a fantastic addition to any show. In theory, he’s there to clear Booth for duty after some anger issues emerged. In truth, he’s crucial to the understanding of the psychology of the case and in giving some backstory about Dr Sweets.

Sweets is probably the most maligned character on the show. Bones and Booth constantly pick on him and his profession. This week though, Sweets gets to shine. Its revealed that Sweets himself was a metalhead. We also discover that he was an abused child who has recently lost his loving adoptive family. Sweets is revealed as something more than the affable cherubic doofus. Its a welcome change. I think revealing this will help him settle even more as a regular cast member.

As usual, the actual crime investigation is secondary. The investigation weaves a path through an underground metal scene so obnoxious that its laughable. Everyone of the metalheads want credit for the murder and tries to one up the other by being more glib and horrific about it. It all makes for many eye rolling moments until the killer is revealed to be a singing in a bad in the victim’s band who felt by the victim’s decision to “sell out”.

The episode is excellent but is only made so by the addition of Fry and the surprisingly textured performance of Sweets. If Bones can find a way to tone down the camp just a touch, it might be a better show. Let’s hope we get more episodes like this one.