Bones is More than Clinical and Procedural

Published by Marcia
on February 6, 2008 in dramas.

There are rumors swirling that a tentative agreement has been reached and the strike is almost over, to which I say, “La la la I can’t hear you!” It’s not that I don’t want the strike to end, of course, but there have been so many rumors over the last few months that, until I hear official word from the WGA, I’m just going to pretend I’ve heard nothing. I’m not getting my hopes up for new episodes of Friday Night Lights and Gossip Girl until Nick Counter himself personally assures me that all has been forgiven and invites the picketing writers into a group hug.

I’ve been trying to use the strike time as productively as possible, though. This does not mean that I’ve been diligently working out or cleaning my house. Don’t be silly. It means, of course, that I have been catching up on missed shows on DVD.

After getting up to date with The Wire in time for season 5, I decided to branch out from my beloved serial dramas for a bit and try one of those shows that I never would have watched if not for its rather vocal fans: Bones.

Bones cast

Bones is, in fact, just the kind of show I tend to avoid. I’m not a big fan of the procedural, having seen, in my life, a combined three episodes of the Law & Order or CSI franchises. I don’t care whodunit or how or why. I have no interest whatsoever in the inner workings of a forensics lab and, having worked in law offices, even less interest in the details of legal briefs. I don’t care how you dress it up; ex parte documents will never be glamorous. Other than House, I have never watched a single procedural on a regular basis, and even that I watch purely for House himself. The patients could all die horribly each episode and I really wouldn’t care.

The procedural aspect wasn’t the only strike against Bones. It also stars David Boreanaz, and when the show premiered, I’d just come off eight years of watching him play a vampire with a soul. I liked him in Buffy and Angel, sure, but to tell you the truth, I was not convinced he could actually act. I blame the Oirish accent he used in the Angel flashbacks for that misconception.

If you do like procedurals and David Boreanaz, you’re probably already watching the show, but if not, here are a few more reasons to check it out. The characters are all three-dimensional, unique and believable, which is more than a lot of shows can claim (Torchwood, I’m looking at you). The female lead, played by Emily Deschanel, with her intimidating IQ, fierce independence and mad forensic skillz, is arguably the strongest female representation on television today. The interpersonal drama is certainly present, but the emphasis on the case-of-the-week A-plot allows those relationships to develop slowly and naturally, rather than being forced for the sake of a ratings stunt (ahem, Grey’s Anatomy). Most surprisingly, the scrïpts actually reflect that these characters are PhDs working in a top-level forensics lab. They speak and act like really smart people, and not just when discussing their work. It’s a show that respects its audience’s intelligence, a rare gift in the current glut of reality TV.

While the strike still sucks in at least ninety-eight different ways, I am glad it allowed me the time to find this program. It’s one I’ll keep watching, even after the writers return to work.

Any other Bones fans out there? And has the strike given you the chance to discover any new shows?