Image Credit: Greg Gayne/FoxSPOILER ALERT: If you have yet to watch tonight’s Bones finale, stop reading now. I repeat, if you have yet to watch tonight’s Bones finale, stop reading now. For the last time, if you have yet to watch tonight’s Bones finale, stop reading now. Everyone else, onward and downward…
A word about the season finale of Bones, in which the entire Jeffersonian team — Booth and Brennan included — split up: whoa! That said, let’s ask executive producer Stephen Nathan one of the only two questions you have — and since “WTF?” is rather a rude query, I’m going with, “Okay, what next?”
“The start of the season will have Booth and Brennan meeting [12 months later] at the coffee cart, and the series will start again… though on very different footing,” he says. “There will be big changes.”
Big as in, maybe B&B don’t come back alone big? “Perhaps not alone,” Nathan teases, adding, “There’s a potential for a new recurring character or two next season.”
But don’t freak — or try not to, he pleads. When the Jeffersonian team reassembles, your favorite characters will all be there, and they’ll “be the same people, [just] with one solid year of independent life under their belts. So when they see each other again, they will be different.
“Our intention was to really shake things up,” Nathan continues, “so that we don’t just come back with the same dynamic.”
Mission accomplished! Thoughts? Will absence make the heart grow fonder — or further apart? Sound off below!
What a cheat.
I agree with the first comment. I’ve been a loyal viewer since Season 1, but I haven’t been happy with the way this show is going. When I think back to the ep when Bones and Hodgins are buried in the car, and how well done that was, I can’t think of any recent episode that even comes close to that. I’m sure the writers are doing the best they can, but the writing is feels stale right now.
The fact is the series is finite – there is only two more seasons. ANd in those two seasons they might pickup a few new viewers but it will mostly be the loyal core audience. So why can’t Booth and Brennan get to gether? The writers cannot draw this out for so long and it would be just plain insane to not have them end up together. I suggest the writers get together and write the two searies story driven arc and end the series with some really interesting, smart, sexy, silly crime solving fun. That is what makes the show enjoyable to watch. At this point why do we need anymore re-occurring characters? Give your loyal audience what they want and do it smartly and with some intelligence! (and throw in some sex!)
I find it unfair the way the writers are dragging us around too. But if they don’t get those two together sometime soon I’m sure a portion of their viewers who are not at all interested in the cases (me) will leave. The tension between them can only last for so long. Personally I also believe that after the two are together there is room for more conflict. Just think how protective Booth would be of Bones and how he might not let her do everything she does now because he has a say in it. Her struggling to understand what kind of relationship she’s in. But I do disagree that all the episodes are “stale”, I think the writers are doing a good job of keeping us interested, but honestly the two of them aren’t getting any younger and I don’t want to wait until they’re fifty to figure out they belong together.
I really think the writers had a off time, but not stale.I really pay attention to everything and the one thing alot of people miss, is the simple comments they all make , the great acting skills with the eye contact and gestures. I really love how the series always pulls you in and then releases just a little till you get pissed, and then throws you off…Bones getting with skully, not…Booth getting serious about marriage, not….Angela getting with co-workers and chicks…ha!not…..never would’ve thought Bones to be pregnant!!! Can she handle it will she learn; love, patience, practicality, or just ruin a childs life with reality…thats where booth comes it the writers have and amazing mind and the whole team has just great socialable acting skills..BRAVO I bow my head to the whole cast and crew!!!
the whole object of the show is to have Booth and Brennan get together before the show ends. I will not watch if they don’t have some kind of relatiohship in the coming season, I am tired of watching the cat and mouse game.
If they stall the B/B relationship or introduce a flimsy new love interest (what a contrived, shallow affair it would be!) it will destroy the vibe of the entire show and make a cheap mockery of all that we as fans have come to love about this show and the booth and brennan characters. this would also be the most horrible, i repeat, THE MOST HORRIBLE cliche to ruin something with so much potential. And i think the overwhelming emotion from viewers is definitely in agreement with my feelings.
