Yes, it’s November Sweeps, but we’re already looking ahead to December episodes of Fox’s Bones. The cast took photos for EW as they filmed the Dec. 3 hour, inspired by the gamer documentary The King of Kong, and Dec. 10′s Christmas story, which David Boreanaz accurately describes as “a little sick.” (A man dressed as Santa is blown up after a botched bank robbery. Note: This is also the episode that Emily Deschanel’s sister Zooey guest stars as a distant relative of Brennan’s invited to spend the holidays with Bones and her father. Welcome back, Ryan O’Neal.)
Among the things you’ll learn by clicking through our gallery of 15 exclusive shots: David Boreanaz is responsible for most of Booth’s wardrobe, including the socks, “cocky” belt buckle, and occasional homage to Steve McQueen in Bullitt; Emily Deschanel and John Francis Daley are easily entertained.
JOHN FRANCIS DALEY FOR EW
There’s no way I’m going to get this right. We never say precisely what we ought to when we part, the words are never perfect enough — not even for those of us who get paid to write them…or used to, anyway. I’m sorry to say that this is the last time we’ll walk the Beat together as I’m leaving EW. So I’ll tell you what, Coppers, let’s save the hugs for the end, stuff down the tears (I grant that they’re probably all mine), and take a stroll. I’m ready if you are.
It’s sweeps month! It’s sweeps month! Craziness will happen! Casting will be stunty! Networks will actually try!
Allow me to begin with the observation that Brennan’s delightful giddiness over the possibility of appearing on the cover of the American Anthropological Association’s journal was the equivalent of mine at the end of the episode when Booth appeared in a tux at the opening of the Jeffersonian’s Prince Anok exhibit. Honestly, I could stay in this will-they-or-won’t-they? limbo forever if we keep getting moments like that one: The two of them got closer and closer and lingered to the point that you became aware of just how long the scene was going on. Part of you needed it to stop, and part of you wanted the sweet torture to continue. (Sorta the romantic equivalent of the awkwardness you felt watching Timmy and Jimmy’s lengthy battle in the classic “Cripple Fight” episode of South Park.) Would they have kissed if the rest of the team hadn’t interrupted them? Instead, Brennan straightened Booth’s tie, he fixed her hair, and I tried not to hyperventilate. 
Let’s bow our heads for a moment of silence. As we learned last night, NBC snuffed out one of our favorite procedurals, the gritty, fantastically acted Southland. You’d think shoving Jay Leno down our throats for five hours of primetime would be injury enough, but no—they had to add insult. This, NBC. This is why TV viewers are dropping network for cable in ever-greater numbers. Viewers know cable offers the kind of risky, investment-heavy programming that’s rare on network television these days, and what’s better, cable will actually stick with it.
Aside from 
My name is Alynda and I am an organ donor. There, now everybody knows and we don’t have to go through any confusion or sticky sitches in the hospital, Three Rivers-style. What did you think of the Rivers debut, the few of you who watched it? (If you missed it, by the way, you can catch it 
I’m subbing in for Mandi this week. I’ll admit upfront: I’m a Bones latecomer. I once thought it was just another procedural, left over from the mid-decade glut of CSI rip-offs (like Crossing Jordan or Medical Investigation). But then my girlfriend got me into the Booth/Brennan supernova-hot chemistry. People compare them to past TV will-they-or-won’t-they couples like Moonlighting‘s David and Maddie, but their flirtatious one-upmanship more resembles the love-as-a-competition backbiting in classic Howard Hawks movies. Yes, half the dialogue on the show is scientific bio-babble; yes, the visual style is somewhere between monochrome noir and Law & Order handheld verité; and yes, each episode overflows with decomposed corpses. But in spite of all that, or maybe because of it, Bones is the most romantic show on TV. 
It’s all about Mondays and Thursdays this fall, and tonight’s line-up provides yet another DVR conundrum. What to watch? DVR? Skip? Wait for? Aaargh, the whole night is a smorgasbord, so let’s just look at the 8 p.m. slot for now. Jeeze louise, our TV cup runneth over:
