TVSquad

I know, I know, all of you Boneheads (and I mean that in the most affectionate way) want some answers after last season's finale. Did Jack and Angela stay together? Did Zack really go to Iraq? Is Bones' father still in jail? What did Bones mean when she said 'What do we do now?' while standing at the altar with Booth? Did Buffy leave Sunnydale to pursue Angel in Washington D.C.?

To answer your questions: Yes. Yes. Yes. I have no idea. Whoops, wrong show.

Welcome to season three of Bones!

Seriously, don't worry too much about massive changes to the show, which premieres at 8 pm on Tuesday, September 25th (Damn FOX for constantly changing the time of this program). Other than some different hair styles (talk about that later) not a lot has changed. In fact, the beginning of the third season shows a good bit of stability.

Stability is not one of the words I would have used to describe the show's second season. Not that the show was out of control, mind you. But, like thousands of television shows before it the sophomore season of Bones was one of growth. We were introduced to Temperance's long-lost father as well as her new boss, Camille Soroyan. Relationships began and ended (Cam and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth) and began and flourished (Jack and Angela). Booth went to therapy, and Zack became a doctor and got his haircut. Now that the growth spurt is over the producers now have some time to explore other facets of the characters lives that we haven't really seen much of.

We get a taste of that in the season premiere, which takes place three months after Booth and Bones were left at the altar. Zack is still in Iraq, Jack and Angela still aren't married, and there's something eating at Bones. So much so that it has prevented her from going out with Booth on many investigations during the time lapse. She says it is due to her role in choosing Zack's replacement. However, no one else believes her. Is it the fact that Booth put her father in jail, or that he allowed Zack to go to the Middle East, or that she feels a bit awkward being with Booth after what happened at the church? Everyone has their own answer, as I'm sure you do. You'll just have to wait until the show premieres to find out.

There are some differences, mostly cosmetic, in this third season. There seems to be many more Squints running around the Jeffersonian Institution this time around then in the previous season. Maybe the producers received an influx of cash flow to hire a bunch of extras. There are also a whole new bunch of sound effects to listen for. I could swear that one of them is the sound that Space Ghost used to make when he went invisible (MmmmmWop).

On the personal front Zack and Jack have new hairstyles. Zack has a crew cut, due to his role in Iraq, while Jack's hair is much shorter and darker than last season. That, and he shaved off his beard, which makes him look like a totally different person. Finally, the one casting change is the promotion of Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Julian to recurring character. Caroline is a favorite of many Bones fans and there have been requests to have her on the show more. Well, the producers heard the fans and she is prominently featured in the season premiere.

So, there you have it! I'll provide a more detailed review of the show after it airs next Tuesday, but at least you have a taste for what the season premiere holds for you. Getting excited? I hope so. And, I hope you'll join me each week here on TV Squad to express your excitement, sadness, and anger about Bones.