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Stephen King is one of the most well-known and acclaimed authors of all time — so much so, in fact, that he’s been deemed the King of Horror on more than one occasion. His novels have been adapted into some of the horror genre’s most influential films, such as Carrie, The Shining, and Misery. His novels are still being adapted today, whether it be for movies or television, but there was one story in particular that he held onto for years, and that’s Lisey’s Story. But the time finally came when King felt ready to adapt the novel, and it was due in part to Ryan Murphy.

What Is ‘Lisey’s Story’ About?

Lisey’s Story was published in 2006, but it wasn’t until 2021 that the novel finally earned an adaptation — though not from a lack of interest, as King has repeatedly said that it is his personal favorite of the novels he has written, and even expressed interest in Lisey’s Story being adapted into a TV series back in 2017. The story follows Lisey Landon (Julianne Moore), the widow of a novelist, who is plagued by repressed memories that connect back to her husband’s death.

King previously divulged that the idea for Lisey’s Story came to him after a bad case of pneumonia sent him to the hospital. While he was there, his wife, Tabitha King, decided to redecorate his office. When he came home and saw all his books and other belongings in boxes, he had a startling vision of what his office would look like upon his death.

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Stephen King Credits Ryan Murphy as the Reason ‘Lisey’s Story’ Became a TV Show

Given that Lisey’s Story is King’s personal favorite novel, that love made it difficult for him to agree to let anyone adapt it for the screen. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the author revealed that he was actually inspired by the second season of Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story anthology series, The Assassination of Gianni Versace:

“I saw this thing on FX that was about the fashion designer Versace and about the man who killed him. And I had not really thought about getting involved with Lisey at that point or tackling it as a TV project, but I looked at that thing, and I said to myself, my goodness, this guy, Tom Rob Smith, wrote the whole thing. He wrote all eight or nine episodes, and I thought, well, if he could do that and bring it home and do such a great job, what about Lisey? And I sat down, and I started, and I showed the scripts to Ben Stephenson at Bad Robot one by one, and he was very encouraging. So the scripts got done, and everything else followed from that.”

According to King, something else that inspired him to tackle his own small-screen adaptation of Lisey’s Story was the changes introduced by streaming TV. “You have a chance to do more,” he said. “You can be a little more graphic with language and with sexual situations and with length, just the chance to do something that has that kind of spread, texture, and a little more nuance. For guys like me, it’s been great.”

Alongside the possibility of a longer format with multiple episodes (anyone who has read the author knows how long-winded he can be, so it’s no wonder that TV held appeal), King admitted he was able to make some necessary updates to Lisey’s Story, looking at the book through different eyes after 15 years, which enabled him to streamline the plot or cut characters that were unnecessary for the screen version. A Stephen King adaptation is always exciting, but Lisey’s Story was one that fans had been especially eager to see brought to life. So, thanks, Ryan Murphy (and American Crime Story), Stephen King might not have done it without you.

When it comes to magnetic screen presence, it’s hard not to put Tom Hardy at the top of the list. Over the years, he’s delivered some of his most striking work in films like The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road, while also anchoring blockbuster franchises like Venom. Just as importantly, Hardy has consistently shown a willingness to commit to challenging television roles, including his scene-stealing turn on Peaky Blinders and more recently on MobLand. In 2017, he took that commitment a step further, teaming up with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight to build a series very much on his own terms.

That series is Taboo, an eight-episode historical thriller co-created by Hardy, his father Edward “Chips” Hardy, and Steven Knight. Set in a grimy, unforgiving early 19th-century London, Taboo is slow, dense, and unapologetically strange. While it earned a devoted cult following, it never fully broke into the mainstream conversation. Nearly a decade later, the series plays far better on a binge, revealing a meticulously crafted drama that remains one of Hardy’s purest and most hypnotic performances.

What Is Tom Hardy’s FX Series ‘Taboo’ About?

Set in 1814 London, Taboo follows James Keziah Delaney (Hardy), a man long presumed dead who abruptly returns from Africa after more than a decade away. His reappearance coincides with the death of his father, leaving him in possession of a small but strategically vital piece of land that places him in direct conflict with the East India Company, embodied by the chilling Sir Stuart Strange (Jonathan Pryce), as well as representatives of the British Crown and American interests, including the calculating Atticus (Stephen Graham). What begins as a dispute over land quickly expands into a web of political manipulation, corporate greed, espionage, and colonial exploitation.

