BONES Scoop: Creator Hart Hanson on the Upcoming ‘Strange’ Episode, Guest Stars and Season 6
August 10, 2010 by Marisa Roffman
BONES creator Hart Hanson really doesn’t like spoilers. At all.
In fact, bringing up spoilers around him pretty much guarantees he’ll squirm and call you names.
(Okay, fine, the names he called me might have been prompted by my freaky memory, but close enough.)
Nevertheless, I wasn’t going to let potential insults prevent me from pushing the issue further during our latest meeting.
The things I do for you guys.
Read on for Hart’s take on the upcoming season 6, from the “strange” fourth episode to possible guest stars and more…
Let’s talk BONES season 6. Are we going to see Eric Millegan return as Zack?
Hart Hanson: I don’t know. I don’t know. We are around episode 10 [in planning] and he’s not in [any scripts] so far. We’ll get together to start talking about the next 13 and then we’ll decide whether or not we’ll have Zack come back or not.
How about Stephen Fry popping up as Gordon Gordon?
HH: Tell Stephen to quit taking every job in the world!
Fair enough. When we talked earlier this year, you had mentioned that you wanted Cyndi Lauper back for last spring’s 101st episode, but had to pull her story since she was sick. Any plans to bring that story — and/or her — on this season?
HH: Yeah, it’s a pretty modular B-story, so as soon as she’s available.
Well, she says she’s available for you guys whenever you want her.
HH: It’s not [totally] true. Her availabilities are like, “I can do this day” and we need two or three beyond that date [that she’s free]. The scheduling on BONES is one of the most ridiculously complex things on the planet. Do you want to know why?
Let’s hear it.
HH: We have to build these bodies. They’re really hard to make and they cost a fortune. You can’t shoot them at the beginning of the show because it takes towards the end of the show [to finish building them]. So now all the scenes with the bodies in them have to go to the end of the show. And then we can only afford to be on so many locations. So starting with the bodies and availabilities of actors and trying not to kill [BONES stars] David [Boreanaz] and Emily [Deschanel] who are in the most scenes, all of a sudden, we don’t have all that much flexibility [with guest actors]. Plus, all that stuff that goes up on video has to be made, so it has to go up towards the back or be shot as a splinter unit. Are you bored yet? Because I can go on and on.
No, I’m not bored. But you’re trying to distract me from asking the questions that you don’t want to answer. Let’s talk about relationships for a minute. We saw Booth try to move on a little bit at the end of last season with Catherine. Brennan was with Hacker. But then we never saw those characters again, so I assume those relationships ended?
HH: Well, they never really went out. They just went on dates.
Hacker pursued Brennan for almost an entire season. And last we saw, Catherine had bought Booth a tie. It seemed like there was something going on there. But with Booth’s new girlfriend, Hannah, are we going to see more of a genuine relationship? And are we going to see Brennan’s reaction to this relationship?
HH: Well since I have never yet admitted Hannah exists, you should ask Stephen about [her].
I did talk with Stephen about Hannah. But if you won’t talk about Hannah, what will you talk about?
HH: I’ll do the big stuff.
Fine, let’s talk about episodes. What kind of cases can we expect in season 6?
HH: Well, [pause] we’re going to go to the Jersey Shore. Do you mean stuff like that, the arenas? You don’t care!
I do care! I’m actually really fascinated by the fourth episode, where Brennan investigates a body that resembles her own. Is this going to be a literal thing, or is this something that’s manifesting in her mind or subconscious and she’s projecting herself on the remains? What can you tease about the episode?
HH: [pause] It’s not crazy that she looks at this person and thinks, Oh my God, this is me. It’s not crazy. It’s strange for the show. I don’t know if we’re going to do the thing I was about to say, because if we don’t do it, I don’t want [everyone] to say I lied. But here’s something that was interesting to me that led to this episode — which we may or may not do literally. But I thought, Sweets says something psychological and Brennan says, “I don’t know what that means.” And you think, Why? The language is perfectly clear! Why don’t you know what that means? And I thought, wouldn’t it be interesting to hear what she hears when he speaks? And that led to this episode that is told totally through her eyes and ears, what she sees and hears. And it’s just a little bit different from what the omniscient camera sees, the objective seer. We’ll do a subjective episode [for that hour]. And I haven’t told anyone else that.
That sounds really intriguing. Will you being doing another episode where the gang is trapped in the lab again, a la “Proof in the Pudding” or “The Man in the Fallout Shelter”? Those episodes tend to come out amazing.
