One of the Best Parts of the Bones Finale Wasn't Part of the Script (2024)

Despite ending in 2017, Bones retains a devoted following. The unique police procedural breathed new life into an otherwise formulaic genre by focusing on the behind-the-scenes workers. Across its twelve seasons and nearly 250 episodes, Bones showcased in-depth knowledge of forensics and science. Although that shouldn’t be surprising; it was loosely based on the life of an actual forensics expert, Kathy Reichs.

While many other procedurals see core cast members come and go, Bones was unshakably faithful. Forensic anthropologist Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) were the stars until the end. Their relationship blossomed with the series and ultimately became the show’s guiding light.

What Made Bones So Popular?

• As of 2023, Emily Deschanel and various Bones cast members have launched Bonesheads, a podcast dedicated to the show.
• Bones was one of many television shows impacted by the 2007–2008 Writer’s Guild strike, which shortened the show’s third season.
• Throughout the series, Bones’ episode titles usually alluded to how the episode’s unfortunate victim was found.

Bones set itself apart by focusing on its cast. It eschewed the more traditional “mindless crime of the day” format that pervades so many police procedurals. Where other shows focused solely on the professional lives of investigators, Bones strived to present every character as a complete individual.

For many, Bones became a comfort show or guilty pleasure. Its quality varied, as all procedurals often do, but its core identity never faded. Once it established itself, Bones understood its place. It never tried to be an Emmy-worthy blockbuster. Instead, it was content to exist as a modest weekly cable diversion. Even its most outlandish cases had a kernel of truth, and the show often leaned into its less serious side.

Notably, Bones’ lightheartedness seems to clash with modern procedurals. The grizzled action of modern cop thrillers rarely gives more than a few breaths of laughter. Guts, gore, and violence tend to dominate television rankings, while less intense titles are overlooked. Bones dared to be different. Though it never strayed into outright comedy, its writing often embraced the genre’s campier elements. More importantly, Bones let its characters experience slow, organic growth. It wholeheartedly trusted its cast and gave each actor the freedom to breathe immense life and energy into their role.

So, perhaps the outcome was inevitable. Retaining the same core cast for twelve years certainly gave the writers plenty of chances to explore everyone’s personal lives. They rarely tackled the common constraints of seasonal deadlines or truncated contracts. Bones’ central dynamic duo became its backbone, and — predictably — the dynamic between Bones and Booth eventually veered down lover’s lane. Coworkers-turned-romantic-partners is nothing new, after all; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’s dynamic duo of Benson and Stabler is just one example of the trope. However, the ease with which these investigative masterminds bonded is a marked rarity in modern television.

The show’s stability also attracted a loyal following. Some were drawn to the morbid intricacies of understanding death. Others loved the show’s investigative side. And, of course, many were massive fans of Brennan and Booth’s romance. As with most popular romances, there were many names for the duo. “BoneBooth” was a classic, but it was also affectionately known as “B&B.” So, when the show met its eventual conclusion, the writers could not overlook this dynamic.

Seeley and Temperance in the Bones Finale

• Bones’ headquarters, the “Jeffersonian Institute,” uses exterior footage of the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum.
• The series was renewed for a final time on February 25, 2016.
• The last spoken line of Bones was fittingly said by Temperance.

Like the series’ pilot, the Bones finale centered around the main duo’s identity. Following a bomb blast, Bones suffers a potentially life-altering concussion. Stripped of her forensic brilliance, she spends most of “The End in the End” having an existential crisis. Though she eventually recovers, Bones’ fears are only assuaged by Booth’s heartfelt pep talks.

The duo’s chemistry was always present. The show’s writer, Hart Hansen, even acknowledged as much, picking Deschanel for her natural chemistry with Boreanaz. Their evolving dynamic can still be felt in subsequent procedural romances. Its coy lead-in is reflected in the endearingly nerdy affections between NCIS’ Knight and Palmer, who share a similar professional dynamic to Booth and Bones.

It also errs closer to the saccharine end of the television romance scale. For all its hype, the Benson and Stabler relationship is fraught with conflict. NCIS: Hawai’i also has a similarly volatile romance brewing between Hanna and Tennant. Admittedly, there’s nothing necessarily “wrong” about such relationships, but they’re a dime a dozen. Bones and Booth are different; their relatively smooth relationship stands out against a sea of drama. Their innate chemistry bleeds into every interaction.

Ultimately, the pair shares a final moment that perfectly mirrors the series’ tendency to end each episode with a friendly chat between its stars. As was the custom, the finale closed out with a casual chat between Bones and Booth. Fortunately, their usual spot is still intact. While the Jeffersonian no longer overlooks their favorite park bench, the pair still gets to enjoy their routine.

Fans may have expected the touching homage to the show’s twelve years of procedural drama to be scripted. However, a 2017 interview revealed that the final bench discussion was mostly improvised. In some ways, the reveal shouldn’t be too surprising. Deschanel and Boreanaz had years to perfect their characters. They understood them like an old friend. So, who better to pen the series’ final words than the characters themselves?

When asked for clarification, Hanson reaffirmed his trust in his leads. He also admitted that many of the iconic bench scenes were mostly improvised. While some bits were written, others were left to Deschanel and Boreanaz, whose combined effort gave the show’s final episode “the extra little spark.”

Bones

TV-14

Drama

Comedy

Police Procedural

F.B.I. Special Agent Seeley Booth teams up with the Jeffersonian's top anthropologist, Dr. Temperance Brennan, to investigate cases where all that's left of the victims are their bones.

Release Date

September 13, 2005

Cast

David Boreanaz , Emily Deschanel , Michaela Conlin , T.J. Thyne , Jonathan Adams , Tamara Taylor , John Francis Daley , John Boyd

Main Genre

Crime

Seasons

12

Creator

Hart Hanson

Number of Episodes

246

Network

FOX

Streaming Service(s)

The Roku Channel , Amazon Freevee , Hulu