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Taboo presents every institution Delaney encounters as morally compromised, offering no clear heroes and only competing forces vying for power. As the conspiracy deepens, the series slowly unravels Delaney’s personal history, particularly his complicated bond with his half-sister Zilpha (Oona Chaplin), whose quiet suffering adds emotional weight to the show’s brutality. Supporting players like Lorna Bow (Jessie Buckley) and Brace (David Hayman) further flesh out the seedy world. While some viewers may find the plot and world-building deliberately slow, that restraint ultimately gives Hardy the space to deliver a performance that becomes the series’ driving force.

Tom Hardy’s Performance in ‘Taboo’ Is Pure, Unfiltered Commitment From Start to Finish

At the center of Taboo’s enduring power is Tom Hardy’s extraordinary performance as James Delaney. This is not a traditionally charismatic role, nor is it designed to make Delaney likable. Hardy plays him as a man perpetually coiled, speaking sparingly and observing constantly, as though every interaction is a test of dominance. His low, gravelly voice becomes a weapon in itself, conveying menace even in silence. And like many of Hardy’s performances, his physicality is just as crucial. Delaney moves through the world like an imposing specter, his stillness often more unsettling than outright violence.

That discipline is entirely intentional. Hardy conceived James Delaney years before Taboo ever made it to screen, and his involvement went far beyond acting. In a 2017 Collider interview, Hardy explained that performance was “five percent” of the job for him, with the rest devoted to producing, world-building, and supporting the ensemble. He emphasized that the other characters mattered just as much as Delaney, even as he carried the responsibility of anchoring the series. That dual role helps explain why the performance feels so controlled and purposeful. Hardy isn’t just inhabiting Delaney, he’s safeguarding the integrity of the world around him.

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Taboo was officially renewed for Season 2 in 2017, but nearly nine years later, that follow-up has yet to materialize due to Hardy and Steven Knight’s packed schedules, even as both have repeatedly confirmed their commitment to continuing the story. Revisiting Taboo now also means watching a cast whose stars have only continued to rise. Stephen Graham became a household name following his Emmy-winning work in Adolescence, Jessie Buckley earned an Academy Award nomination for Hamnet, and Oona Chaplin joined the Avatar franchise — all actors who were already formidable here but have since become even more widely recognized for their craft.

Nearly a decade after its premiere, Taboo has only grown stronger with time. What once felt slow or demanding now reads as deliberate, anchored by Tom Hardy at his most disciplined and commanding, and shaped by his hand in crafting and producing something genuinely meaningful. No matter if we get a Season 2, the series stands as proof that this eight-part historical thriller isn’t just aging well — it’s aging brilliantly.

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Release Date

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2017 – 2017-00-00

Network

BBC One

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Showrunner

Steven Knight

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Directors

Anders Engström

Writers

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Ben Hervey

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Netflix’s America’s Next Top Model docuseries revealed where Tyra Banks stands with many former contestants after they offered their unfiltered opinions of the show.

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, streaming now, features interviews from alums Whitney Thompson, Giselle Samson, Shannon Stewart, Shandi Sullivan, Danielle Evans and Keenyah Hill.

New confessionals with executive producer Ken Mok, former judges Jay Manuel, Miss J. Alexander and Nigel Barker offer more insight into the behind the scenes dynamics — including rare commentary from Banks herself.

“I haven’t really said much. But now it’s time,” Banks, 52, explains to producers in one scene. “I’m going to take you to 2020. COVID hit and the world was binging TV. … They didn’t watch it back then and it went from this thing that everybody loved to overnight heat — just a whole different lens. What I think is important is to understand where that came from.”

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Banks also recalls her approach with America’s Next Top Model, which ran from 2003 to 2018, saying, “I wanted to fight against the fashion industry. One day, this idea just hit me. What if I created a show where you saw what it took to become a model. And for this show to represent not all white, not all skinny and to just show all the differences and all the different types of beauties. I had a feeling that I was gonna change the beauty world.”

Despite positive intentions, Banks acknowledges the offscreen backlash from controversial photo shoot concepts to allegations of discrimination, sexual assault and more.

