Bones Episodes
Bones is an American drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is a forensics and police procedural in which each episode focuses on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth to the forensic anthropology team of Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan. Emily Deschanel stars in the title role, opposite David Boreanaz as Agent Booth. The rest of the cast includes Michaela Conlin, T. J. Thyne, Tamara Taylor and John Francis Daley.
The series, created by Hart Hanson, is very loosely based on the works of real-life forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, who is herself a producer on the show. Its title character, Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan is named after the protagonist of Reichs' crime novel series.
Origins
The concept was developed during the latter part of the pitching season of 2004 when 20th Century Fox approached series creator Hart Hanson with an idea of a forensics show. Hanson was asked to meet with executive producer Barry Josephson, who had purchased the rights to produce a documentary on the forensic anthropologist and author Kathy Reichs. Although Hanson was reluctant about being involved in making a police procedural, he signed on and wrote the pilot episode after having an intensive meeting with Josephson about the show. As the show is based on the works of Reichs, the writers constantly involve her in the process of producing the episodes' storylines.
In order to make the show a unique crime drama in the midst of the multiple procedural dramas that already populated network television like the Law & Order and CSI franchises, Hanson decided to infuse the show with very dark humor and character development as much as possible. Another element conceived for the show was the "Angelator", a holographic projector whose use is to replace flashbacks that are often used by other procedural shows. In addition to their expositional purposes, the holographic images, which are created by visual effects, brought a unique visual style to the show that the producers were looking for.
Casting
David Boreanaz was the first actor to be cast in the show. Series creator Hart Hanson described the actors who had auditioned for the role of Seeley Booth as "pretty boy waifs" and immediately responded when the head of the studio, Dana Walden, suggested Boreanaz for the role. Boreanaz was offered the role but was unenthusiastic about getting involved after a difficult meeting with executive producers Barry Josephson and Hart Hanson, even though he thought the script was well written. However, after the producers contacted him again to convince him to accept the role, Boreanaz agreed to sign on and was cast as Seeley Booth.
Emily Deschanel auditioned for the role of Temperance Brennan close to the production start date of the series pilot, during which time another actress was nearly cast in the role. After the filming of Glory Road was completed, producer Jerry Bruckheimer told Deschanel about the role and sent her to Bones' executive producer Barry Josephson to audition for it. Deschanel impressed Hanson at her audition, where she showed the character's assertiveness by stepping forward towards Boreanaz after he moved towards her, to which Hanson remarked that "90% of actors would take a step back". She was subsequently cast in the role.
In Season 4, Zack Addy has been replaced by a succession of lab assistants, who only last one episode, for one reason or another. One — Michael Badalucco, formerly of The Practice — is much older than the typical grad student. On October 20, 2008, TV Guide reported that Marisa Coughlin will guest-star in a midseason episode as FBI agent Payton Perotta.
Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan (portrayed by Emily Deschanel) is a forensic anthropologist working at the renowned Jeffersonian Institution in Washington, D.C., as well as a best-selling crime novelist. Her intellectual brilliance enables her to do groundbreaking work, but her lack of social skills provides most of the show's lighthearted humor.
Brennan aids F.B.I. Special Agent Seeley Booth (portrayed by David Boreanaz) in his investigations involving human remains that cannot be identified without her skills in forensic anthropology. In contrast to the other main characters, Booth has limited knowledge of science and is often used to provide a layman's translation of the scientific jargon-filled dialogue.
Brennan is helped by her colleagues at the Jeffersonian Institution: Angela Montenegro (portrayed by Michaela Conlin), Dr. Jack Hodgins (portrayed by T. J. Thyne) and, until the end of Season Three, Dr. Zack Addy (portrayed by Eric Millegan). While she specializes in forensic facial reconstruction, Angela is also Brennan's best friend and has a contrasting personality to Brennan's social awkwardness. Hodgins is an entomologist and an expert on spores and minerals, and is also fascinated by conspiracy theories. His skills allow the team to approximate the time, and often the location (e.g., if the remains were moved post mortem), of death of the victims. At the beginning of the series, Zack was Brennan's graduate student and assistant at the Jeffersonian. In the second season, after he received his doctorate in forensic anthropology, he was hired as a forensic anthropologist. His character is similar to Brennan in that he finds it difficult to relate to an average person.
All of the above five characters have appeared in every episode through the end of season 3, when it was revealed that Zack aided a cannibalistic serial killer. The two other main characters of the series include Dr. Daniel Goodman (portrayed by Jonathan Adams) and Dr. Camille "Cam" Saroyan (portrayed by Tamara Taylor). Dr. Goodman is the director of the Jeffersonian Institution and a former archaeologist. He appeared in the first season but not in the next two. Cam was introduced in the second season to replace the character of Goodman as Brennan's superior. As a pathologist, her working style clashes with Brennan's and the two often have disagreements. The tension between them stems from Cam's authoritativeness and a previous relationship she had with Booth. As the series progresses, Cam and Brennan become more respectful of each other.
In addition, Dr. Lance Sweets (portrayed by John Francis Daley) was added to the cast to both provide a bit of comic relief and to assist Booth and Brennan with their cases. Dr. Sweets, simply called Sweets by the main cast, is a 23-year old psychologist who assists Booth and Brennan by providing a psycho-analysis for suspects and victims alike.
Recurring characters
There are several characters who have had recurring appearances in the series. Howard Epps (portrayed by Heath Freeman) is one of three murderers in the series so far who have made recurring appearances (the others being Max Keenan and the Gormogon). Introduced as a death-row prisoner in the first season episode "A Man on Death Row", Epps used Brennan and Booth to delay his death sentence and eventually escaped prison. He was proved to be a serial-killer whose initial targets were blonde teenage girls before he targeted Brennan. He later fell off a balcony to his death following a confrontation with Brennan and Booth.
Recurring in the first season only, Sam Cullen (portrayed by John M. Jackson) is a Deputy Director of the FBI and consequently, Booth's boss. He does his best to keep Agent Booth on track and frequently disapproves of Dr. Brennan's involvement in FBI field investigations.
Caroline Julian (portrayed by Patricia Belcher) is a prosecutor and works in the U.S. Attorney's office. Although she has a very demanding and bossy attitude, Caroline frequently offers help to Booth and Brennan in their cases. She has appeared numerous times to have Booth and Brennan in court and to help solve their cases.
In terms of family, Brennan's brother Russ (Loren Dean) and father Max (Ryan O'Neal) have appeared in multiple episodes. Booth's brother Jared (Brendan Fehr) is expected to appear in multiple episodes in the upcoming 2008/9 season.
In the second season episode "The Girl in the Gator", when Booth is sent to get a psychological evaluation after he shoots an ice cream truck, he meets his psychiatrist, Dr. Gordon Wyatt (portrayed by Stephen Fry). The character, Dr. Wyatt, provides comic relief to the show through his interactions with Booth and Brennan. FBI Special Agent Tim "Sully" Sullivan (portrayed by Eddie McClintock) was introduced as Dr. Brennan's love interest during Booth's absence and worked on a case with her. Over the next three episodes, he develops a serious relationship with Brennan but later decides to leave for the Caribbean.
The Gormogon, a cannibalistic serial killer, is a recurring character in season 3, but is only physically shown once, during the season finale.
Bones Season 1 WATCH IT NOW
Bones Season 2 WATCH IT NOW
Bones Season 3 WATCH IT NOW
Bones Season 4 WATCH IT NOW
Bones Season 5 WATCH IT NOW
