In eighth grade, for our class superlatives, we were asked what we wanted to be when we got older. I, who have never excelled in math or science, said I wanted to be a forensic anthropologist. I was focused on our biology unit in science class and spending free time scrolling through free websites on the basics of forensic anthropology (like how to calculate height using the femur). The 2005 forensic crime show “Bones” had me, the world’s biggest STEM hater, yearning for a professional career in science, all so I could become someone similar to Dr. Temperance Brennan, the world’s most renowned forensic anthropologist.
The show is based on books by Kathy Reichs, a forensic anthropologist whose life inspired the books and, by extension, the show. From what little forensics I do know, the show is remarkably accurate, complete with some of the most gory scenes that made it a show my family couldn’t watch while we were eating. It follows forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan and her partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth, as they solve murders alongside their ragtag group of scientists and a FBI psychologist, all while having one of the most beautifully done romantic slow burns in TV history. Rest assured, even after finally getting together, the two keep plenty of chemistry, and it continues to feel genuine as they face real issues that keep the relationship feeling real and grounded.
While I am now an English major, the show’s impact is not lost on me. For a show produced in the early 2000s, it is remarkably progressive, with some of the most amazing representation and political commentary I have seen, especially compared to other shows at the time. Dr. Brennan was inspired by the show creator’s friend, who had Asperger’s, and many have praised the show for its portrayal of Dr. Brennan and autism over other TV shows, such as “Big Bang Theory,” for being more accurate and positive.
The show’s entire cast is immensely diverse, with each character given time to explore the intricacies of their own story. One of my personal favorite interns, Arastoo Vaziri, who some may recognize from “Shameless,” is a political refugee from Iran. The show discusses being Muslim in a post-9/11 America, contentions that exist in being religious and a scientist, as well as racial profiling. Dr. Camille Saroyan is another wonderfully diverse character who the show uses to dig deeper into racial profiling and generational trauma, while also being an all-around wonderful and genius character. I also have to mention Angela Montenegro, a multiracial white and Asian woman who is a free-spirited artist and is given a whole plotline to explore her bisexuality.
The show not only addresses the previously mentioned topics to more deeply explore the main cast of characters, but also creates commentary through the victims they encounter. There’s one episode where the victim is a transgender woman who is also a pastor; itexplores sexuality and gender within Catholic doctrine at length, a theme throughout the show, as Brennan often questions FBI agent Seeley Booth’s thoughts on the matter as a Catholic. The episode is, for the most part, tastefully done, while there is a bit of misgendering. However, when compared to “NCIS”’s handling of a transgender woman plotline, the victim is not belittled for a laugh. Rather, the episode displays the violence that transgender people, especially transgender women, face in romantic relationships. Not to spoil the episode, but it does also show how transgender people are capable and deserving of love. The show handles these issues in a way I find very progressive and respectful, given the time period and other media within it.
I cannot express how much I love this show and how much it means to me. This show has single-handedly changed many of my ideas about life, as it uses its diverse cast to bring together multiple ideas and opinions, such as on the death penalty, so the audience can hear from all perspectives rather than a single narrative about right and wrong. However, I do think what I love most about this show is that all these topics and themes are so beautifully woven into it. While the show is undoubtedly political, and I would say inherently so, it gives an outline for how TV shows can handle this, crime shows especially. The media has taken on the job of being a voice for minority groups, but forcing it into dialogue to create separate plots or “token” diversity characters has led to pushback and complaints. “Bones” is a masterclass in how to address these issues.
A small thing that I love about the show is the treatment of Dr. Brennan as a woman who has a life. The show ran from 2005 to 2017, the actors aging with it. Women in the media are often treated as less beautiful after a certain age, one thing I was expecting to see with this show. A huge part of Dr. Brennan’s character is how beautiful she is, a trait that often leads to her being underestimated. However, the writers did not stop including these lines about the beauty of the character in later seasons, even after the actress had aged past the brief window that Hollywood tells women they are desirable. The actress who plays Dr. Brennan, Emily Deschanel, also became pregnant in real life during filming, a plot that is included in the show which actually addresses the body dysmorphia of pregnancy. Overall, this small detail of making sure to continue to praise and call Dr. Brennan beautiful — a guaranteed fact because Deschanel is one of the most gorgeous actresses at any age — was such an important thing for me to see at such a young age.
Genuinely, few things have had the level of impact that this TV show has had on me. To this day, I am an English major and I still dream of switching to forensic anthropology. I am not afraid to say that this show made me a better person, and I have watched almost every episode in the 12 seasons at least three times. “Bones” is a show that will change your life, beliefs and perception of love. For a young and awkward eighth grader, Dr. Temperance Brennan was the role model I did not even know I needed and this article is a love letter to the show that made me who I am today.