“Looking at that show through the lens of today, it’s like, ‘Why did you do that?’ I thank you for that. That is the only way you change. That is the only way you get better is by somebody calling you out on your s***,” Banks says. “It is important. I want to let you know that I want you guys to be just as open as I am now by getting called on my s*** by when somebody calls you out on yours. Because that day will come and continue to evolve. Because that’s what we’re all doing.”

Keep scrolling for a breakdown of which contestants and winners participated in the America’s Next Top Model docuseries — and where they stand with Banks:

Shannon Stewart (Cycle 1)

The runner-up from season 1 recalled her struggles with an eating disorder before and during the show. She expressed gratitude to Tyra Banks for speaking out about the conversations surrounding weight on the show — and for sending flowers when Shannon Stewart didn’t win. Stewart ultimately left modeling and committed to her faith.

Ebony Haith (Cycle 1)

The contestant from the debut season voiced frustration with Tyra Banks after the former host brought up her sexual orientation on screen because she “forgot the danger” at the time. Ebony Haith was still happy how her personal life was portrayed — despite the obstacles she faced as a Black woman.

Ebony didn’t feel “protected” and felt “full disappointment” of how she was represented. She claimed Banks barely spoke to her on the show outside of comments that felt targeted, which is when she realized the host wouldn’t help her.

The aspiring actress ultimately said Banks “very much disappointed” her.

Giselle Samson (Cycle 1)

For Giselle Samson, it was shocking when America’s Next Top Model wasn’t what she thought it was going to be. She said she felt pushed by production to start drama and her self esteem suffered after watching Tyra Banks and others discuss her weight on the show.

Samson was a real estate agent after leaving modeling behind — and she has since joined a theater group.

Shandi Sullivan (Cycle 2)

Before joining America’s Next Top Model in 2004, Shandi Sullivan worked at her local Walgreens in Missouri. She nearly made it to the end of her season until she was sexually assaulted during a group trip to Italy. The assault was then used as a cheating story line.

She expressed frustration with Tyra Banks and producers before confirming she left modeling. Sullivan currently works with animals.

Bre Scullark (Cycle 5)

Bre Scullark, who now works with violent offenders to help their rehabilitation, pointed out how the show lacked in supporting Black women, contestants struggling with eating disorders and more.

Danielle Evans (Cycle 6)

Danielle Evans notably stayed longer during her season because she agreed to get rid of a gap in her teeth despite voicing issues with the medical procedure. She won her season but never found success as a model because of the stigma that came with appearing on America’s Next Top Model.

Danielle claimed she had a conversation with Tyra Banks, who admitted she knew the contestant wouldn’t succeed in the industry. The former model, who is no longer in the industry, said Tyra’s ‘ intentions in the beginning were good’ but ‘that s*** got lost.’

Joanie Dodds (Cycle 6)

In the doc, Joanie Dodds recalled having to get her teeth ripped out for a challenge. She consented to the procedure but claimed she didn’t realize the extent of the aftermath, which included “many orthodontic issues” that “never got fixed.”

Dodds admitted she would love to do America’s Next Top Model but not the same way. She has since found success on home improvement shows and that led to her owning her own business related to carpentry.

Dionne Walters (Cycle 8)

During her season, Dionne Walters had to do a photoshoot challenge where she posed as a victim of gun violence. Producers knew that Dionne’s mother was shot and paralyzed in real life, which she didn’t think was coincidental.

Dionne tried to make it in the modeling industry multiple times but it wasn’t successful. She also revealed she “wasn’t contacted” after being eliminated. Dionne is now a small business owner and a realtor.

Whitney Thompson (Cycle 10)

Whitney Thompson was the first plus-size winner of the show but that came with feeling self conscious. She recalled being given clothes that didn’t fit that she had to make work. While Whitney acknowledged that the show “didn’t age well,” it was “also a reflection of the time.” The ice cream shop owner expressed gratitude to Tyra Banks for opening the door for her to be on the show.

Keenyah Hill (Cycle 4)

Keenyah Hill recalled how her entire narrative on the show surrounded her weight. She said it made her feel dirty to see the damaging edits of her eating and the conversations surrounding her appearance. Hill also pointed to a challenge where a male model was ‘aggressively hitting” on her and touching her – but her attempt to get protection turned into her being shamed.