But I like their dynamic! I feel like this season of Bones was so close to perfection. This makes me nervous.
I hope that David’s real life issues don’t interfere with his on screen chemistry with his female costars who may now subconsciously interact with him differently.
I have a feeling that his costars probably knew about this stuff long before he came out with it – it was fairly general knowledge that he cheated on his first wife back in the days of Buffy/Angel, too. Like in every workplace, people who are good at their jobs don’t let personal issues get in the way of working relationships…and I think this entire cast is GREAT at their jobs!
This is horrible. Hart Hanson is jumping the shark.
I completely agree. I’m done. No more Bones for me.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Or let the imaginary shark take a bite.
Why?? God forbid things should change – the irony is the episode is about change and booth mentions about not liking it and you are doing the same. Lovely.
I agree with the guy about the door and imaginary shark. Who cares if you’re not going to watch it. At least explain your criticisms! Validate your arguments next time.
Hissy fit much? This is so not the worst thing that could have happened. Change isn’t always bad. Static is boring.
Oh my God, you haven’t even seen it yet. Get a grip, people.
Some people claim that things are redundant so they try to mix things up a bit and that’s a problem too? Typical
Give it a chance, change can be good sometimes. If it sucks after a few eppisodes than quit.
Could not disagree more. This was the first season finale of Bones that was not a complete train wreck of an episode. I love Bones but, I cringe every year come season finale time. They have always tried to fit 3 hours of story into 60 minutes and this was the first time that an hour story was told in an hour. And done well. And while I would have liked to see the “will they, won’t they” wrapped up about a season ago, it’s still a strong and enjoyable show. To quit watching because of one issue with the show is foolish. To have a larger issue with the quality of the show is one thing. I almost quit myself after the whole Gormagon season because that whole season was a mess from beginning to end. But, season 4 was good until the finale and this season has been great. To get all bent out of shape and quit watching because two characters aren’t dating is a little ridiculous.
Why do people always whine when things don’t go as they expect?
Me too!
It’s the only way this episode could have ended. The only way Hart could have made Bones “jump” is by putting B/B in bed together. I thought it was executed very well.
Honestly, I watched the end of the episode with tears in my eyes, saying, “This is perfect!” I love Booth and Brennan and their dynamic, but what an awesome way to let the characters grow! For all the naysayers – you never know, they could realize after the year apart that they really need each other!
i totally agree this ending was so perfect. only bones can pull off such a subtle finale….nothing too grand and explosive, just simple emotional and mental stimulation. perfecto!
Saying things have jumped the shark has jumped the shark.
Amen.
Amen x2
Sorry, but that last amen JTS. LOL
Angela better be pregnant when she comes back. That’s all I want.
YES! im with you on that one.
That is not the only think I want…but I definitely could see that happening…and then it kind of brings up the whole baby issue for Brennan again…
I missed the last part of the show when she was going to get pregnant with sperm from booth. why did she not get pregnant. that was during time booth had the brain tumor. never did hear anymore about having a baby. Why? please advise.
Hema – in fact, the “Brennan wants a baby (with Booth as a father)” episode was the very same one in which Booth was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which put a screetching halt to any baby-making. The producers have implied that it will resurface in the future.
That seems like the way to go, right? She’s be so cute pregnant. Of course, a year is long enough to actually have a baby. Maybe it’ll be Angela and Hodgins who don’t come back alone.
I think it’s pretty hilarious, though, that Brennan is going away with Daisy. Not exactly her idea of the perfect companion to spend a year with!
Anyone else think it was super-cold of Daisy to leave Sweets in the dust like that, with no discussion of compromise or anything? I mean, weren’t they all in love a few eps ago and she was freaking out about being dumped? Just seems inconsistent. I mean, Brennan put more thought into Booth’s feelings on the matter of her departure than Daisy did about Sweet’s feelings, and Daisy and Sweets were engaged! Random.
j, I agree. I wasn’t at all shocked when Sweets said he wasn’t going to wait for her, because she definitely did not behave in a way that would deserve it. I’ve been in a commuter marriage for several years now, including a year in different countries, and damn it, if you want it to work you can make it work. She clearly didn’t care if it worked. Poor Sweets.
:(:(
I personally hope that Daisy gets eaten by a tribe of cannibals during her trip with Brennan. I find her over the top enthusiasm very annoying.
I was thinking that Angela/Hodgins are actually going to already have a baby when they all come back together. A year gives them plenty of time.
E- I was thinking about that whole Brennan/ Daisy thing!! I would love to see them either be thick as theives or SO sick of each other when they get back!!
I hope so!
That is the first thing I said when the episode was over! I hope she is that would be a great addition to the show
I totally agree, Suzanne. I’d love to see Daisy become a regular. She needs to come back and fix the mess she made.
Hell, with a full year she could come back with a baby in tow! She wants a million of them, better get started!
Ugh. I am over this show. Characters that I’d grown to love from season 1 have disappointed me repeatedly since Season 4. It’s like the writers lost it after the “Zack is the Apprentice” debacle and have yet to regain their footing. They have truly lost me this time. So many better written, better acted shows out there now, that I just won’t bother with this one anymore!
I agree… They needed to decide earlier if the show was about BONES or Booth and Brennan, you know
Season 4 was terrible, but season 5 has been really good you should give it another shot
Season 5 is only good when compared to season 4.
It’s a shell of what it once was.
Yeah i agree give it another shot,this show is the best!!!
The show just kind of toys with fans of the show. Brennan became more emotionally stunted in the last couple of seasons, then they had that ridiculous dream plot which was the stupidest thing ever. When we think we might get to see Brennan grow emotionally they blow everything up at the end of this season.
Here’s the thing, we have watched this will they or won’t they thing for FIVE SEASONS. This has all be done before at this point. There needs to be nongimmicky character development.
I think that is why he said things will change. They have already established Brennan will not date or be with Booth, which means during her one year away from him she will meet a scientist who she relates with. She will come back with a man and Booth will have to deal with her in a relationship. Yet again. Though I think he will take it better since she has turned him down already.
“we have watched this will they or won’t they thing for FIVE SEASONS”
Well on House they’ve been dancing around a relationship for 6 seasons; so if FOX timelines are anything alike you have another year to go! Sorry
No Cheery, you are wrong.
The difference is that both House and Cuddy have had other relationships and many, many episodes go by without the emotional attachment scenes that Bones throws at us every week with their “2 minutes of lovesick Booth” at the end of the episodes. Yes, House has been on a year longer, but the comparison you make is poor. They don’t use a Cuddy hook up one fifth of the time that they tease with B & B.
Is this show taking pointers from Shane Brennan? B&B is worse than Tiva in the “will they-won’t they”, and hello end of Season 5 NCIS. Ugh. Nothing new under the sun, I guess.
Agreed, I know this is a “will they or won’t they” type of show, and I’ve known and understood that from the beginning. But the way they’ve handled that dynamic has sucked, IMO. Dream hookups? Year long seperation? Actual kiss and then, nope, can’t do it?
I could handle this frustrating dynamic (I love the actors/characters) but the cases themselves aren’t done very well. So there isn’t anything to offset the frustration. What I’m saying is that I’m tired of the way the Booth/Bones rfelationship is dealt with. I’m done with the show.
And this is nothing against the fans that still love this show. I know there are good things about Bones…just for me, the frustrations have taken the joy out of watching it.
Regarding Brennan’s character, I agree she’s very inconsistent. I sometimes wonder if her character changes from episode to episode depending on who’s writing for her.
For me the question about whether or not they should or shouldn’t doesn’t matter. They have change the whole tenor of the show over season 4 and 5. They have turned it into an out right comedy. The worse of that being Brennan and now her total inablity to relate and have so few emotions. Go back and watch the first Three season and you will see she supressed her emotions but she did have them!!!. H. Hanson has ruined my favorite show. Now its just sad to watch them together. I said this after last season stop making up reason for them not to be together. Just go back to writing good shows than it would not be just about whether or not they get together. Either way I am done!!! They have missed their time now it’s just annoying and the show itself has changed. I give one more night for reading.
