Several of my favorite shows ...
David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel, Bones
Question: Several of my favorite shows right now, including
Bones and
The Office, are based a great deal on whether or not central characters will become romantically involved. Both have handled it differently so far, with Jim declaring his feelings and kissing Pam, while Booth's and Bones' feelings are still simmering under the surface. It seems like the relationship on
The Office is progressing faster, but I am worried it will hurt the show. As much as I want Jim and Pam together, they just might be a boring couple. I have heard much talk about how
Moonlighting died when the main characters finally hooked up. Did that really cause the demise of the show? Which show do you think has a better chance of creatively surviving the impending couplehood?
Answer: Moonlighting's problems went way beyond the will-they-or-won't-they dilemma — including production delays and creative and ego clashes — but there's no question that the show has become a benchmark for how quickly the joy can diminish once the main characters get it on. Which is why, for this discussion, it seems like it would be a much bigger problem for
Bones to take its leads to the next level, when it isn't truly necessary for our enjoyment of the show or for their chemistry. The issue with
Moonlighting was that Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd were pretty much the whole show, and once the sexual tension was resolved, there wasn't that much else to fall back on. While it's also true that David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel are
Bones' leads, they've got a pretty strong ensemble (with plenty of relationship action, especially the Hodgins-Angela romance) to surround them, which may take some of the urgency off of them actually hooking up. (For the record, I'm not a
Bones "'shipper." I actually like it best as one of TV's more clever procedurals.) As for
The Office, however, if the Jim-Pam story line plays out, it's not the only reason to watch the show. It may be one of the best reasons, because they're outstanding, and the twists and turns have generated a lot of fan interest. But even if they do officially become a couple and become boring, I'd bet
The Office could find a way to make that funny. And possibly sad at the same time. Another look at this subject follows....
