TV Review: ‘Bones’ Starts Seventh Season Predictably

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CHICAGO – The television series that is deep in its run could have shake-ups and a different direction for story arcs. Or like a comfortable slipper, stay the course that made it popular and hope the audience hangs on. “Bones,” starring Emily Deschanel, is staying the course in its seventh season on FOX.

HollywoodChicago.com Television Rating: 3.0/5.0
Television Rating: 3.0/5.0

And why not? The mystifying popularity of TV shows using forensic science in solving crimes doesn’t seem to be letting up. “Bones” was adapted through the books of real life forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, so has a bit more credibility on the subject, but it still exposes itself as nothing more than good looking actors pretending to be over-exuberant experts in unlikely crime scenarios.

Emily Deschanel is Temperance “Bones” Brennan, the forensic Sherlock Holmes at the FBI, and at the beginning of season seven is largely pregnant, courtesy of FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz). Not to worry, she is still on the job applying her expertise when a woman’s body is found at a paint ball encampment. Her team, which includes Booth and entomologist Jack Hodgins (T.J. Thyne), starts to dissect both the body and the crime.

Crime Lab Romance: David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel in ‘Bones’
Crime Lab Romance: David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel in ‘Bones’
Photo credit: FOX Broadcasting

The steely-eyed Director of Forensics is Dr. Camille Saroyan (Tamara Taylor), whose efficiencies and jealousy of Bones effects the whole staff. She’s pushing for a solution to the crime, which centers on the victim’s amnesia, her treatment at a mental facility and a mysterious fellow patient who can only talk while playing the violin. In the meantime Bones is consulting with her best friend and colleague Angela (Micheala Conlin) about moving in with Booth, and the FBI psychologist Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley) continues his dissection of the Bones/Booth relationship while working on the murder case as well.

It obvious this series is reliant on the cult of personality. The collective TV family and audience chuckles along with Bones as she injects her Vulcan-like perspective into forensics and her pregnancy, but it does come off a little cold. Emily Deschanel – and yes, her sister Zooey is on another FOX show, “New Girl” – doesn’t stretch the character at all, and with all that crime solving the show does leave little time for the big questions of the relationship. No wonder that shrink colleague is interested.

The supporting cast comes alive straight out of their good-looking actor’s head shots. Tamara Taylor as Dr. Saroyan is most absurd of the lot. Not only does she display a $500 salon haircut, but wears a dress to work that would be right at home on “Project Runway.” If the Treasury Department wants to limit government spending, I suggest they start by looking into the salaries of forensic lab directors.

On the Case: T.J. Thyne at the Scene in ‘Bones’
On the Case: T.J. Thyne at the Scene in ‘Bones’
Photo credit: FOX Broadcasting

And also it is established that Bones is a best-selling author, even suggesting to her baby daddy that they can afford a $3 million dollar house. So let’s get this straight, an FBI guy is risking his life and doing hours of investigative work while his still-working, pregnant wife is pulling down enough kale as a writer to subsidize a multi-million dollar domicile? Haven’t they heard of the American Dream? I guess they don’t know what that means.

The audience that is comfortable with Bones, the character and the series, will no doubt continue to follow her exploits. Maybe to shake up the format, Zooey Deschanel will cross purpose and guest star as her Jess character from “New Girl,” and the team will have to figure out why she is so gosh-darned fabulous.

”Bones” has its seventh season premiere on Thursday, November 3rd on FOX at 9pm/8 CT. Check local listings for channel location. Featuring Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Micheala Conlin, T.J. Thyne, John Francis Daley and Tamara Taylor. Created by Hart Hanson.

HollywoodChicago.com senior staff writer Patrick McDonald

By PATRICK McDONALD
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

© 2011 Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

Anonymous's picture

You obviously don’t

You obviously don’t understand much of the characters to write such an article.

Jen's picture

You clearly need to watch

You clearly need to watch earlier seasons of Bones in order to write a more reasoned and informed article on the premiere (aside from the mistake of not knowing that Zooey Deschanel already guested on Season Five as Brennan’s cousin and that Booth and Brennan are, in fact, not married) because it’s glaringly obvious that you have only a cursory knowledge of the show and it’s characters. Perhaps next time, a reviewer who has seen more than one episode would be more appropriate.

Anonymous's picture

You do not understand the

You do not understand the characters, and I even wonder how much you know of the show after reading your comment.
Temperance Brennan, “the forensic Sherlock Holmes at the FBI”? She works at the Jeffersonian Institute! She is a consultant for the FBI.
And the show is not based on Kathy Reichs’ books, but inspired by her life.

Anonymous's picture

Broad and False

Is this your first critique? Thanks for the moment-by-moment break down, ignoramus! You were likely the type who started your high school essays with, “I am going to tell you…”

As many of the comments before me have already stated, you are simply off base with most of your “analysis” of the actual series. I think we can all agree that television uses people who are far too beautiful for their respective positions (probabilistically speaking). But isn’t that the point of TV? Isn’t that what TV is based on? The list of shows that use believable, normal characters is incredibly short. So how about we focus on making a comment worth a dime.

Back to your actual thoughts on the show though- perhaps you should watch it a little more frequently. I would say more than that, but there is no need to. Other people have already pointed out your errors (as incredibly numerous as they were).

Maybe put a little more time into the next critique, chap!

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