David Boreanaz

There aren’t many actors who get to celebrate their TV show hitting 100 episodes, but David Boreanaz can soon claim he’s done it three times! Both Buffy The Vampire Slayer and spinoff show Angel hit the centennial mark, and next week he’ll hit that milestone again with his Fox crime drama Bones. The special episode, called ’The Parts in the Sum of the Whole’, will see his FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) recount their first time working a case together. We caught up with Boreanaz - who also directed the episode - to find out more.

What was it like to shoot those two long-awaited kissing scenes in the episode?! "I didn’t necessarily look at it like a 100th episode, I looked at it like an episode that I was really fortunate to be able to direct. To me it’s just about the work and taking care of that as best as I possibly could, and as creatively as I could. The insight I had going into it was knowing the storyline and knowing exactly how I wanted to do those two moments. I think the audience will be really pleased - I certainly was. I think we’ll see both those characters grow in a way from where they came from in the past, and also in the future. It was entertaining and a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the challenges."

You directed a previous episode of Bones and an episode of Angel. Does the process get easier each time? "It doesn’t get any easier! I think it’s always challenging to look at a script and make it your own while still maintaining that sense of what the style of the show is. It’s a challenge depending upon the genre and what it’s all about, and what you have to bring is your touch and what you see, as far as your own vision is concerned. You do your homework and prepare, and I have a clear vision of what I want at the end of my prep before I throw it out there and let the creative process take over."

Do you think Brennan and Booth should be together? "I have my views on it. I think the two of them kind of work really great off each other. I’m not saying I don’t want to see them together. I think everybody wants to see them together in a different way, whether it’s as a couple in a relationship or something else. They work very well together and it’s great to see them solve these crimes, and it’s also great to see them get into their personal lives. For right now, I still maintain they should be partners and let’s see what happens and where they go this season. It’s a pretty good season ender!"

Do you think Booth could ever get to the stage where he finds it too hard to work alongside her? "No. I think he took a chance and he was the gambler and the one who wanted to really go for it, and she’s not ready. Maybe when she gets ready he won’t be ready. Who knows? We have to see how it develops. I don’t think he will have any problems working with her. When the moment is so heightened and the feelings are thrown out on the table like that they become a little bit more blistering as far as the pain could be concerned. Booth is a very strong character and he’ll move on and continue to be professional and work with her, but at the same time he’ll have fun poking at her and driving her crazy!"

Will we see any more of Booth and Brennan’s family members in the future? "I think we’ll tap into Booth’s family members a little bit more, maybe next season. We got a good insight into Bones’s family in the past three seasons, and it would be great to tap into Booth’s grandfather’s world, maybe his mum, or the relationship he had with his dad if he’s around. That’s stuff we will probably move into and I think it adds and gives a nice flavor to their relationship and understanding it, bringing them closer together."

How was it having Erik Millegan back as Zack? "He was great and it worked out really wonderful. It was great to have him back. He had to be wearing that suit for quite some time and took a couple of blows with a baseball bat! He was a real trooper. I think his character is very valuable and always has been since the beginning. As the stories evolved, unfortunately he went his own particular way as far as what the writers wanted to do with him, but he was a great addition to have for the 100th. It was great going back and seeing how his relationship with Hodgins evolved."

You recently revealed certain items that Booth always carries in his pocket. Can you explain their significance? "I think I’ll keep some as a mystery because there are a lot of things that haven’t been seen yet! He carries a gold Zippo lighter which is reminiscent of his training days in the army as a ranger. He has a poker chip to remind him of his gambling issues that we never really tapped in to, and some dice in his right pocket that he likes to fiddle around with if he is interrogating people - again a reference to his gambling days. He keeps a St. Christopher medal on him because he’s a religious guy and it protects him. He also wears a watch on his left wrist but I can’t tell you what’s enscribed on it because it might come out in an episode one day."

Do you think the show has another 100 episodes in it? "I think there are plenty more episodes and the future is very bright for the show. I see it as a show that has really found its legs and can really go to some unique places. We’re actually now shooting the season finale. I take it episode by episode, show by show and don’t set myself up too much for discouragement if it were going to end tomorrow."

What can you tell us about the season finale? "There will be a big shift change for everybody. It’s a really great season finale. We shot the last scene last week and it was very moving and hard to get through. I think it will elevate these characters even more so for the next season to come."

Bones airs Thursday nights on Fox.