Entertainment
This 12-Part 10/10 Police Procedural on Hulu Is So Good, You Can Start With Any Episode
Nowadays, with the popularity of streaming services, starting a 12-season show is an intimidating thought. But cop procedurals that began as network programming are designed to be engaging wherever you begin your journey, thanks to the charm of their episodic forays into death and mystery. When it comes to twisty crime episodes that pull you in immediately, no one does it quite like Bones. Among the 2000s juggernauts like NCIS or Criminal Minds, Bones resides somewhere at the overlooked intersection with its quirky, yet morbid premise of investigating the literal bones of a victim to solve a case. Though it had its heyday, it is not nearly as appreciated as it should be, especially with the beating heart that lies at the center of its skeleton.
‘Bones’ Balances Humor With Its Grisly Criminal Investigations
If NCIS was a tad too light-hearted for you, and you found Criminal Minds to be relentlessly dark, then Bones will hit your sweet spot. At the forefront of this series is forensic pathologist Dr. Brennan (Emily Deschanel), who is fondly dubbed Dr. Bones by her charming FBI agent partner Agent Booth (David Boreanaz). Dr. Bones has the uncanny ability to spot every tiny detail from a bone and extract a story from it, morbid but hopeful in the sense that once our flesh and blood are stripped away, our bare bones are still capable of holding our truths. There’s certainly a darkness attached to the study of skeletons, where the visuals of decomposed bodies and forgotten skeletal structures are just as unnerving as your usual chalk-outlined, brains-on-the-wall crime drama.
While Bones certainly doesn’t veer away from sobering topics like mental health, domestic abuse, or addiction, treating each as carefully as Dr. Bones does her patients, the show is no stranger to wacky crimes. From cannibals, the circus, human puppets, to the chocolate factory, there are diverse cases with an absurdity that contrasts some of the heavier themes, leading to a viewing experience that hits both those light and dark notes. It’s one of those shows that are perfectly suited to cable TV — whichever episode you happen to meander into guarantees enough laughs and shocks to tempt you into returning. Naturally, there are overarching stories where we watch characters break down and evolve, but the central case-of-week mayhem is enough to convince you to commit, no matter when you start.
Dr. Bones and Agent Booth Will Make You Fall in Love Just as They Do
You can’t mention Bones without talking about the will-they-won’t-they romance between Dr. Bones and Agent Booth, one of the most iconic romances in 2000s TV. Usually, only teasing a relationship leads to frustration in the audience, but because Bones‘ primary focus is on the cases themselves, the sustained romantic tension between the two central characters is a fun bonus. Their interactions are the heart of the show, where Dr. Bones’ preference for skeletons over living beings, of logic over messy human emotions, clashes comically with Booth’s more intuitive approach to crime-solving and life in general. They find common ground in the most unexpected of places, even if Booth is constantly sighing at Dr. Bones’ lack of pop culture knowledge.
Around them is a cast that side-eyes their adorable bickering and brings their own light to the skeleton-focused show. From the sassy forensic artist Angela (Michaela Conlin), to the conspiracy-minded bug guy Jack (T.J. Thyne), they each contribute emotional texture to the group they call the “Squints,” scientists who assist with FBI cases. Like the rest of the show, they strike a balance between tragic backstories and situational humor, never allowing a second of boredom. Bones may be more of a science-based approach to solving cases than the typical crime procedurals, but it’s one that still carries the same emotional depth — much to Dr. Bones’ chagrin.
If you’ve caught up with all your usual crime dramas, then you need to watch this beautifully balanced show that takes criminal investigations to their bare bones. The lab will soon become your second home, and these eccentric, scientifically brilliant characters are easy to root for, especially as the cases go off the rails. Between the grisly scenes of autopsies and the tantalizing tension between Dr. Bones and Booth, Bones has everything you could ask for in a crime procedural.
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