Cop-out, waste of time, etc. I’m not sure if I even care enough to watch the next season.
No offense, but I thought the time jump thing was officially ruled out for this show? Not going to lie, I am not happy…at all.
To the point of almost not caring.
Well, HH was tight with the information. We barely got any spoilers for the finale. So, I’m sure Ausiello didn’t know.
That was my thought as well, Crystal. Instead of four months like real time, they’re jumping ahead 12?? But at least we don’t have to deal with weird AU-ness with everybody in Indonesia and whatnot.
omg, please tell them we are good people, we didn’t need this!
everyone was hoping for somehting to happen between Booth and Brennan…
not really happy about it!!! I was expecting more
Not everyone.
Mostly everyone.
Just some people.
No, everyone.
You Liz, just you.
I agree. That “some people” were in the minority.
You people are silly! But seriously, most of us wanted something to happen between the two of them.
I expected more, because interviews with HH and SN said that we’d get payoff in the season finale for the heart-wrenching 100th episode, and we really didn’t. I’m disappointed, and I’m going to be really annoyed if they don’t come back alone. I love this show, the writing and acting are still amazing after 5 seasons, but the will-they-won’t-they is enough now. I preferred last year’s season finale, frankly. She can admit she loves Hodgins but not Booth, who is going to a war zone? Come on!
I actually took her being able to speak of love to Hodgins as a sign that she is closer to being able to say it to Booth. Baby steps if you will.
I, too, am frustrated with the will they, won’t they being dragged out. I came to this show around Season 3 and had to do a catch up. The plots and sub-plots and relational issues are well done and build upon one another over the seasons. I will watch next season because I just have to know what happens once everyone returns, but I suspect that I will once again see a Jag. I stopped watching that show several years before it ended. Sick of the emotional roller coaster between the leads.
I don’t think by “payoff” they meant “they’ll get together.” They said several times that this would be the “next logical step” – and it is. Brennan pushed Booth away, now they’re both feeling awkward and want to run away. Without what happened in the 100th, they probably wouldn’t have made the same decisions here.
I agree that she should have told him she loved him, but she was probably freaked out that he’d take it the “wrong” way (ie, the way she really means it but doesn’t want to say).
JAG! I watched that show too, for all 8 (?!) seasons. Which is why I have lost patience with this show. I’ve seen this all before, and if its anything like JAG, the finale won’t even properly address the relationship/put the two together in a meaningful way. So this endless waiting feels pointless.
I think they had to split B&B up at work so they could be together in life. Its all part of the plan to get them together. Eventually.
Sooo disappointed with the season finale that I barely care what happens next.
It’s crap. That’s what it is.
I think i had a stroke watching the finale i kept waiting for the dream to end.
Dear Bones producers,
We don’t care anymore. Seriously. Stop jerking us around.
Sincerely,
Everyone
This.
*this*
Agreed! After awhile angst just becomes annoying… definitely feel like the moment will have passed by the time S6 begins, especially if Bones or Booth or both of them don’t come back single.
The moment came and went a long time ago.
Bones and Booth have been stuck in place for years now with no real character growth and the shows quality has suffered for it.
By trying to hold off making a decision, the writers have done a great disservice to these characters.
Completely agree with you Bob. Every ep feels the same now….no relationship development between B&B, no character development with Bones, and weak development with the rest of the cast. Even when Hodgins and Angela get together, its rushed….where is the payoff for waiting 2 years for these two to get back together? The delaying is a waste of time.
yes, this. i really, REALLY disappointed with the finale. they took, like, 10 steps back. i don’t care if it’s heartcrushing or beautiful, we are tired of the game.
I couldn’t had said better
This!
P.S. Please go watch the previous year of CHUCK, whose writers see a romantic relationship as a challenge to be embraced rather than avoided.
