Books are not TV Shows

As I sit here, watching the latest episode of Bones, I can't help but think about the differences between books and television shows.

I love Bones. And not just like-love. This is the real deal. This is love-love. After six seasons, I wait eagerly for each new episode. I don't have cable, so I watch on Hulu the day after. The wait is agonizing!

The thing about Bones is, every episode is essentially them same. I'm not blaming Bones; this phenomena (phenomenon?) is not unique to Bones. There are a bazillion crime shows on TV that have been playing the same episode for the last 15 years. I know Booth and Bones are going to catch the bad guy at the end. The scenarios are different, and they've been getting more and more outlandish (Dead girl in a chocolate bar? Really?). But, the killer is always one of the three or four characters introduced early on, but not the one you first think did it.

There is a crazy ensemble cast always going in a million directions. And I happily get sucked into the drama. The tension between Booth and Bones, even after six years, is still interesting (Although, come on! Give us what we want!).

Maybe it's not fair, but if Bones was a book, I think I'd hate it. (Also, I do recognize that Bones is based on a series of books that I have never read. Maybe I should read them before I decide that I hate them...)

When I read a book, I want to see change. I want characters to grow and learn. And If I were to read a book series over the course of six years, I would expect the romantic tension between two characters to be resolved. In one way or another, something would change. How is it I can watch a show for six years with the same "will they, won't they" drama?

I think gist is that I expect more from books. There something about the printed word that elevates... I can process trash on my TV, but when it comes from a book, my brain shuts down.

And those concludes my random thoughts for the evening. Good night all! Thanks for listening.