Yesterday, we reported Bones executive producer Barry Josephson has filed suit against 20th Century Fox Corporation, Fox Broadcasting Company, and Fox Entertainment Group, over accounting practices and alleged cancellation threats. Now, the long running TV series’ co-stars David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel have followed suit — by filing suit.
According to a Deadline report, Boreanaz, Deschanel, and executive producer Kathleen Reichs (the forensic anthropologist who wrote the Temperance Brennan novels upon which the TV show is based) “are going after the broadcaster too for ‘tens of millions’ they claim they are owed.”
Deadline cites the legal complaint (emphasis ours):
“The documents that 20th TV did provide confirmed Plaintiffs’ suspicions and showed that they were being cheated out of more than $100 million in gross revenues and being overcharged many additional millions of dollars in alleged expenses,” the jury-trial complaint adds of the plaintiffs fight to get a look at true accounting of Bones after not getting anything in profits for several seasons.
“When 20th TV finally did engage with Plaintiffs in the fifth and sixth seasons of the Series, it did so under the threat of cancelling the Series unless Plaintiffs accepted its non-negotiable license fee figure, and then concealed material information about the true value of that figure,” Monday’s filing asserts, again in specifics very similar to what Josephson stated in his own complaint last week — all of which might see these cases share the same judge or jury if the courts think that they are related enough.
Deadline has archived the filing, here. If you give it a look, notice (on page three) that over the course of the series, FOX has scheduled Bones in “seven different times periods spanning five different nights.” Even for a TV series in its eleventh season, that number of moves seems staggering.
As previously reported, while the new showrunner wants a 12th season of Bones, Boreanaz is looking forward to leaving the show after season 11 concludes production. When FOX will air the second half of season 11 is still up in the air.
What do you think? Have you followed Bones through the years, to all its many time-slots? Do you think the Bones TV show will be cancelled after season 11? Would you like to see Bones renewed for season 12?
I love the show and no matter how many times Fox changed the day or time I always watch and dvr ones I can’t be home to see so I don’t miss it. I even watch th e repeats on another channel. I have watched since the very beginning and it would be a huge loss for me not to have that show to watch during the winter months. I wish they would have it on more… How about that instead of canceling it. Huge fan love love love the show!!!!
Fox would be crazy if they don’t finish serials 11
My comment is just like Angel’s. My husband and I have watched Bones since the beginning; despite the time and day changes. I feel like when Fox changed them from Monday at 8 pm they were trying to reduce the fan base. I’m happy to say, to no avail. I agree if Fox refuses to continue to air the show with the characters they have, I just hope that CBS, ABC, or even ION will continue the story line. Good luck to Booth, Brennan, and Kathy Reichs with their lawsuit; this constant threat of cancellation is very nerve racking!
What if fox or another channel pick up where
fox will not have the rest of season 11 they have a excellent actors and actress
I REALLY hope they don’t cancel Bones. I’ve watched since the pilot ( in all the time slots) and I love this show. If FOX does cancel then I hope they air the second half of season 11 so we can find out what happens to Hodgins (and the other characters). Then I hope another network picks up the show. I would follow them to another network. And if Boreanaz leaves I would still watch but it wouldn’t be the same. I love the chemistry between him and Deschanel. PLEASE DON’T CANCEL BONES!!!!!!
My friends and I love the show. I own all DVD’s. We are eager to see all characters return and continue the fun and investigations.
it will be sad to see them go i love the show and the characters they play been fan since 1st episode but i don’t know if i would keep watching if most of them left the show,but i think i would watch and see what it was like without them i would at least give it a try, and i agree with others on here who said they hate it when their shows are getting cancled same here i do to or a show u start getting in to and it gets cancled realy gets me mad
Bones is a great show what about the actors and
Actress. It would foolish if fox did not renew
The show for season 12 because every one
Watches Bones so renew Bones.
Hey Steve,
Would you watch Bones, even if David Boreanaz (Booth?) left?
It can be revitalized. It depends how people warm up to the new actors they bring in.
