Bones is one of the best procedural crime dramas of the 2000s. The series follows an unlikely duo of an FBI Special Agent and a Forensic Anthropologist who team up to solve crimes where little more than the bones remain. Bones ran for 12 fantastic seasons and has rumors of a revival circulating in the ether.
Bones is known for having a popular and talented cast of characters. Certain characters gained notoriety as they grew throughout the series, while others were popular from the jump. While it can be argued that there are no bad characters in Bones, certain characters are more popular than others.
10 Dr. Colin Fisher is a Funny Stereotype
Colin Fisher is one of the Jeffersonian’s more eccentric ‘Squinterns,’ which are a rotating cast of interns who assist Brennan in the wake of Zack Addy’s shocking exit. Fisher is a highly skilled budding forensic anthropologist, but he is maligned by a morose nature and prone to sarcastic quips. Colin Fisher taps into a stereotype of those who work in death-related fields, which is that they are depressed and have a macabre approach to life. The Jeffersonian team often skirts these stereotypes by having generally positive personalities despite the grim nature of their work.
First Introduced
Season 4, Episode 6, “The Crank in the Shaft”
Occupation
Forensic Anthropologist
Interesting Fact
Worked as a tutor for the President’s daughter
Colin Fisher was a welcome difference to the Jeffersonian team dynamic. His snarky nature and comically depressive nature added a paradoxically energetic tone to the episodes where he was the intern assisting on the case. Unfortunately, Fisher did not have a lot of appearances later in Bones, but the episodes where he appeared were something special.
9 Dr. Arastoo Vaziri Made the Most of His Squintern Role
Arastoo Vaziri came on as an awkwardly endearing Squintern who stood out from the crowd due to his religious convictions. It would soon become apparent that Arastoo Vaziri was not what he seemed. For one, Arastoo was pretending to be a recent immigrant with a thick accent to explain away his strong religious beliefs, as he believed his scientist colleagues would question his faith. However, Arastoo soon dispensed with the act and began to express himself without fear of judgment.
First Introduced
Season 4, Episode 17, “The Salt in the Wound”
Occupation
Forensic Anthropologist
Interesting Fact
Exiled from Iran for writing illegal poetry
Once Arastoo dropped his mask, he soon became a fan favorite, Squintern. Arastoo has an appealing inner strength and a nuanced past that has shaped him into the man he is today. Arastoo’s strong convictions allowed him to pursue a relationship with the Jeffersonian Lab Director and Medical Examiner Camille Saroyan, whom he would later marry and adopt children with.
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Caroline Julian is a surprising favorite character in the Bones fandom. She is a sharp-tongued lawyer who works with FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth and, by extension, Brennan and the Jeffersonian team to ensure the cases they solve are prosecutable. As fans familiarized themselves with Caroline, she grew into a quiet fan favorite and a staple of Bones.
First Introduced
Season 1, Episode 17, “The Man in the Morgue”
Occupation
Federal Prosecutor
Interesting Fact
Implied to be from Louisiana
Behind a stone exterior, Caroline expresses tenderness with the Jeffersonian team, whom she treats as a pseudo-family (though she is loathe to admit it). It takes a rare character to demand legally-sound brilliance from the geniuses of the Bones team, but it’s light work for a woman as smart and intimidating as Caroline Julian. Caroline’s whip-smart legal skills and her Southern charm make her a fantastic addition to the roster of recurring characters of Bones.
7 Wendell Bray is a Fan Favorite Squintern
Wendell Bray has a reputation for being the ‘most normal’ of the Squinterns. Whereas his fellow interns have trouble grasping certain social nuances or interacting with people without a genius-level IQ, Wendell is arguably one of the brightest Squinterns but is easily able to socialize with geniuses and laymen alike.
First Introduced
Season 4, Episode 5, “The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond”
Occupation
Forensic Anthropologist Intern
Interesting Fact
Lost an Uncle on 9/11
Wendell’s social flexibility and ingenuity come from having a challenging childhood that resulted in him having to get creative with what he possessed to succeed. Wendell becomes a close friend of Seeley Booth and the Jeffersonian team. This friendship is shown to be incredibly strong when Wendell is diagnosed with bone cancer. Wendell’s arc during that time has shown that his unique social nature has made him a key figure at the Jeffersonian and on Bones.
6 Dr. Camille Saroyan is the Leader the Team Needs
Camille ‘Cam’ Saroyan debuted on Bones with a bang in the second season premiere. She was posed as an opposing force to de facto Jeffersonian team leader Dr. Temperance Brennan. Saroyan is a tough and highly competent medical examiner who was selected to manage the entire lab and serve as the team’s medical examiner.
