'Bones' could get 11th season

What are the odds that Bones will get an 11th season?

What about Jack Bauer returning to fight yet another day?

Fox chairman and CEO Peter Rice was asked by critics at the Television Critics Association’s press tour in Beverly Hills on Sunday on the chances of both shows getting another season.

On 24, which had a somewhat modestly rated return this summer for Live Another Day, Rice said: “I loved this year’s season of 24 … I’ve always been a fan …we haven’t had a specific conversation…I’m sure we will in the future … It’s a wonderful franchise … they did a great job this year … when you look at the show itself, it has many more stories to tell.”

Rice noted in a huddle with reporters after the panel that 24‘s ratings saw plenty of gain from DVR playback. Yet since star Kiefer Sutherland says he considers Live Another Day to be the final season, the executive would presumably have to convince the actor to return.

As for Bones, the procedural drama returns for its 10th season this fall. At Fox’s last press tour in January, the network’s former programming chief Kevin Reilly told reporters he expected season 10 to be the show’s last. Yet Rice had a different take: “I hope it’s not the last year … it’s a fantastic series, it’s famously moved all over our schedule for 10 years … It’s [Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz’s] last year contractually, so we have to have that conversation … but I hope that will come back.”

So cautious optimism for everyone!