Our normal Bones team from the Jeffersonian got to take a bit of a break this week in “The Finder,” with Walter Sherman (Geoff Stults), Leo Knox (Michael Clarke Duncan) and Ike Latulippe (Saffron Burrows) on the case. This episode was the set-up for a potential new series next season called The Finder. This new series is based on The Locator books by Richard Greener, like Bones, which is based on books by Kathy Reichs.
I specifically requested to review this episode of Bones, because I was looking forward to this new series. It seemed so promising. I wanted to like these new characters; I really did. Unfortunately, I just found them strange. I couldn’t decide if it was bad acting or if it was just that the characters were poorly written. I found the Ninjas vs. Samurai debate a bit corny. And, when that chalkboard debate “thing” continued, I was unimpressed. It came across as too gimmicky to me (a little like the talking elevator in the pilot of Private Practice).
The main problem was that I didn’t care about them; not even Walter with his brain damage. His paranoia was annoying, as was his arrogance about his finding abilities. Leo was stiff and Ike was unimpressive. I don’t really understand her purpose beyond being a pretty girl sidekick with an accent.
Oftentimes pilots have these issues. The actors are new to their characters, as are the writers. They just haven’t found their groove. The issues that I have are fixable. It was clear that the characters care about each other and especially Walter. They want to help him, while he is passionate about helping people find what is missing. If The Finder makes it to series, I will give it a chance, because I like the concept and think is has potential.
I enjoyed the case of the missing treasure, which is not a groundbreaking story. The combination of the Jeffersonian and the Finder teams created an interesting view of two different ways to solve a case. Walter and Brennan both found out the decedent was terminal, but from different evidence. They also found the treasure, but again from different methods.
Did you enjoy it? There were some highlights and some funny moments, so it wasn’t a complete bust.
Clacked by Carla Day 
on Apr 21, 2011 @ 23:36 EST5EDT
I actually liked it … although I wasn’t aware this was going to happen so it was strange at first.
I think that the show would make a good series to have before or after bones … and they could easily have stories that cross-pollinate between the two series.
And Michael Clarke Duncan is awesome to see on TV anyway (don’t particularly mind Saffron Burrows either)
I would definitely give it a chance if it is picked up
I would love to add this series to my viewing list.
I was actually kind of excited for this ep based on the promos. Unfortunately they were pretty misleading. The promos made it seem like Booth and Brennan and team would still be front and center. This was more like The Finder with Booth and Brennan guest starring. I realize that this was on purpose, it being a backdoor pilot, but I didn’t care for it. They should have just made a regular Bones episode with these people as guest stars and then made their own pilot.
As for the Finder, they really didn’t give us much if they were hoping to attract Bones viewers into watching this show. The dialogue between The Finder and his team seemed forced and boring and not particularly funny. And there was no back story for Walter besides “I was in a war”, so it was kinda hard to relate to him. Yes, he’s quite attractive, but if they’re honestly thinking droves of people are going to tune in for his pecs and not much else, they’re deluded. Even his “finder” skills, which Booth inexplicably made sound almost supernatural in nature weren’t that impressive. Hodgins (there’s no k in that name) figured out everything Walter did and he managed to be likable doing it. Not that I mind quirky arrogant characters obviously, Bones being what she is, but if you’re going to be that, you better have some seriously impressive skills.
There was no back story for anyone else either. How do these three know each other? What qualifies Leo as a “legal advisor”? Is he a lawyer, a cop, what? I couldn’t quite figure out what role Ike fills either. She didn’t seem like a love interest, and didn’t seem to bring any particular skill to the team besides flying a plane and mispronouncing words for laughs which will get old very quick.
If the show actually gets picked up I might give it an episode or two to see if it can draw me in, because as you say, the concept is quite interesting. But there’s quite a lot to fix and I dislike the backdoor pilot thing as a concept.
I have to agree…the characters seemed to have little chemistry together.
But even more so, I couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough to believe in the finder’s abilities. A fondness for pyramids means he’s terminally ill? And he had to get down to his undies to figure it out? I think we’re supposed to find it quirky, but it seems just creepy (and unbelievable).
