In Defense of Hart Hanson and Why We Lose the Best TV Characters

Hart Hanson shot my puppy.

I'm referring to the creator of Fox's Bones, and that is precisely how I and many Bones fans are feeling after last week's season finale. (If you have not seen it and don't want it spoiled, please stop reading.)

It's been called the "Zack-lash" -- the cannibalistic serial killer on Bones was revealed, but it wasn't his identity that sent fans of the show into the seven stages of grief last week over a character who didn't even die. It was the identity of the one helping him, his apprentice -- Zack Addy, played by Eric Millegan. It was, to say the least, a shocker of a season finale.

But it isn't only the character of Zack being written off the show that has us collectively following the Kubler-Ross model. It was the fact that it was shoddily written. It was a hasty, cheap conclusion, and probably caused Eric Millegan to be the biggest casualty of the writers' strike (and earned him what must be the most bittersweet week of press ever).

However, I know why it was done, and I know where the writers were coming from when this decision was made. We would all like to think that our favorite shows can remain on an entertainingly even keel throughout its run, retaining all of our favorite characters and keeping them happy and healthy. But Bones, as much of a drama as is it a comedy, is not willing to maintain a status quo. And that's great. Many shows have taken drastic measures to shake things up, and in the broader context of storytelling, it would only make sense to do so in order to keep an audience interested. Why would we watch a show in which nothing ever happened? It's the reason we're watching, and the reason we should all keep watching.

It doesn't mean that all the fans will be happy all the time, but good storytelling is what attracts people and affects them. Storytelling gives us characters who possess something to which we can relate, even if it's something very small or vague. But we are hearing about them because something out of the ordinary happened -- why else would we be paying attention? These events are a catalyst for the whole series of things that will follow and eventually, hopefully, be resolved by the end. In other words, if a character is taken away, there is probably a good reason.

Take Mrs. Landingham from The West Wing. At the end of the second season, she was killed in a drunk driving accident. It was the final straw for President Bartlet (Martin Sheen), who had been taking a lot of hits over keeping his MS a secret, a political situation in Haiti and a case against Big Tobacco. He was losing battles, and then he lost the pillar that had always held him up -- Mrs. Landingham, his secretary (Kathryn Joosten). Bartlet was ready to skip running for re-election, until he had an imaginary conversation with Mrs. Landingham, who he knew would tell him "God doesn't make cars crash and you know it. Stop using me as an excuse." He runs again and wins (she shows up in flashbacks).

Talk about grieving for a fictional character -- a California State Assemblyman (that would be the state government) eulogized Mrs. Landingham upon closing the session of the day following the season finale.

And let's please not forget about Edgar Stiles on 24 in season five. The sentiments attached to Edgar and the man who played him, Louis Lombardi, probably echoed a lot of what Bones fans felt for Zack Addy and Eric Millegan. This article on TV Fodder makes post-finale interviews with Millegan feel like deja vu. The major difference between losing Edgar and losing Zack, however, is that on 24, anyone could be killed at any time. (Including Bones cast member TJ Thyne, who played "24 Casualty #7680976898980 aka Jason Girard.) Losing Edgar really meant that the 24 crew were going to be ruthless in showing us how much of a threat the terrorists were and how high the stakes were. If Edgar, one of the most lovable and faithfully present characters on the show, could die, then we were all in some serious danger. (Another major difference is that Edgar actually, um, died.)

But it's not as if we've never seen characters leave the show as a result of turning to the dark side before. Taking 24 as an example again, did anyone think Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) would turn out to be the mole inside CTU during the first season? Her character returned semi-regularly for two more seasons. But this was a well-thought-out reveal, as was the one in season five when we found out the nimrod moron President Logan (Gregory Itzin) was, in fact, not a nimrod moron, but responsible for pretty much every horror that happened that season. Season five turned out to be 24's best season because of the death of Edgar and the brilliant Logan plot twist. Edgar left us on a sad, tragic note and we got to hate Logan for all new reasons. (And, it should be said, it made season six seem incredibly weak.)

