‘Bones’ Season 12 Greenlit: Pushed Back to Mid-Season Premiere on 2017, Replaced by ‘Pitch’

‘Bones’ season 12 has been greenlit by Fox and is scheduled for an early 2017 premiere in place of its usual mid-season run. A new television show, ‘Pitch’, will be replacing its original time slot.

According to Carter Matt, Fox decided to push back the premiere of season 12 of the long-running crime procedural drama with the new baseball drama ‘Pitch’ taking its original slot. ‘Pitch’ is bumped up to Thursday nights in replacement of ‘Bones’.

‘Pitch’ is an upcoming television series associated with Major League Baseball. It follows a young female pitcher who becomes the first woman to ever play in the MLB after training and perfecting a unique screwball pitch. It stars Kylie Bunbury, Mark Paul Gosselaar, Mo McRae, Meagan Holder, Tim Jo, and Ali Larter.

According to another article by Enstarz, ‘Bones’ has been scheduled to premiere in early 2017 instead of airing this fall on Fox. Series mainstays Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz will be returning to play forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth, respectively.

‘Bones’ showrunner Michael Peterson expressed his enthusiasm over bringing back guest stars for season 12 as well. He said, "We want this to be a grand ride off into the sunset for the final 12 episodes for next season. We will bring back as many guest cast as humanly possible and whoever is available… We'd love to get Cyndi [Lauper] back. We don't have Betty [White] for the second half of this season, but we'd love to have her come back. Next season, we have one episode in particular that we would love to have her back for. We are leaving it wide open."

The popular television show will be coming to an end since its premiere on Fox in September 2005. Fox renewed its contract for a 12th and final season in February.

‘Bones’ creator Hart Hanson also expressed his gratitude to fans who stayed with the show. He said, “In times like these, marked by instability and doubt, it’s comforting to know the world can count on at least one dependable beacon of stability. Apparently, that beacon is Bones. It just shows what you can do with an amalgam of genius cast, amazing crew, cunning writers, stalwart studio, sweat, a tough economy, a mercurial network, determination, luck, magic, miracles and the most loyal audience in the world.”

Deschanel and Boreanaz also offered messages of thanks to audiences, with Deschanel saying, “I am thrilled the show will have the ending it deserves for all of our amazing, loyal fans.”

‘Bones’ is scheduled to return early in 2017 next year with its 12th and final season. The television show received generally positive reviews and earned several awards and nominations throughout its run on the small screen.

It garnered two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Art Direction for a Single Camera Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role. It also earned Deschanel a nomination for a Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama.