Normally, I like the TV show "Bones," a forensic anthropology show with David Boreanez actually acting instead of just standing around and moping.

I like the subject matter a lot, I like the characters, the writing is pretty sharp, and it's an interesting show.

Yesterday's episode, though, I didn't like as much.

See, there's this kid who was home schooled. And he was a loser, big time. He spent all of his time in his oddly clean, oddly huge, bedroom reading comic books and collecting toys. According to his parents, he had no friends at all, and just lived in a fantasy world, and this totally didn't bother them or make them thing of maybe getting him some psychological help. He was found dead, dressed in a super hero outfit. It turns out that he hung out with a bunch of other social rejects who like to dress up in super hero outfits and listen to crappy music really really loudly in the attic of their local comic book shop.

The main character, Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan, and Boreanz's character (whose name I totally forget, God help me), bust their way up into their private meeting, without identifying themselves as being from the FBI. When the youth in costumes object to their presence, Boreanez's character points out that OMG there's a woman with him!!! And they never see women!!! So they should pay attention and mind their manners zomg wtf lolz!!! Despite the fact that there was a woman right fucking there with them. The hell?

It's quickly settled that among the main characters in the show, none of them read omg comic books except for Boreanez, who only reads superman and objects to being called a nerd, because all red blooded American males apparently both read Superman and know what individual old issues are worth. The little nerdly guy with the super high IQ, despite being huge into Sci Fi, has never read comics. So he reads some, and stresses how "comic books and graphic novels" are basicly just retelling old hero myths. Which is like saying that both short stories and books are something or other.

The whole show left me with a really bad taste in my mouth. It felt like an attack on anyone who reads comic books... or if not an out and out attack, then a continuation that people who read comics aren't really humans and therefore it's ok to make fun of them because they're just a bunch of little nerds who can't hack the real world. The victim's parents were so uninvolved in his life that it felt almost abusive, but nobody called them on it or questioned their behavior towards him. It just felt... wrong. Off key.

Eh. Maybe I'm over sensitive. But the writing just felt lazy, like nobody could be bothered to do any research into comics culture behind 50 year old stereotypes. Even the art of the victim's comic was dated-- printed on glossy paper (did they use Lulu or something to self-publish?) and very mid-90s.