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Perhaps you missed it live, the season 11 finale of “Bones,” aptly named “The Nightmare in the Nightmare.” If so, you may not be aware that the broadcast was unexpectedly interrupted by a contentious political figure, causing quite a stir, particularly for series star Emily Deschanel.
On July 21 of that memorable election year, the episode aimed to reintroduce a long-lost character, only to be completely overshadowed by Donald Trump’s lengthy acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. The speech, lasting an impressive 75 minutes, essentially forced any concurrent programming on Fox, including “Bones,” to be put on hold. Understandably upset, Deschanel took to Twitter to voice her frustrations.
Deschanel tweeted in disbelief, “Um….how is anyone gonna understand what is going on when you start an episode in the middle?!” She further questioned, “Nobody planned for [T]rump to speak so long?” In a subsequent post, she suggested, “Politics shmolitics they should have just forgotten about the convention and shown [‘Bones’ on Fox]!” She ended her rant with the hashtag “fail.”
Unveiling the Season 11 Finale of Bones
20th Television
It’s understandable why Emily Deschanel, who portrays forensic anthropologist Temperance “Bones” Brennan, was upset about the interruption. The season 11 finale was a significant, action-filled episode where the character Dr. Zack Addy, portrayed by Eric Millegan, makes a dramatic return after a prolonged absence.
The episode, “The Nightmare in the Nightmare,” kicks off with the Jeffersonian team, which includes Temperance’s FBI partner and spouse Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz), hot on the trail of a serial killer named “the Puppeteer.” As her team investigates potential leads, Temperance seeks psychological help from Dr. Brandon Faulk (Tim Guinee) to cope with her intense nightmares.
The episode builds to a shocking climax when Brennan receives a text asking her to meet at the Washington D.C. restaurant Founding Fathers, seemingly from a team member. Upon arrival, it becomes clear that none of her team sent the message, and she’s walked into a trap. The episode ends with a cliffhanger, leaving the cast and crew in suspense about the show’s future.
The Cast’s Concerns During the Filming of The Nightmare in the Nightmare
20th Television
As revealed by Tamara Taylor, who played Dr. Camille Saroyan on the show, the cast members were uncertain about the series’ future during the filming of the season 11 finale. The show was “on the bubble” in 2016, a term used in the industry when a show’s fate hangs in the balance.
According to Taylor, the uncertainty made shooting the episode extremely awkward. “Season 11 ended and it was pretty uncomfortable, because we didn’t know if we were ending it-ending it, because it was on the bubble, and contracts hadn’t been signed,” Taylor disclosed. “They had to write it like it was a series finale as well as a season finale, which was really uncomfortable, because we weren’t sure if we were saying goodbye forever, or just goodbye for two months. That was awkward.”
Fortunately, “Bones” was renewed for a 12th and final season, allowing the show to tie up all loose ends in the series finale “The End in the End.” Despite the challenges faced during the season 11 finale, fans can now enjoy the series in its entirety on Hulu.
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