BONES: Stephen Nathan Teases Booth-Brennan Honesty, Angela-Hodgins Drama and More
March 17, 2011 by Marisa Roffman
On Thursday’s brand new episode of BONES, a blizzard traps Booth and Brennan in an elevator together, with only Sweets to connect them to the outside world. Elsewhere, Angela and Hodgins aren’t having better luck when they get some not-so-happy news about their unborn baby.
In the midst of that chaos, they’re also trying to solve a murder. A pretty busy episode for the Jeffersonian crew, right?
I talked with BONES executive producer Stephen Nathan about B&B’s time trapped together, the upcoming test for the Hodgins-Angela relationship, Cam faking that college application and more…
Fans have been abuzz since you said “The Blackout in the Blizzard” would be an episode for people who want Booth and Brennan in love. Is the word “love” actually used —
Stephen Nathan: I don’t think anyone ever said that. No one said those words. They will discuss their history and their relationship. They will talk for the first time since Hannah left and they’ll open up to each other. But the fact that…that [in love comment] wasn’t an actual quote, that was nothing certainly that I said.
Okay. So will Booth and Brennan discuss his proposal to Hannah?
SN: No, they’re going to discuss their relationship. Their relationship will be brought up post-Hannah, because in the blackout, it’s Sweets, Booth and Brennan trapped in the same building.
Is Sweets there the entire time?
SN: Sweets is there most of the time. Sweets is kind of their conduit to the outside world, so he comes and goes. So Booth and Brennan are left alone at various points in the elevator.
And how honest are actually they with each other?
SN: Oh, you have to watch. But from where I’m sitting, I was very impressed with how honest they were.
Very interesting. Those two have danced around a lot of things and left things unsaid in the past.
SN: There’s not a lot of dancing in this one. They’re opening up a bit to each other.
Good to know. Moving on to another couple, Hodgins and Angela will be getting some bad news about the baby this week. Are you planning on having this play out for multiple episodes or are you going to confine most of it to this one?
SN: They will have to deal…we try to do this as realistically as possible, so they will be dealing with the news that they discover in the blizzard episode through the rest of the season. Not every week, but it’s something that will reappear throughout the rest of the season.
Can you tease how serious the discovery is?
SN: It’s something that would give serious pause to any perspective parent. And it will test them as a couple and what they’re willing to take on.
Speaking of parents, earlier this season Cam faked Michelle’s college application. Will that be brought up again?
SN: Oh yes! That’s being brought up…we just finished that episode [last week] and that’s just great. Michelle comes back and all the acceptance letters have gone out and she feels that she now has no options. And Cam has a little secret up her sleeve.
That’s sure to get an interesting reaction.
SN: Oh yeah.
Is there anything else you’d like to tease?
SN: We do have some really good episodes coming. We have one written by John Francis Daley (Sweets) and his partner [about MYTHBUSTERS]…it’s terrific. And his dad is in that [episode]. That one came out really well. That’s terrific.
We also have one that takes us to the body farm at a university which will be delightfully revolting. We’ll kind of pit Canada against the United States — Booth going up against a doctor from Canada because the evidence is spread across the border.
–
What are you most looking forward to seeing play out?
Related:
BONES’ John Francis Daley: Thursday’s Episode Brings Booth & Brennan One Step Closer to Coupledom
BONES: Is Daisy in Danger? Carla Gallo Weighs In
BONES: Stephen Nathan Talks the Sniper Arc and Season Finale
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Filed under #1 featured, Bones
couldnt help but to noticed he never mentioned parker and the fact that booth dont really want be a dad/and sweets being there for this elevator ride/ dont sound promising.
Just more hot air. I love you, Marisa, but why do you even both with this guy.
Marisa,
Next time don’t even bother interviewing the Bones people. They have no credibility. On the Bones forums, someone posted this as a boiler plate for Hanson and Nathan’ interviews:
“…this episode is a game changer, it changes everything, lines are crossed, it’s like something we’ve never done before, you’ll laugh and you’ll cry and throw things at the tv..”
Use this instead of actual quotes because since the 100 all episodes are game changers for B&B.
If I was brennan the only thing I would tell him is going to INDENOSIA wad one of my better decision/ and maybe get us out of this elevator/and maybe or you still laughing and grining.?
Wow. I love reading this articles, but the comments from readers are so hateful. If you’re so unhappy, why the heck are you still watching?
Don’t bring down the fans who still love Bones.
Thank you Marisa, you are really the best!!! Great questions!
The answers on the other hand are so ridiculous. I am not sure if it was him, SN in person, or Hanson. But someone DID say that the episode was going to be appreciated by people who want to see B&B in love. It was said.
Now that they deny the whole thing, what can we say? What should we think?
The show still has so much to give to the viewers and the story so much potential. The actors are doing an amazing job in the recent episodes.
The producers though have no interest in being honest with fans, they have no interest whatsoever in what the fans think or like. They actually perceive us, viewers with an opinion, as a pain in the neck and nothing else. Ah, yes, and the wallet that will purchase their product. Why don’t they just simply totally ignore us and forget we exist? They can skip interviews, annoying questions and save any spoiler which they take back a few weeks after. Or that is not true (they had said that it was going to be Booth to torpedo his relationship with Hannah.. yeah we have seen that!).
You can tease the fans and it can be nice, or actually cheat. They cheat, it’s no fair game, therefore no fun.
