Eric Millegan aka Zack Addy is now Permanently Gone From Bones
I’m about to talk about what happened in the recent Bones season finale so take caution if you haven’t seen it yet!
So, we speculated on who might be the Gormogon apprentice, and while we thought Zack Addy would be hurt or killed, I don’t think too many of us thought he’d actually be the killer. The finale was full of red herrings, making me think it was everyone from well – everyone! Everyone except Bones and Booth. My thoughts flitted to Hodgins, Angela, Sweets, Zack (mildly!), and even Cam.
When Hodgins presented the information about the lead level he found, I realized three people had constant access to his house: him, Angela, and Zack. But I was not prepared for any of them to be the apprentice. I had gone into this episode thinking it was Clark Edison. I re-watched the first episode of the season and then, with the other recent episode where Clark was there – I was certain he was appearing just enough to stay on the radar.
But apparently not!
Something I noticed was that while I never disliked Zack before, within the last two episodes I was liking him much less. I believe the writers were trying to make us dislike him a little because they knew he was going away for good. And that’s right. He’s basically gone. Some fans are hoping he’ll be brought back, but this was pretty final. Eric Millegan, who played Addy, talked to TvGuide.com about all of this. Basically, he’s gone and he won’t be a regular. But they probably will bring him back at some point to milk the emotional factor and make for some sad TV.
Here’s the part you need to see:
TVGuide.com: So you’re leaving the show?
Millegan: Yeah. But they said, “You know, you’re not going to get killed, so we’ll still have the option of bringing you back.” It was shocking, and I just had to follow it and know that this is what’s happening. Zack ends up carted away to a psychiatric facility, but there is the possibility that the others may come visit me.
TVGuide.com: So we might see you next season then?
Millegan: Well, I’m not a series regular anymore, but it’s possible that I’ll be back from time to time. I can’t say much more than that, unfortunately.
Despite the revelation about Zack, Bones still ended on a somewhat hopeful note on the stairwell with Bones and Booth. This was in stark contrast to the end of House M.D. which was thoroughly depressing. Supernatural also gave us a depressing season finale. Man! I understand the idea of a powerful cliffhanger, but we have to survive the entire summer in the state they leave us!
The entire TVguide.com interview with Millegan
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Crystal | May 22, 2008 | Reply
Great article! I was so upset when I saw the episode Monday night. I couldn’t believe it.
TVGuide.com also had an interview with Bones creator Hart Hanson about the finale-and one of the scenarios they were tossing around back then was that Zack gets approached by Gormagon, but turns him down, and gets killed. Equally sad. He also said that the reason they cut the ‘I’m Sorry’ is because of the tear Eric managed to get out in that scene, which is pretty much Zack saying he was sorry (due to the fact that he’s normally distant the way Brennan is), so the words would have been redundant, and weren’t necessary.
Jessica Rae | May 22, 2008 | Reply
I was upset too, but not as upset as I thought I’d be. But still – it’s ZACK. Ugh.
Do you think they’ll bring him back next season for Bones or Hodgins to visit him? Do you think Clark Eddison will be hired? I thought it was odd they brought him back near the end, and he was a pretty alright character. Or…dammit, that Vincent guy is coming in. Hmmm.
Savanna | Jul 2, 2008 | Reply
Im soooooo freakin upset that Zack Addy isnt gonna be on the show anymore!!:’( Zack Addy is the best character in Bones and Eric Millegan rox!!!!!!!!! so im verry upset!!!!!!!!
Jessica Rae | Jul 2, 2008 | Reply
Savanna, I know what you mean. He’s been with us this whole time. Major suckage
I wonder how Bones will deal with the loss of Zack this time.
Thank you for your comment!
Savanna | Jul 12, 2008 | Reply
ur welcome Jessica Rae and thanks 4 understanding:) total suckage!!! I will keep my eyes open to c if Zack will guest star but he will always b king of the lab, Zacko, and Zaccaroni!!!
