Booth and Bones – Forever Denied a Little Love?
February 17, 2010 by Trisha Leigh
Filed under Feature, Television, feature overlay
The writers for Bones are backed into a corner. How will they get out? Can they get out? Maybe. But it will take some above average story-telling skills to keep the audience engaged. The corner is, of course, the endless will-they-won’t-they simmering romance between the main characters. Getting main characters together can often spell the kiss of death for a healthy series. Romantic tension keeps the audience coming back, week after week. On the other hand, too much teasing is irritating and more reminiscent of a daytime soap opera than a thriving primetime drama.
Last year’s season finale gave the audience a tease, let us see what it could be like if they get together. It was, of course, a ploy. The entire episode made of a coma-induced dream of Booth’s. The beginning of this season the references were overt. Long, lusty looks. ‘Accidental’ touching. Booth (swoon-worthy David Boreanaz) considering confessing his love, lingering from his vivid dream. Dr. Sweets (John Francis Daley) deciding not to publish the results of his research, because he concludes they are in love with each other. All of these pieces came together and made the audience think – this is it! They are going to kiss! Then…nothing happened. I suspect because, although the supporting cast is very good, the producers wonder if they will still have a show if they remove the sexual tension. As an avid watcher and fan of the show, I would tell them – I just don’t know. Watching their relationship develop, their feelings grown, has been one of the draws for me. I’m in the keep them waiting until the second half of the final season camp. (see also: Ross and Rachel on the final season of Friends) Others are not. Others are sick of the games and the dancing around, and would like to see the two of them hook up.
But…then what? Are we going to be forced to endure their relationship issues (come on, no way Bones (Emily Deschanel) is going to just turn normal), watch them argue, or even break up? I don’t want to see that, either. We’ve waited for so long, formed the opinion that the two of them would be great together, and now we don’t want to see the reality of their relationship. Which is why it’s best to keep them apart. Every relationship has problems, has a dark and ugly side. I don’t want to think about them that way.
The writers might agree with me, because the last several weeks have been focused more on the periphery characters and the cases, rather than the relationship between Booth and Bones. They’ve backed off the lingering shots, innuendo, and longing looks from him. I think they have to. If they hadn’t painted Booth as the upstanding, Catholic gentleman, they might be able to get away with a casual relationship. But, we wouldn’t have liked him so much. With other characters, a drunken fling or one-time slip up might be tolerated. With these two, it just doesn’t make sense. The show is in its 5th season, and honestly I’m not sure how much longer it’s going to make it, anyway. The writers would do well to return to the case centered format of seasons 1 and 2, and let the romance and intrigue drift into the background. We won’t forget. It will be there, simmering, when it’s time to write those final episodes.
What do you think, fellow Bones enthusiasts? Should they or shouldn’t they?
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Has ANYONE looked at the X-files ratings!!! As they built the relationship their ratings went up…until season five. The relationship between Mulder and Scully had been building up to a fever-pitch, but nothing happened. People were annoyed, in part because it was originally supposed to be the last season. Then they did the movie after season 5, as a continuation of 5’s finale. The movie implied that the two were FINALLY dealing with their romantic feelings, so people tuned in for season six. The difference in ratings between 5 and 6 was 1% – with the lowest per show average since season 2. Six was a COMPLETE holding pattern, keeping the two apart, and acting like the film never happened. Season seven: the show drops from #12 to number #29. Even David Duchovny was bored and opt’s out of having to do most of season’s 8 & 9. Season 8 – #31. Season 9 #67. Why is it no one sees the obvious with that? They look for EVERY OTHER REASON that the rating declined. The fans were BORED because the relationship didn’t move and became unrealistic and ridiculous. Yet, MOONLIGHTING is still held as the standard of “see what happens when you put people together?” It’s ridiculous. Really, what it’s about is are the characters growing or not. When you plateau the relationship you’ve been building, or worse, inexplicably move them backwards, YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE YOUR AUDIENCE. Yeah, it means having to think differently. Like, just because people get together, doesn’t mean they don’t have sexual tension. The fact that it can be resolved doesn’t change the fact of it when it’s happening. Mix sexual tension with the tension and stresses of being in a relationship and you’ve got really explosive possibilities. Being in a relationship, with great cases, and mystery, finding out more about each others history, basically EXPANDING on who these people are, would be great television.
