In This Section
TV Guide Spotlight
Also on TVGuide.com
|
« TV Matt'rs
Exclusive: Bones Boss Responds to Finale "Zack-lash"
Eric Millegan and Emily Deschanel in Bones by Isabella Vosmikova/Fox
You grumbled, I did something about it. Taking note of the passionate reaction to the season-finale bombshell that Zack — Zack! — is the Gormogon's apprentice, I invited Bones creator Hart Hanson to share the rationale behind the reveal. Let me know if this soothes the sting at all.
TVGuide.com: Between Bones and House, Fox was really out to shake up its viewers this Monday night, eh?
Boy, that's for sure! Don't you think? Good lord!
TVGuide.com: In assessing the Zack reveal, many of our readers are tossing around words such as "unforgivable," "manipulative," "cop-out," "illogical"....
[Laughs] The first thing you do, of course, is be delighted they are tossing any words around. They're responding, which is what you want. The really bad response would have been silence.
TVGuide.com: Right. As one reader noted, "what good TV does" is get people talking.
And we certainly did that. There are a bunch of reasons why we did what we did, the most important being that we're going into our fourth season and you want an audience to know that you're not "in a box," that anything can happen. Even though we're half a comedy, you don't want an audience settling in and getting blasé. We knew pre-strike even there would be changes at Bones.
TVGuide.com: Some have speculated that the strike-shortened season chipped away at what could have been a better build-up to the Gormogon arc, laying the foundation for Zack's motivation — such as post-traumatic stress.
That's very good, yes. Initially the plan — and things go through so many iterations — was that we would find that Zack was either the apprentice to the Gormogon, or that he was approached by the Gormogon, rebuffed the offer, and then was killed. Any number of scenarios were explored. But coming back from the strike, we only had two episodes to set things up, and this presented the maximum bang for our buck — "Let's shock everyone" — and that seems to have worked to an extent. I am delighted for our show, and for Eric Millegan, that some people are furious.
TVGuide.com: Eric told us that an "I'm sorry" from Zack was left on the editing room floor.
That's right. The "I'm sorry" on top of the big fat tear was gilding the lily. God bless Eric, he squeezed out a huge tear, in character. Zack is somewhat distanced from his emotions, so it was as though the interior part of him was sorry but his intellect didn't know it. When he said, "I'm sorry" after that, it was a repetitive beat. Plus, he's such a sympathetic character — unlike Brennan, who can be colder — everyone assumes he's sorry anyway.
TVGuide.com: Did you consider making anyone else the Gormogon's apprentice?
Oh, hell yes. And we certainly did everything we could to throw suspicion on everyone we could.
TVGuide.com: The Bones cast and crew is still at work, right?
Yes. It was the oddest thing — as soon as we got back, we shot two episodes to end Season 3. Then we shot another four episodes, but they won't air until after the season opener we're shooting in London in the latter half of June.
TVGuide.com: Is the London episode a stand-alone?
Yes. Booth and Brennan go off to solve a crime in London. It's a big, two-hour [season premiere].
TVGuide.com: Let me guess — they have wacky run-ins with the Bobbies.
[Laughs] That's exactly correct. And funny English people.
TVGuide.com: Anything else you want to say about the finale and Eric's status with the show moving forward?
Eric was a consummate pro about it, and he hated keeping it a secret. He was really worried that his fans would turn against him. But we have not seen the last of him. He won't be in every episode, but Zack has certain talents we can use in a "Hannibal Lecter" kind of way. We can go visit him and he can look at stuff. If my voice sounds light right now, it's because the decision was not made lightly. But we've got to do what we've got to do.
Related:
• Eric Millegan Dishes on Bones' Shocking Revelation
• WATCH VIDEO: Eric Millegan Talks Bones
|
TVGuide Links:
|
|
|
|
May 21, 2008 9:22 AM
|
|
I've been thinking about it, and I'm standing by my "no more Bones for me" reaction to the finale. I trust show runners to take me places -- I may not want to go where they lead, but I trust that they'll do it for good reasons and will make it all make sense. It's like a guide taking you through a forest, and they can take me to pretty dark places and I'll go. But this didn't make sense, and I can't trust the Bones showrunners anymore, so the show is done for me.
|
|
May 21, 2008 9:34 AM
|
|
I, too, am done, with Bones.
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:20 AM
|
|
I don't understand people who because of one episode are willing to dump an entire show. Do I agree with the choice to make Zack the apprentice? Not really, but I'm not going to dump the whole show because of it. As invested as I was in Zack's character I'm just as invested in Bones, Boothe, Hodgins, Angela, & Cam. I want to give the writers a chance to see where they take the show. When they killed Kate on NCIS I wasn't sure how I would feel about them replacing her but in the end I actually love Ziva more. I think it improved the show. All I can say is give season 4 a chance and let the writers finish telling the story. I have a feeling that we will get more answers next year.
