BONES: Hart Hanson on Season 9 Being a Year of Payoff, the (Potential) Move to Friday, and More
August 16, 2013 by Marisa Roffman
BONES is gearing up to have one of its biggest seasons ever as the show gets ready to marry off Booth and Brennan…and potentially make the move to Friday night.
To gear up for that, I caught up with BONES creator Hart Hanson to talk about the reasoning for being upfront about the upcoming wedding, paying off a lot of unresolved questions, moving to Fridays, and more…
Season 9! What can you tease about what BONES has planned for us?
Hart Hanson: This is going to be a busy season. We have a list of things we’ve set up for an audience to want over the last eight seasons, and we are picking the ones that we’re going to pay off. And it’s almost all of them. They’re getting married. No tricks, they’re getting married.
When are they getting married?
HH: I’m not telling you. All we have is — if I say we’re getting married, all we have is the usual BONES thing of doing it at a time you don’t expect it, in a way you don’t expect it. That’s all we have.
It’s an interesting shift, though, because when the show made Brennan pregnant at the end of season 6, during that hiatus, you wouldn’t even acknowledge they were a couple, let alone if they had said “I love you,” etc. What was behind the decision to reveal that they are getting married this season when you guys very easily could have had the audience in the dark for a bit longer?
HH: I think…this is not my strength, deciding when to tell an audience what they’re getting. You know, you’ve heard this for years, but [for me,] in a perfect world, people would tune in each week and not have a clue what was coming. But that’s not the world we live in. And I think, I came to believe in talking to everybody, that it would be good for this incredibly loyal audience we have to know that yes, it’s going to happen this year. Watch the show, we’re not going to put it off another year.
Is there any concern that it negates any of the potential tension from the bad note Booth and Brennan were left on by that cliffhanger?
HH: A very bad note. Which I quite like…[that] it ended on a bad note. [Revealing the info] was like saying, you can watch this show and you can find joy after you do a sad ending. I don’t mind telling you the first episode starts out pretty damn sad. But by the end, you know, there’s a little glimmer of joy. And then we move pretty quick.
We have to deal with Pelant…we’re going to front-load this season with a bunch of payoffs. I think it’s fair to say we’re coming out of the gate in season 9 fast to satisfy a bunch of things the audience [wants] — we’re thinking a lot of our audience now. We’ve spent many years drawing things out as long as we can. It’s time to pay off [that]; it’s season 9. It’s time to give those people that have stuck with us — my God! — some satisfaction.
And we have a list of things [to reveal]. You probably know them better than anyone else. What did Brennan write in the Gravedigger episode [“Aliens in a Spaceship”]? Time to pay it off! 447. Page 187. We’ve got a list of things. Which ones we pay off, I won’t tell you. We have a whole bunch.
Is any of this a response to the potential move to Friday?
HH: That’s a good question. I think so. It’s not like, “We’re moving to Fridays, so we have to do this.” I think it’s a, “We want our audience to come with us to Fridays.” That’s our chance to shine. If we move to Friday.
Do you think you’re actually moving to Fridays this time?
HH: I have no idea, because I have not seen — of course I know what’s going on in the fall, but I haven’t seen the pilots. I’m woefully ignorant.
The new fall dramas that Fox has are quite enjoyable.
HH: Well, if America agrees with you, we’ll go to Fridays. I’ve seen cuts of sizzle reels for SLEEPY HOLLOW and ALMOST HUMAN. ALMOST HUMAN looks like a really good TV series to me.
If you liked FRINGE, you’ll likely enjoy ALMOST HUMAN.
HH: I liked FRINGE; I thought it was awesome. So maybe we’ll go to Friday in our ninth season.
To be fair, Fox has been clear this isn’t intended as a way to move the show to die — they’re hoping this will be a way to bring eyes to Friday nights.
HH: I don’t like it, but if I was the head of the network, I might see if the BONES audience follows to Fridays, because what a way to get [viewers] on Fridays. So I understand it, and I respect [Fox Chairman Kevin Reilly,] he’s smart, I just wish someone else was doing it, not us.
Completely fair. Before I let you go, what can you tease about what Angela, Hodgins, Cam, and Sweets will be up to in season 9?
HH: You will find in the season opener that Angela is furious with Booth for what he’s done to Brennan, and that has repercussions throughout the entire season. Even if things get happy, Angela and Booth are not seeing eye-to-eye. There’s problems there. Classic best friend and fiance/husband/lover/boyfriend [issues] — and it drags Hodgins into it. It’s trouble. It generates good drama.
Cam has her ID stolen, and it hits her — for various reasons that you’ll see — harder than it would hit the average person that someone took her identification.
