Fledgling Fox serious hits store shelves in excellent, worthy DVD collection

Bones, a cleverly sharp crime investigation show from the producers of Joan of Arcadia and Judging Amy, recently made its premiere on DVD in a set containing all 22 episodes from the first season of the show as well as a handful of extras.

The show is the Fox network’s sexed up alternative to the army of CSI clones that seem to pop up on various channels as each new television season begins.

David Boreanaz plays special agent Seeley Booth, a confident FBI agent who makes up for his lack of logical genius with a street-wise understanding of the human condition. Emily Deschanel portrays Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan, a forensic genius who has no personal life to speak of. The fact that Booth is FBI and Bones works for a third-party is a main source of conflict as apparently the two groups function in entirely opposite ways.

The plots for most of the episodes are the clichéd CSI sort of thing with innocent victims meeting grisly deaths caused by nefarious sources. The team uses all sorts of high tech gadgetry that couldn’t possibly exist, just like in those other shows, but the creators never seem to take it to that totally unbelievable level seen in others.

Booth and Bones begin to foster a bit of romantic chemistry during the course of the first season, but nothing major comes to fruition because of it. I have to admit, the chemistry between the two actors and their characters leads to a real attachment to the characters, and their sharp-tongued dialogues are the funnier parts of the show.

The supporting cast fills in the personality spaces that the leads can’t quite cover, such as the party girl, the braniac and the non-trusting conspiracy theorist. The best television shows make the most of an ensemble cast, and Bones excels at it.

The budding relationship between the two leads is really the star of the show, and by the end of the season things really start to heat up between them. The writing for Bones is superb. At no point do you hear anyone spouting useless dramatic phrases like CSI’s Grisham or Horatio. Jokes are usually subtle, and the running joke involving Bones’ lack of pop-culture knowledge works in favor of the writing.

When the show takes dramatic turns and focuses on the hurt and pain of murder and death, the stories arch slowly and beautifully. Instead of forcing the viewer to feel sad or angry by using violence or flashbacks, the producers let smaller moments of resonance stack up until we feel the raw connection to the victims.

It may not be the flashiest way to do things, but it creates more tension and feeling than any television show I’ve ever watched.

Another plus goes to the lead cinematographer of the show for opening up the camera angles and letting the show’s settings become characters themselves. Instead of a claustrophobic office building, the characters work and interact in a enormous, sterile facility bustling with employees. This is just another reason why Bones is enjoyable to watch, rather than cumbersome.

Video for the show is above average, with no digital distortion or interlacing lines at all. Hues tend to range a bit heavy on the red side, but this does nothing to damage the look of the program.

Most of the show is dialogue driven, which explains the lack of much in the surround sound arena, but background music and explosions fill in any holes that appear. Overall, the sound meets expectations but offers no surprises.

Special features are average at best. Four featurettes are included: “Bones – Inspired by the Life of Forensic Anthropologist Kathy Reichs” is an interesting feature that explores the life of the woman whose book inspired the show; “Squints,” footage in which cast members prepared for their roles, and “The Real Definition,” a guide to forensic terminology for newcomers. Audio commentaries are included for the pilot episode and “Two Bodies in the Lab,” and both offer interesting bits of info from the perspectives of the cast and crew.

While Bones may seem like another boring crime drama, the show’s witty writing, deep characters and expertly arching plots put it a head above the numerous CSI clones.

Boreanaz and Deschanel are true assets to the show, and their chemistry and humor make even the most mundane plot moments humorous.

Anyone looking for a funnier and betterwritten alternative to other crime shows should pick up Bones immediately, as should anyone who enjoys good television, despite the lack of any spectacular special features.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.