Tyra Banks defended the reaction by saying she offered the best advice she could at the time. Banks admitted Hill deserved more. In her confessional, Hill revealed she is a pose coach helping aspiring models.

Nature documentaries are often marketed as comfort viewing. You put one on, learn a few facts, admire the visuals, and maybe fall asleep halfway through. Nightmares of Nature is very much not that kind of show. While Netflix‘s documentary series Nightmares of Nature is about the natural world, it portrays it as a sinister place, like a scary movie. And for the most part, it is. Predators are lurking in the dark, waiting to catch their next meal. Safety can be short-lived, and luck is usually the decider of who survives.

Told via two speedy seasons and narrated by Maya Hawke, Nightmares of Nature makes animals’ lives seem anxiety-filled, often violent, and highly binge-watching-worthy. This isn’t a series that you just turn on to have in the background; it captures your attention and does a great job of holding it.

‘Nightmares of Nature’ is a Horror Lens on the Natural World

Image via Netflix

Produced by Blumhouse Television alongside Plimsoll Productions, Nightmares of Nature is built around a simple yet effective idea: to tell real animal survival stories in the language of horror cinema. Each season consists of three episodes set in a single environment, following several animals as their paths overlap. In Season One: Cabin in the Woods, the subjects are trapped in a decaying rural cabin that appears safe until it becomes highly dangerous; in Season Two: Lost in the Jungle, the setting shifts to a dense Costa Rican jungle, with an abandoned research facility as the series’ focal point. The intent is to use horror iconography as the basis of the series because it works.

The series uses close-ups, point-of-view shots, ominous sound cues, and slow pacing to prolong unsafe moments for as long as possible. There is an upfront disclaimer stating that some scenes are staged for clarity and safety, but the behavior itself is real. When an animal is caught, it is caught completely; there is no use of computer-generated imagery to smudge the edges.

Maya Hawke Sets the Tone

Hawke’s narration contributes significantly to the series’ success. The voice is slow and careful, with enough acting to convey the horror context without making the animals appear as cartoon villains or heroes.

Hawke has become a popular name after playing Robin Buckley in Stranger Things and has become one of Netflix’s more recognizable voices, so here she emphasizes the atmosphere over the exposition. She doesn’t rush with the explanations and keeps the stakes high — she usually does not tell the audience that things are okay, since in many cases they are not.

There are times when the narration almost oversteps and tells the audience how they should feel. More often than not, the narration gives added significance to moments that would otherwise have faded into one another in a standard wildlife documentary.

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‘Nightmares of Nature’ Was Designed for Short, Intense Viewing

Image via Netflix

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One of Nightmares of Nature’s smartest choices is its length. The series has only six episodes, so it does not feel drawn out. Each season tells a story with a defined arc and escalating tension, rather than disconnected vignettes. The series is visually appealing, with macro photography that gives viewers an extreme close-up of the creatures’ claws, fangs, and swift movements. The slow-motion shots allow the viewer to absorb critical moments of life or death and create an impression of gore without exceeding the bounds of a TV-PG rating. The series depicts the violence of the animal kingdom in a realistic manner.

The horror framing may not appeal to all viewers; some may find the dramatization overdone, and purists may prefer a more documentary style. However, this creates friction that interests the viewer. It’s trying to attract an audience that might not otherwise watch this kind of show.

Nightmares of Nature isn’t the scariest thing Netflix has ever released, but it is one of the more inventive. By borrowing horror’s structure and rhythm, it gives familiar animal stories new urgency and emotional stakes. It’s the kind of show that works best in short bursts — an episode or two at a time — before you realize you’ve finished an entire season. For viewers looking for something different from the usual true crime or slasher rotation, this is an easy recommendation.

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Season 7 of Unexpected is making waves as producers document a young couple’s road to parenthood.

Starting Monday, February 16, viewers of TLC’s hit reality show will get a front-row seat into the relationship of Bella Vaughn, 15, and Hunter, 13, as they prepare to welcome their first child together.

The pre-teens are trying their best to grow up quickly, even as their extended family weighs in on the unique situation.

“I don’t want him to be held back in the 8th grade,” Bella’s mom, Falen, shares in the season 7 trailer.