I agree. Chuck is the only show that seems to be able to get this right. At some point, the constant will-they-won’t-they changes from an incentive to an irritant. Chuck took it to the perfect point, then continued the relationship making it even better. Bones is now on my last nerve, and I think I need a break from it too. I think I’ll be skipping season 6. If they figure it out, I’ll check back in season 7.
or puh-leeze – check out Community, where Britta and Jeff did the nasty on a library table during a paint ball war, dared either one to ever speak of it again, and moved on. Get over the ‘Moonlighting’ angst and just write well.
Dude, Chuck has been on the brink of cancellation since it premiered. Not a good comparison.
Two months ago fans were jumping ship on Chuck, too, because of this same thing, and now they all love it again. Not a good example.
Actually, it’s a great comparison. Networks love to screw around with relationships because the shows are easier to deal with in syndication. Chuck being on the bubble has allowed the writers to do what the fans want; it’s not like they can hold cancellation over their heads even more than they already do. The best shows produced in TV history have always been on the bubble.
Good writing is good writing, whether or not a series is doing well, on the brink of cancellation, or is canceled. Writing a romantic relationship is supposedly difficult on TV because a relationship is boring unless you maintain the sexual tension by keeping the characters apart.
I’m “young” enough to have actually watch Moonlighting go from a fun show to a piece of crap, and what I said then still holds true. The problem was, has been, and always will be bad and uninspired writing. That’s what sunk Moonlighting, not the getting together of Maddie and David! And until more TV scribes realize that, we’ll continue to get more junk like this finale.
Chuck is a great comparison. I was already going there in my head when I saw this post. Chuck was in trouble because NBC is in trouble and pulls the plug on shows without letting them develop a fan base. They are looking for a quick hit and as you can see with their Leno experiment the network doesn’t have a clue right now. They brought Chuck back and have already confirmed for next year because they are in trouble and Chuck has a very loval fan base that is growing. The way the writers of Chuck brought the two leads together has worked very well and did not ruin the dynamic like on Moonlighting years ago. IT’s all in HOW you do it. But if you keep dangling it out there and pulling it back in viewers will get bored with the whole thing. And at this point having them be with other people will leave a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. IMHO.
This. Especially this… this finale was crap. Heck, I enjoyed last year’s finale more!! And that’s saying something. After the 100th, everyone kept saying that the finale will have resolution… this isn’t resolution. This is just a huge pathetic excuse to draw in the fans. And after a while, all the fans are just gonna stop watching the show. There is 100 times more tension in the 3rd season!!!! Man, it’s all crap now, especially this finale. And it’s sorry if they actually bring Brennan back with a beau in tow. That’ll go over great, I can hear the cancellations already. The producers have got to stop jerking the fans around and hook them up. I seriously remember other shows that have main characters hooking up and making it work. Example: Grey’s Anatomy, Chuck, heck even Scrubs did an awesome job with Elliot and JD finally hooking up for real. Wow, that was a good vent lol!!
Or I bet Booth will have another kid with someone else… Anyway, this is crap. Too much angst and waaaiiiiiting can kill a show.
Not to mention The Office giving fans utter joy when Jim/Pam finally made it. No one’s lost interest since they’ve been together, either! I think the problem is that the powers that be imagine things will get stale if they don’t keep shaking things up and teasing us with “will they/won’t they” when actually, THAT is what’s become stale. What would make me happy is if Brennan discovered her humanity, embraced her feelings for once, she and Booth married, and they solved cases together. Cases that focused on the criminology and anthropological study that drew me into this show from the get-go. Throw in some sweet moments and Booth/Bones witty quips that we love so much, and we’ll have our show back. I hate that it’s become a soap opera first and a crime show second. Sometimes third or fourth, depending on the eppie. I can’t even describe how disappointed I was with the dream shpeel. I also miss Zack. I wouldn’t be sad to see Daisy go as I’d like to see Sweets with someone more developed. (Character wise as well as maturity.
Angela/Hodgens are great; I’m glad they finally solved that strange lapse in smarts. I refused to watch the whole Roxie thing unfold. Booth/Bones are a given, and I still miss Zack.
Fringe got their two main characters to kiss in the season finale.
