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The Best Episodes of Bones

Every episode of Bones ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Bones!

Dr. Temperance Brennan and her colleagues at the Jeffersonian's Medico-Legal Lab assist Special Agent Seeley Booth with murder investigations when the remains are so badly decomposed, burned...
Genres:CrimeDrama
Network:FOX

Best Episodes Summary

"Aliens in a Spaceship" is the best rated episode of "Bones". It scored 9.2/10 based on 2432 votes. Directed by Craig Ross Jr. and written by Janet Tamaro, it aired on 11/15/2006. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "The Hole in the Heart".

  • Aliens in a Spaceship
    9.2/102,432 votes
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    #1 - Aliens in a Spaceship

    Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 11/15/2006

    The bodies of twin boys, kidnapped five years earlier, are discovered. The investigation lead Booth and Brennan to a notorious kidnapper known as the Grave Digger. During the investigation, Brennan and Hodgins become the Grave Digger's next victims.

    Director: Craig Ross Jr.

    Writer: Janet Tamaro

  • The Hole in the Heart
    9.1/101,899 votes
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    #2 - The Hole in the Heart

    Season 6 Episode 22 - Aired 5/12/2011

    Rogue sniper Jacob Broadsky returns once again, claiming another victim and making Booth determined to put him away once and for all.

    Director: Alex Chapple

    Writer: N/A

  • The Recluse in the Recliner
    8.9/101,104 votes
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    #3 - The Recluse in the Recliner

    Season 9 Episode 24 - Aired 5/19/2014

    The team investigates the death of a man who had offered Booth information on a possible government cover-up related to a previous case, but was killed before their meeting took place. As Booth and the Jeffersonian team dig deeper into the burgeoning conspiracy surrounding the man’s death, it’s evident Booth may be in over his head, and his future with the FBI is put in question.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Nightmare Within the Nightmare
    8.9/10884 votes
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    #4 - The Nightmare Within the Nightmare

    Season 11 Episode 22 - Aired 7/21/2016

    The team dives back into investigating a serial killer from the past, attempting to find “The Puppeteer,” who lives with his victims’ bodies before disposing of them. Meanwhile, Brennan works through her guilt over her retirement last year, blaming herself for not stopping the serial killer earlier. However, little does she know she might be in some trouble of her own.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Doctor in the Photo
    8.8/101,685 votes
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    #5 - The Doctor in the Photo

    Season 6 Episode 9 - Aired 12/9/2010

    Brennan gets a glimpse into her own life when the body of a brilliant and career-driven surgeon is found in a rough neighborhood with multiple fractures in her skull and no indication as to how or why she was there. While the team investigates the case objectively, Brennan struggles to separate her own life from the victim’s as she perceives many parallels between them the more she learns about the victim’s past. Meanwhile, evidence found at the crime scene brings the team closer to solving the case, but it’s Brennan’s unique perspective that propels her to retrace the final events of the victim’s life. With the reassurance of a new friend and Jeffersonian security guard, Micah Leggat, Brennan makes a discovery about herself and learns a lesson about taking chances.

    Director: Ian Toynton

    Writer: Carla Kettner

  • The Patriot in Purgatory
    8.8/101,865 votes
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    #6 - The Patriot in Purgatory

    Season 8 Episode 6 - Aired 11/12/2012

    Brennan's new fascination with basketball and legendary coach Phil Jackson's thoughts on teamwork prompts her to gather five of her best "squinterns" to analyze remains that have never been identified.

    Director: François Velle

    Writer: Stephen Nathan

  • The Parts in the Sum of the Whole
    8.7/101,610 votes
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    #7 - The Parts in the Sum of the Whole

    Season 5 Episode 16 - Aired 4/8/2010

    When Dr. Sweets' book gets published, both Booth and Brennan read it and tell him about the first time they met: 6 years ago. The episode will give a new perspective on Booth and Brennan's relationship, and will also give viewers the chance to see Zack Addy again, and Dr Saroyan as a New York Coroner.