And Sweets, he has [stuff] to go through. Sweets has a big question, which is not dissimilar to the question Angela has asked in the past, which is, am I helping people? I’m helping society by catching murderers, but [Sweets] went into psychiatry to help individuals. So that plays into it.
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BONES returns Monday, September 16th at 8 PM on Fox.
Related:
BONES: THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS’ Greg Rikaart to Guest Star
BONES: Season 9 Cast Photos
BONES: David Boreanaz on Booth/Brennan’s Journey, Directing Again, Season 9 Guest Stars, and More
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what a downer, from the interviewer taunting the show runners about the dreaded Friday move to one of the more enjoyable aspects of the show, the relationship between Angela and Brennan being forever changed. Not exactly what I want to see, but just confirms my theory that Angela has always been jealous of Brennan on many levels and finally a way to get back at her. Ugh.
Hi Atlanta, That’s not how I read it at all. It sounds like Angela is mad at Booth for hurting Brennan. That’s how you’re supposed to react to people hurting your friends, isn’t it? Doesn’t sound like jealousy to me.
@Katelinnea Really, you mind when Ang first told Brennan of her pregnancy how she whined at that time that Booth was taking over Brennan’s bbf position. Ang better watch out, doubt Brennan would choose Ang over her new family now, grow up girls, time goes on, while she might be upset at Booth, he didnt do anything to Ang, it’s between Booth and Brennan and Pelant.
@Atlanta Angela is mad at Booth because he hurt her BFF for seemingly no good reason. If I was Angela, I’d be mad too. She’s just being a good friend
I am realy ticked at Angela treating Booth like dirt…he isn’t a stranger to her, she has known him for nearly 10yrs, she knows he is the marrying kind, that he has been waiting to be married to Brennan for years and for him to do a 180 is OOC for Booth…so instead of throwing him under the bus she should be giving him the benefit of the doubt and trying to figure out why…I get she is Brennan’s BFF but she is suppose to be Booth’s friend at the very least too…at least Hodgins is gonna step up and try to have Booth’s back….and i am not thrilled at the prospect of Angela butting in on B&B business after they get married too and causing trouble…quiet frankly it is none of her business!…….And I also think the pimping out by this interviewer of how great the other new Fox shows are, whose success will influence Bones unwanted move to Friday, as said by the creator of Bones himself, was at best insensitive….but then again if Almost Human appeals to the Fringe fanbase which had an awful rating then I guess Bones won’t have anything to worry about!
@madbengalsfan85 A good friend is one thing, she can hurt for her friend, but the friend has made her decision, she’s not doing her friend any service by continually butting in, grow up girls, this isnt middle school anymore. Ang, if continues, is going to destroy the team and perhaps her relationship, in the long run, with her bff.
Arguing about the integrity of Angela & Brennan’s friendship or where Booth stands where Angela is concerned is completely pointless, seeing as they are fictional characters. They act exactly how HH wants them to act. And with the way the HH is moving towards resolving open ended issues and ‘giving the audience what they want,’ I seriously doubt the writers are going to write the characters in such a way that BFF relationships are going to be irreparably destroyed. HH knows what he’s doing. It’s gonna be alright.
It’s funny how people read different things in the written word. Personally, I felt it was a perfectly legitimate question to ask about the Friday move for Bones, and I was glad to hear exactly how Hart Hanson felt about it. As a whole, I really enjoyed this interview. It was more than just about basic spoilers… It was also about ongoing themes throughout the series, and if they will be addressed. And it was wonderful to hear some real honest answers from the creator of Bones. I’ll take an interview of this sort any day. Thank you Marisa!
Marissa,
One of the things I liked to see is Booth finding out that Sweets experimented on B&B when they faked Booth’s death. That is the lowest point in Sweets’ career on the series and I feel he needs to extremely apologize for that.
I think it’s great that HH & company are wrapping up the ‘Partnership to Marriage’ questions for the fans and using the remainder of the season to show fans how the series will be on this new playing field called Marriage. I’m not sure about other fans but I’m happy to see DB/ED and gang staying together no matter what type of field they are playing on…
Yes Altanta you may want to read the interview more carefully because no where does it say that Angela and Brennan’s relationship is “forever changed”. In fact quite the opposite because like Katelinnea says, Angela is furious with Booth for breaking off his and Brennan’s engagement. It sounds like an exciting season with a lot of questions and hanging storylines being “paid off”. Yay! Can’t wait for season 9-bring it on!
There has to be drama on this show. Things will work out. We will love watching them work out.
Ang may be upset over the way Booth treated Brennan but since this couple is getting married, I’m sure she’ll get over it.
I think to many people are taking Angela’s anger issues towards Booth to hard. Anger in this type of situation is about the person who is angry and not about who it is directed at. We saw last season where she was upset because of her job and then remembering times with her ex-husband. She may be angry at herself for being married, having a job and losing her free spirit and directing it towards Booth. She probably wants Brennan to be married so she has someone to share that experience with.