I started watching this show when there were reruns on TNT in between L&O…I gotta say that I really got sucked into it because of the whole B&B relation-tenstion thing. There are so many crime drama TV shows out there, and Bones just has that pazazzy-umph that many others lack–not because of the crimes but because of the characters of B&B.
I can understand why the writers would think it would be network suicide to put ‘em together, but i disagree. I think the tenstion/excitment/interest would still remain…becasue the progression of thier relationship would not be instantanous, right? there would still be the ‘what happens next?’ draw. example: at the end of an episode they kiss–or during a really dramatic life-saving moment. but the topic is avoided or breifly mentioned in passing…visits to Sweets, ecc…draw it out for a bit, in an interesting way, till, i dunno…somthing else happens…i think it really could work.
Here’s the thing: there won’t be enough time in half a season, or even a whole season, to do justice to this relationship, once it is truly ON. Booth and Brennan will have a ton of tiny and not-so-tiny issues to deal with, and they will show anger, humor, annoyance, love, and both will stretch to cope. WE WANT TO SEE THIS UNFOLD! Take a look closely at their fights (e.g. the sub-plot in The Pain in the Heart, where B and B fight and talk out her anger and pain at having gone through the experience of believing he was dead… that’s just a tiny taste of what it will be like. DON’T WASTE TIME, Hart; Challenge yourselves with how you will write these events. It’s getting boring, seriously. It’s ‘fine’ but not great…and it could be great.
Wouldn’t it be nice if TV writers could give us a couple that is intelligent, funny AND hot for each other? Given good writing and acting, a show can make it past the “Moonlighting” curse.
What made the show highly watchable in the first 4 seasons was the mixture of humor, drama, angst and revelations about the characters that gave them depth and dimension. If the writers/producers can continue the same formula for the rest of the series, putting Booth and Brennan together can work.
…The character of Brennan is too honest to become a “yes dear” type of wife, and thus let things become complacent…
ITA Jud. AND I will add Booth is too alpha male to become a “yes dear” type of husband.
Their relationship would continue to be hilarious — and fans would tune in.
This is ridiculous. The reason that people like the sexual tension in the show is because we all know it will LEAD to something! We, as fans, ALL want something to happen. There may be a VERY small minority of people who just watch the show just for the cases, but screw them–the show has really become about the relationships, at least recently. At not only B/B; theres still the whole Angela/Jack thing that needs to be sorted out (I mean, I love Wendell, but who DOESN’T think Jack is better for her?!), the Sweets/Daisy, and then (so I’ve heard) Cam and some mystery man.
The relationships are really important, and, as Catalina posted below, it CAN work. Jim and Pam are a PERFECT example. They dated, got married, are going to have a kid–and they’re still adorable; and the show still focuses on them as well as the side relationships–it has a good balance.
I think Bones could be like this…I think I could work. Granted, Brennan is obviously not as normal as Pam-like characters, but I feel like, if they wrote it right, Booth might be able to bridge the gap…
So, I think they would be great together…Who DOESN’T want them together, eventually?
Personally, I don’t want them together right now…Someone’s getting married this season (please NOT angela and wendell..I’m pulling for Sweets+Daisy) and if B/B got together too it’d be like an adorableness overload…
To make it work, all they need to do it time it right. They had seasons of just cases, then those of their sexual tension, now we’ve had many episodes of Booth realizing that he’s in love with her. I think that Brennan needs that same amount of time too. She obviously doesn’t rush into things, ESPECIALLY this, and Booth had his time, so Brennan needs hers.
She’s obviously so oblivious it’s painful…So I’m hoping ANgela will be there to give her a very big shove in the right direction.
To finish this very large comment off (sorry), I just want to say that:
1. YES, I want Brennan and Booth together, just
2. Not right now, they both need their time to adjust to what’s happening (at least Brenn does), and
3. Everything will be resolved in the end (as Hart Hanson said that, “Eventually, everything will be OK in Bones world. The people who should be together, will be together, and the people who shouldn’t, won’t.”), but this isn’t the end. So let’s give everything some time, and everything (including B/B) will, hopefully, be OK.
I disagree with you Trisha on the main points.
Your point #2. Honestly, I don’t watch the show because of the bones. It is an important part of the show, I agree, but I would not tune in if it was just bones and especially, as in any prime time TV, there is a lot of unreality to many of the plot situations and details. I could list some of the major ones, but it is moot point if you don’t pick it up. So, to me the plot is secondary, until they improve that portion, which will never happen. So that begs the question why do I tune in? The two main characters!!!!!!! No other two characters have got my attention as these two have, ever! I think there are many Bones fans that also appreciate the two leads. I don’t have time to waste on watching TV. I am tuning in because of the two lead actors.