But it’s our fault. They are GOOOOD and right, and we dimwitted fans are BAAAD and wrong (like Brennan would say). So forget whatever I just said, I am not smart enough to “get” their brilliant and subtle teasing. My limit.
I feel like Willow on BtVS right before she skinned Warren: “Bored Now”.
There is nothing but HH/SN/Fox giving alot of positiveness/excitement since the failure of Hannah this season. We know it’s doing damage control but I’m afraid they lost something that they will never get back. It’s a shame that ‘The Little Engine that Could’ has turned into a very poorly written soap opera.
Found!
Quote SN from EW article dated 01/13/11:
“It’s gonna be a great episode for the people who want to see Booth and Brennan be in love and a great episode for all the geeks out there who love the science.”
We might be dim-witted, but maybe we have more memory, eh Mr Nathan?
Useless.
Loved the way he was ‘impressed with how honest they were’ as if he hadn’t helped write the script!?
if i was brennan i tell him to his face go find hannah since she is so much better then i am/maybe she is still interviewing the president./dont get me wrong still keep watching butwould liked them to get away from the drinking.
All I can do is laugh at SN’s answers! Glad someone found the quote. Someone needs a little reminder on what he says….
Thanks for the interview Marissa! I love all things Bones and/or spoilers. 🙂
I think Bones has to hold some sort of record for the most fans who just wanna stir up trouble instead of enjoying the show. 😉
Laura,
What do you mean hateful… Most of the comments are not directed at the show itself but Nathan. Simply, people don’t like to be lied to, and H Nathan has a tendency to speak in half truths or play with semantics. He likes to play this game, so he can always deny anything. This is why people jump up and whine… if he had dropped the “love” line from the EW interview, people would not be as upset.
Last year, he said the season 5 finale would be the big payoff for the 100. He also said that we would be dancing in our underwear at the finale. Where was the payoff and who was dancing in their underwear?
All these are not hateful comments… They are just comments pointing out how deceptive he is and has been. We don’t mind being tease, but we do mind being lied to. Sample of a tease === B&B will be lock up in an elevator and they will talk about their relationship. Half Truth (i.e Deception) ==== “It’s gonna be a great episode for the people who want to see Booth and Brennan be in love”.
What do you expect when the word “love” is used?
tonite episodes I KEPT hoping bones would said booth why dont you every mention your son/bones needs to find some writers fast/cant believe booth is still dragging hurt around.
Marisa, you are a gem! I think you are one of the most informed and well organized online interviewers. Your questions are always so nicely thoughout and relevant. It is obvious you watch the shows that you are discussing and it gives your writing a powerful credibility. You’re wonderful!
As for the content and show, ehh, I can’t make myself care anymore. Once bitten twice shy, but ten times bitten makes that snake an evil, cold-blooded trickster.
When every I hear SN or HH switch into hyberbole mode, I know we should replace the words with “I’m just stalling, no pay off is coming, we want to make more money, we lost track of these characters two years ago and now we are letting them grow “organically” like weeds in a field…meaning without actual logical direction”.
It has been amazing and sad to realize that a lot of the writing that fans were so pleased with in seasons 1-midway season 5, was just fan interpretation and that we really have no idea who these characters are or why we so admired them. At this point, I think Bones will walk away with the new title of how “not” to do a will they/won’t they relationship on television. I’ve heard it called “Pulling a Bones”, even now.
The saddest part is that I’m not that hard of a fan to please. I’m willing to overlook a lot of issues, if there is progression in the story and respect demonstrated by TPTB towards the audience. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case with Bones, now. BUT, I still think that Bones fans are some of the greatest people on the web, but it isn’t the show that makes them great. They have made the show great by putting their thoughts and hearts into this story. I hope we get a payoff that is appropriate for the time and energy that this fandom has so lovingly planet in this show.
That should read “lovlingly planted”, not planet…so sorry. Back to your regularly scheduled discussion
I have no interest in Booth and Brennan will they or wont’ they, my wish is they won’t. Tempie needs a young 30ish something, highly intelligent, mega rich, strong stud who’ll be her equal.
I’m dying to see what happens with Michelle and Cam and college. I want to see more Cam and Paul and Parker and Booth.
It’s so irritating to be jerked around by the jerks at this show! Will they? Won’t they? How long do they expect me to care? I used to, but this season just puts me to sleep. I don’t even think I care about either Booth or Bones any more. The Hannah thingie made me lose respect for both of them- him because he didn’t keep trying with Bones, her because she seemed to lose all human affect and then became bffs with the blond creature Booth brought back from the battlefield. These are now characters I barely recognize. Don’t see how the show can possibly repair the damage they’ve done at this point…and, as of the elevator mess, I don’t even feel like sticking around any more to see if they will even try…which they probably won’t., even though they’ll no doubt say they will. Two years ago, even a year ago, would have been the perfect time, but they let it go. Idiots! This can’t get them together meme to which too many idiot television types seem to subscribe today is BS. The never ending big tease should lose producers money. Hopefully, in this case, it will – bigtime.
agreed barbie from the war zone was a huge mistakes/saying brennan would be jealous was another huge mistakes/but they are still plenty life in this show/to me bones should just said /booth you never ask the first thing about 7 months of my life or my family and she goes to spend timed with her family/and thinks about what pops said HE TALL AND STRONG AND WILL NEED SOMEONE.
I think the last 2 episodes were good again, I’m glad they got back to the mostly funny, sometimes sad, but mostly satisfying episodes, they had in the past. that’s the road they should follow.