slow play

The nice thing about House's finale last night was that it felt like it had been planned since the beginning, since Amber's first foray into Princeton-Plainsboro, and yet, did it anyone see it coming? The character's arc has been so perfect, and the story so well-played out, despite the strike, that I was really impressed, and I can't wait to see how the dynamic changes between House (presumably, his coma won't have long-lasting ill effects) and the distraught Wilson, his only friend. Everyone questioned the whole idea of shaking up the show's cast, but I think it's been great. Granted, House's current team aren't particularly interesting (Thirteen's got Huntington's... and I could care less), but I feel like it's definitely kept its energy up.

Bones, on the other hand, feels like it definitely got hurt by the strike. There were definitely strengths to last night's season finale. You didn't really think there was any chance of it being Zach until the moment Cam says she's certain it's Sweets. As soon as she was sure, it obviously couldn't be him. But that Zach killed a man because, theoretically, secret societies hurt humanity and killing members of the society would improve the human situation at large? Come on. He never would have brought all that drama into his lab, first of all, since he clearly cares about his team. Which is where I blame the strike. Had they had a few more episodes, they might have been able to build a case for Zach's behavior by exploring some trauma in Iraq, or possibly base it on the need for soldiers to take orders and subsume their intellects to the commands of leaders with vaguely honorable causes. But we were never given any reason to suspect weakness in Zach or the potential to be easily manipulated. Honestly, I think Angela as the assistant would have been amazing. All the weepy femininity as an act? Or even, play up her frailty as the reason she was so easily manipulated.
If Zach for some reason were assisting Gormogon to protect his team, I could have bought that, as well.
Also, that this serial cannibal killer was messing with the Jeffersonian is additionally confusing if "he was no one." Anyhow, that arc just seems to have been messed up by the strike.
The brief fake out of Booth's death was also kind of stupid. I think a whole episode would have had more value. What did Brennan do for the two weeks she thought he was dead? And why did none of the guests at the funeral seem THAT surprised?

I was so happy with The Big Bang Theory finale. Could Penny and Leonard actually have a relationship? There's a lot more and better comedy in them trying it out than just in Leonard mooning and Penny rejecting him.
HIMYM, well, let's see what happens next year. The Barney-Robin idea has merit, and as long as Spears and those stupid red boots never return, I'll be happy.