The two leads used to argue about issues all of the time, and it was very entertaining. Adding a few other issues is not going to take away from the plot or turn it into a soap opera. (Anyway, Soap opera’s don’t have a sense of humor.)
Your point #3; The supporting cast of Bones is great, but I wouldn’t tune in for them. I appreciate what they do. They are talented and they add a ton to the show. I would not sit down and watch TV just for them.
Your point #4; As for the “wisdom and trends” of network TV, I have no respect. I stopped watching Cheers, Jag, X-files, should I keep naming? Some of them were already on syndication (I think I am using that word right), and I could have easily skipped to the end. The ploys they were using obviously didn’t keep me around, but maybe I am a quicker learner than the average prime time TV viewer.
Many of us are stating what would work and keep them from being boring, but obviously the networks/writers/creators/money people want to go with the trend. If it was any other show, I would agree with them. Everyone is too close to see what some of us see. The show and the two leads are two different entities.
Metaphorically, the two leads need a good show as a vehicle to drive, which includes plots, and supporting cast, but they should let them be in the same car, trying to get to the same place.
Sometimes years of experience can ruin something. It can be helpful, but it can also stifle. If I get the feeling this show is going to be run by experience, why should I watch? I know where it is going. That is just as much of a killer for me.
WOW!! You guys have so much to say and I’m pleased to have sparked a discussion (even though it appears the majority of you don’t agree with me). Couple of points I’d like to clear up.
1. I DO want to see them together, just like everyone else. You can’t watch the show and not want that. I just want it to happen in the final season. Not the final EPISODE, but the final season.
2. Many of you suggested relationship subplots that could be explored if they got together (Brennan as a stepmom, meeting parents, buying a house, etc.) May I very respectfully remind everyone that this is a crime drama. It is not Grey’s Anatomy or a daytime soap. Whatever happens, the plots will continue to revolve around the cases.
3. The supporting cast of Bones is one of the aspects that makes it great. Lets get more of them.
4. I think the show’s writers know what they are doing. They have years of experience and industry trends to fall back on. Trust me. Bones will go to pot if they pull the trigger on this relationship too soon. The writers know it, the network knows it, and they are playing the game and hoping to prolong the series as long as possible.
5. I agree with Dan Krokos, if I have to give in a little. A small concession could work – give all you diehard fans something to chew on for a while. i could get behind that.
Thank you all again for your insightful comments. It’s been fun to read them and engage everyone in discussion!
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Are you kidding me with this? Of course they should get together! As far as what the fans want, just take a little journey over to the Boneyard and check out the FanFic section…or any other Fan Fiction website for that matter. We ALL want them TOGETHER!! We’ve come up with a million ways to get them together and another BILLION story lines for them as a couple! Come on Hart…get with it! We want to see B&B as a couple!
The relationship no one will ever forget and it better not simmer into the background many viewers may be too frustrated to continue with the show. the back and forth thing is really annoying and yes it is a big risk…but the risk that the audience wants.
the writers hav a large variety of stories they can create if B&B get together.
They are one of the few “couple” shows that really could pull it off. There is enough humor in their bickering it would be fun to watch them as a couple. They have the right chemistry to fill a season with wedding planning etc. Different than other drama couple driven shows (X-Files, Moonlighting etc.)this is an ensemble cast that generates it’s own UST.
I think they could come up with enough story arcs to keep this going a long time as long as the cases are interesting. Can’t you see Booth showing up at a murder scene directly from his batchelor party or Brennan and Angela wedding dress shopping when a murder call comes in?
I agree with the Kev, 12:45am. These two actors have a rare chemistry that could pull it off. Currently, it is more fun watching their interviews, than it is watching the show, because lately the are not allowed to interact as they have in the past. I think the creators and the network are too dense to realize they have something that doesn’t come along but once every 100,000 times, and they are trying to stick with what happens to other shows. These two are not like other couples in other shows.
My question to the author of the article is why do we have to see the dark side? It might be good in small doses, but a successful relationship usually has great inner beauty to see also.
I don’t know how many times people that have just met my husband and I have asked, “How long have you been married?” as they are cracking up. Obviously our relationship is fun to watch, and likewise B/B could continue to be lightening in a bottle.