Jessica Rae | Jul 13, 2008 | Reply
Savanna, I know what you mean! It’ll be such a hard loss to the lab to not have Zack. Not only was he brilliant, but he was a part of the family. I know that Hodgins will especially feel this loss. But I know the show will try to honor it while also trying to help us move forward. King of the lab – forever < 3
alexandra | Jul 26, 2008 | Reply
nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
please save him
they can took of zack
he is the best
firs they want to fire him then send him to irak , they try to kill him and now send himm to prison
Jessica Rae | Jul 27, 2008 | Reply
Alexandra, I know how you feel. It’s going to be weird without Zack. I have a feeling we’ll see him at least one more time – but only briefly (like, Bones and Booth go to visit him in a mental health facility). It’s sad, but I guess it did make for a powerful story. Thank you for your comment, I hope to see you back on Sofachip!
BonesFan | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply
Zack’s the best character ever. I don’t think I’d want to watch bones without him.
Jessica Rae | Nov 7, 2008 | Reply
Have you seen any of this season? Apparently they were kind of tricking us.
But only kind of, sadly.
Kaity | Nov 28, 2008 | Reply
i am really upset that zack is gone i cryed so much it wasnt funny i love zack he is the best guy eva plus the show wont be as good without him. he is a great guy and i love him
Jessica Rae | Nov 28, 2008 | Reply
I know – it’s sad. I wish he hadn’t had to leave. It’s nice they haven’t replaced him right away, although we’re definitely needing a Zack back. This season has felt ‘off’ to me.
Deb | Jan 1, 2009 | Reply
My husband and I miss Zack very much and look for any bit part he might be in Bones! We were wowed over the visit from Hodgens and how he came by to share the case he solved, we want him back please please please, why couldn’t it have been Cam (pretty but very boring), what was the real underlying reason to let him go??????
Is he sick? I cried when they were visited by their families at Christmas under quarantine, his big family was so sweet! Please bring him back permanently, please!!!
Jessica Rae | Jan 1, 2009 | Reply
Hey Deb! The Christmas-quarantine episode was season 1, I believe. But yea – that was sooo sweet.
I would have maybe preferred Cam to go, too. I think it was that it had to be a character for him it made sense that he or she would do this. It made sense for Zack, not Cam or Angela. Hodgens would have been too obvious. Sweets was the red herring…
And that just leaves us with our two leads. Who we certainly can’t loose.
Sigh. They can’t replace him, and so they haven’t. It’s sad. I don’t see how they can bring him back unless it’s revealed he didn’t actually do all he said he did.
Mark | Mar 18, 2009 | Reply
So I watched the one episode where the lobbyist is killed at the end in his closet. I went so far as to slow down the video to a frame at a time to see who the killer was. I saw a young guy with dark hair, and quite possibly the most evil look on his face I’ve seen in a while, jump out of that closet with a knife. Now that I mentally look back on it I see Zack, but when I watched it I still didn’t make the connection. The producers/writers of Bones did a great job of concealing the killer’s identity from everyone watching the show and making you think it was someone else…like Sweets. I was sure it was him. Would rather it be him than Zack. Too bad Eric is off the show, but oh well, guess that’s just the way TV shows roll these days.
Anita | May 1, 2009 | Reply
Not oh well this season sucked with out zack I hate all of the dumb fill ins they are useing and I want zack back to stay. They can toss the rotating replacements.
Bones Fan56 | Jul 17, 2009 | Reply
Guys, there might still be a chance that Zack will come back, he was in two episodes of season 4. please go to:
http://bringbackzack.weebly.com
make a comment, and help bring zack
kyle | Sep 5, 2009 | Reply
PLEASE SIGN THIS TO BRING ZACK BACK!!!
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/BringZackBack/
P Modlin | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
The old adage “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” comes to mind. Hanson, etc need to watch the ratings. I watched the first episode of this new season and the story line was a bit (actually more than a bit) cheesy. I thoroughly missed Zack’s presence. He had an odd personality but his brilliance was a good sounding board for “Bones”. It’s too bad Hanson chose to get rid of a part of a group of actors that had a good chemistry. This seems to be a great example that “shaking things up” WAS NOT a good thing.
Jessica Rae | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
Hey Modlin – I do agree. I like Sweets and all, but I really miss Zak. I don’t think that the shock factor in having him be the killer really can hold up against what that character did for the show on a most constant basis.
