Bones follows the lives and careers of Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel), head of anthropology at the Smithsonian-inspired Jeffersonian Institute, and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) as they use forensic archeology and anthropology to solve crimes by examining—you guessed it—bones. The series, one of Fox’s longest-running procedural dramas, gained immense popularity in its early seasons. One of the biggest pitfalls of a TV series gaining popularity and running for several seasons is that it’s suddenly given the potential to overstay its welcome. The best series thrive on and embrace change, switching up their formulas to extend their longevity and reinventing themselves as they go. The best series are Cher, basically. Bones was no exception, and its first major twist was just what the series needed to pave the way for a solid 12-season run.
‘Bones’ First Big Twist Saved the Show
One of Bones’ greatest strengths was its memorable villains, providing Brennan and Booth with a wide variety of killers to bring to justice every week, but there was no villain so bone-chilling (we had to) as the Gorgomon. The cannibalistic serial killer and leader of a secret society of ritual cannibals first appeared in Season 3 to terrorize Washington, D.C., and committed some of the series’ most heinous crimes. So the third season finale revelation that Dr. Zack Addy (Eric Millegan), beloved and dedicated intern to Brennan, had been recruited as an apprentice by the Gorgomon sent shockwaves through the audiences.
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Zack’s departure left a spot open for a brand-new intern to assist Brennan, but instead of casting one actor to fill the role, Bones decided to introduce an “Intern of the Week” formula to the show. This small change suddenly gave the series a rotating cast of forensic anthropology graduate students to assist Brennan, with their own arcs and storylines to help drive the plot forward. Nicknamed “Squints” or “Squinterns”, these new recurring cast members gave the series’ writers a whole diversity of characters to play with: episodes would revolve around individual Squints to freshen up storylines, and the writers were even able to kill off interns as a source of added drama without having to commit to killing a member of the main cast.
A Fresh Cast Works for Shows Like ‘Bones’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
In terms of a consistent source of fresh content, Squints were a goldmine, and this clever decision by the Bones showrunners is what gave the series the legs. This is a tried and true method for television procedurals, which can become stale after too many seasons with the same cast. It could be argued that much of Grey’s Anatomy’s longevity is due to its often rotating cast, and what allowed it to survive after the exits of major players like Christina Yang (Sandra Oh) and Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey). Even Criminal Minds, which experienced its fair share of controversial casting changes (both intentional and otherwise), benefited story-wise from the many exits and entrances of its main cast. Parks and Recreation only hit its stride after adding Adam Scott and Rob Lowe into the mix, and a rotating cast is baked into Doctor Who‘s DNA.
Of course, results may vary, but a cast shuffle can often breathe new life into a TV series — especially long-running ones. It’s easy to give into the temptation of keeping beloved characters around as long as possible, but the greatest series and showrunners understand what is best for their stories, and that includes knowing when to say goodbye to characters. Though it can sometimes sting, Bones—like many successful shows—understood the importance of killing its darlings.
Bones is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
F.B.I. Special Agent Seeley Booth teams up with the Jeffersonian’s top anthropologist, Dr. Temperance Brennan, to investigate cases where all that’s left of the victims are their bones.
- Release Date
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September 13, 2005
- Cast
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Emily Deschanel
, T.J. Thyne
, Michaela Conlin
, John Francis Daley
, David Boreanaz
, Tamara Taylor - Rating
-
- Seasons
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12
- Network
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FOX
- Streaming Service(s)
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Hulu
, Dis - Showrunner
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Hart Hanson
