Fans of Bones and of the book series FOX’s drama is loosely based upon will want to circle May 6 on the calendar, because next week’s episode was written by none other than Kathy Reichs. Reichs created the character of Temperance Brennan for her ongoing popular mystery series about a forensic anthropologist and she is also currently a producer on Bones, the show inspired by her novels. “The Witch In The Wardrobe” is her first foray into writing for the show and she spoke to the press about the challenge of writing for such a different medium.
Like Temperance Brennan in her novels, Reichs is a forensic anthropologist, dividing her time between Charlotte, North Carolina and Montreal, Quebec. She’s written twelve Temperance books to date, with a thirteenth (Spider Bones) coming out in August. Asked to compare novel writing and TV writing, Reichs said they were very different experiences, noting:
For one thing, when I write a novel, I do it alone. I give my idea to my editors and they say that’s splendid and then I go ahead and I write the book and I send it to them. That’s not how writing a TV episode works. First you have to have your idea approved by the executive producers, your network, the studio, etc. Then when that happens you write a very lengthy outline, which I don’t usually do for my novels. When that’s approved up all the hierarchical levels, then you go and you break the story, and it’s a collective experience. You do it with the other writers, which is very different for me.
![Kathy Reichs [Photo: Zuma Press] source: http://www.searchingbones.com/2009/05/26/kathy-reichs-will-help-fight-osteoporosis/](http://static-l3.blogcritics.org/10/05/01/133937/kathy-reichs2.jpg "Kathy Reichs [Photo: Zuma Press] source: http://www.searchingbones.com/2009/05/26/kathy-reichs-will-help-fight-osteoporosis/")
Despite the difference, the author loved the collaborative process, particularly working in the writers’ room and bouncing ideas off the other writers. Although she was a bit shocked at how many changes are made to the script on the way to production, Reichs said she would jump at the chance to write another, noting, “I really did have a good time. I learned a lot, because it was the first one I had done. I figure I shouldn’t waste all that newly acquired skill and maybe I should try my hand at a second one, if they let me do it.”
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Article comments
1 - Annie Deen
Kathy I am not sure if you read these or if you have someone else reads these posts. You are a great writer, but just a few things I know that everyone believes however they wish as long as nobody is hurting themselves or anyone else. You had a show on that I watched tonight that had to deal with Witches. Being the fact that I do study that way of life I would like to point out that not all witches are wiccans nor are all wiccans witches. Wiccan is just another path an individual Pagan or Christian or Anything else may take. It is part of life and also all the books I have studied and classes I have taken the Pentagram is the symbolism of Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. There is no such thing as a White Witch or Black Witch there is Gray witchcraft because it is of balance. I wanted to let you know this because some may be offended;however I am not it is all in the perception of the viewer. [personal contact information deleted] Thank you for your time.
2 - Heidi
As a practicing neo-Pagan (for 25 years) who is knowledgeable about numerous denominations, including Wicca, I was extremely disappointed in "The Witch in the Wardrobe." TV shows frequently present a flawed and biased view of Pagan religions and their followers, but being a fan of "Bones" I had really hoped this episode would showcase the followers of these religions as the average, intelligent, thoughtful people with families, jobs, and typical hobbies we are, and who, in most cases, live our lives in a more ethical manner than many other people do. Instead, I found the episode to be one of the worst examples of misrepresentation of a Pagan spiritual path I have ever seen. There were historical and spiritual inaccuracies galore, along with a general air of disrespect and immaturity towards anyone who practices Wicca. The few minor (and still skewed) complimentary comments about Wicca were not enough to overcome the weight of ridicule and misinformation they accompanied. And the notion that these views belonged only to the show's characters doesn't wash. Had such an attitude been taken towards another religion, say Judaism, I think there would have been an appropriate hew and cry *before* the episode ever made it to film, let alone the airwaves. During too long a period in history Jews were seen as the embodiment of evil, keen to use others for their own gain, poison the town well, or even sacrifice infants and drink their blood. Anti-semitism still exists, but at least the factual practices of Judaism are likely to be correctly portrayed these days. Not so with Wicca and other neo-Pagan paths. We who follow them are tired of being portrayed as loonies at best and demonic minions at worst. We are tired of having our beliefs and practices misrepresented and treated as a joke. And we are especially tired of it happening on shows we otherwise enjoy. Being slapped in the face by one of my (previously) favorite shows was beyond the pale. Ms. Reichs, you, the cast, the crew, and everyone else involved with "Bones," owes the neo-Pagan community an apology.