Quite meaty

The show is loosely based on the life of former forensic anthropologist and crime writer Kathy Reichs. Reichs is also one of the producers on the show and the female protagonist Temperance “Bones” Brennan,is based on the heroine of her crime series. Each week,

Brennan and her team at the Jeffersonian Institute assist Special Agent Seeley Booth in solving gruesome murders. The crimes cover all ranges of bizarreness — from a murder at an S&M getaway for ‘ponies’ and their ‘riders’ to killings in a cannibalistic community. But all the grimness is nicely balanced out by the light-hearted banter between the main cast and the wonderful chemistry between Brennan and Booth.

Who’s in it?Emily Deschanel plays the intellectual,but socially inept Brennan while Booth is played by Buffy the Vampire Slayer heartthrob David Boreanaz. Deschanel is extremely convincing as the highly competent scientist,who also provides most of the show’s humour as she tries to be as ‘average’ as possible. Her efforts to play the ‘bad cop’ — she tells one suspect to stop resisting or she’ll kick him in the testicles — are played naturally,without the visible effort that usually goes into comedy. Boreanaz,on the other hand,plays the average jock who provides most of the brawn and some of the brain to the team. Although he condescendingly refers to the anthropology team as ‘the squints’,he is secretly in awe of them.

What’s hot?The ‘opposites-attract’ pairing has been done to death in many shows — Mulder and Scully in The X-Files,Sam and Diane in Cheers — but on Bones,Brennan and Booth bring their own unique equations. Both are well-developed characters with their personal demons and that keeps the show real. Moreover,the murders here are ‘juicy’ with plenty of gore. Since the focus is more on scientific methods,rather than supernatural mumbo-jumbo,there is a satisfactory resolution at the end of each case.

What’s not?It seems unreal that every single person on the investigating team is impossibly good looking. Also,the ‘geek’ and ‘jock’ stereotypes can jar and the overuse of gore can put off queasy viewers. But apart from that,there’s not much to complain about.

Should you be watching it?If you’re a crime thriller aficionado,definitely watch this show. But if the sight of highly decomposed human remains disturbs you,then a warning is in order. Bones is not for the faint of heart.