T. Rush | Oct 2, 2009 | Reply
I was and still am very upset to see Zack leave. The way he and Hodgins interacted was priceless. He reminded me of a 21st century “Spock” where logic superseded everything else. I do not know why Zack was faded out, but it was a HUGE mistake. Not replacing him with a single person is a good idea, I do like the depressed Gothic looking guy, and Clarke, but Zack is irreplaceable
Cate | Nov 23, 2009 | Reply
I didn’t start watching Bones until last summer. I just saw the show where Zack (Eric Millegan) was cut. I hoped it was because he had a great Broadway gig. Now I know otherwise. Zack was my second favorite character. I hope they bring him back for good.
Sandra L | Jan 15, 2010 | Reply
I have been watching Bones since it first started. Why couldn’t they have cut Cam? She is boring and brings nothing to the show. Now they have Wendell, who is making Angela look like an office whore. The two of them have NO chemistry. They need to bring Zack back. I tuned in every week just to listen to him and Hodgins talk shop. Like Booth is to Bones, Hodgins is to Zack. They are taking good characters and replacing them with uninteresting soap opera antics. No sex please, only chemistry babble and Zack back, pleeeeeease!
Zack Fan | Jan 19, 2010 | Reply
I am like you watched it from the beginning and since they pulled zack I have been tempted to quit watching and after last night episode I watched part of it and shut it off. I quit. These writers are idiots. They continue to use king of the lab thing with just Hodgens. That only reminds me of zack and ticks me off that they pulled him and its not freaking funny when Hodgens competes with himself over king of the lab. The writers are idiots big time. When ever hodgens does an experiment with someone else it again ticks me off and its not funny with out zack. Hodgens is nothing with out zack no matter how many of those idiot rotating fill ins they team him up with. this is the second season with out him and I am not turnig that show back on untill he is back. I almost threw up when I seen what they did with angela so screw it. Its only going to get worse. These writers are going to kill the show because they are idiots. The last seasonn finalli I was excited to have zack in it and h wasnt even zack !GGRR I quit bones till zack is back and rotating idiots are gone
Anita | Feb 1, 2010 | Reply
Fire these dumb writers who wrecked the show by adding rotating idiots to take zacks place not just for 1 season but 2!!!! By removing zack they ruined Hodgens character. Yet they still try to make the stuff he and zack did by himself. Hodgens now competes with himself over king of the lab title? WHY the experiments are no longer funny? yet they still keep using these things even whenthey need zack to make them funny. They are ruining the show so bad we want Zack back
Hayden | Feb 28, 2010 | Reply
I too am tempted to quit the show.
But that’s what these writers, or rather the producers ride on, and that’s press – be it neagarive or positive.
The fact they can cause so much combustion by firing Zack is precisely the emotional response they were targeting.
Shake the bottle and watch the series explode.
Had Zack been a detestable character then we might not have been up in alms as much.
I believe he is irreplaceable, and the direction of the series has become moreover crude than comic like it used to.
This is not in the sense of the graphic nature, but the vague and pointless twists the series takes.
Eg. Drawing blood from a stone, in the case of Angela. Such anomalies should never happen, Angela was an mysterious character full of intrigue, then the writers decided lets draw blood from a seemingly shrouded character that shouldn’t be delved lest you ruin her. And the Roxy saga did that.
I’m gay and still did not appreciate this crude turn of events.
But the pinnacle of this argument is Zack!
He is irreplaceable like I said.
And while the “extras” are interesting, within their own microcosm, they are either intentionally or unwittingly written to be lacking.
That I believe is the Zack factor.
None of these characters approach Zack standard, nor seem as smart. The fact they are rotated suggests to me Brennan is not complete without Zack, and therefore must make do with mere facets of the original character.
I would appreciate a permenant return of Zack to the series, the argument has already been made for his innocence. Just call him insane literally yhen release him, that’s what they did in Fringe and the story there still proceeds with fluidity.
Just please give the direction of minor charcacters back to Zack’s return. Good ratings does not emanate from soap opera’s, it comes from a good story