It is not about will they or won’t they, because they are already all in each other’s lives in so many ways. I wish the writers, creators, network would continue to let that grow, instead of putting a damper on it.
I remember a scene at the beginning of the series where Brennan is applying for gun permit. It was hysterical. Can you imagine them trying to fill out a marriage license together, or trying to pick out a house, or buy furniture? They are going to come at things from different view points, but because of their respect for each other, and their inability to resist each other, find a solution. Their fights would even be fun to watch.
It is their inability to resist each other that really is the center of this show. Everyone calls it sexual tension, and then narrowly defines it to pre-relationship. If everyone thinks it is boring after marriage, than there must be a ton of bad marriages out there. I wish the network would wake up and realize what the viewers see and what they have. I wish they would break the mold and do something groundbreaking. The show worked themselves into a corner, they need to think outside of the box, but let B/B run with it.
The character of Brennan is too honest to become a “yes dear” type of wife, and thus let things become complacent.
I could write a few volumes about how boneheaded the creators/network are being about this. I hope they do not wake up toooo late.
But, Kev everything you said WILL be boring! The draw to the show is the UST between B/B. Their ST is already at a stand still. They don’t have the spark they had in the earlier seasons. Like the author said, Brennan is not going to change overnight. Putting them in a relationship, now, will be ridiculous.
Threatening to stop watching the show if B/B don’t get together, means nothing to HH and Company. They have high ratings, right now and it’s not because of Booth/Brennan. I hate to break it to you. Not every single fan wants the same thing. We all watch for different reasons and HH and Co., have to compromise. They prolong the ST between B/B and keep the balance of the supporting cast along with the cases. Don’t forget, the show has an amazing supporting cast! People seem to forget that in their B/B bliss. All the shippers seem to be ignoring the fact that HH said he will prolong the B/B UST for as long as he can. Do you guys think he’s joking? He’s not.
Trisha, I agree so much about the fact that they should move the whole B/B non-relationship UST to the background. When it was, they had an amazing balance of drama, comedy, cases and characters. It seems HH is trying to recapture the good ol’ days, this season. He’s gained more fans who are not as anxious to have B/B together, so he definitely can prolong the UST even longer.
I need the love, can’t wait for the love and am going slightly crazy on account of it.
I don’t care about the cases. I say, steam up my tv already.
I don’t want them ripped apart either once they are together, but really there are lots of ways for them to have conflict and drama.
I suspect Hart Hanson doesn’t agree with me as he’s already stated he can’t give us what we want or we’d stop watching. I don’t agree.
Why don’t you just watch live sports? Per your article you don’t want to deal with any personnel emotions. What makes Bones a good show is that you get a little bit of everything. You get a murder mystery, you get friendship, and you get romance. If the writers took your suggestion, then the characters would be one dimensional and boring. Whether Booth and Bones are friends, lovers, or married, they would be interesting. That is what makes a hit show. You might want to take a look at the ratings. Obviously other people agree with me.
I think that if they went back to case centered episodes and pushed the B&B evolving relationship to the back-burner, I would stop watching within a few months of it. You can’t take all these steps forward and then decide to take giant leaps backward. After 5 years you need to continue to see growth in both the individual characters and the relationships they have. If you don’t get continued growth, then the characters and the show get stagnant and boring. I personally don’t ever agree with the whole “they’ll get boring when together” mantra that people just love to say. If you have great writers,like BONES, and you have two leads with the best chemistry that people have ever seen, like BONES, then they can still captivate the audience when the characters are together. All it takes is some creativity, but people in television seem to only use the same things over and over again and that is what kills the show.
Yes, of course there would still be a show if they get together. I think that them not getting together is beneficial to the show for now, but not for another five seasons. And, Hart Hanson and Stephen Nathan are very… creative to say the least, so I’m sure they can come up with a thousand different awesome things to explore about their relationship. It isn’t as if they will ever have just a normal, easy happily ever after.
I do agree on the point of the case plots, they’ve been getting a little more unrealistic throughout the seasons, and the ones in season one and two were the best. However, I believe the focus on the friendship and romance and just basically personal lives of the main characters just distinguishes ‘Bones’ from shows that are very focussed on the case aspects. These ‘Big, emotional episodes’ as Hart Hanson has called them (the last eight episodes of this season) are what makes this show so much fun to watch.