What made the Bones season finale so traumatizing, however, is how the departure of a beloved regular character was executed. The writers and the actor had created a character for whom we cared so much that doing something to put him in such deep peril would be absolutely devastating. "We love you, and that's why it will be heartbreaking to see you go." (Somewhere, Eric Millegan is thinking, "Gee, thanks.") Zack Addy has been the "little brother" of the show, the one who changed as a person the most, who grew up, nurtured friendships, earned his place in his career and spouted off technical jargon chock full of four-dollar words with the greatest of ease while figures of speech went completely over his head. He was so loved that when he confessed to being the apprentice to a serial killer who ate people and justified murder with simple logic, we weren't disgusted, or mad at Zack, or ready to write him off as a psycho - we mourned. So writing Zack off the show was understandable, especially in the context of a serial killer storyline -- that's just how awful this killer is and how unsafe everyone else is. But revealing -- out of the blue -- that Zack has been in cohoots with the killer and a killer himself, then shipping him off to a psych ward? That's like sneaking up on me behind my back with a weed-whacker and then handing me a band-aid after I've been ripped apart. "Hey, at least he's still alive, right?"

Hart Hanson did not underestimate the reaction this twist would get. (In fact, while there had been plenty of speculation that Zack could have been the apprentice, I didn't really resign myself to it until I read an interview with Hanson for Entertainment Weekly the afternoon of the finale, in which he said he was "expecting a violent reaction." That was when I knew it was Zack, for sure.) But the writers completely underestimated their audience, and that's why this was such an inexcusable finale. (TV Guide's Matt Roush was pissed enough to bring it up three times last week.) In this age of Interwebs and DVDs and Tivos and whatnots, every single episode of most shows is readily available for viewing. And every single nuance of every single episode is open to discussion online by people who can examine scenes, facial expressions, dialogue, set decoration, everything as if it was the Zapruder film. As a result, the willing suspension of disbelief was given a whole new meaning. Fans, including me, have gone back over the past three seasons and come up with mountains of evidence for why this turn of events made no sense.

That's why it feels like Hanson shot my puppy -- there was nothing leading up to it, and it was completely unfair. (I don't actually have a puppy. I wish I did, but now I'm afraid Hart Hanson will shoot it. And then laugh.)

It may sound a bit irrational to be this worked up over a TV show and fictional characters, and I will agree to a point. But as someone who aspires to make a career out of storytelling as a writer and an actor -- and as someone who once called Bones the "perfect show" -- I think Hanson and the show's writers owe us an explanation, and that includes justice for Zack Addy. You cannot throw this kind of inexplicable crap in our face and expect us to buy it. Fine, he was Gormagon's apprentice -- why? And if you think the piddly logic argument is going to tide us over, why was it so easy for Bones (Emily Deschanel) to explain away? Zack was buying it enough to kill someone (something I am really not convinced he did), but then all of a sudden realized his reasoning was flawed? In 2-3 sentences? Yeah -- that's why the "Oops! I'm a killer" thing didn't work for a lot of us.

And this is supposed to justify Eric Millegan no longer being on TV and Joey "Whoa!" Lawrence hosting a show called "Master of Dance"? "Master of Dance"?

Despite my sheer nonacceptance of this creative decision on Bones, I know why it was made and I respect the producers who have control over their own show. And true Bones fans will not stop watching the show, because we wouldn't have been watching if we didn't love the show in the first place. We also wouldn't be so mad if we hadn't been able to set our standards so high over the past three seasons. I still love Bones and everything Hanson has made it out to be. But this story has got to be resolved. You can be sure we will all be watching and parsing every detail!

******

I mentioned I'm an aspiring writer (TV, film and sketch comedy) and since apparently I am that nerdy, I blurted out a thesis paper's worth of theories on why Zack joined a cult and how this story can be explained on my own blog, Flummoxology. And if you want evidence that Zack could not have possibly killed someone, by jove, I've got it in there. Believe me -- I do not have delusions of grandeur when it comes to my storytelling abilities, but I think I make a pretty compelling case. (My one commenter thinks so.) Sometimes a girl's just gotta get it out of her system.

Comments

[ktano0]

Yeah, there are just too many loose ends regarding this episode. I love this show, one of the best and most lovable casts on the tube,but this episode was damn-near shark-jumpy! I'm with TJinSoCal...this show is definitely on probation.

[ktbuckman]

This is actually a continuation of my thoughts from the previous comment. Sorry to be so longwinded.
Finally, I actually wasn't angry that they made Zach Gormagon's assistant. I thought it could have been an interesting choice. But I was furious that they tried to suggest that he had been recruited only three months before. This is just plain stupid. I only buy this story line if he had been recruited, say when he was eighteen, a time when he was impressionable and easily influenced. He is a smart guy who could have conceivably hidden this double life for years from the people he grew to love. I would totally believe that he was capable of compartmentalizing (to use a word beaten to death buy this episode) enough to live extreme dual lives. And the conflict between the two at the end would be interesting. But they failed miserably, as I've come to expect from those being led by the Pied Piper of Hawley. Of course, if I’m wrong, and the problem isn’t really Hawley, then Hart Hanson needs to hang it up right now because he’s gone simple.
I will not even get started on the cheap emotional manipulation of the beginning of this particular episode, or I will never end this comment.