Not everyone thinks it was a terrible finale. If you don’t like what they’re doing, then quit watching and don’t read posts about it and make snide comments. They’re offering an enormous potential for next season, and you shouldn’t make any judgment about it until the season finale next year, when you’ve seen what the writers have done for season 6.
Judging by comments here and other places……YES, a LOT of fans thought it was a terrible finale.
Let Booth and Bones get married and put their relationship to rest. Let’s get back to the murder with bones concept. PLEASE!
I’m with Betty. I want more cool cases like Howard Epps and the Gravedigger.
Don’t speak for everyone, thanks. I’ve read through the comments here, and I know A LOT of fans are disappointed with the finale, and speaking as a Booth/Brennan fan who wants them to get together, I actually liked the finale. Yes, it’s a little disheartening that they haven’t taken the monumental next step, but let me tell you that I suffered through 9 years of this with the X-Files and Mulder/Scully and the will they or won’t they. If I can handle that? I can handle anything, even this. One thing I’m not going to do? I’m not going to give up on the show when I haven’t even SEEN what the writers and producers are going to do next season. I think I’ll save my judgments until I’ve at least seen the start of next season.
I enjoyed it too Becky! I really am hoping that they come back ready to make a go of their relationship though, and I really do believe that the idea of a baby will come back into play.
But if they do get together I wonder how that will affect their working relationship as they are not allowed to “fraternize”. Will they continue to work together? How could they actually have a personal relationship and maintain their working relationship that gives the show its purpose?
Oh season six… hurry up!
So, Becky, what do you think of Season 6? So far? I think it has lived up to every poor expection many fans feared…….personally I feel by the time producers actually get B&B together (for the final five seconds of the show) the audience will have dwindled to nothing…..
This is a huge favorite show and why do they have to screw with it?????
because they love to disappoint fans. and because they are afraid of moonlighting effect. stupid moonlighting effect. this time, HH is really making us down when we are expecting something more.
That “Moonlighting effect” is just a cop-out by writers that CLEARLY got into something (setting up a relationship/dynamic) that they can’t write for crap
Maria has it exactly right. There are PLENTY of shows that have their main characters together and can still bring in viewers, take Greys Anatomy or Vampire Diaries or Desperate Housewives.
I swear, if someone mentions freaking moonlighting again when it comes to Bones…that show was in the 80′s for goodness sake! There are other reasons why that show ended.
I always have to laugh at the Moonlighting comparrisons. There were so many other things going down the last season of moonlighting. In my opinion, the writers’ strike, and Cybil’s difficult pregnancy with twins were the main issues that it failed. We were getting a new episode every three weeks or so during that time, and the writers had to write around Cybil because she was having a lot of problems and needed time off, or ‘easy scenes,’ unlike all the running around they did in most episodes. I loved thatthey hooked up, but hated that they wrote them apart two eps later, and made her leave in an unreal fashion.
As for Bones, I think they could be in love and still solve crimes. It shouldn’t make a difference. The core of the show is the crime solving, and as long as they keep that in the forefront they shouldn’t have a problem.
They screwed with this for the same reason they took a series of books about a middle-aged Southern woman who worked in Montreal and was intrigued with a French-Canadian police detective and turned it into “Bones”. They just want higher ratings.
because they know that, despite what many people are saying now, they will watch again next fall. Why? Because, eventually, B&B WILL get together and most people, despite “hating” this finale, or last year’s finale, or every episode since the premiere, will want to see it and what comes after. Last year, the comment boards looked like this, and I am preeeettty sure the ratings remained stable this past fall or even went up. When people have a few months to calm down, they’ll want to see what happens 12 months from now.
yeah, i really hated the finale, and if thats the kind of change were looking at…
I can’t believe I got to see another crap finale, as if last year’s “dream ep” wasn’t torture enough! Now I have to look forward to a LAME reboot? Stop ruining my favorite show!
And at least, last year we saw them happy, kissing, having sex AND having a baby etc… Of course, then it was taken from us.
Ok, forget it. This finale is as crappy as the end of last finale.