Bella replies, “I don’t want him to be a tenth grader dating an eighth grader. We’ve got a toddler.”

Keep reading to learn more about Bella and Hunter., and make sure to watch Unexpected on TLC Monday at 9 p.m. ET.

Are Bella Vaughn and Hunter Still Together?

Although viewers of Unexpected will have to tune in to see where Bella Vaughn and Hunter stand after becoming parents, there are plenty of signs on social media that the pair are still together.

“I did not ruin Hunter’s life. When I found out that I was pregnant, I gave him the option. I said, ‘If you can’t do this or you don’t want to be here, that is fine. I understand we’re both very young, but I can do this on my own or with you. It’s your decision. Whatever you choose, I’m fine with,’” Bella shared via TikTok on January 19. “He chose to stay with me. He chose to take care of our baby.”

On February 7, Bella also shared a photo of her “Boyfrannn” Hunter on TikTok.

What Do Bella Vaughn’s Parents Think About Their Daughter Becoming a Teen Mom?

Before season 7 of Unexpected kicked off, Bella Vaughn’s parents, Kris Vaughn and Falen Vaughn, responded to critics who questioned their daughter’s choices.

“I just wanted to come on here and make a quick video,” Kris shared via TikTok on January 25 while responding to haters. “Due to all the trolls and the women quickly being known as what I have to say on TV as the unscrewables, they are going to make season 7 hot. It’s going to be a hot season.”

He added, “All they’re doing is making us the stars of the show and I got to tell y’all, my royalty check is going to be so fat.”

How Old Was Hunter When He Got Bella Vaughn Pregnant?

On January 19, Bella Vaughn addressed more rumors involving her pregnancy journey.

In a TikTok video, the reality star clarified that Hunter was 12 years old when they conceived their son, Wes, but he turned 13 just a few days later.

“I understand it doesn’t make it any better. I understand he was sexually ready faster than I was, and that’s OK, but I was ready when we had sex,” she said. “You can all stop saying that it was illegal and that I raped him because I didn’t. It was both intentional. On both sides, people have already said that. We’ve already talked to the cops about it. It was consensual.”

What Has Bella Vaughn and Hunter Said About Sex?

In a sneak peek from the season 7 premiere of Unexpected, Bella Vaughn shared personal details about her sex life in a candid conversation with her mom.

“All [Hunter] wants to do is have sex,” she shared in a preview clip. “I’m not gonna get pregnant again; I’m already pregnant.”

In another point in the clip, Bella revealed she got pregnant after Hunter’s condom broke.

“I found out I was pregnant because I missed my period. My periods were 28 days on the dot,” she said. “When I missed that period that morning, I was like, ‘Mom, I need to take a test.’ Surely enough, it was positive.”

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What Is TLC’s ‘Unexpected’ About? 

Unexpected first premiered on TLC back in 2017. Ever since then, the reality show has tried to capture a raw look at teenage pregnancies and the effects it has on teen parents and their families.

Viewers are able to catch up on past seasons by streaming old episodes on HBO Max.

It’s rare for any show to run more than a few seasons without a noticeable dip, especially network procedurals built around a familiar week-to-week formula. Even when a series puts a fresh spin on the standard investigative setup, the “case of the week” structure can start to feel repetitive once viewers learn the rhythm of how each episode is going to play out. Bones managed to avoid a lot of those pitfalls because creator Hart Hanson put real emphasis on character, not just plot. The show has an eclectic supporting bench, but it ultimately lived and died on the chemistry between Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz. Sure, crime dramas naturally hook people with the cases themselves, but Bones had a central dynamic that made the procedural engine feel secondary, and that only worked because those two performances made it believable.

Loosely based on the real life and books of Kathy Reichs, Bones centers on the brilliant forensic anthropologist, Temperance Brennan (Deschanel), who works to investigate evidence at crime scenes at the industrious Jeffersonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Brennan has a close relationship with artist Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin), entomologist Jack Hodgins (T.J. Thyne), intern Zack Addy (Eric Millegan), psychologist Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley), and pathologist Camille Saroyan (Tamara Taylor).

However, it’s her personal and professional connection with FBI Agent Seeley Booth (Boreanaz) that gave Bones its distinct charm. While Hanson originally had a much different approach in mind, Booth and Brennan’s roles were changed after a critical moment when filming the pilot episode. It came down to the two actors being completely in sync on what direction the show should head, and it ended up inspiring a series that continues to garner new viewers based on its rewatchability.

