Bonesran for 12 seasons, but one small change majorly impacted the quality of the show and allowed it to run for so long.Bonesfollows forensic anthropologistDr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel)and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) as they solve crimes that usually include skeletal remains. Dr. Brennan is the head of anthropology at the fictional Jeffersonian institution, meaning she has the support of many specialists who help her and Booth in their crime-fighting endeavors.
Thesupporting cast of characters inBonesmainly includes the likes of artist Angela Montenegro, entomologist Dr. Jack Hodgins, and pathologist Dr. Camille Saroyan. These characters along with Bones act as “Squints” or scientists who assist in criminal FBI cases. The term is used throughoutBones’ 12 seasonsand Booth even refers to the squints at the Jeffersonian “his” squints. Throughout the show’s long run,Dr. Brennan almost always had an intern at her side, helping her catalog the injuries to skeletal remains and find clues to how these people died. These many interns would eventually be dubbed the “Squinterns.”
Bones Started Having a Rotating Cast Of Squinterns In Season 4
After the Departure of Eric Millegan’s Dr. Zack Addy
InBonesseason 3, the Jeffersonian team along with Booth spent a lot of the season hunting the elusive“Gormogon,” a cannibalistic serial killerwho had bodies piling up. In theBonesseason 3 finale,it’s revealed that Gormogon had recruited Zack Addy, Dr. Brennan’s intern to be his apprentice.The reveal comes after Zack had permanently injured his hands in an experiment that was meant to distract security at the Jeffersonian. It had been previously established that Zack was a beloved team member and that Dr. Brennan struggled to replace him when he was sent overseas by the US government.
Bones: All Of Brennan’s Interns, Ranked
Over Bones' 12 seasons, Brennan’s forensic anthropologist is assisted by numerous interns. Today we rank them.
After Zack’s arrest,Boneshad a variety of forensic anthropology graduate students rotate in and out of the show. While these characters were never main cast members, many had their own character arcs that helped push along the other storylines. They were vital in helpingDr. “Bones” Brennango out in the field to investigate alongside Booth. Sqinterns likeWendell Bray appeared in all seasons following Zack Addy’s departure.Audiences also got to see multiple Squinterns earn their doctorates like Arastoo Vaziri and Colin Fisher. Former Squintern, Dr. Clark Edison also went on to head the historical anthropology exhibit at the Jeffersonian.
The Many Squinterns Allowed Bones to Keep The Story Fresh for 12 Seasons
Different Squinterns Indicated Which Main Character Would Be the Focus of Episodes
Because of the Squintern’s close relationships with other main cast members, it was sometimes clear who the episode would focus on based on who appeared. For a while, it was clear that Lance Sweets would have a storyline dedicated to him in some way whenever Daisy Wick appeared, and the same can be said for Cam when Arastoo appeared.This allowedBonesto keep the stories freshand constantly rotating throughout each season.
There have been rumors thatBoneswill be revived, but nothing has been confirmed.
Additionally, having Squinterns meant that whenBoneswanted to pack a big emotional punch, they were able to kill off someone who wasn’t a main cast member. This happened at the end ofBonesseason 6 with thedeath of Vincent Nigel-Murray. Vincent’s death carried emotional weight but didn’t change the dynamic of the show, instead, it added a breath of fresh air to the show by adding a new intern. While Zack Addy is a beloved character,Bonesmade the right move by having a rotating cast of characters.
Bones
Cast
Bones is a crime drama series centered around Dr. Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist at the Jeffersonian’s Medico-Legal Lab, who, along with Special Agent Seeley Booth, solves murder cases involving severely decomposed remains that defy standard identification methods.
