Bonesis a well-loved TV show with legions of fans, but the stars,David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel, have just as many opinions about the best episodesof the series as everyone else.Bonesran for 12 seasonswith continued success for many reasons, as it balanced adhering to the formulas of the procedural genre with some fun twists and iconic characters. Boreanaz plays the emotion-driven FBI agent Seeley Booth, with Deschanel joining him as his unlikely new partner, the logical forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan. It’s this dynamic that keeps us invested inBones.
The chemistry between the two characters is obvious from the beginning, with Booth’s playful nickname for Brennan, “Bones,” becoming an iconic part of the series. In a conversation withTV Insider, both Boreanaz and Deschanel discussed their favorite episodes and moments throughout the series' 12 seasons. While it’s easy to point to installments that focus on the budding romance between Booth and Brennan,Bonesalso excels at putting the characters in unusual situationsand paying homage to classic films and TV shows of history. These special episodes provide exciting breaks in the tension, as the series can get serious.
David Boreanaz has talked about aBonesrevival, with Deschanel also expressing interest in returning to the story. However, it’s unlikely that we’ll see Booth and Brennan return to our screens anytime soon. However, this creates the perfect opportunity for audiences to continue revisiting the many episodes that madeBonessuch a hit.Boreanaz clearly appreciates both the trope-y special episodes as well as the plot-heavy, dramatic installmentswith equal measure. We can’t help agreeing with his picks for some of the bestBonesepisodes that hit screens from 2005 to 2017, changing the crime procedural forever.
4Pilot
Season 1, Episode 1
From the pilot episode, it’s clear thatBonesis gearing up to be aninfluential procedural TV show, as the series wastes no time introducing its most important characters and giving the audience a sense of the plot’s structure.Pilots are notoriously difficult, as they have to deliver enormous amounts of expositionin a short amount of time while maintaining the audience’s attention. However, theBonespilot moves at a brisk pace, throwing us right into the action and ensuring that we understand the series' critical relationship dynamic: Booth and Brennan’s.
Of the pilot, Boreanaz said:
“I always go back to the pilot, because it was so young and unpredictable. There’s an inkling of understanding where the characters could go, where they could be, what the possibility of it is, how kind of raw it is.”
This captures both the hope and nostalgia that will always be wrapped up in any pilot episode. The bones of a show are there, but the essence and the ups and downs the characters will face are still far away. The Booth and Brennan that we grew to love are at their most flawed and underdeveloped here, leaving room for the series to help these people grow and evolve as the show progresses.
While there are a lot of aspects of the pilot and season 1 as a whole that don’t carry over into the rest of the series, it’s clear that Deschanel and Boreanaz are having a great time.There’s action, twists, and high-stakes investigations in the pilot,with the tone even leaning a little more dramatic than the rest of the show. However, part of the fun of returning to the pilot after all these years is being able to compare it with the series when it was at its height.
3Double Trouble In The Panhandle
Season 4, Episode 12
Season 4 was a period of growth and growing pains forBones. Brennan was devastated by the betrayal of Zack Addy (Eric Millegan), her intern, at the end of season 3, and this carried into the fourth season. While this was a shakeup, it turned out to be the best thing forBones, and the series didn’t waste time exploring new and a little less serious territory.The terrifying nature of season 3’s villain allowed season 4 to have a little more funand put the characters in zany settings, like the circus.
“Double Trouble in the Panhandle” proved thatBoneswas still great and could bounce back from a shakeup in the cast and format of the series. After finding the remains of conjoined twins on the border of Oklahoma and Texas, Booth and Brennan go undercover with the circus, pretending they have an act so they can investigate the people who might have known the twins. There are some aspects of “Double Trouble in the Panhandle” that haven’t aged as well, butBooth and Brennan are at their best when they’re undercover.
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Boreanaz has talked about how much he enjoys these sillier episodes, where the characters get to dress up and step out of their comfort zone. This makes it clear why he feels so attached to “Double Trouble in the Panhandle” and why we enjoy it so much as well. Seeing Booth and Brennan fully commit to their act and attempt to blend into the circus results in plenty of hilarious situations,furthering the romantic dynamicthat had been building over the years. This isn’t the only episode that sees the pair perform under pressure, but it’s an especially fun one.
2The 200th In The 10th
Season 10, Episode 10
There’s nothing like going back in time, and for the 200th episode ofBones, the characters are sent back to the 1950s.Bonestakes full advantage of the style, costumes, and music, immersing the viewer and characters in the fictionalized past. However,Bonesstill adheres to its classic formula, seeing Booth and Brennan have to team up to solve an unbelievable murder.Paying homage to the Hitchcock filmTo Catch a Thief,“The 200th in the 10th” lets the actors take on new and thrilling roles. However, though they’re different, they’re still Booth and Brennan at their cores.
PlayingAngel onBuffy The Vampire SlayerandAngelfor so many years saw Boreanaz travel back in time on TV many times over.TheAngelseason 2 episode, “Are You Now or Have You Ever Been,” is also set in the 1950s,but Boreanaz had to play a much more reserved and tortured character in this series. As Booth, he gets to have all the fun in the world, making zingers and being a little more goofy onscreen. This joy is apparent throughout “The 200th in the 10th,” which is a worthy anniversary installment of the show.
Though the reception of the episode was a little mixed, as it sharply deviates from a typical episode ofBones, this is the point of a 100th or 200th episode. The team was celebrating the fact that the series had been on the air for so long and was still going strong. WhileBoneswould end two years later with the season 12 finale,this is a strong run for any TV show, and it’s taking risks like “The 200th in the 10th” that keptBonesfresh over a decade after it first premiered.
1The Final Chapter: The Hope In The Horror
Season 12, Episode 1
The final season of a TV show is always emotional, andBonesmade sure to kick off its victory lap with an emotional gut punch. “The Hope in the Horror” sees Zack return after many years, which picks at some deep wounds for both Brennan and Booth. The characters are separated for much of the episode, with Booth searching for Brennan after she’s kidnapped. However, these stakes and Booth’s desperation to get her back are a touching reminder of how deep their love goes inBones. Unfortunately,they still have a lot to go through before the season ends.
The actress did a great job stepping into the role of director, and Boreanaz highlighted this episode as one of his favorites for that reason.
When a series is on the air for as long asBones,it’s not uncommon for the stars to take on producer or director roles, even writing a few episodes over the years. Deschanel directed “The Hope in the Horror,” which calls back to one of the most notorious killers and emotional season-long arcs inBones' history. The actress did a great job stepping into the role of director, and Boreanaz highlighted this episode as one of his favorites for that reason. The pair had become a dynamic duo by this point, and their friendship comes through onscreen.
There’s a lot of upheaval in “The Hope in the Horror” as the characters reflect on their pasts and try to determine if they still believe that Zack is capable of murder. ThoughBonesdid have overarching plot lines, the series was largely episodic. Other than the relationship between Booth and Brennan, Zack’s crimes and the serial killer, Gorgomon, are two huge recurring storylines that leave lasting impacts on the characters. This is whyBones had to bring this back for the final season and why it’s so memorable for Boreanaz.
