Emily Deschanel to Play FBI-Consulting Psychologist in NBC Pilot

More than two decades after they became household names on Bones, Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz are heading back into the world of crime procedurals — this time at NBC.

In a move that feels like a throwback to the mid-2000s, when Fox launched Bones with the duo as its leads, NBC has tapped both stars to headline separate crime drama pilots this season.

Deschanel will lead an untitled one-hour drama inspired by the groundbreaking work of Dr. Ann Burgess, the famed criminal profiler and author who was the subject of Hulu’s 2024 docuseries Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer. The series is written by The Brave creator Dean Georgaris and longtime Davis Entertainment president John Fox.

In the new project, Deschanel plays Professor Georgia Ryan, a bold and forward-thinking psychologist who challenges traditional criminology methods. Instead of focusing only on the perpetrator, she shifts the spotlight to the victims — uncovering overlooked clues that can crack even the toughest cases. Working alongside her team, Ryan consults with the FBI to solve complex and baffling crimes.

Georgaris executive produces with John Davis and Fox for Davis Entertainment. Deschanel also serves as a producer. Burgess is on board as a consulting producer, along with Steven Constantine. Universal Television, part of Universal Studio Group, is producing the pilot.

Meanwhile, Boreanaz is set to star in NBC’s reboot of The Rockford Files, bringing the classic detective series back to television with a fresh take.

The casting marks a nostalgic full-circle moment for fans of Bones, which ran for 12 seasons and paired Deschanel’s Dr. Temperance Brennan with Boreanaz’s FBI agent Seeley Booth. Their chemistry helped make the series one of the most successful procedural dramas of its era.

Since Bones ended, Deschanel has appeared in indie films ReEntry and Big Boys, as well as Netflix’s limited series Devil in Ohio. She will next be seen in the film Monkey Bread.

With both stars returning to familiar territory — but in separate projects — NBC is clearly betting on the enduring appeal of crime dramas and the lasting popularity of two actors who helped define the genre for a generation.