    Director: David Boreanaz

    Writer: Hart Hanson

  • The Signs in the Silence
    8.7/101,401 votes
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    #8 - The Signs in the Silence

    Season 6 Episode 21 - Aired 5/5/2011

    When a 15-year-old Jane Doe is found on the streets, it is up to Brennan, Jeffersonian Intern Arastoo Vaziri and the entire Jeffersonian team to figure out her history and if she is responsible for a recent murder

    Director: Dwight H. Little

    Writer: Stephen Nathan, Janet Lin

  • The Past in the Present
    8.7/101,215 votes
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    #9 - The Past in the Present

    Season 7 Episode 13 - Aired 5/14/2012

    "Hacktivist" and suspected serial killer Christopher Pelant is back in court, but the team's efforts to pin another murder on him don't go as planned.

    Director: David Boreanaz

    Writer: Carla Kettner

  • The Man in the Fallout Shelter
    8.6/101,899 votes
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    #10 - The Man in the Fallout Shelter

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/13/2005

    Brennan and her team are brought in to identify the body of a man found in a fallout shelter. While cutting into the bones of the man, Zach accidentally releases a deadly fungus, causing the team to be quarantined over Christmas.

    Director: Greg Yaitanes

    Writer: Hart Hanson

  • The Woman in Limbo
    8.6/101,540 votes
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    #11 - The Woman in Limbo

    Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 5/17/2006

    Brennan receives some bones to identify, but is stunned when she discovers that the remains are those of her mother who disappeared when she was 15 years old. The determined date of her mother's death leaves Bones confused and angry.

    Director: Jesús Salvador Treviño

    Writer: Hart Hanson

  • The Hero in the Hold
    8.6/101,539 votes
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    #12 - The Hero in the Hold

    Season 4 Episode 14 - Aired 2/5/2009

    While trapped and trying to escape from a ship in the middle of the ocean, Booth is haunted by strange hallucinations.

    Director: Ian Toynton

    Writer: Karine Rosenthal, Janet Lin

  • Judas on a Pole
    8.5/101,471 votes
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    #13 - Judas on a Pole

    Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 12/13/2006

    Booth and Brennan are called to the scene where a man's body was found hung like a scarecrow, gutted, and burned on the roof of a building used by the FBI to hide witnesses.

    Director: David Duchovny

    Writer: Hart Hanson

  • The Man in the Cell
    8.5/101,374 votes
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    #14 - The Man in the Cell

    Season 2 Episode 12 - Aired 1/31/2007

    The notorious serial killer, Howard Epps, sets his prison cell on fire as part of a daring prison escape. Brennan is his target and her entire team is placed in danger.

    Director: Jesús Salvador Treviño

    Writer: Noah Hawley

  • The Wannabe in the Weeds
    8.5/101,398 votes
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    #15 - The Wannabe in the Weeds

    Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 5/12/2008

    A wannabe singer Tommy Sour was found on a grassy location. The investigation leads Brennan, Booth, and Cam to the Checker Box Restaurant where Tommy used to sing. There are several suspects who took part in the open mike contest there, with talent scouts in the audience. The group comes together with a startling revelation for Brennan.

    Director: Gordon Lonsdale

    Writer: Josh Berman

  • The Double Death of the Dearly Departed
    8.5/101,412 votes
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    #16 - The Double Death of the Dearly Departed

    Season 4 Episode 22 - Aired 4/20/2009

    When a Jeffersonian coworker dies of heart failure, the entire team goes to the wake where, upon viewing the body, Brennan realizes the death was no accident.

    Director: Milan Cheylov

    Writer: Craig Silverstein

  • The Proof in the Pudding
    8.5/101,260 votes
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    #17 - The Proof in the Pudding

    Season 5 Episode 12 - Aired 1/21/2010

    Mr. White and his team of government agents put the Jeffersonian Lab on lock down and demand that Brennan and her forensics team determine a cause of death for an unidentified, but highly classified set of remains. As the team gets to work, their findings lead them to suspect they are investigating one of the most famous presidential assassinations in history. Meanwhile, Booth's boss, Andrew Hacker, helps him break into the lab and determine the motive behind the mystery investigation, and a frustrated Cam worries that Michelle may be keeping a big secret from her.

