What Separated Bones From NCIS & Other Procedurals, According To David Boreanaz
Though prestige television has dominated the critical discourse since "The Sopranos" premiered on HBO in 1999, the majority of American viewers far prefer episodic network television. They love sitcoms, and they're always down for a juicy nighttime soap, but, judging from the Nielsen ratings over the past 20 years or so, what they really want are procedurals. Whether they're set in police stations, courtrooms, hospitals, or military bases, the average television consumer just wants to unwind from a long day of work and watch law enforcement officials solve a crime in an hour's time (with commercials). The formula is familiar and the cast begins to feel like family.
You know what you're going to get, and you know you're not going to have to think too hard while you get it. And while I'd love for more people to try on something a tad more dense and challenging like "The Wire," "Mad Men" or "Mindhunter," you have to accept that a lot of folks simply have different priorities in life.
It's also important to realize these formula procedurals are not uniform in their goals. Some like to hook their audience with peculiar forensic details or strange motives, while others foreground the characters' quirks and quippy banter. According to David Boreanaz, the latter quality is what makes "Bones" special.
A procedural for people who actually like people
In an interview with Smoke Magazine (the sworn publication enemy of Cigar Aficionado), Boreanaz revealed that he loves to puff on a cedar-wrapped Arturo Fuente while golfing with friends, and that "Bones" stands out from a show like "NCIS" because they're not solely interested in blood and DNA.
According to Boreanaz:
"I actually don't even like 'Bones' when it goes in those directions, so I'm always spinning it in the character's head—spinning it to what makes this character tick and make the character come out in the forefront rather than the B-story of the crime and the DNA. Even if we were in the lab or dissecting the DNA and the blood, I have to find ways to have Booth and Bones connect mentally, spiritually, hilariously. That's what's intriguing for the audience: to have a relationship with the characters, rather than the DNA."
Considering that "Bones" ran for 12 seasons on Fox, it's clear there were loads of people who dug Boreanaz's chemistry with co-star Emily Deschanel, and stuck with the series even after their "will-they-or-won't-they" tension segued into a happily married partnership (with two kids). It's nice to see nice people catch killers once a week and somehow maintain a healthy family life.
It's worth noting that "Bones," which concluded its run in 2017, was never a ratings juggernaut like "NCIS" (which topped "Sunday Night Football" on occasion). That said, the series' syndication and streaming popularity suggests its audience has grown exponentially over the last seven years. Perhaps a reboot is in the offing!