Last week, Bones fans got their first look at Dr. Larry Sweets, the incredibly FBI psychologist played by John Francis Daley. If you missed it, fear not, because they’ll be plenty more chances to see him. Today FOX announced that Daley, previously listed as a recurring guest star, has been bumped up to a series regular.
The move is a great one for the show that does fine dramatic work, but which excels at comedy. Daley, an alum of cult classic Freaks and Geeks, adds just the right blend of freshness and hilarity to the table.
Dr. Sweets was initially called in to help the relationship of FBi agent Sealy Booth (David Boreanaz) and his forensic anthropologist partner Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel) after Booth arrested her father last season. While therapy sessions may traditional be places for intense dramatic introspection, Daley’s youthful exuberance helps to make the scenes sparkle with wit.
Booth, being a burly jock, is instantly put off by Sweets’ age (like the actor who plays him, he’s just 22). Bones, on the other hand, being a woman of facts, dismisses psychology as a pseudo-science. The antagonistic relationship both have with the FBI shrink is fodder for plenty of comic potential, and with the gifted Daley at the helm, that’s just what fans can expect.
Daley is most famous as Sam Weir, the lovable and overeager nerd on NBC’s short-lived Freaks and Geeks. Much like many of the shows cast and crew, that show served as a launching pad for a successful career. Creator Judd Apatow went on to direct The 40-Year-Old Virgin while co-star Seth Rogen is now a top-notch leading man. The show also helped advance the television careers of Linda Cardellini (who played Daley’s sister, and who now calls ER home) and Jason Segel (resting comfortable at How I Met Your Mother).
It’s unclear just how Sweets will be folded into the regular cast, and hopefully his role will be expanded beyond just that of a therapist for Bones and Booth. Tonight’s Halloween-themed Bones episode, airing at 8pm on FOX, unfortunately does not feature Daley, but cult TV fans will be happy to see guest stars Rider Strong (Boy Meets World) and Azura Skye, who had a memorable guest appearance on the final season of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer as Cassie. The episode also features the Bones cast in costume, including Wonder Woman and Catwoman.
-John Kubicek, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
