Fall Television Preview

Returning Shows

Deschanel likes them ‘Bones’

by Joshua Maloni

Last season was a bit of a train wreck for new shows. “Invasion,” “Surface,” “In Justice,” “Love Monkey,” "Threshold” – all gone, and that’s just to name a few of the better rookie programs.

Trying to crack into the public’s homes was no easy feat. It’s for that reason that Emily Deschanel is excited to be working on a second season of “Bones,” the critically acclaimed forensics serial she co-stars in with Buffalo-born actor David Boreanaz (“Angel”).

“It’s pretty incredible, you know, just to get a pilot, and then finish the pilot and get it picked up, and then have a full season and then get a second season. I mean, each time, it’s such an accomplishment to go further with the show that you’re doing, and it’s even better when you’re working with people you enjoy working with, and with smart writers, and working with characters who are interesting to play. (There’s) always a different challenge,” Deschanel said during a phone interview. “It’s pretty incredible in this day and age to go for a second season on a show. You know, I mean there’s lots of shows that go for years, but compared to all the shows that don’t go, that’s very unusual.”

While other crime lab-based shows focus on the evidence, “Bones” focuses more on relationships – namely those involving its title character, Deschanel’s Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan, a forensics anthropologist, FBI analyst and best-selling author based on real-life scientist/author Kathy Reichs. Last season ended with Brennan finding her mother’s killer, receiving an ominous phone message from her thought-to-be-lost father, and exploring her feelings – sort of – with Boreanaz’ FBI agent Seeley Booth.

“Yesterday, we screened the first episode for the crew. We have a lot of new crew this year, and some of them haven’t even seen the show before,” Deschanel explained. “There was somebody who was working on the show … and she watched the show and she said, ’I don’t like forensics shows, but I really enjoyed this show.’ She liked it because she thought it had heart and character and I think that’s true.

“There’s a lot of procedural shows out there that don’t have heart; they’re kind of cold …. It’s interesting to see how they solve a mystery or a crime and you figure it out with the science or the detective work that they do. But, you don’t know anything about the characters involved. I think that people crave that right now, in this age of television, and I think it’s unusual.”

“Bones” has been compared to “The X-Files” and “Moonlighting” in terms of its stars’ chemistry. Though smoldering looks between Brennan and Booth have grown, and fans are anticipating a romantic involvement this season, Deschanel isn’t keen on that prospect.

“You look at shows in the past like that … it’s just so much more interesting to see them kind of discovering that they like each other, you know, and interacting before anything happens. And then seeing some jealousy pop up if they’re involved with other people and just kind of growing as friends and you know learning about each other and growing and changing because they know one another,” she said. “I think, as an actor looking at this, or as a viewer, I think the minute you get them together – that’s a dangerous place to go. So, I don’t want that. But I think at the same time, as a viewer, if I can separate myself enough, I think I’m rooting, like other people are, for them to get together. You kind of see that they’re so similar in ways that they don’t even recognize, and yet different and kind of complement each other. You get a sense that they’re meant to be together – whether it’s being friends and partners or in a relationship. I think you root for that as you’re watch it. But I think, myself, I would be concerned if they got together.”