Question: I would greatly appreciate your explanation on some Bones-related questions. In a recent interview, executive producer Stephen Nathan said the following: "I know so many of the fans are upset that Booth is with Hannah and asking how could we do that, and when are Booth and Brennan gonna get back 'together,' or when are they gonna get together ultimately. I think it's the difficulties and the dissatisfaction that propels the show forward in a way. That there's some frustration with these characters that we've grown to love over five and a half years: We want them to do certain things. We want them to see what's right behind that door. But obviously, if they did right away, fans would be very disappointed, and then they would go and watch whatever's on the other channels." My questions: Why would a show want to cause dissatisfaction amongst its fan base? Does this actually increase ratings? Why do both Hart Hansen and Stephen Nathan say they don't believe in the Moonlighting curse and then say people will change the channel if two main characters are in a romantic relationship?
I also have a few questions about the recent Fox announcement that Bones is moving an hour later on Thursday to 9/8c. Do you think that Fox took into account that the Hannah storyline would not be popular with a segment of the fan base and to protect Bones' ratings they moved it behind American Idol so that any fans they lost would be made-up by casual viewers? They could have just as likely moved their new show The Chicago Code into this slot and moved Bones behind House on Monday. Isn't it traditional to place a new show behind American Idol to build a fan base? What is the purpose of putting a well-established show behind American Idol? — Rose
Matt Roush: Let's take the easy part of the question first. Bones' shift to an hour later on Thursday has nothing to do with anything the show is doing internally and everything to do with American Idol, which is Fox's No. 1 priority in the new year. Idol invading Thursday is a major change and a calculated risk, and Bones has already proven itself on the night, so it makes more sense for Fox to pair Idol with a proven commodity in a very tough time period (opposite CSI, Grey's Anatomy and The Office, each with dedicated fan bases) than to try to launch a new show on Thursday, even with the Idol lead-in. (In April, Fox is planning to use the Wednesday Idol performance show to launch the new sitcom Breaking In, so that strategy hasn't entirely been abandoned.)
Regarding Bones and Booth and fan discontent: There's never an easy way to address this subject, just as there's no easy way for the show to resolve the problem of when, how and whether to resolve this sexual-tension situation. Clearly, the producers feel that if Bones turns into an all-out romantic procedural where the leads are sleeping together while solving cases together, something will be lost. (Same goes for the Castle-Beckett dynamic over at Castle.) If that is truly the way they feel, I wish they'd just stop teasing everyone, because that's where the real discontent sets in. If anyone believed Hannah was the real deal for Booth, that would be one thing. But she's obviously just another road bump, so it's irritating. Personally, I'd love it if Bones found an intellectual equal who attracted her in a way that we (and Booth) might believe she'd found a soul mate and see where that goes. But even that would likely frustrate fans to no end. I appreciate Stephen Nathan acknowledging that frustration and dissatisfaction can be useful dramatic tools, even if fans predictably turn those words against him. But such a ploy can only take you so far. Bones is one of those litmus-test shows that continues to test the limits of how far a show can go in trying its audience's patience. To be quite honest, the show is still doing well enough that it doesn't seem to have alienated the fan base to the point of no return.
Source: Ask Matt at TV Guide
Tipsters: lysaleelee, omelette73, sejlb
on DVD today at 
as well at