EMILY DESCHANEL

The Bones star, 45, returns to TV as hospital psychiatrist Suzanne Mathis in the suspense thriller Devil in Ohio (Sept. 2 on Netflix). The eight-episode limited series is based on a true story about a doctor breaking protocol by providing refuge for a teenage girl (Madeleine Arthur) who’s fleeing a satanic cult.

Devil in Ohio explores the struggle between good and evil. Was that an enticement to you for this project? Yes, that drew me to it. Why a person would do this and how they make their decisions fascinated me.

Why did Dr. Mathis take the teenager, Mae, into her home? Certain things are revealed about my character’s past and why she felt the need to save this young girl. Yes, technically you’re not supposed to do that, but she’s blinded by trauma from her own childhood. That’s why she wants to save this teenage girl, who’s really suffering.

You’re a mom. Can you imagine exposing your own children to somebody from a satanic cult? No, I personally would not do that. But there’s certainly been times where you think about refugees coming into the country who need to be taken in. I’ve certainly thought about those kinds of things where you’re like, “I want to help out,” but where you think about your own family, and it doesn’t make sense to do certain things.

Bones [now streaming on Hulu] was a big success, with 12 years on Fox. Why do you think it connected so strongly with audiences? [Bones] has so much to offer people who are looking for different things; it had gross, dead bodies, it solved crimes with science, and the good guys usually got the bad guy. People find that satisfying. Also, I think people love the characters.

What’s next for you? My focus will be with Mercy Corps, an international aid organization for women and girls affected by climate change throughout the world. Then, career-wise, I love exploring different things and stretching myself and challenging myself as an actor.