Airdate: Thursday, April 21, 2011 9/8c
Grade
“The Finder” was absolutely entertaining! It was dubbed the intro to the new characters of a potential spin-off series of the same name by Bones creator Hart Hanson and I have to say, I want more of “The Finder.”
As Booth (David Boreanaz) and Brennan (Emily Deschanel) investigate the murder of a security guard of a maritime museum in the Florida Everglades, they learn the victim stole a chart fragment used to find treasure, in particular a ship known as Santa Ezperanza. Booth suggests using someone who can find anyone or anything – cue Walter Sherman (guest star Geoff Stults) as the finder.
Brennan (Emily Deschanel) examines the remains of a security guard along with the local sheriff.
Booth and Walter have history. Apparently Walter was the one who came to find Booth after he went AWOL to be there for the birth of his son. Booth still holds a grudge. The little scuffle they get into when Booth first introduces Brennan to Walter had me laughing. I think Booth has a tremendous amount of respect for Walter’s abilities but I doubt he’ll ever tell him directly.
Booth (David Boreanaz) and Walter get into a little scuffle or as Ike calls it "reacqaunited"
Walter is suspicious of everyone and everything, even down to the decaf coffee (which wasn’t actually decaf despite it being in the traditional orange-rimmed coffee pot.) He has a unique gift of finding lost people and things; he even found a 7th grade science fair medal Brennan lost, including a newspaper clipping which had a photo of Brennan and her mother. Brennan was so moved, she was nearly rendered speechless.
Walter: “Are you impressed? I’d like to impress you.”
Brennan: “Why?”
Walter: “The usual reasons.”
Could Walter show up in another episode of Bones as a potential love interest for Brennan? Or perhaps Brennan could appear in an episode of The Finder, that is if FOX gives it the thumbs up. Hint, hint!
However, I am curious if Walter’s gift is a direct result of the brain damage he suffered during a tour in Iraq or if he had the gift prior but it was further enhanced due to the damage. His bartender/systems analyst Ike (guest star Saffron Burrows) seems to think he needs help for his mental issues. She calls it paranoia, he calls it an epiphany. His poetry reading legal advisor/muscle Leo (guest star Michael Clarke Duncan) believes in Walter’s abilities wholeheartedly; apparently where he’s from it’s called ‘akishswany.’ I’m not sure of the spelling of that word, and I’ve no clue where Leo is from. Ike says Scotland but I’m finding that difficult to believe.
Walter (Geoff Stults) and his colleagues Ike (Saffron Burrows) and Leo (Michael Clarke Duncan) go to a pawn shop to find out what the murder victim was hiding
While “The Finder” mainly focuses on establishing the characters in “The Locator” books by Richard Greener, our lovable cast of squints are sprinkled in. It is hilarious when Walter asks Hodgins (TJ Thyne), after learning Angela (Michaela Conlin) is his wife, if he’s rich. “On a scale of one to ten, she’s an 11. You’re a seven, so if you’re rich, that just explains the discrepancy.”
As the investigation continues, it seems the chart fragment may not be as worthless as originally thought. Although the killer didn’t realize that before taking another victim – Brittany Stephenson (guest star Mini Anden). She was a hard living woman. By that, I mean she had “Do Not Resuscitate” tattooed across her chest, so it’s not like she wasn’t already living on the edge. But this time, it kills her. At least she bit off her killer’s finger before she drowned. One of my favorite lines of “The Finder” comes from Ike after Walter tries to talk to Brittany before she sets out to sea.
Walter: “A girl who kisses a guy to make him go away – that’s a nice form of rejection.”
Ike: “Seriously Walter? You imagine how many blokes she’s driven away with that mouth?”
Burrows is just fantastic! Her comedic timing is spot on and I love the thick British cockney accent she uses – it adds that much more oomph to what she says.
L-R: Brennan (Emily Deschanel) enjoys a beer with Ike (guest star Saffron Burrows) while Booth and Walter get reacquainted
As an aside, I am a fan of Geoff Stults. I actually did a phone interview with him when Happy Town premiered. After ABC canceled October Road and Happy Town, I was really hoping to see him in another television series. So needless to say, I was stoked to see him in this guest starring role and excited that he may soon be headlining his own series, The Finder. And the fact that he strips down to his boxers to “find” out where the security guard is hiding the chart fragment while Stereo MC’s “Gonna Get Myself Connected” plays both delighted me and has me curious if he strips down every time he has to find someone. Walter’s catch phrase: “I’m a risk it.” I hope FOX does the same!
Geoff Stults as Walter Sherman in Bones episode "The Finder"
Walter, with the help of one grateful Bishop (guest star Danny Trejo) who helps him decipher a symbol on the chart fragment, finds the sunken treasure and the killer’s identity before Booth and Brennan – it was the curator of the maritime museum Lambert Chaisson (guest star Carlo Rota). I guess Walter is giving the FBI and the Jeffersonian team a run for their money.
Tune into Bones, Thursdays at 9/8c on FOX
If you missed “The Finder” – go to http://www.fox.com/bones/ to view the full episode.
Photos © FOX Broadcasting Company, All Rights Reserved.
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Judy Manning
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