Another Hart Hanson bit from Banff...big info surprises

Zack was originally supposed to die to Gormogon, DB was originally supposed to be a part-timer, and much more.

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Hart Hanson, Executive Producer for Bones, gave an excellent talk at the Banff World Television Festival in Alberta last week: from how the show was created, to how David Boreanaz was cast (and his initial dislike for Emily Deschanel!), to spoilers for the next season. Not to mention what would have happened to Zack Addy had the full Season 3 aired without the strike interruption.

Hart Hanson, who has been a great supporter for our SearchingBones.com site, talks about the series of decisions that led him to Bones. After a number of unusual decisions in the industry, including quitting a series, Hart landed at FOX with a contract to produce 5 pilot scripts. Bones was the fifth pilot he wrote and pitched.

Hart Hanson was invited to meet with Barry Josephson, who had bought the rights to an A&E documentary on Kathy Reichs, author of the novels upon which Bones has been based. After turning down the meeting, he was intrigued by Barry’s career and proceeded with talks. That said, he couldn’t see himself doing a procedural drama like CSI.

"There were enough procedural things. CSI kind of rules the world. Why would you enter into that?"

They assured Hart that they wanted his way, the "soft" way. Hart Hanson is quite honest in saying he is a "soft" writer, vs. a procedural writer. He likes humor and characters, so to bring procedure into Bones (a mostly "soft" drama), Hart later hired writers from CSI, Law & Order and other shows.

Hart says that by the time he’d written the script, cast the pilot, and shot it, Bones was his child. There were a lot of battles in the first year to push the show towards CSI, but he discovered a great way to win those battles. By saying:

"Oh, you’re right, but I can’t do it. I’m not the guy… I just can’t do it. I understand that you need to make a change."

But they never did, to his surprise and our pleasure. Bones has survived three regime changes at FOX so far, but the success of the show continues to keep it around.

The casting of Bones was long, as with any pilot. The first person cast was Eric Millegan, then the other "squints" TJ Thyne and Michaela Conlin. The leading man and woman were not so easy. The mandate was for a younger woman, aged 25-35, and finding a great actress for the pilot was difficult.

The head of FOX at the time suggested David Boreanaz to Hart Hanson for the lead. Hart was ready to offer the job to David instantly.

"I thought he could be funny. I underestimated him. He can be very funny. I thought ‘This guy could be funny. He’s handsome. Handsome guys are funny.’"

So, Hart Hanson took a meeting with David Boreanaz that he describes as "disastrous." Hart now knows to never bring up Angel in discussion with David. Despite the meeting, David Boreanaz signed onto the cast and he could then read with actresses for the lead. Four days before shooting the pilot, still no female lead.

A friend of Barry Josephson’s had done the movie Glory Road with Emily Deschanel and had recommended her.

"And in came Emily, who is tall, has a deep voice. She has gravity. And she was young, she was 30 at the time. And so you could believe in her as a scientist, which was kind of tough with some of the actresses we saw… and it turned out that she could be funny. And she looks like Grace Kelly."

Hart says that a number of actors for each part had to be taken into the studio and into the network. The network casting stage is intimidating - nobody talks, says hi, or exchanges pleasantries. The actors had to come in and do their bit, then leave and be discussed. Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz read together for the network. And here Hart Hanson tells a story about the casting he’s not sure David wants him to tell.

"David had another actress he liked, that he thought should be the lead. David’s a very strong-willed man. So he… I wouldn’t say sabotage… he challenged Emily to rise to the occasion by advancing on her.

David’s about 6′1", and about 200 lbs of shoulders with pecs attached, and the ‘package’ and knees… very, very… he’s a guy… And he advanced on her in the network test. And Emily stepped into it. She stepped right toward him. And then they had one of the exchanges that we used in the pilot. And it was when even a thick-head like me went ‘whoa.’"