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:38 AM
|
|
First, I think it is a great sign that T.V. Guide has Bones' creator discussing this two days after the finale aired - it shows that there are strong feelings among a substantial number of T.V. Guides' readers and that can only be good for the continued future of Bones. Second, I find the changing dynamic between fans and the creators and writers of this and other television shows fascinating. I myself love both the t.v. show and Kathy Reichs' books and was really upset when I saw that the apprentice was Zach. The show obviously has an impact on me if I have a strong genuine emotion about it. And I think that it is great that fans can actually communicate how they feel to the creative forces behind the show. The question is, though, how to balance what any group of fans wants with a creative vision behind a show. Obviously nothing like a television show, novel, movie, etc., can please everyone and, while I may not love this turn of events in the story, I have to admire the willingness to take chances on the part of the show's creative team. I am sorry that some fans were so angry that they feel like they want to stop watching, but I am interested in what will happen next and I very much appreciate that Mr. Hanson took the time, less than 48 hours after the Bones finale aired to address the fans and actually give a little spoiler - the fact that we will see Eric Millegan's character again - to allow viewers a more comfortable summer's wait for the new episodes. I find that the goal of most shows on television is to numb one's brain - I really like that this one makes the viewer think and feel, even if it is not always the way the viewer would like to think and feel. I mean, Brennan's father got released and Brennan and Booth's relationship is evolving - we can't have everything be perfect in the world of Brennan and company or there would be no reason to watch!
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:38 AM
|
|
I did not like this conclusion for the Gorgamon storyline at all. It was not believable for me. But, having said that, I will not give up on the show because of this. There are too many other things about the show to love and I will be interested to see how they continue to involve Zach in storylines from the psych ward!!
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:38 AM
|
Even after the interview, I still think it was shoddy storytelling and complete character assassination. Fans were shocked/appalled/whatever because we were given NOTHING to accept that this was in any way in keeping with what we had been shown.
It's just bad writing - however they choose to characterize what they did.
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:39 AM
|
I just want to get a positive comment up here. I love Bones and everyone associated with the show. I was absolutely shocked at the finale to be sure but it sure as heck didn't tick me off.
I most certainly will continue to watch this amazing show and look forward to seeing Zack/Eric in guest spots.
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:40 AM
|
|
Awesome post aquaeductu! I totally agree : )
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:40 AM
|
well dont let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.
True Bones fans would like to enjoy the summer and anticipation of next seasons premeire without such illogical thinking anyway.
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:42 AM
|
|
You know, it's his show, and I've always been of the opinion that show runners should be allowed to do what they want with their creation and not bow to the whims of the viewing public (I was rather disappointed with Shonda Rhimes that she gave in to complaints about George and Izzie). But I don't want him to do it so cavalierly (referencing his "maximum bang for our buck comment). He should have developed the plot line as he intended and done it well, strike and season length be damned. I support WHAT happened, but not how they went about doing it in such a half-arsed way. He should treat his show better than that. I feel like he's spinning things when he says he's glad people are furious. It seems half of us aren't even furious that Zack was the killer, just that he shoveled over a half-baked resolution - and he should NOT feel pleased about that.
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:42 AM
|
I think people who are saying they won't watch Bones anymore are being so incredibly petty. So they turned ONE character. Big deal. The other characters are still amazing, and it's not like they killed him off. They have already said that although he won't be in every episode, there are plenty of opportunities to bring him back. I for one would love to see Sweets be his therapist. I absolutely LOVE this show, and I will stand by it 100%. The other people are WAY too good to not keep watching.
Also, I was really not shocked about the reveal. I had actually called it several weeks ago. It makes sense to me. I don't understand why all the viewers are so pissed off. You're all acting like infants.
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:45 AM
|
cop out. I'll say it again, change for changes sake. there was no real reason to get rid of zach except THEY wanted to shake things up. There was no reason to shake things up. Didn't Bones numbers go UP after the strike? Proof right there it wasn't necessary. It's a ploy and it stupid and I hope they come to the realization that the made a mistake and can admit it and say they were wrong.
I'm not saying I'm going to stop watching the show, but I'm gonna be mad about it for awhile. It was just a really stupid decision.
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:48 AM
|
I think the decision to cut out Zack saying "I'm sorry" was wrong. They should have kept it in.
I don't like Hart's reference to Zack as Hannible Lector. It makes it sound like Zack will be looking at his visitors as snacks!
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:49 AM
|
|
I'm glad that Eric will be back but I cannot get over the so called finish to the Gorgomon storyline. There was still more to explore and I feel we were shorted on this because of the strike? Why shorten the storyline? Why not continue it into the middle of next season?
|
|
May 21, 2008 10:50 AM
|
|
|