Bones is a great show and it’s about time that the Fox to the actors and actresses so they stay on their contract and just complete your contract so they have a complete season 11 and the season 12 it’s a great show I don’t know why they want to be let out of it unless you’re not paying enough to paying enough so you stay.
Hi Martin, Money and legal issues aside, I think 11 years must feel like a long time for any actor to play a single role. Many actors only have short-term roles in movies, plays, or even commercials. Even most scripted TV series never make it anywhere near 11 seasons. David Boreanaz was on the first three seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, playing the character Angel, which then spun him off onto his own series (called “Angel”), which ran for five seasons. By the time Angel was (prematurely, in my opinion) cancelled in 2004, he had spent eight seasons in… Read more »
Fungi run the whole season of The Laughing it’s a great show been a great flight ever since the beginning I’ve loved it since then and everybody that I know that talk to love the show so get all the actors and actress on the same page come to an agreement and let’s just go on for another season it’s worth of season 12 because it is such a great show so please step up box and give the actors and actresses what they want to stay on the complete season 11 and have season 12.
This is why many Top billed movie stars now get a percentage of the box office, it’s too hard to fudge those figures. I seem to recall, but can’t find the link, about how they adjust these numbers in their favor, so as to pay the produces and stars less. This pretty much goes for all of them, not just Fox.
Hi riggarob,
Yesterday, I reported on E.P. Josephson, who first filed suit, here: http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/bones-ep-sues-accuses-fox-of-cancellation-threats-40537/
While researching that story, I came across some good articles that went into the accounting allegation specifics. Perhaps you’re referring to information in one of these:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/bones-producer-sues-fox-accounting-843854
or
http://deadline.com/2015/11/fox-sued-bones-executive-producer-barry-josephson-dana-walden-gary-newman-cancellation-threats-1201637181/
I hope the links help. Also, in both today’s article about Boreanaz and Deschanel, and in yesterday’s piece on Josephson’s suit, I’ve linked to a copy of the legal complaint which lays out all the plaintiff’s contentions.
Thanks for reading.
Cindy, thanks so much for the replies, and the links. It’s good to know that the authors of some of these stories actually read the comments. Thanks again Robbie.
Oh, no, thank *you* for reading and for commenting. I try to read every comment, even if I don’t get a chance to reply. I’ll make a concerted effort to reply more often, from now on. I work a set shift, so comments are on my own time (and I have three kids and a dog, so time seems to eat itself up). Still, I really appreciate and enjoy getting feedback. Were either of those links what you were thinking of, when you wrote your original comment about how the networks and/or studios seem to adjust the accounting? If not,… Read more »
Bones been on for series 11 why don’t you have
Series 12 besides that why is both leaving the
Show
Hi Steve,
On my first day writing for TVSeriesFinale.com, I wrote a piece about David Boreanaz’s desire to retire his Booth character and leave the Bones TV series. His reasons mostly amount to him feeling that it is time. There are more details available here, if you’re interested:
http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/bones-will-season-11-be-the-end-for-the-fox-series-38271/
Thanks for your interest and questions.
What a shame. I have consistently followed this show. It is one of my favorites. It seems as though all of my favorites are getting cancelled. I wish other networks would pick up some of these shows that have been getting cancelled. It would make for a very popular one with me.
I most certainly will be saddened if it gets cancelled.
Hi Cmjack, Was it difficult to follow Bones from night to night? I was flabbergasted when I learned how many times it has been moved, over the seasons. I’d have to look it up to be sure, but I think Supernatural (on The CW), might be the only long-running show I’ve watched that has moved nearly that much (I’m not certain how many time slots and nights are in its past). If the Bones TV show were to be renewed for a 12th season without Boreanaz’s Booth character, would you still watch? Even if I don’t watch a series, I… Read more »
Wow ! Too much off-screen drama surely signals, “the beginning of the end”, that’s too bad. The show had a good run. Even if the involved parties pull their heads out, it’s over, one more season, maybe … My opinion, thanks …
It sure feels like that, Kamramna. When I was writing this article, it put me in mind of how when a candidate’s campaign starts to fail, all these inside stories leak out, about trouble behind the scenes. I can’t know if that’s the case here, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Thanks for reading and for commenting.