Emily Deschanel was originally slated to be a single lead in the show. In 13 out of the 24 episodes, David Boreanaz would be the cop, and Emily would have contact with other cops as well.

"But we had a thing which you don’t pass up, which is chemistry between the two leads. It’s impossible to find."

Luckily, David decided he’d work full-time on the series, something he hadn’t wanted to do. Perhaps because Emily stepped into his challenge. And this brings us to the Bones we have now, which rests heavily on the chemistry between David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel.

In the finale of Season 3, Bones fans were given a shock in finding out that our beloved Zack Addy (Eric Millegan) is Gormagon’s apprentice! However, it was not slated to be so. Originally, in the arc planned out prior to the season, Zack Addy was to be a victim of Gormagon. He was going to die! However, when the WGA interrupted the season, and Bones had to tie up the rest of the season in 2 episodes rather than 8, the arc couldn’t play out as it was structured. That, and Hart Hanson is a nice guy.

Thinking about what six episodes less of pay would mean to Eric, Hart Hanson decided to keep Zack Addy alive, and write him in as Gormagon’s apprentice. That way, Zack can make return appearances in Season 4 (confirmed!!). Hart is not sure how yet, but did mention visits to the mental hospital and perhaps some tragic gloves for poor Zack. Talking later to Hart, Eric Millegan had been texting him during the session to gauge the reaction of the audience to his leaving the show. The fan reaction to Zack Addy being Gormagon’s apprentice, and to leaving the show as a regular cast member, has been quite negative. That said, the finale episode was the highest watched episode in Bones history, and the official show site and forum received more traffic than at any time before.

Hart Hanson describes the London arc of Season 4 as something that originated in the writing room as an opportunity to get funding from FOX in the UK. While that didn’t fly, Hart did receive the green light to do shoot in London, which was a very exciting thing. The challenge was, however, to do a 2-part episode that would fit together seamlessly, but which could stand on its own individually.

"The challenge was to create a seamless episode which would have a big fat seam in it… oh wait, I just said semen. I was trying not to say that."

So, stay tuned to Season 4 and if you’re in London, you may see the production crew shooting for Bones for the next few weeks. According to Hart, we’ll see Booth initially hating a lot about London, but then through a lot of comedy, he’ll come to enjoy it.

Hart Hanson is currently writing another pilot for Fox called Promises and Lies based on the Myron Bolitar series of books by Harlan Coben.

interesting info... thanks Evi

Thanks for the post Evi! Definately interesting!

Evi wrote:[i]David’s about 6′1", and about 200 lbs of shoulders with pecs attached, and the ‘package’ and knees

I think I drooled juuuust a little reading that part.

which rests heavily on the chemistry between David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel.

...i know the chemistry is a big part of the show..which i still find a little worrying hen these two finally hook up..that will be the real challenge for the riters and DB and ED..i just hope they can pull it off..what am i saying..of course they can!

According to Hart, we’ll see Booth initially hating a lot about London, but then through a lot of comedy, he’ll come to enjoy it.

one thing i love about this show is it is different from the usual CSI type shows..and i love the balance between proceedual and characters and humour...i dont want it to turn into some cheesey comedy soap opera!..im a little scared!

I loved all the stuff about DB..not happy about emily..lol..I guess she blew him away!..lol..oh and

David’s about 6′1", and about 200 lbs of shoulders with pecs attached, and the ‘package’ and knees… very, very… he’s a guy…

oh my oh my..yes definaetly a drool worthy line...makes me think of all those well fitting jeans he wears...!!!!

oh intersting information

thanks evi

uh, he was mean to Emily... somehowfunny. Sometimes you think they are playing Booth and Bones in public, but then you read that Booth and Bones are more based on David and Emily... haha

Wow . . . that's shocking! So weird. I mean, the show was going to be totally different! Thanks for sharing!

haha, so he bullied her and she took the challenge.... LOL
Sounds like a TV match made in heaven
And Zack was going to die...don´t know what is the better choice....