Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release date: November 18, 2008
MSRP: $59.98

Stars: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, Eric Millegan, Tamara Taylor, TJ Thyne.

Well established as a character-driven forensic procedural, Bones’ third season tried to raise the stakes with the introduction of an elusive, cannibalistic serial killer dubbed Gormogon. The season’s first nine episodes tease at Gormogon’s identity, hinting he may be one of Brennan’s (Deschanel) colleagues at the Jeffersonian Institute. Unfortunately, last year’s writers strike hit Bones particularly hard, cutting its usual twenty-two episodes to fourteen, spoiling plans for a longer chase.

That said, there are many memorable character moments in Season 3: Brennan tries to find common ground with her imprisoned father (Ryan O’Neal) and fugitive brother (Loren Dean); the annoyingly young Dr. Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley) is assigned to psychoanalyze Booth (Boreanaz) and Brennan’s partnership; Angela and Hodgins (Conlin and Thyne) hire a P.I. to track down Angela’s surprise husband, who kept them from getting married in the second season finale; and of course, the creative decision leading to a regular’s departure that has reverberated well into Season 4.

The Season 3 set includes “Player Under Pressure”, a Season 2 episode about the murder of a college basketball star, preempted in the wake of the Virgina Tech tragedy. This episode is available in its aired version and an original unaired version. Also included are “Director’s Take” featurettes visiting various Bones sets, a gag reel, two extended episode cuts, and three bonus episodes from Season 4 to round out a five-disc package.

Order season three of Bones.

–Gerald So
For more of Gerald’s thoughts and observations, check out his blog: If you want to know about my Life…
For more reviews from Gerald, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.