HH: Our bottle shows? We have to do those. It’s great that you like them because you have to make up for the lack of going out into the world and stuff with some pretty good directing and acting, you know?
Absolutely. And how about the holidays? Will you be doing a Christmas episode this year?
HH: We have to get our final, ironclad schedule and then we’ll decide if we do a Christmas episode. We probably will.
–
Would you guys like to see a Christmas episode?
Excited about the idea for the fourth ep? Sounds like it could be amazing, right?
Make sure to keep coming back to GIVE ME MY REMOTE, because there is plenty more to come from our interview with Hanson, including his take on last season’s controversies and his thoughts on Boreanaz and Deschanel directing this season.
Follow @GMMRTV, @korbigirl and @MarisaRoffman on Twitter, and Facebook too, for all your up-to-the-minute TV news and commentary.
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Filed under #1 featured, Bones
I’d love to see a Christmas episode and preferable another Christmas episode with Zooey. Maybe they can finally get the Deschanels to do a duet together 😉
How come most of your interviews make me dread, some of the spoilers less? It’s a gift, haha, and I thank you!
Oh, HH. He’s a tricky one. Trying to throw everyone off by saying he’ll talk about the “big” stuff LOL This interview was pretty pointless. He didn’t really talk about anything. I just find this so hilarious. Playing us like fiddles 😀
so excited for the 4th episode sounds like a great idea! I’m intrigued and i cant wait for season 6! I have complete faith in HH & the rest of the team!
Thanks for the interview!
yes yes yes, I want Holiday EPI NOW! hmm.. Christmas eps are the best.. YOU KNOW 😉 <3
Wow! The 4th episode sounds amazing! I love these guys! They’re great writers. And of course I would love a Christmas episode! Nothing quite rounds out the first half of the season like a Christmas episode on Bones! =)
Thanks again for another great interview! 🙂
I love the episodes where the characters get stuck in the lab! I feel like we get to see all the squints really interact with Booth. I would kind of love to see a really good squintern stuck in the lab episode. Maybe a way of settling on one (*cough* Wendell *cough*). But then again I love all the squinterns.
I, for one, would like to see Bones mix it up a little more with their characters. Some of my favorite scenes on the show were when Jack and Booth go after a kidnapped Brennan in his Mini or when Booth uses Angela in an interrogation. Start putting characters together who don’t normally have a lot of 1-on-1 screen time.
Season 5 ended in April. Season 6 is supposed to start 7 months from that, so that’s after Christmas, after the New Year.
Bruce_F I agree!! I miss those relationships. It seems like they don’t remember that Booth/Angela, Booth/Jack were friends and interacted together. Those made for some of the best scenes. I hope we get back to that, this season.
@Jenny- Glad I can help!
@Bruce_F- That is a fantastic point. Wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more of that this year, especially as they all readjust to each other.
@meclone2- Did they specify it was in April? I thought they were pretty vague about when they left off. Especially since it seemed like there had to have been a bit of jump (whether it was a week or whatever) after the team solving the case and Brennan actually leaving. I think we figured it was spring (since Brennan had gone to her reunion, but even that seemed to imply that we were in 2009), but I think it’s unclear where we are in time- unless I forgot something important.
Oh, the concept of seeing the world through Bren’s eyes and ears is very intriguing. I love it. I’m all for a Christmas episode, as long as Booth is not with another woman by then. If so, then not so much. I don’t see the point in a Christmas ep that has the two of them apart.
If SN is The Spoiler, then HH has definitely earned his title of The Teaser. Interviews such as this are fun, not scary, to read. Keep up the good work!
I REALLY want Zack to come back. He made the show sooooooooo much funnier. See if you can persuade him!!!!! Also, I would love a Christmas episode, they are always the very best!!!
After seeing all the interviews with HH, SN, DB and ED, they haven’t said anything that makes me want to tune in this fall.
This is from a fan of the show who watched from the pilot.
I want to see another Halloween episode!! i loooved the one when bones was wonder woman and booth a squint it was great
Marisa, thanks for this new interview. I just love how they all fill a niche, so to speak:
– for people who die to know in detail what will happen before it actually does, SN talks about spoilers – in his half straight, half elliptical & sarcastic manner;
– for people who want to know about general story arcs and the bigger picture, HH gives some bits and (interesting) pieces, but doesn’t really say much… and he loves it 🙂 (I for one love it too – it’s his right NOT to divulge the plotline and NOT to explain himself – go Hart!)
