Still of Michaela Conlin, Emily Deschanel, Tamara Taylor and Ignacio Serricchio in Bones (2005). Image from www.imdb.com.
There are many shows on TV that show the power of science, particularly when it comes to solving crimes. None, in my opinion, do a better job than Bones. If you have never heard of the show, here’s a brief synopsis. Set in the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington D.C. the medico-legal lab assists the F.B.I. in solving murders when the body has decomposed beyond recognition. The team is headed by forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan (played by Emily Deschanel). It is her job to identify a victim from their bones and to also determine how they died. Dr. Camille Saroyan (Tamara Taylor) is a pathologist and former coroner of New York City, she uses the soft tissue of the body to establish if a person was poisoned or what their last meal may have been. The final main female team member is Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin). She is an artist at heart and she creates facial reconstruction to help identify the victim. She also uses technology to help with the investigation such as looking at security camera footage.
What separates Bones from other TV shows is that none of the women hide their intelligence. Growing up, the shows that I watched portrayed the smart girls as un-cool nerds who should be embarrassed to be smart. The women of Bones are never once uncomfortable with their intelligence–in fact, they embrace it. The show also highlights the important role that science plays in the world; these women are helping track down killers. It shows viewers that if you work hard enough women can excel in fields that have traditionally been dominated by men. It also shows that sometimes the “nerds” can save the day and be heroes!
-Michelle O’Brien
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.