No-No #4. Trips to Fantasy Island. This has less to do with the writing on a show than it does with publicity and marketing. The most famous case of "we fooled you" has to be the showering Bobby Ewing's return in Dallas back in the 80's, but as poorly as that revelation was received, it was at least a shock for the audience.
Viewers have become jaded after too many fake-outs, often within the same series. Promising fans a lip-lock during sweeps and then airing a CPR episode is a nasty cheat. A commercial showing the female lead in a wedding dress inevitably means she'll be walking down a fashion show runway and not a church aisle. The biggest twist these days would be a show that actually delivered what was promised in the previews.
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With returning shows already in production and new series gearing up for their fall premiers, viewers can look forward to another year of sexy double ententres, longing glances and agonizing unrequited love. And they will eat it up and come back for more.
Here's to hoping that television writers remember that the path to true love never did run easy on primetime. Honestly, we really wouldn't want it any other way.
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5. Special Agent Seeley Booth and Dr. Temperance Brennan, Bones. They have been crime-fighting partners for four years but if the anvils on the wall last season are any indication, the clues for Season 5 will lead to M-A-R-R-I-A-G-E and B-A-B-Y.

Just had to comment that Mad About You is another show where, after the baby arrived, just wasn't interesting enough anymore.
Just had to comment that Mad About You is another show where, after the baby arrived, just wasn’t interesting enough anymore.
I forgot about "Mad About You."nbsp; Yes, that is pretty much when I stopped watching as well.nbsp; That show had a good cast too.
I forgot about “Mad About You.”nbsp; Yes, that is pretty much when I stopped watching as well.nbsp; That show had a good cast too.
Hello, y Canadian buddy and comrade in arms ;)
Great article, and an absolutely stunning picture of Bones and Booth.
You know me, all about wanting certain couples to get together…Fringe's Peter and Olivia, Booth and Bones (as a couple, not as a "here is the container, we have placed magazines and xxx dvd's in the room should you need some enticement" sort of thing ;)
I am loving the chemistry between Pete and Myka on Warehouse 13- but I think as a couple they are doomed to fail.
(Besides, I want Pete for myself)
Hello, y Canadian buddy and comrade in arms ;)
Great article, and an absolutely stunning picture of Bones and Booth.
You know me, all about wanting certain couples to get together…Fringe’s Peter and Olivia, Booth and Bones (as a couple, not as a “here is the container, we have placed magazines and xxx dvd’s in the room should you need some enticement” sort of thing ;)
I am loving the chemistry between Pete and Myka on Warehouse 13- but I think as a couple they are doomed to fail.
(Besides, I want Pete for myself)
Thanks, Pixie. Isn't that a fab photo? I grabbed it as soon as I found it.
Do you really want them to actually be together and be lovey-dovey and all smoochy for 60 minutes a week? Or do you want to watch the tension and the angst and be able to moan and grumble about how they should be together and come back next time for more? Personally, I think the grumbling is oodles more fun.
Thanks, Pixie. Isn’t that a fab photo? I grabbed it as soon as I found it.
Do you really want them to actually be together and be lovey-dovey and all smoochy for 60 minutes a week? Or do you want to watch the tension and the angst and be able to moan and grumble about how they should be together and come back next time for more? Personally, I think the grumbling is oodles more fun.
Very nice! The writers definitely need a deft touch when handling these things. As you might have guessed, I think the writers of "Bones" could take a lesson (or 300) from the writers of "Burn Notice."
Precisely. We want them to get together. They want to get together. But they don't get together and we keep watching. No wonder BN got renewed again.
Very nice! The writers definitely need a deft touch when handling these things. As you might have guessed, I think the writers of “Bones” could take a lesson (or 300) from the writers of “Burn Notice.”
Precisely. We want them to get together. They want to get together. But they don’t get together and we keep watching. No wonder BN got renewed again.
Is it always true that the couples can't work? Yeah the tension keeps you coming back but can't there be another thing too, please? The slow dance of attraction is great, realization and valuing of one's compatibility in the non-couple pursuits such as work and play, then could be the slow courting, then the decision to be friends or something else, with real discussion about how they are feeling without silly soap distractions…I want to see trust and love people! and then the slow savor of passion; these could take years. Smoldering is so much better than wham.
Or can the excellent working relationship develop into friends of such depth that the audience comes back for that; true character stuff.
In short, I want tv to be my escape, and to show me how to be better at relating to other people… now I am going to wave my wand fix that pesky world hunger problem.
Couples can't work and be happy. It's a rule, sorry :)
I completely agree on the smoldering vs wham.
Is it always true that the couples can’t work? Yeah the tension keeps you coming back but can’t there be another thing too, please? The slow dance of attraction is great, realization and valuing of one’s compatibility in the non-couple pursuits such as work and play, then could be the slow courting, then the decision to be friends or something else, with real discussion about how they are feeling without silly soap distractions…I want to see trust and love people! and then the slow savor of passion; these could take years. Smoldering is so much better than wham.
Or can the excellent working relationship develop into friends of such depth that the audience comes back for that; true character stuff.
In short, I want tv to be my escape, and to show me how to be better at relating to other people… now I am going to wave my wand fix that pesky world hunger problem.
Couples can’t work and be happy. It’s a rule, sorry :)
I completely agree on the smoldering vs wham.
I liked Fi and Michael the first two seasons but now they're boring, putting them together would be a total bust.
Bones and Booth are so hawt there's no way they'll get together and not still remain popular and they'll keep the sexual chemistry.
I don't think Bones and Booth are going to get married but if they have a baby that'll be totally awesome.
I liked Fi and Michael the first two seasons but now they’re boring, putting them together would be a total bust.
Bones and Booth are so hawt there’s no way they’ll get together and not still remain popular and they’ll keep the sexual chemistry.
I don’t think Bones and Booth are going to get married but if they have a baby that’ll be totally awesome.