Booth Was Never Meant To Be a Permanent Fixture on ‘Bones’

Bones was unique among procedural crime shows because, at its heart, it was a character drama. Booth and Brennan are complete opposites: while Brennan is socially adverse and highly neurotic, Booth is gregarious, often relying upon his “gut” to make decisions. Initially, their partnership is rocky, as their approaches to solving crimes are radically different; Brennan often feels that Booth doesn’t treat the scientific procedures that she conducts with respect, and he often feels that she uses advanced terminology in order to make him “feel dumb” and undermine his authority. However, Booth and Brennan eventually discover that their skills are complementary and they enjoy spending time together. Eventually, a romance blossoms between the two, but Booth is originally set to be a minor character in the series. According to Hanson, the show would have involved a group of different FBI agents who came in to help Brennan complete her cases.

Despite the importance he ultimately played in the show’s narrative, Booth was originally intended to be little more than an audience surrogate. As someone not well-versed in the scientific jargon that Brennan often spoke about, he would’ve served as a character who asked the same questions that the audience did without breaking the format of the narrative structure. However, Hanson took note of the chemistry between Deschanel and Boreanaz when filming the show’s pilot episode. He stated that he felt the audience would “want to watch these two interact,” because they were “a very rational person and very emotional person.” He compared their dynamic to that of Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd in the classic mystery series, Moonlighting.

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The relationship between Brennan and Booth turned Bones from a standard procedural into must-see television. Generally, “case of the week” shows don’t require viewers to pay close attention to the character details, as they tend to revert to the status quo at the end of each episode. However, Bones gave the viewer a reason to watch the show sequentially, as Booth and Brennan began to mature as they understood each other more closely. Early episodes may have felt closer to a more traditional mystery series, but the standout Season 1 episode, “The Man In The Fallout Shelter,” indicated that Bones was putting its characters first and foremost.

It was in this installment that Booth opened up to Brennan about his regrets about fatherhood and how he began to become a workaholic to avoid depression about his admitted failure to stand by his son. Likewise, Brennan was able to discuss the similarly complex relationship that she had with her own father, Max (Ryan O’Neal), who had left her family due to a series of crimes that he had committed. Both Booth and Brennan are essentially lonely children in need of acceptance; while their family lives were never ideal, they can at least find solace in relating and empathizing with one another.

Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz Developed a Real Friendship While Making ‘Bones’

Although their chemistry may have been apparent to Hanson as early as the pilot episode, Deschanel and Boreanaz worked to develop their own onscreen dynamic. The two would regularly meet with an acting coach to develop the snappy “back and forth” dialogue between their characters to make it feel more realistic. Over the course of their experience, Deschanel and Boreanaz developed a real friendship that mirrored their onscreen personas. The time and investment they put in was certainly advantageous; later moments in the series that explored the intimacies of their relationship felt more sincere thanks to the stars’ genuine respect for each other. While having a pleasant working environment is something that every production strives for, it was essential for Bones, a show that cranked out 22 episodes a year for over a decade. It is unlikely that the show would have had the same longevity if the actors didn’t feel comfortable playing off one another and acting friendly on screen together.

Given how dark the subject material was, the comic banter between Boreanaz and Deschanel was critical to the tone of Bones. The series often dealt with graphic content and featured more than a few ruthless serial killers who pushed the Jeffersonian staff to their limit; murder, suicide, sexual assault, and torture became commonplace on a series that managed to incorporate a surprising amount of graphic content, despite its TV-14 rating. Viewers may have only been able to stomach so much disturbing material if that was the only thing that Bones had to offer, but Booth and Brennan often traded comic jabs at each other’s expense.

It’s impressive that Boreanaz and Deschanel could add these humorous elements without ever sacrificing the show’s integrity; the comic relief felt authentic to the characters and didn’t detract from the gravity of their responsibilities. In many ways, Booth and Brennan use their comedic banter as a way of blowing off steam when the weight of what’s going around them makes it too difficult to go through traditional therapy. It’s also noted that given how unique their profession is, Booth and Brennan are among the few people who can actually relate to each other’s experiences.

Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz’s Chemistry Is Crucial to ‘Bones’

Image via Fox

Some of Bones’ most emotionally impactful scenes feel more realistic due to Deschanel and Boreanaz’s real-life connection. In the controversial Season 10 episode, “The Conspiracy and the Corpse,” fan-favorite character Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley) is beaten to death by a rogue Navy SEAL in one of the most shocking, brutal moments in the series. Although Daley left the show to pursue other creative opportunities, there were certainly better ways to have said goodbye to his beloved character than brutally killing him off in a way that not only feels jarringly abrupt but also inauthentic. It became more than obvious that the decision was made purely to appease an actor’s schedule and did not creatively fit into the narrative that Hanson had in mind.

The one saving grace of this tragic moment in the series is Deschanel and Boreanaz’s effortless chemistry. Because the actors share such a close bond in real life, their characters’ reactions to Sweet’s death feels authentic – even if Sweet’s death itself does not. The way the two actors were able to react and respond to each other’s grief and shock heightens the scene. It’s because of Deschanel and Boreanaz that even in Bones’ most unpopular moments, viewers kept coming back. To the credit of both Deschanel and Boreanaz, Bones never felt like it was ignoring the consequences of this moment, as it would become an important part of both characters’ development within the final two seasons. Booth begins to cope with some serious mental health issues as he copes with the loss of Sweets, a former rival who he had grown to trust as one of his best friends.

‘Bones’ Maintained a Consistent Level of Quality Throughout Its Run

Image via FOX

While even the best shows can be accused of “jumping the shark” at a certain point, Bones never suffered a serious decline in quality thanks to the strong performances of Deschanel and Boreanaz. Even when the show developed storylines that weren’t realized to their full potential, both actors ensured that Booth and Brennan always acted within character. This was also the result of Boreanaz’s creative involvement; he stepped behind the camera to direct several episodes, including the acclaimed series finale that brought Bones to a satisfying conclusion. While pulling off a great season finale is challenging for any show, it’s particularly hard for a procedural that had to justify the years of investment that fans had in the material. Thankfully, Bones‘ final installment was one that wrapped up a particularly compelling conspiracy storyline in a satisfying way, yet also managed to look back at the eclectic cast of characters and assess how radically they had evolved since the series began in 2005.

The chemistry between Deschanel and Boreanaz is what gave Bones its longevity. It was a level of success that proved difficult to replicate, as the botched spinoff series, The Finder, was unable to develop the same connection with its cast. The series remains highly rewatchable as “comfort television” for many fans because the characters feel like family over time. Rumors persist that a reboot or continuation of Bones is in the works, with Boreanaz recently stating that it was a character and universe that he would be interested in returning to.

While there have been some disastrous television revivals in recent years, it’s easy to imagine that Boreanaz and Deschanel would have enough integrity to ensure the wait was worth it for Bones fans. That being said, it would be much more challenging for viewers to accept any way of continuing Bones in which these two were not directly involved on a creative level to ensure that Booth and Brennan were still the same people that they always were.

Bones is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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Release Date

2005 – 2017

Network

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FOX

Showrunner

Hart Hanson

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Directors

Ian Toynton, Dwight H. Little, Chad Lowe, Jeannot Szwarc, Allan Kroeker, Kate Woods, Steven DePaul, Tim Southam, Jeff Woolnough, Milan Cheylov, Randall Zisk, Alex Chapple, François Velle, Jesús Salvador Treviño, Tony Wharmby, Craig Ross Jr., Kevin Hooks, Michael Lange, Sanford Bookstaver, Allison Liddi-Brown, David Grossman, Emile B. Levisetti, Greg Yaitanes, Brad Turner

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Writers

Hart Hanson, Michael Peterson, Dean Lopata, Jonathan Collier, Keith Foglesong, Janet Lin, Elizabeth Benjamin, Pat Charles, Josh Berman, Scott Williams, Hilary Weisman Graham, Noah Hawley, Lyla Oliver, Karyn Usher, Dave Thomas, Janet Tamaro, Sanford Golden, Steve Blackman, Joe Hortua, Karen Wyscarver, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Emily Silver, Yael Zinkow, Greg Ball

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  Emily Deschanel

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  Temperance ‘Bones’ Brennan

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