Ah, my first police procedural of the year! It's Bones, and while the police procedural genre is not generally my cup of TV (I don't watch any of the CSIs, Law & Orders, or, now that I think about it, any crime shows at all outside of The Shield), I liked this first episode purely on the strength of the two main characters.
The lead actors. David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel, I couldn't help but notice, share a split-level title credit. You know, like Ted Danson and Shelley Long in Cheers, or Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams on Laverne & Shirley:
DAVID BOREANAZ
EMILY DESCHANEL
You don't see that a lot. It's one of those things I notice. Another symptom of too much TV.
Anyway, Boreanaz I liked just fine on Angel, and I like him just fine here, too. He's FBI agent Seeley (Seeley?) Booth, who finds that a case he's working requires the assistance of forensic anthropologist Temperance (Temperance??) Brennan, played by Deschanel. I don't recall ever seeing this Deschanel before, but I'm more than familiar with her sister, Zooey Deschanel, whom I love. Emily shares a similar beauty with Zooey, as well as her immediate easy charm. Her character is a bit of an oddball, focused on her work to the point of being completely inept at normal human interaction. Deschanel's performance still allows you to connect with her, making her personality flaws adorable and winning rather than off-putting and irritating, as they so easily could have been. I especially enjoyed her cluelessness when confronted with pop culture references. "We'll be Mulder and Scully," Boreanaz tells her, inviting her to be his partner. "I don't know what that means," she replies. The two of them make for a very cute screen team.
Bones (the title, by the way, comes from Boreanaz's nickname for Deschanel) is, according to the Fox website, "inspired by real-life forensic anthropologist and best-selling novelist Kathy Reichs." Which makes Temperance seem like Reichs' personal Mary Sue: she's not only a super anthropologist and a best-selling author, she's also a crime-solver for the FBI, an expert marksman with a pistol, and a formidable martial artist — plus, she can really rock a tank top, if you know what I mean. (I mean she's got big ol' boobs, frequently and lovingly framed by the camera.) It's a little much for one character. Deschanel's charms save it, though, even if at times they have to emerge in spite of the script.
Article comments
1 - Mitch
Ms. Reichs' books about Temperence Brennan are much better. Reichs is a forensic anthropologist based in North Carolina and Montreal. Her Brennan is a divorced woman with a college aged daughter, not the airhead portrayed on the show. I was very disappointed by the acting and writing. What could have been a good police procedural is a silly comedy/drama. I am mostly disappointed that Ms. Reichs allowed her name to be put on this. I will give it one more episode, but the preview of next week's show was not promising.
2 - Tom E.
For the most part I agree with this review of "Bones". I think David Boreanaz does a good job portraying a "retired sniper" (who was in fact little more than a government assassin) who actually cares (or does he). Emily Deschanel does an wonderful job as Temperance Brennan amazingly keeping a straight face no matter how ridiculous her character becomes. Let's face it, the shows puts all the blame for her personality on her parents disappearance, and yet they disappeared when she was 15. Why is it then she has no idea who Dr. Seuss is or know anything of the game of Clue. And to claim she didn't have much of a father, a lot of people don't see much of their father after 15, most of them on purpose! The writing is not just heavy handed, it shows no respect the the audience. In Episode 5 "A Boy in a Bush" we learn Temperance was in foster care until her "Grandfather" got her out. But, in Episode 22 "The Woman in Limbo" we are told her parents were using assumed names and in Episode 43 "Stargazer in a Puddle" she states her father told her she didn't have any grandparents. So, was it a "Sugar" Granddaddy they got her out of foster care? And, if you ever watch Episode 9 "The Man in the Fallout Shelter" you have to feel for that poor woman who was pregnant with a "half white child" for almost two years according to the dates given during the show. And these are only a few examples. But, I still think the combination of David and Emily is a winner. David is attractive to women while not being threatening to men. And Emily is a lot more talented than the show allows her to be. However, Episode 58 "The Pain in the Heart" is the last Episode I intend to ever see. The main characters in "Bones" consist of a man who at one time in his life thought it was okay to kill anyone the government told him too (just like the CIA agents who gassed NY subways just to find out what it would do because they were told to), a disconnected intellect, a good time girl who demonstrates it is okay to get drunk and spread your legs whenever and where ever and with whoever, a wealthy man without the courage to take a real position in life, and a young man who cares about family and friends and wants to do the right thing and be patriotic at the same time. And who is the one who is shown to be a murdering turncoat who betray his friends? The one with the good American values, of course. Subtle, yes, but definitely a deliberate message against American values, a totally anti-American message (not surprisingly Fox is foreign owned). Personally I would prefer my children to care about family and friends and their country instead of whoring and irresponsibility but in this episode of Bones good American values are shown to be the predecessor of Evil. So, that is why I will NOT be watching the show anymore even though I will certainly miss not seeing Emily as I really enjoy her, I just hope she gets into something else. Those of you who do not care about the U.S. could do me a favor by letting me know who advertises on the show so I can avoid them as well. Both sides of my family participated in the revolutionary war and every war for freedom this country has had ever since and I have served in my country's military and I will not disgrace my family by supporting people, networks or businesses who wish to destroy this country. (Please do not believe for a second this was accidental, these are professional writers who are supervised by people who are trained in altering public opinion).
3 - Whoa whoa whoa
WOW. just to defend the show a little... The writers are not putting all the "blame for her personality" on her parents disappearing. Emily Deschanel and the creator of the show have often said that Bones has at least mild asperger syndrome. that is how Deschanel plays her.
As to the claim that Zach is the killer because the show is trying to send an anti-american message... Zach was the killer because they were displaying the downfalls of the completely rational human being. the show had been setting Zach up to ultimately be a killer for that reason for soooo long. If they really wanted to send an Anti-american message then Booth (the man who has on numerous occasions touted how much he loves America) would have been the murderer. The basis of Zach's character was not about his patriotism, it was his completely rational approach to life. This show has throughout its four seasons continuously toyed with the back and forth of emotion and reason, Zach's betrayal was just another point in that debate.
4 - Justin
Um... i'm seeing a conspiracy theorist in that really long comment by Tom E... Okay, even if that hollogram thing is so cool thats its riddicculous, they had it in the show because they didnt want to have the whole flashback things that CSI and other crime shows have.