By Susan JAMES

The cosmic collision of entertainment that was Comic-Con 2011 might have been short one “Bones” panel but it was long on drama. From the “Glee” cast controversies to the “Castle” questions about Beckett’s survival to the big “Bones” reveal of Booth and Brennan’s pregnancy, this year’s convention had a lot of fans happy, angry and talking.

One of the most controversial happenings was the sudden cancellation of the highly anticipated panel for the Fox 6-season hit series “Bones,” starring David Boreanaz as Special FBI Agent Seeley Booth and Emily Deschanel as forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan. Their startling transformation in the season finale from crime-solving partners in a strained relationship to unexpectedly expectant parents had the fandom howling foul across the internet last season. Comic-Con was to be the forum where some burning questions would be answered. But it was not to be.

Without explanation by the studio apart from “personal reasons,” “Bones’” fans were left to speculate about the cancellation. Fifty hardcore fans from four continents had flown in especially for the panel but had to make do with a consolation prize of autographs from actors starring in the new Fox series “The Finder.”

Over in the press room for ABC’s hit procedural “Castle,” journalists brushed aside any teasers by producers suggesting police detective Kate Beckett (played by Stana Katic), who took a bullet in the dramatic final scene of season three, wouldn’t be returning for season four. Nathan Fillion, who plays Beckett’s de facto partner, the ruggedly handsome mystery writer Rick Castle, commented on Castle’s last words of love to Beckett as she lies bleeding on the ground. According to Fillion, “There are words you can never take back and I love you – those are among those words.”

Will Kate remember Castle’s confession and how will that affect their relationship going forward, especially since she still has an all but invisible boyfriend hovering in the wings?

Actress Molly Quinn, who plays Castle’s 18-year-old daughter Alexis, had some thoughts of her own. Asked if Alexis is rooting for a romantic relationship between Beckett and her father, Quinn replied, “No. Alexis is not okay with that. Beckett is risking her father’s life. She has the power to completely change Alexis’ world and she’s not going to let that go by.”

No question that Kate Beckett will be back on board come September but Castle is now faced with not only convincing his partner to take a chance on romance but convincing his anxious daughter all is well.

One of the most contentious panels at the Con was the “Glee” panel for the Fox musical series entering its third season in September.

In a recent interview, creator and showrunner Ryan Murphy announced that this would be the final season for main team players Cory Monteith, Lea Michele and Chris Colfer. Executive producers Brad Falchuk and Dante Di Loreto, who were panel participants, denied the story and assured confused fans that the popular trio will indeed be returning for season four.

In the same interview, Murphy also described a story arc where Jane Lynch’s confrontational character Sue Sylvester will set out to destroy the newest member of the glee club, played by the as yet unknown winner of Oxygen’s reality show “The Glee Project.” Not so said the panelists.

Irate Con-goers took to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction with the current state of conflicting spoilers in the wonderful world of “Glee.”

For TV shows looking for publicity, controversy at the Con seems to be the flavor of the season.

See you in September!

  Comic-Con, susan james