In marked contrast to the eminently readable, well-told, entertaining Tempe Brennan whodunit novels, season 1 of the Bones TV series comes across as a fantasy-based dark sitcom, developed and presented as an appealing diversion for the beta-wave brigade.
The Temperance “Tempe” Brennan I came to know from reading Kathy Reichs’ series of novels is vastly different from the Temperance “Bones” Brennan portrayed by Emily Deschanel in the TV series. The ink on paper Tempe Brennan appears to be an intelligent scientist somewhat lacking in social graces, appearing a notch or two on the pretty side of plain. On the flipside, based upon viewing the first season of the Bones TV series, Temperance “Bones” Brennan is verifiably a few giant steps on the opposite side of pretty from the ink on paper Tempe Brennan. Furthermore, Emily Deschanel portrays her “Bones” Brennan character as a sometimes Asperger’s savant, a sometimes pigheadedly defiant 12-year old and, once in a while, a somewhat normal person. Fortunately, in contrast to the TV show’s “Bones” Brennan, there is a genuine girly girl series regular in the person of Angela Montenegro, portrayed brilliantly by Michaela Conklin. Kudos to the other first season core characters, FBI agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz), technicians Jack Hodgins (T. J. Thyne) and Zack Addy (Eric Millegan) for their comedic contributions, and to Jeffersonian head honcho and straight man Daniel Goodman (Jonathan Adams).