I don’t want to know EVERYTHING ahead, I like to read about bits and pieces, SOME details and stories, but I also want to be surprised come fall. Therefore I love their interviews: they’re smart, funny, cryptic and resilient.
Speaking of new bits and pieces: next one is David’s interview, right? At this stage I know a little bit about Emily’s directing, what about David’s? What about his upcoming two episodes? You do plan to post it? Thanks in advance!
I’m a little skeptic about the Christmas episode.
If first episode of s6 is set 7 months after their departure at the end of s5, that would be in November, more or less.
That would mean that everything that we wil watch between 6×01 and December will strecth in only 1 month of “fictional time”… I don’t know if the authors calculated that… :/
I’m definitely excited for anything BONES has to offer!! Be it a Christmas episode or the 4th episode or what have you!! I love the lock-in episodes as well…it’s so fun to watch the characters interact in close quarters!! And since HH denied ever admitting that Hannah exists…I’m just gonna keep hoping that she doesn’t….:)
@Laure- Yep, the plan is to have David’s be next. (Should I even ask how you knew? I haven’t told anyone the plans for the rest of my interviews! lol) But a) that could change and b) the stuff about his directing will come from HH and SN.
HH is such a big tease. You gotta love him. Definately a X-mas episode is needed. I love those. The ideas so far for Season 6 sound good, not so sure about the Jersey Shore one, but I’m game. They have such great writers.
I must be a mind reader! LOL
a) OK, I’m not in a hurry.
b) Do you mean OTHER new interviews with HH and SN? ‘Cause the current ones don’t mention David’s directing. I got that from TVGuide. 🙂
Either way, I’ll wait. Bring them on! Thanks for the answer.
@Laure- Yes, new stuff. This was only part of my conversation with Hart. And Stephen crashed part of it and the three of us discussed DB/ED directing.
A Christmas episode would just be fantastic! 🙂 I love them because they never disappoint. 🙂 As for the fourth episode – I can see that being incredibly intriguing and well, let’s just say that I’m glad we don’t have to wait until mid-season to see it. As soon as possible, I say! 🙂 x
@Marisa – So you kept some surprises for us? Great, love them!
I think you’re getting better at working him. You got some pretty good stuff out of that interview!!! He’s one of the most closed mouthed creators in the business yet you manage to get something juicy out of him in every interview. No wonder he calls you names and squirms when you get too close! Take it as a compliment!
@Jess- Ha! Thanks 🙂
Personally, the no Bones + Booth scenario doesn’t bother me. I’ve got all 5 seasons and watch them pretty constantly. I like catching the writers mistakes, like when Tamara/Cam came to adopt Michelle, the deceased doctor (Michelle’s dad, Cam’s ex) was named as being on opiodS. Well yes, vicodin is an opiod, but carisoprodol is most emphatically NOT. It is a muscle relaxer with no ties to the opiod drug class. Hart, you should put me on your writer team, I’ve caught so many little errors, I’m “continuity consistant” and also I LOVE the show. And why is the so excellent music never credited? What did they close S6/E2 with?? I must have that song! 🙂
Just one other slip to make my point, when B&B go to Washington state, Hodgins has to rehydrate and sift through bear scat. Ok, but when he reaches for the mag light (circular bulb with a mag ring in center, on a silvered metal ‘V’ shaped support) Hodgins grabs the light (at the most common grab point with his gloved hand still covered in bear scat. And Zach didn’t even say anything!?
Now I know his character can Certainly replace the light, but the fact is that NO forensic specialist would grab ANY equipment like that with a (very) dirty glove. They (in reality) would have to throw that lamp out as it cannot take hydroclaving. I’ll scan that episode again, but I also think – could be wrong, that he’s showering the scat with high pressure water and not wearing any mask or goggles. Again, would NOT happen, scat can contain so many nasties, as Hodgins himself would be the first to tell us, in long Latin words. Also the vet doing the on site necropsy would be wearing Nitrile gloves up to her elbows, yet the gore showed past (4 inches past!) on her bare skin. I’m not trying to be a pain, I’m just showing how valuable I could be, you see Hart, David, Emily, Tj, et al – I want on the team!! 🙂
Love the show, but why is Cam always dressed to go to dinner? Backless dresses in a forensic lab? Ummm….ok. And I’m totally ok with Hannah too, Booth deserves some major Love, and Bren will have to break out of her shell when she (and she only) is ready. Cam nailed that one! Keep up the great work, this is the only show I watch!
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