    Director: Emile B. Levisetti

    Writer: Bob Harris

  • The Boy with the Answer
    8.5/101,154 votes
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    #18 - The Boy with the Answer

    Season 5 Episode 21 - Aired 5/13/2010

    The trial of The Gravedigger hits close to home for members of the team, and everyone at the Jeffersonian must work overtime to uncover the forensic evidence to elicit a conviction.

    Director: Dwight H. Little

    Writer: Stephen Nathan

  • The Change in the Game
    8.5/101,505 votes
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    #19 - The Change in the Game

    Season 6 Episode 23 - Aired 5/19/2011

    In the 6th season finale, the team investigates the disturbing, unidentifiable remains of a bowler that were found jammed in one of the bowling alley's automatic pinsetters. After hitting a dead end in the case, Booth and Brennan decide to go undercover and join a competitive bowling team in search of answers.

    Director: Ian Toynton

    Writer: Hart Hanson, Stephen Nathan

  • The Crack in the Code
    8.5/101,236 votes
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    #20 - The Crack in the Code

    Season 7 Episode 6 - Aired 1/12/2012

    A cryptic message penned in human blood is discovered at a national monument. As the Jeffersonian team embarks on a scavenger hunt to solve the case, they realize their tech-savvy suspect remains one step ahead of them. Meanwhile, Booth and Brennan search for the perfect home for their new family.

    Director: Ian Toynton

    Writer: Carla Kettner

  • The Future in the Past
    8.5/101,197 votes
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    #21 - The Future in the Past

    Season 8 Episode 1 - Aired 9/17/2012

    Having been accused of murder, Brennan is on the run from the FBI, with help from her father Max. Booth and the Jeffersonian team are convinced evil tech genius Christopher Pelant has manipulated key evidence in the case to pinpoint Brennan as the prime suspect. Then, an anonymous tip leads the team to the remains of a high school guidance counselor that may hold the key to proving Brennan's innocence.

    Director: Ian Toynton

    Writer: Hart Hanson, Stephen Nathan

  • The Corpse on the Canopy
    8.5/101,095 votes
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    #22 - The Corpse on the Canopy

    Season 8 Episode 12 - Aired 1/21/2013

    After Hodgins and Angela are drugged and wake up to a bloody corpse hanging in the canopy of their bed and flower petals around their son Michael's crib, they are forced to believe that Pelant is back for revenge against Hodgins. Although Hodgins wants to go after Pelant directly, Booth knows it's best to work within the system and not go against protocol. Meanwhile, as the Jeffersonian team investigates the corpse, they discover the victim was a Special Forces agent working for the world's biggest supplier of mercenaries, and Angela and Hodgins decide to start an investigation without the rest of the Jeffersonian team for the sake of their family.

    Director: Rob Hardy

    Writer: Jonathan Collier

  • The Woman in White
    8.5/101,143 votes
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    #23 - The Woman in White

    Season 9 Episode 6 - Aired 10/21/2013

    The Jeffersonian team investigates the murder of Nancy Handelman, whose body was discovered at the time of Brennan and Booth's wedding rehearsal. When the case becomes more serious than the team anticipated, Cam and Angela do everything in their power to keep the details of the investigation from Brennan in order to ensure that she will stay focused on her big day. Tensions run high when unfortunate events occur to stall the wedding temporarily, and Max comes to town with a suspicious duffle bag full of money.

    Director: Kevin Hooks

    Writer: Karine Rosenthal

  • The Conspiracy in the Corpse
    8.5/101,188 votes
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    #24 - The Conspiracy in the Corpse

    Season 10 Episode 1 - Aired 9/25/2014

    Brennan and the team attempt to absolve Booth and get him released from prison. The remains of a man who has been dead for over sixteen years prove to be significant.

    Director: Ian Toynton

    Writer: Stephen Nathan, Jonathan Collier

  • The Doom in the Boom
    8.5/10743 votes
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    #25 - The Doom in the Boom

    Season 11 Episode 10 - Aired 12/10/2015

    The team investigates a police officer's murder and decides what is important to their futures.

    Director: Michael Lange

    Writer: Keith Foglesong