Finally, before I cut off my rambligs (I could discuss this point for hours) I just wanted to say, I believe ‘Bones’ is not going to end anytime soon, and I’m sure -actually, I know a lot of fans who agree with me- that getting them together would not ruin the show, it would just make it even better.
I am totally agree with this sentence “Every relationship has problems”, yes In today’s world it is very difficult to find couple who don’t face problem in their relationship. We have to make proper communication, forgive, apologize, be positive with your partner and have trust. These points will help to get successful relationship.
OK. What if they got them together then had the relationship drop into the background of Season 1/2?
This show is about the characters and then the crimes. We seen this play out alot as the murderer is caught at the last second with no investigation into that person.
IMO, the show is becoming to inconsistant due to the fact they are keeping them apart. One episode they have them learn one thing only to have them forget the next episode.
Why couldn’t this show go from Ross/Rachel to Hart to Hart? Or McMillan and Wife?
I think you are crazy…as is anyone who thinks that Bones would be dead if the teo of them got together. I am so sick and tired of hearing about the “Moonlighting Curse” and how the UST will be gone. Emily and David have the best chemistry on TV and I have faith in the writers to be able to pull off getting them together and having them going through that process, and then what happens afterward. The audience wants them together, yes, but we want to SEE them together…not just get a glimpse and then it is the end.
I agree! Bring on Booth and Brennan as a couple! We have waited five seasons for this and Booth is in love with her as she is in love with him. get them together and lets see how they deal with being a couple! Lets just not do a Derek and Mer from Greys! Get them together, keep them together and lets see the highs and lows!
Do you seriously think you are speaking for even a small minority of the diehard fans? Because You are OH So Wrong if you really believe that we want them to never get together!
This couple, on this show, is so multifaceted…so interesting…such good chemestry that being in a relationship is not going to dim their fire! NOT AT ALL. Most of us love, absolutely love the relationship between Emily and David, as well as Booth and Bones. As long as that relationship is solid…the chemestry will remain!
The only thing that can destroy this show…is the cowardice of the writers and producers and studio heads to take the challenge and prove what great writing is…writing a show with your main characters behaving like real people who actually make a relationship work!!
Actually, Kev, I’m bored.
Give us a kiss.
Give us professed love. Give us a rejection. Don’t keep giving us years of looks and hand touches.
Fringe did a wonderful job with the almost kiss. I am satisfied because I know something is there. THROW US A BONE IS WHAT I’M SAYING.
Are you on crack? bored with these two as a couple? they don’t need UST to be entertaining…they’ll always have ST just as the BEST couples do! They can learn to live with each other as a couple…come to the hard compromises and in general treat us to a BALL of fun in doing so!
If they turn away from the deeply beloved relationship…people will do as they did with the xfiles about season 7 and find something else to watch until they get a scent of a relationship centered ep.
There are a 1000 angles to them yet to be explored. How will bren do as a step-mom? LOL How will they organize their new relationship? who lives where and when? what about kids? family issues? booth’s dad? brennan’s dad? marriage?
I love this show! I am a huge fan and would love to see Booth and Brennan together! However, as much as I want to see them together….the tension between them is what brings me back every week. I like to call the show “brilliantly frustrating” because it drives me absolutely crazy when they do have the moments of “they are so gonna kiss right now”, like in the end scene of “A Night at the Bones Museum”, and nothing happens. But, after that I’m like “I can’t wait to see the next episode”. I would love to see them at least kiss this season, but don’t know about seeing them as a couple. I think it would be a little awkward and would take away from the dynamic of the show. I don’t want to lose that tension that is between them. I like what they have now….I want to see more just not too much.
I agree. Cool it off, drift away from all these relationshippy sub-plots, go case-focused until, whenever it is, a 4-episode series finale arc which ends with Bones analyzing Booth’s technique the morning after.
Three words. Jim. And. Pam.
It can work. The writers have proven to us that they are masterminds and can create an intriguing story. I think they would be able to create one if they paired off this amazing couple.
honestly I would love if they get together, but I AM NOT STUPID, there’s NO WAY I would stop watching this amazing and lovely show even if they break up, I mean, I am a LOYAl FAN so, I will watch it FOREVER, until the end of time.
They shouldn’t quite yet. I like the storyline on Bones. They’re doing a great job and definitely pulling it off. I would, however, like a little more love, but that’s just the romantic side of me. The pragmatic side says they should keep doin’ what they’re doin’.