What’s the old saying: Misery loves company. I’m not saying she wants her BFF to be miserable but have someone who is experiencing the same things she is.
I think its okay if Angela is commiserating with her friend but if she goes off on Booth she’s going too far. Where was she when Brennan devastated Booth and turned him down on the 100th episode? I didn’t see her sticking up for Booth. I can see why they have to bring some of Booth’s old friends from his past, he seems to have no friends except for the ever interfering Sweets who usually gives him extremely bad advice or pushes him into rash decisions.
The whole Angela thing is just one more reason why HH is ticking me off. These people are smart, nay VERY smart and HH is writing them in such a way that NO ONE can figure out the real reason for Booth turning Brennan down. NO ONE can connect the dots to see that Booth is being manipulated? It’s not believable at all. It’s annoying and just one more example of his maddening style of “story” telling.
I also read his responses about dealing with Pelant through the cynical view of “I was not expecting the season finale to be met with such universal hatred so I’m going to go ahead and off this guy whom everyone loathes so I won’t lose viewers and I’m going to do it quickly.” After the finale he was going on about how much Pelant was loved in the writers room etc but the fans can’t stand the guy. The “omnipotent bad guy who always gets away” trope went out with the 80’s. Let that trope stay dead.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, that the way HH likes to intentionally tick off his viewers after getting us invested in them through some warped sense of story telling is not a way I like to be entertained. I’ll finish this show but the next show this guy does I’ll probably skip since I know he purposely likes to tick me off as a viewer. No time for that and waaaaaay too many other shows on to watch.
I never miss an episode of Bones. I am going to love Season 9. I hope this is not the last season. I love Bones so much that I watch everyone of the reruns also. I am glad they are getting married finally and becoming a family. I don’t think Angela is upset with Bones, just upset with Booth for not following through. I am ready to see Pelant get what’s coming to him and all the quirks from the other episodes come into play. What happened to Parker? We didn’t see him in this last season. Will he be back? I don’t like to rush time but I can’t wait for Sept. 16th. I don’t care what night Bones comes on as long as it comes on. To me, one day is as good as another. I just want to see the cast of
Bones and can’t wait to see the season. So bring it on. Just don’t let be the last season. I don’t think I could take a week without my Bones. As far as Fringe goes, I have never like it and I’ve never seen the other show you mentioned. Gail
Frankly I have been a loyal fan since the beginning. but if you intend to bring Pelant back, I will not watch, in fact the last episode I did not watch, I just fast forwarded it. the story line insults my intelligence. I would rather watch a road runner cartoon, or some other cartoon where they pull giant things out of their pockets, it is more believable, then the Pelant story line, SERIOUSLY!!!!!
Such a teaser, he said they are getting married, not that they “get married”. Which leads me to believe something will happen at or before the actually marriage!
to julianne – “Where was she when Brennan devastated Booth and turned him down on the 100th episode? I didn’t see her sticking up for Booth.”
ok, that was different. first of all, they weren’t in any serious relationship at that point. there was nothing that bounded them together like a baby that they have now. that’s the key difference. NOW that they have a baby, then of course Angela’s got a right to be mad at booth ‘cuz what the hell??! ‘cuz NOW that they have a family, NOW he doesn’t wanna get married??? after ALL that??! brennan didn’t want a relationship before to avoid all this heartbreak & b.s. so yeah, booth is being a douche at least in Angela’s perspective. she cares about her friend ‘cuz the two of them are close – WAY closer than her relationship with booth, obviously. like, c’mon! why da hell would Angela stick up for booth back then when nothing was serious between booth/brennan & when they’re not even BFFs like she & brennan are??? it’s common logic, ppl!
Why is everyone mad at Booth??? It isnt his fault!!! And I think they should have another baby. Maybe Angela and Hogins should have another baby.
I think DripPan has a point. Angela was this free spirit who jumped from place to place. Now she’s married with a child and has a job, thinking about her ex=husband. Her life has changed and she is stuck in a rut and deep down resenting it. Brennan on the other hand, has compromised with Booth, but is still the same person doing the same thing. She and Booth have grown closer than ever.
Angela loves Brennan, no question. However, she is miserable and instead of working out her issues, possibly with her husband, she is taking it out on Booth. If it were my friend who was dumped, I’d be pissed too. But her reaction after 3 months is over the top. On the 9/23 episode her surprise when Brennan agreed with her that she needed to leave before Booth got home because she was being mean to him says it all. Brennan made her decision. Now Angela needs to suck it up and at least be polite to the man.
I hope when Angela does eat crow Booth will accept the apology but not be over it right away.