I doubt I’ll be tuning in next fall, unless some serious tweaks are made.
I actually thought the
crossoverbackdoor pilot aspect of the show was handled perfectly. There was a much better mix than, say, the backdoor to Private Practice.I’m with you on Leo … But I also get why, at least this early on, they didn’t tell you exactly who/what he is. Just an idea about who the character was about was good enough for now.
Ike, though, did a lot more than just fly the plane. She obviously has some type of criminal background, or at least significant familiarity with that world. Other than the accent, I thought she fit into the dynamic nicely (And No! No love interest! :P )
I think I’m just not a fan of the backdoor pilot as a practice. As a Bones fan it was kinda annoying to have the focus taken so completely away from the characters we actually set aside an hour of our lives for every Thursday. I’ll have to take your word on Private Practice since I don’t watch that show.
To each is own … I’ve always been a fan (Of backdoor pilots, at least in a spin-off capacity like we saw here, and NOT Private Practice). It is a way to introduce a new set of characters in world that the audience is comfortable with. My all time favorite was NCIS and JAG, even though the story really made you hate the NCIS crew.
Oh, I kinda liked it … It wasn’t without problems (Some more obvious than others, but it is a show I would probably give a shot to in the fall.
Saffron Burrow’s accent (Cockney?) got very, very grating early on in the episode. I don’t know if that is a product of me not being accustomed to hearing it, or if she was just bad at it (Probably my problem, not hers). But what would have been wrong with her regular speaking accent? Much prettier.
Leo really was the biggest WTH for me. I’m a fan of MCD, don’t get me wrong, but when he would just shout out quotes or scripture that didn’t really seam connected to the scene, it just felt odd.
I loved it and will DVR every episode. I hope Fox picks it up for the new season.
I absolutely loved the show. I really hope Fox runs this series. I am looking forward to recording and watching every week.
I am not a fan of this group. I kept thinking that Ike was trying to play Fiona from Burn Notice. Leo neither impressed nor annoyed – he was just there. The whole scene at the house was totally off-putting for me but then I think bathroom humor belongs to teenage boys.
It was ok…but was I actually supposed to get excited about a new show by watching that???
I definitely did NOT like this show! Couldn’t stand the English woman’s character and couldn’t understand half of what she said. Premise was pretty ordinary and boring and I wish HH would just get back to fixing the mess he’s made this season of Bones! As far as who is hotter–definitely David Boreanaz! Won’t waste my time watching The Finder if it’s picked up. Zero chemistry between characters.
I found the woman to be insanely annoying, but the big guy and the main characters were fine. They need to tone down the paranoid parts and make the big guy have an actually point, but it has promise.
However I doubt I’d ever be a regular viewer anyways so no biggy.
Reading your “review” on the episode really led me to believe we were watching two separate shows. That, or you really didn’t watch it. Personally, I liked it. I am a fan of the 3 actors in the roles (if they even go with them were this show to be aired). I am a huge fan of Saffron Burrow’s. She does NOT have a Cockney accent LOL. She has been on the L&O:CI for a while now. I have never had a difficult time understanding her.
As for her being a rip-off of Fiona on Burn Notice – no friggin’ way.
Oh yeah. Plagiarism is bad. Some of you clowns actually used, word-for-word, what the reviewer on TV Squad wrote. You should be ashamed for yourselves. Not only that, original thought is a good thing.
The characters are quirky and play off each other well, the search for treasure is always popular as a story line, and the Miami setting gave it a unique background not seen since the days of Miami Vice.
The show has a lot of potential, but Walter’s ability to read people – even dead ones will need more
substance than pyramid postcards indicating a terminal disease. Please.
And though the search and methods utilized to find the prize creates it’s own sense of wonder at Walter’s abilities – you have to care about what needs to be found in each episode, or the show will go stale quickly.
I will look forward to this show but wonder just how many stories they can write that will keep viewers coming back for more than one season. If the writer’s are the same or of the same caliber as those writing for “Bones” I will look forward to watching the show every week.