‘Bones’ Best Squintern Isn’t the One You’re Thinking Of – Armessa Movie News

Despite creating a solid framework with its original cast in the first few seasons, Bones made a baffling decision in its third season with the character of Zack Addy (Eric Milligen). Although Zack was originally introduced as both the best friend of Jack Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) and an essential bit of comic relief within the series, the character was removed from the core cast after a strange storyline involving a serial killer known as “The Gormogon” (Laurence Todd Rosenthal). While Zack’s departure was deeply unfortunate, Bones attempted to make up for his absence through the introduction of various “squintern” characters that could potentially fill his place. Although there were many “squintern” characters introduced that complimented the main characters, Joel David Moore’s role as the unusually demented forensic intern Colin Fisher was interesting in his own right. Of all the “squinterns,” Fisher felt like he had the potential to be a recurring cast member.

Who Are the “Squinterns” on ‘Bones?’

Zack’s absence changed the nature of Bones. His apprenticeship under “The Gormogon” established that despite being a procedural crime series, Bones wasn’t afraid to fundamentally change its stakes and force the central characters to face consequences for their actions. Following its third season, there were less guarantees about what the future of these characters would look like. Would Seely Booth (David Boreanaz) and Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) truly fall for each other, or spend a lifetime denying their feelings for one another? Was Hodgins’ relationship with Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin) as secure as it seemed? Was Dr. Camille Saroyan (Tamara Taylor) destined to be Bones’ rival? Since the show had proven that the cast was malleable, the characters felt more vulnerable. With this vulnerability came a foreboding sense of darkness, particularly as Bones began introducing more serial killer characters that cast shadows over entire seasons. This uptick in intensity helped the show feel fresh, but it was important for Bones not to forget that its idiosyncratic humor was among the reasons it had grown so popular in the first place.

This led to the introduction of several interns at the Smithsonian Institute (nicknamed “squinterns”) that were paired off with some of the senior cast members. These “squinterns” were only intended to be occasional guest stars, allowing the series to freshen up its central dynamic without ever having to firmly commit to a new regular cast member. Many of these “squintern” characters ended up becoming fan favorites. Dr. Clark Thomas Edison (Eugene Byrd) possessed an extraordinary knowledge of forensics that rivaled Bones’; Dr. Daisy Wick (Carla Gallo) became the love interest of the show’s long-standing psychologist, Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley); Wendell Bray (Michael Grant Terry) felt like a genuinely warm-spirited voice of positivity within a routinely disturbing profession. However, Fisher stood out because he didn’t feel like a “junior” version of one of the other cast members. He wasn’t inserted within the story to question one of the main characters’ motivations or change the tone; he had a fleshed-out personality that matured after a few guest appearances.

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Why Fisher Was the Best “Squintern”

First introduced in the Season 4 episode “The Crack in the Shaft,” Fisher is established as a pessimistic, yet intelligent intern who isn’t attempting to go out of his way to impress Booth or Brennan. This immediately distinguished him from the other Bones “squinterns;” while the other new cast members felt like they were essentially auditioning for a place on the series, Fisher wasn’t going out of his way to be likable. His pessimistic attitude reflected the show’s darker subject material. While Bones had more than a few comic moments and featured a lot of great banter between the characters, it was still a show about death and murder. Fisher served as a reminder that despite the comic scenarios that the characters often found themselves in, the stakes were serious. Fisher’s sense of dark humor felt significantly more disturbing than the sort or comedy that Bones often featured. While Bones’ interest (and frequent fascination) with the nature of death had always been more “idiosyncratic” than mean-spirited, Fisher’s borderline affection for his craft gave the series a greater sense of realism. What type of oddballs might actually work as a crime scene lab? Fisher’s knowledge lent him credibility, and Moore did a great job at making his thoughts feel genuinely well-informed.

That’s not to say that Fisher took Bones in too dark of a direction; in fact, Moore’s eccentricities ended up leading to some of the show’s comedic high points. Fisher’s interest in geeky franchises led to a fun scenario in the episode “The Princess and the Pear,” in which he went undercover at a popular culture convention to solve a case. He also added a hilarious bit of tension to Booth’s romantic life when he offered a sample of DNA in order to help Bones’ attempted pregnancy in the episode “The Critic in the Cabernet;” the thought of Fisher helping Bones to conceive her children is enough to make Booth vomit. Moore showed the maturation of Fisher over time. Although he’s often critical (and even aggressive) towards the other “squinterns,” Fisher ended up apologizing to Daisy after realizing that his criticisms crossed the lines; he also bonded with Wendell when they both reflected upon their experiences during the September 11, 2001 attacks. Viewers may have noticed that Fisher’s occasionally disturbing comments often came at his own expense, yet the series never dismissed these warning signs as “quirks;” it was established early on that Fisher struggled with depression, and the procedural series handled his therapeutic sessions in a mature and respectful way.

Ironically, Moore’s success in his limited capacity on Bones gave him more credibility in the industry, leading to less frequent guest appearances. His absence in the second half of the series can perhaps be attributed to his role on the underrated mystery fantasy series Forever, and his recurring role as Norm Spellman in the Avatar franchise. Even if he was destined for bigger things, Moore’s role on Bones represented the best of the show’s heart and humor.