Bones reaches its landmark 100th episode on Thursday 15 April. The episode, The Part In The Sum Of The Whole, will be directed by the series’ leading man, David Boreanaz. Here he talks about what we can expect from the episode, Freddy Kruger and musicals.
Did you ever think Bones would reach the milestone of 100 episodes?
We’re into our fifth season now and from the pilot episode, which I loved, I haven’t ever thought about getting to 100 episodes. I’ve taken it one episode at a time and we’ve all worked as hard we can to make it better each time. I don’t look at the numbers; I just look at the work and the quality of it and the different relationships between the characters.
What has been Bones’ success?
The relationship between Brennan and Booth has dictated viewers’ enjoyment of the series. At times there’s so much humour in it that it’s hard to define it by genre. Is it a ‘dramedy’? It’s a crime-solving team of random misfits trying to come together and see eye-to-eye at the end of each show. It’s very enjoyable to make and it’s enjoyable to watch too.
What are we going to see in the 100th episode?
When we start the episode Sweets is ready to publish a book about Brennan and Booth, but we tell him that he’s got bits wrong and he needs to know about the first case we worked on together. So we go back in time to when we first met, a year before the pilot episode, and we see these two characters meet and solve their first case together. There’s intrigue and romance, and there’s tequila involved too. When we come to the end of the show we realise that everything Sweets has written needs to be re-evaluated. There’s a big revelation at the end in the present time, and Booth and Bones have things to figure out.
Stephen Nathan has suggested that the 100th episode will be a turning point in Brennan and Booth’s relationship. Is that right?
It is a turning point, yes. There’s a cross-roads and each of them has to decide which path to take and it will, somehow, affect their relationship towards the end of the season and into next.
What kind of director are you?
I’m a pain in the ass! I’m very open to suggestions and I let the actors find their space; I guide them in a way that helps us achieve our goal. I’m very aggressive with the camera, I like to move it around a lot and take it to the actors rather than them going to it. I’m also quite laid-back.
Is it strange telling your co-stars what to do?
I don’t need to tell them what to do; I let them find it organically. Being an actor I understand the process better than those who aren’t actors, so I can relate to being directed and I use that experience to guide myself to be a better director.
What’s it like to direct something you’re also starring in?
It’s challenging and it can be a bit of headache sometimes, but it works. You have to be strong and be able to look at yourself and judge your performance. Your instincts have to be pure and you have to be able to think quickly on your feet.
Are you your own worst critic?
I’m highly critical of my work, yes. More so in the past than recently, I’ve learned to lighten up a bit, I suppose - you need a good sense of humour in this business.
Robert Englund, famous for playing Freddy Kruger, is going to be starring in a slasher-themed episode. What can we expect from that?
We go back to a high school where there’s a reunion and a murder’s been committed. Robert plays this really interesting janitor guy who could be one of the suspects. It’s a high school reunion for Bones so we’ve got some year book pictures of Emily in there which are funny.
And is it right that the Grave Digger will come back this season?
Yes, we have the trial of the Grave Digger, but the end result could leave the door open. She’s a very smart woman and I’m sure she’ll find a way to come back. The trial’s tough for Bones, she has to figure out how to not be so scientific when she’s talking to the jury.
Hart Hanson has said that two regular characters will get married this season. Are you going to spill the beans?
We may have filmed something that mentioned something about a wedding, but I can’t remember. I don’t know what you’re talking about!
Do you have a favourite episode of Bones?
There are so many. I really like the 100th episode and I’m really excited for people to see it. And I really love the pilot.
Season four ended with a fantasy episode, is there anything you can tell us about the season five finale?
We’ve just started working on that and it looks as though the characters will be going in separate directions for a while, for reasons I can’t talk about. It’s going to be a really nice way to end the run.
Where do you sit with the fans’ debate on Brennan and Booth? Do you want them to become romantically involved with each other?
I don’t think there’s any right or wrong with these two. One episode they can be apart and the next they can be together, then all the fans are happy at least half of the time.
Are you ever grossed out by any of the crime scene sets?
Some of them are quite nasty and they can tug at your heart strings as well. From really gross trash dumps to skinless people, we see so many crazy things.
Fringe has announced that it’s going to film a musical episode, how would you feel about musical Bones?
That’s never going to happen, it’d be really horrible and thankfully Hart doesn’t like musicals. The Fringe guys are welcome to do as much singing and dancing as they like.