[ktbuckman]

I agree that Hart Hanson is ultimately responsible for the travesty that was this season finale, but I think you should take a closer look at Noah Hawley. This was not the first time I have had to be physically restrained from attacking the television while watching an episode of Bones. No other show has such a manic nature. A single episode can often be the best and worst hour of television in the week. When this is the case, it is always saved be the characters and the actors but dragged down by an impossibly stupid story.

I trace this trend back to the "Man in the Cell" episode from season two written by Mr. Noah Hawley. I call it the "kitchen sink episode". Just about every member of the cast was placed in a life threatening situation in that episode. There were poisonings, explosions, crowbar wielding psychos... They left no dramatic stones unturned, and I'm sure that's the kind of "pulse pounding episode you don't want to miss" people might expect from other Fox shows. However, I expected better from Bones. Noah Hawley wrote other, less ridiculous episodes before this (I think all of the Howard Epps eps were his), but this episode was unforgivable. And since he has gained producer status on the show, I have noticed that it is manic more often than not. I still love the characters, but the stories are often frustrating and non-sensical.

[thinker&reader]

I love this show and you are so right- I mourned that Zack was Gormogon's apprentice. It made me think back to the "Aliens in a Spaceship" episode when at the end, Booth and Bones are in church and Booth tells Bones that if any one of their team wasn't there, they wouldn't have made it. It was Zack that deciphered Hodgins text message and knew where to look. This threw me so and I don't usually react to TV shows like this, but this one had drawn me in so deep. I love Brennan's family issues and when her dad went free, I actually teared up. If this isn't a dream that Booth was having during recovery- then Zack's abrupt return from Iraq has to have something to do with this. I just can't believe that Zack just did this. As Caroline says at the hospital after the deal is made with Zack, it's about a strong personality taking advantage of a weaker personality. I never took Zack for having a weak personality in any way. The other part of it for me is the fact that all the contents of the vault had been taken to the Jeffersonian and there had already been a breach in security (the camera), any that had access would be a potential target. It will be an interesting season 4, hopefully. It better be.

[afml]

From the moment that Booth reappeared at the funeral - two weeks after he was shot - and tackled a "killer" I began questioning this episode. Why was this killer holding a gun if he thought Booth was dead? And why - later - was Booth sitting in the bathtub with only a little bandage over where he'd been shot. And why - well, so many logic questions as the episode went on - all the way thru to Zach being Gormogon - that I concluded it was one of two things. Either a really badly written episode. Or, that this whole episode was Booth's delerium as he fought for his life in the hospital after being shot. Of course all the actors, writers and producers would lie about this if it does turn out to be a fake out. I'm looking forward to the first episode of the new season.

[TJinSoCal]

I agree that it was a hasty wrap-up to the serial killer storyline, which was a shame since they could have really expanded on it next season with a more believable conclusion.

And I really hated that they got rid of Zach when a few other cast members could have been easily sacrificed... I guess that black guy from the trial will be taking his place?

Zach as a killer? Totally, absolutely unbelievable.

I've enjoyed this show because I've been a fan of David B since his Buffy/Angel days and the writing and dialog is always good, sort of a "Scooby Doo" for people with brains. I'll still tune in next season, but for me, they're on probation.

[unitron]

I keep expecting someone to pull a Newhart and wake up saying "You won't believe the dream I just had."

Did "Bones" come back from the strike with an entirely different set of writers?

Even if you buy Zach being so anti secret societies that he would cold-bloodedly stab to death someone just because the guy was a member of the Knights of Columbus, that still doesn't explain his willingness to abet cannibalism, and I'm not convinced that he could so easily put aside his instincts as a scientist and tamper with evidence, either.

The best explanation of which I can think is that the Gormagon story arc was supposed to go on longer (like another season or so) but someone in charge for some unfathomable reason said "Get it wrapped up and over with ASAP!", or else they had to wrap it up because there aren't going to be any more seasons.

Whatever the reason, Zach's actions were so utterly un-Zachlike I just ain't buying it.