Starring with David Boreanaz on Bones is Emily Deschanel, who plays the show’s intelligent yet somewhat uptight protagonist, Dr. Temperance Brennan. The show follows the two as they work together to solve various cases with the help of forensic anthropology.

“I’ve always found anthropology fascinating,” Deschanel said. “I’ve actually never taken a course on anthropology in my life. But my parents’ best friends are anthropologists, so just talking with them I have been thinking like that for a long time.”

The 31-year-old actress explained that it’s anthropology’s holistic approach to things – as opposed to psychology’s focus on the individual – that has drawn her attention so much.

“[Anthropology looks] at a whole culture and tribe, if you will, and how people behave with each other. I think it’s very fascinating,” Emily Deschanel said.

While her character is adept at forensic anthropology, Deschanel’s Brennan is a little bit rusty when it comes to pop culture and human relationships, although she has improved over the course of the series.

“She is learning about pop culture and she is learning about social interaction, and she is a quick learner,” Emily Deschanel said. “I think she has a more difficult time sometimes with the social things.”

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