'Bones' EP Stephen Nathan Inks New Two-Year Overall Deal With 20th TV

Stephen Nathan

Stephen Nathan is staying put at 20th Television.

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The Bones executive producer has inked a new two-year overall deal with the studio behind the veteran Fox drama starring David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel.

"We're very happy to been in business with Stephen," 20th Century Fox TV chairman Dana Walden tells The Hollywood Reporter. "He's a fantastic guy, a great writer who's incredibly versatile. You can tell from the writing on Bones, which is a very unique tone that mixes great drama and very emotional relationships along with a terrific amount of humor -- and that's what Stephen does particularly well."

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Under the pact, Nathan will continue to serve as showrunner Hart Hanson's second in command on Bones, which is heading into its eighth season, as well as develop projects for the studio.

"While we hope he will continue to keep an eye on Bones, we're very open to his development and look forward to having the opportunity one day to be making overall writer deals to support Stephen's own shows," Walden noted.

The executive noted that Hanson and Nathan's partnership helped set the model for what the studio looks for in writing duos and helped the showrunner focus on other projects for 20th TV, including last season's short-lived Bones spinoff, The Finder.

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"The fact that Hart trusts Stephen as much as he does has enabled Hart to focus on some of his development and focus on The Finder last year after Stephen took greater control of the reins of Bones," Walden said. "That Stephen has provided Hart with so much support over all of these years has made that writers room and that staff such a happy place to be. As the studio that produces the show, that's the kind of environment we're looking to create on all of our shows."

While star Boreanaz hinted that the upcoming season of Bones might be its last -- the Fox series was among the first to earn a renewal in the spring -- Walden said she hoped the show continues beyond Nathan's two-year pact.

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"I would never say never with Bones," she told THR. "I don't know right now that I can say exactly when the end is for Bones; we're going into an exciting new season with great new dynamics between the characters on the show, and it's hard to say right now when the end might be. I hope it goes on for a very long time."

Nathan, an accomplished singer and actor, turned to writing and producing in the late 1970s. His credits include Laverne & Shirley, Everybody Loves Raymond and Joan of Arcadia. He's repped by WME.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit