Bones (TV series)

Did You Know?

• In October 2010, Fox was developing a potential spin-off series based on The Locator books by Richard Greener, but production was delayed due to creative differences.
• In the Bones universe, Temperance Brennan writes mystery novels featuring a fictional forensic anthropologist named Kathy Reichs.

Cast and characters

Her lack of social skills provides much of the show's humor, often through her catchphrase "I don't know what that means. She and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth share a deep connection, beginning a relationship near the end of season six. In season seven they have a daughter, Christine, and they marry in season nine. Their son, Hank, is born in season eleven. She is also stepmother to Booth's son Parker. David Boreanaz plays Seeley Booth, an FBI agent who relies on his gut and cop instincts, in contrast to Brennan's evidence-based approach. A decorated U.S. Army Rangers veteran and former sniper, Booth gives Brennan the nickname "Bones. He has a son Parker from a previous relationship and a younger brother Jared in the U.S. Navy. He is purportedly related to John Wilkes Booth. The main cast also includes Michaela Conlin, T. J. Thyne, Eric Millegan, Jonathan Adams, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley, and John Boyd.

Production

The concept for Bones emerged in late 2004 when 20th Century Fox approached Hart Hanson with an idea for a forensics show. Executive producer Barry Josephson had purchased rights to produce a documentary on forensic anthropologist and author Kathy Reichs. Hanson, initially reluctant about police procedurals, signed on after an intensive meeting and wrote the pilot. The writers constantly involve Reichs in producing episode storylines. The main character is loosely based on Reichs, but producers named her Temperance Brennan after the protagonist in Reichs' novels; Reichs views the show as a prequel to her novels. To distinguish Bones from other procedural dramas, Hanson infused it with dark humor and character development. The "Angelatron," a holographic projector, replaced flashbacks and brought a unique visual style. David Boreanaz was the first actor cast. Studio head Dana Walden suggested him after Hanson found other auditioners to be "pretty boy waifs." Boreanaz initially was unenthusiastic after a difficult meeting with producers, but after they contacted him again he agreed to take the role.

Broadcast and release

Almost every episode title alliteratively alludes to how the victim is discovered or to the main plot device, such as "The Prisoner in the Pipe" and "The Blackout in the Blizzard." A 2016 New York Times study of the 50 TV shows with the most Facebook Likes found Bones most popular in areas scattered around the West Coast and less popular in places with large nonwhite populations. The series premiere attracted an average of 10.8 million viewers with 6.7% household share and 11% household rating, finishing first among the 18-to-49 demographic and in total viewers in its Tuesday 8:00 pm timeslot. New York described the show as "the best drama of the new network season." Following the third episode, Fox ordered a full season. The first season ranked 60th in viewership among prime-time shows and 53rd among the 18-to-49 demographic, with a seasonal average of 8.9 million viewers.

Other media

Two print books related to the series have been published. Buried Deep (also released as Bones Buried Deep), written by Max Allan Collins and published by Pocket Star on February 28, 2006, is based on the television characters rather than Kathy Reichs' novels. Bones: The Official Companion, written by Paul Ruditis and published by Titan Books on October 16, 2007, includes cast and crew interviews and episode guides. Fox used the internet to promote the show, including creating MySpace profiles for characters before the second-season episode "The Glowing Bones in the Old Stone House." During the third season, Fox posted bonus content on the official site, including short videos of Booth and Brennan waiting to see Dr. Sweets for couple's therapy. The eleventh season episode "The Resurrection in the Remains" contains a crossover with fellow Fox series Sleepy Hollow, concluding in Sleepy Hollow's third season episode "Dead Men Tell No Tales." In the third season of Lucifer, the character Lucifer binge-watches all 12 seasons of Bones; in the final season he plans to watch it with his future daughter, who mentions a spin-off called More Bones.