Why Bones' Creators Had To Squish Brennan's Whole Backstory Into A Single Episode

"Bones" may have only gone off the air in 2017, but it already feels like a relic of a bygone era in many ways. The episodic procedural was a "murder of the week" show that invited viewers to see what crime Emily Deschanel's Brennan and David Boreanaz's Booth were trying to solve each week. There were plenty of throughlines in the series, but it was also the sort of show that someone could just jump on board with for the most part because most episodes did contain an isolated story. This worked to the show's benefit, to be certain, but it also caused a bit of a problem for the show's central character.

In the "Bones: The Official Companion" book, it's explained that the episode "The Woman in Limbo," which served as the show's season 1 finale, wasn't originally intended to cram in Brennan's full backstory. We're talking about one of only a small handful of actors to appear in each and every one of the show's 246 episodes. That's an important backstory for viewers. As series creator Hart Hanson explained in the book, this became a side effect of Fox wanting the show to be episode in nature:

"Originally, Brennan's back-story was supposed to unfold slowly over the course of season one. I had it all figured out. I had it all figured out. But we are an episodic show and the desire of both the network and the studio — and it's a good desire — is for us to remain episodic. So that people can come in at any time."

The book explains that Fox was looking for a self-contained show when "Bones" first hit the airwaves in 2005. Mind you, this was long before Netflix upended TV viewership with the advent of streaming when it was still a DVD-by-mail service. The idea of the audience being able to tune in when it was convenient was far more important back then.

For those who may need a refresher, "The Woman in Limbo" centers on Brennan discovering that the remains of a Jane Doe belong to her mother, who went missing with her father 15 years ago. Booth opens an investigation into the case for the first time and, after researching Brennan's parents, he discovers that they were outlaws living under assumed identities. Details of her parents and Brennan's own past come to light, offering viewers a better perspective on Deschanel's character.

Hanson further explained that revising his original plan to reveal Brennan's backstory prevented a few problems. While he would have changed things had he known the way it had to unfold, Hanson also seems happy with the way it turned out:

"We had the situation of trying to get out that entire back-story in one episode. Another thing we wrestled with is the parceling out these bits of information in a way where the audience doesn't need a man with a hat to come and point to a diagram. If I'd known [this is how we'd end up doing it] I would have made it a much simpler back-story. But it has worked out well, because it's rich."

Undoubtedly, this would unfold very differently now. Brennan's backstory probably would unfold during an entire season. Shows tend to be more serialized at this point, for better or worse. "The Boys" showrunner Eric Kripke has argued against turning series into 10-hour movies. But in the era of binge-watching, that's often how it goes.

"Bones" is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.