In the fifth-season premiere, work resumes for Brennan, who's back from a dig in Guatemala, and Booth, anxious to return to duty six weeks after his brain surgery, when Angela's psychic (Cyndi Lauper) suggests there are bodies buried under a fountain in Washington, D.C.
The murder of a secret agent spawns a spook-filled investigation that may lead Brennan and Booth to the top of the CIA. Meanwhile, the Jeffersonian team is in danger of losing an intern to a lack of funding, and the success of Brennan's latest book irks Booth.
When the remains of an Amish youth are discovered near railroad tracks, Brennan and Booth suspect foul play after they learn the young man had been a piano prodigy but disappeared a short time before his Rumspringa, or exploration of the modern world. Meanwhile, Booth helps Cam keep an eye on her stepdaughter.
The discovery of human remains at a neighborhood block party tasks Brennan, Booth and Sweets with sifting through hidden scandals and petty agendas in their search for a suspect. Meanwhile, Parker tries to find a mate for his dad, and Jeffersonian intern Arastoo reveals key facts about his background.
The discovery of an Egyptian mummy missing from an exhibition precedes the murder of the Jeffersonian curator in charge; Brennan goes on a date with Booth's boss; Sweets' girlfriend (Carla Gallo) returns to the lab.
When the remains of an heir to a controversial chicken farm turn up on a riverbank, a murder suspect may be found in the deceased's long list of enemies, including animal-rights activists and disgruntled neighbors.
The team investigates the death of a little person who was one of a wrestling league's well-known characters; Booth finds his marksmanship isn't up to his pre-brain-surgery standards when he's up for recertification.
When Booth's grandfather (Ralph Waite) moves out of a nursing home and in with his grandson, he promptly gets involved in Booth's personal life and an investigation of charred remains found by a real-estate agent.
Brennan and Booth investigate the death of a competitive gamer whose success and business partnerships earned him plenty of admirers---but also lots of enemies. Meanwhile, Hodgins, Sweets and intern Colin Fisher camp out for movie tickets ahead of its premiere.
Brennan and Booth investigate the motive of a failed bank robbery that ended with a man dressed as Santa Claus blowing himself up. Meanwhile, Brennan's father tries to persuade her to spend the holidays with him and a distant relative (Zooey Deschanel) rather than return to Central America.