First Introduced
Season 2, Episode 1, “The Titan on the Tracks”
Occupation
Lab Director and Medical Examiner
Interesting Fact
Had a past relationship with Seeley Booth
Cam is unabashedly assertive while also being capable of the social nuance needed in a leader. She is especially adept at navigating the unique quirks of the Jeffersonian team in order to produce the best results. Cam has been through challenging situations that have helped her develop a tough exterior and a strong inner strength. It’s an unspoken fact that the Jeffersonian would be worse off without Camille Saroyan at the helm.
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5 Dr. Jack Hodgins is Delightfully Nerdy and Bizzare
Jack Hodgins is one of the strangest characters in Bones, but he is also one of the most beloved. Hodgins is a self-described ‘bugs and slime’ guy who handles some of the grossest and most tedious details of the forensic analysis conducted by the Jeffersonian. Hodgins starts off as having a combative and brusque personality and largely seems to resent anything or anyone that gets in the way of his work. As the family dynamic of the team begins to form, his edges dull, and he begins to let his teammates in.
First Introduced
Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Occupation
Entomologist
Interesting Fact
Has a species of insect named after him, Wendell, and Angela
Hodgins has some of the most fascinating character details of Bones. He is the last member of a billionaire dynasty with a penchant for conspiracy theories. His bizarre nature makes him very endearing to fans, and his vibe perfectly fits that of the show itself. The boyish joy he finds in his work is infectious and helps the team keep upbeat energy while dealing with heavy topics, including a shocking paralysis storyline in Season 11.
4 Angela Montenegro is Both an Art and Tech Whiz
Angela Montenegro is definitely the odd-woman out on the Jeffersonian team, but that’s what makes her so lovable. Angela Montenegro is not a scientist, but rather an artist who has collaborated with her forensic anthropologist best friend to lend her art and tech skills to help her fight crime. The last place one would think to find an artsy free spirit would be in a forensics lab, but that is where Angela Montenegro has created some of her best works of art.
First Introduced
Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Occupation
Artist
Interesting Fact
Her father is a fictional version of Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top
Angela Montenegro is a true Renaissance woman. She is skilled in both art and technology and combined the two to create some revolutionary systems that are instrumental to the Jeffersonian. Angela is also incredibly empathetic and emotionally in tune with those around her, which makes her the beating heart of the team and vitally important to those around her.
3 Dr. Lance Sweets is Intuitive and Endearingly Awkward
Lance Sweets was an unexpected addition to the team, and he appeared at a time when the team was unsteady and in a vulnerable place. Without this young and scrappy psychologist, it’s possible the Jeffersonian team would have fallen apart entirely. Sweets’ job relies on putting people back together, and sometimes, those around him don’t even realize he’s doing it.
First Introduced
Season 3, Episode 4, “The Secret in the Soil”
Occupation
Psychologist
Interesting Fact
Sweets is a skilled chess player
Sweets’ young age and status as an FBI Psychologist make him a bit of a fish out of water with the team at first. However, he is soon pseudo-adopted by Booth and Brennan and brought into the team. He is truly family to them, and that makes his death in Season 10 hit that much harder as Booth and Brennan comfort him in his final moments. The Bones, as fans know it, would not exist without Lance Sweets.
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2 Special Agent Seeley Booth Brings Layered Strength to the Team
Seeley Booth is the brawn of the partnership between himself and Dr. Temperance Brennan. Booth is a former military sniper turned successful FBI Special Agent. Booth is an almost stereotypical red-blooded American male. Within this archetype comes a lack of understanding of forensic anthropology and lab work. It is Booth himself who coined the term ‘Squint’ which describes individuals who work in forensic labs.
First Introduced
Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Occupation
FBI Special Agent
Interesting Fact
His mother taught him to be a skilled dancer
Despite Booth’s lack of understanding about how Brennan and the Jeffersonian Lab teamwork, he respects them and considers them to be ‘his people.’ Booth is a natural protector and is a true crusader for justice. Booth also has a fun, comedic side to his personality that negates some of the traditionally surly attributes of his character. Booth’s grounded nature is essential for the success of Bones, and he provides the perfect balance to Brennan’s intensely erudite nature.
1 Dr. Temperance Brennan Made Bones Into a Sensation
There’s no doubt that Dr. Temperence Brennan is the reason for the success of Bones. Brennan is unabashedly herself, and while this can lead to some social blunders, it also makes her a very compelling protagonist. She is the best forensic anthropologist in the world and is proud of her accomplishments, taking on a variety of interns to teach.
First Introduced
Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Occupation
Forensic Anthropologist
Interesting Fact
Solved the murder of her own mother
Brennan is an incredibly nuanced protagonist. She’s socially awkward but an undeniable genius, which leads to her guarding her vulnerabilities behind an armor of intellect. Her troubled past and the dangerous situations she is exposed to on the job result in fantastic plot lines for Bones to invoke. It’s an undeniable fact that there is no Bones without Dr. Temperence Brennan, and fans still miss Bones to this day.
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