The Major Bones Character Fans Think Got Worse Over Time
Crime procedural shows have long been a dime a dozen, but few of them have managed to craft as much of a unique and lasting identity as "Bones." With its trademark melding of macabre humor and the darker elements of criminal investigations, the show attracted a large audience for the 12 years that it was on the air. However, it wasn't just the tone or the premise that made viewers fall in love with the series, but also the handling of its main cast.
Beyond "Bones" having characters that fans felt were perfectly cast, the show was unafraid to dive deep into the psychology behind its leads. The series excelled at crafting three-dimensional characters with intriguing depth and fascinating flaws. However, that's not to say that every character on the show was perfectly handled from start to finish. In fact, there's one major member of the "Bones" family that some fans have criticized for actually becoming a worse character over the course of the series.
Fans think Bones herself devolved
Unfortunately, not every fan of "Bones" is a fan of Bones herself. Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), the stoic forensic anthropologist also known by her nickname "Bones," spearheaded the series as its titular lead for all 12 seasons. But while life changed for the character a lot between the start and the end of the series, some fans felt that she failed to actually grow as a person and even somewhat regressed as the show went along.
"I know half the point is that she is abrupt and literal and direct," u/Brazen78 commented on a thread on the r/Bones subreddit. "But she also never seems to learn despite Angela and everyone else constantly educating her on better behaviour. The way in which she speaks to everyone is not just abrupt and literal it's down right [sic] rude."
Several commenters described Bones as "toxic" and noted that her trademark lack of a filter in any sort of social interaction eventually crossed the line into mean-spirited territory. "There's a pretty large difference between being socially unaware and being just a flat out malicious a**hole," u/Case_Summers commented.
As for Deschanel herself, the actress remembers Bones more fondly. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she reflected on the character's unique toe-to-toe dynamic with co-star David Boreanaz's FBI Agent Seeley Booth. "I remember loving the dialogue between the two characters, really quick witty repartee, and I liked that relationship," Deschanel said. "I liked that it was a strong female character."