Stringing Us Along

Tonight is the season finale of Bones. Anyone else going to watch it?

I’ll tune in. Or, more accurately, I’ll wait until it’s over and then skim through the commercials via TiVo, an invention that’s wonderful and horrible at that same time. Now I have the ability to skip all those boring commercials and never miss a show, but I never miss a show. I can get sucked into watching WAY more TV than I normally would.

Anyway, back to Bones. I’m hooked. It’s got a mystery to unwind, cleaver dialogue, and characters that have changed and grown over its two seasons. Another reason I watch stems from the fact that I’m writing a mystery series and I’m curious to see how the writers propel the show from season to season. I want to see how they reveal bits of backstory and then toss in a new character/situation to keep thing interesting.

And it’s got David Boreanaz. Do I really need to say anything else?

The teaser from last week suggested the main characters (Dr. Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth) were going to—wait for it—get together. As a wedding scene for Angela and Hodgins played, the voiceover went something like this: “It’s the Bones moment you’ve been waiting two years to see.” Then there was a shot of Booth and Brennan looking at each other before turning to the priest.

I mentioned this at the Escondido Mystery Book Group last week, where I had a delightful time. I just wish I lived closer so I could drop in more often. (Now that I know how to post pictures, I’ll inflict them on you regularly. Just be glad I had a real book event this week. Otherwise, it would have been pictures of my daughter’s swim meet.)

Escondido Mystery Book Club

Strong opinions were voiced at the book club about the Bones finale ranging from “they can’t get together because it will ruin the show” (think ratings nose dive a la David and Maddy) to the opposite view, “go ahead and let ‘em get together. We’ll still watch.”

I figure there will be tidbit of intimacy between the two main characters and a cliffhanger to keep us in suspense until next season.

What’s your guess? Maybe we can get a pool going. If you don’t watch Bones, then what was the best season finale you’ve seen—Who Shot J.R? or Seinfield and crew go to prison? Something else? Is there any season finale you’re looking forward to this week? Or, what was the absolutely most disappointing season finale you’ve seen?

1. I have to say the finale (series) of Newhart was VERY clever. Bob N woke up in bed with his wife from the first show (think that was called The Bob Newhart Show).

   I am looking forward to the season finale of Lost but I think I’ve got two more weeks before I lose my fix for the next few months.

   by Laura on May 16th, 2007 at 5:39 am
   
   

2. The Newhart close was great.

   But my vote goes to the final episode of Mary Tyler Moore, with all the characters in a hug scrum shuffling out the door of the darkened newsroom.

   by David Terrenoire on May 16th, 2007 at 8:27 am
   
   

3. It took me a while to get into it, but I’ve really been enjoying Bones. I like that it’s centered around the characters, not the forensics. It’s engaging and fun. Yeah, it stretches my credulity a bit, but I’m able to buy into the premise enough to go along with it.

   I watched part of an episode of CSI the other night for the first time. How is this so popular? Flat characters, no chemistry. Everyone’s either over the top with angst or just set pieces. And what’s with all the zooming in on bullets lodging in internal organs? It’s not gross, it’s just, I dunno, unnecessary?

   At least with Bones the characters are interesting.

   by Stephen Blackmoore on May 16th, 2007 at 8:31 am
   
   

4. I’d forgotten about the Newhart finale, Laura. It was great–surprising and funny.

   by Sara on May 16th, 2007 at 9:06 am
   
   

5. Hi, David. The Mary Tyler Moore finale hit just the right note, too. Sweet, but that group hug that turned into a shuffle to get a tissue makes you smile.

   by Sara on May 16th, 2007 at 9:09 am
   
   

6. Hey, Stephen. I didn�t get into Bones until I watched the first season on DVD. I think it�s the gradual character growth and change that has me hooked and that takes time to develop.

   I used to be a huge fan of the original CSI series, but I�ve tapered off and don�t watch much. I never could get into any of the spin-offs, especially the Miami one with everyone looking like a model. At least the Las Vegas CSI has some variety in the casting. I think the inside the body graphics was a high-tech thing to set them apart from other shows when they first came on the air.

   by Sara on May 16th, 2007 at 10:28 am
   
   

7. I’m all ashiver for the American Idol finale next week. I say this only partly tongue-in-cheek. My middle daughter is an aspiring crooner and we watch as a family.

   MASH takes them all.

   My son watched one episode of Bones and now wants to be a forensic anthropologist. Me, I still want to be Ambassador to the UN when I grow up.

   by Regina Harvey on May 16th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
   
   

8. I really need to watch a TV show that wasn’t cancelled three decades ago, I guess.

   My favorite series ending was the Newhart one as well. Thought that was just brilliant.

   Actually, the Bobby Ewing in the shower was one of those outrageously smart moves. Yes, it was totally outrageous, but what could they do, they made a mistake killing him off. It’s not like they could pretend it hadn’t happened.

   by Diana Killian on May 16th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
   
   

9. I want to be a forensic anthropologist, too, when I watch the show. Or, actually, I just want to be as smart as Dr. Brennan!

   We’re keeping up with the whole American Idol thing. Must say I was impressed with the beat box rendition of You Give Love A Bad Name, but *if* I were voting I’d probably vote for Melissa.

   by Sara on May 16th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
   
   

10. The Bobby Ewing thing may have been totally outrageous, but it had everyone talking and that seems to be the goal in TV—the buzz wins over quality. Otherwise why would we have had Fear Factor renewed season after season??

    by Sara on May 16th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
    
    

11. Does it bother anyone that Bones is so far away from the original character in the books? Don’t get me wrong, I love Bones. But the Tempe character in the book is 40, divorced, has a daughter and is in love with a Canadian cop type. I’m listening to Monday Mourning in my car and it just struck me so odd. Does TV always have to have young dateable characters? I wonder how Kathy Reichs feels about the change of her character?

    by Lynn on May 27th, 2007 at 7:55 am
    
    

12. Hi, Lynn. I hadn’t read the Tempe books before I saw the show, so it didn’t bother me. I think TV *always* has to have young characters. Heck, even older characters have to look young–i.e. “desperate” housewives who are 40, but look 30. I’ve already voiced my thoughts on this, so I’ll stop now.

    I think Kathy Reichs is okay with the Bones series. There’s an interview with her on the Bones Season One DVD and she acts like she’s very excited about the show. I think she had a cameo in one show last season—the one where Zach has to go before the doctorial committee.

    by Sara on May 29th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
    
    

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