Review: The Finder

Episode 19 – The Finder (The Spin-off Episode)

I loved this spin-off episode! I give it a “B-”. I was going to give it a “B+” until I read about a couple of ways it could have been improved: Sweets could have been very interested in Walter’s paranoia and Hodgins could have been interested in his paranoia as well for a whole different reason.

Anyway, I hope The Finder gets picked up. I loved the quirky Walter character based on The Locator book series about a Vietnam veteran. And dang! Geoff Stalts is sizzling HOT! Whew! I loved his scenes in the victim’s apartment. Hot, hot, hot. His reason for being there reminded me of the profilers on Criminal Minds, especially Derek and Reid.

I know some people are upset about the episode being used as a pilot for a spin-off, but it did give us an extra week with B&B. (We had 23 episodes instead of 22.) And it was mentioned that B&B and other Bones characters were not on the show much. This made me think of something I was feeling the first half of season 6. To me the first half of the season felt like a spin-off. I wanted to call it the Booth & Hannah show with other Bones characters showing up once in awhile. This real spin-off confirmed why I was feeling that way. A spin-off should only have minimal amounts of time for the original characters. I think I didn't mind that because I knew before I watched it that it was going to be a spin-off. At least the moments we did have B&B and other Bones characters were good. I couldn't say that for the first half of the season.

Some people are worried that Brennan and Walter will try and be hooked up. From the interviews I’ve read, that’s not going to happen. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some crossover from time to time, but I don’t think it would harm anything. I think it would be silly since the shows are so different. The Finder is so unscientific. However, if they grasp onto the paranoia part for Sweets and Hodgins, then maybe it would work for one episode.

For those of you who read the sides, I was delighted and disappointed at the same time that the script changed in regards to Brennan/Walter dialogue about gratuitous sex. Walter was suppose to ask Brennan to sleep with him if or because he found the medal and Brennan was supposed to say that she didn’t have sex with men out of gratitude. I was hoping that Booth overheard since I’m still horrified by Hannah’s loud outburst in the 2nd episode about thanking Booth for saving her by having sex under a fig tree. But I guess when HH heard about the parallel that fans were making, he didn’t want to go down that route. I’m not surprised though because HH loved Hannah and he still doesn’t understand why so many of his fans didn’t love her like he told us to.

I was very unsure when I saw the previews for this episode, but I still thought it was funny that Brennan slapped Booth when he said Walter may have a shot with her if he found the map. It was all good when Booth hid behind his hand to mouth “sorry.”

EEK! The ending scene: It was sooooo awesome! They totally looked and acted like a couple on a date rather than partners out for a celebratory drink. And both of them looked good in black, especially Booth in his black t-shirt with his arm muscles bulging. Yum! I love how Brennan was able to come to the conclusion that Walter allowed Booth to hold Parker before arresting him. And then she was able to let it go without an argument when Booth still wanted to hate the guy. These are just more examples of her growth and how a B&B relationship would work because not everything has to be scientific to be understood and accepted. Shortly before the ending scene: I liked how Brennan was able to talk Booth into letting Leo and Ike go without arresting them.

Some favorite Moments:

• Booth mimicked the sheriff’s accent in the first scene.

• Brennan repeated Booth when asking, “Which one is the son of a b*tch?” rather than asking which one is the finder or diviner.

• Bones: “Except my thing is real. Not some imaginary finder power.” Loved Booth’s laugh and how Walter took it as a challenge. Probably my most favorite part of the show was when Booth was able to suggest to Brennan what Walter could find for her. It reminded me of when Brennan helped Hannah to buy the phone for Booth. They know each other so well!

• I love how surprised Brennan was at how Walter could figure things out like the victim being visually impaired and that he was dying.

• Another winning performance by Emily when she was so moved by the things that Walter had found for her.

• I laughed at how easily Walter got himself into trouble at the pawn shop. He was just being painfully truthful like Brennan can be. If Booth wasn’t in the picture, I think Walter and Brennan would be hilarious together.

• I love how sincere that Walter is when he is interested in a woman. Walter: “Are you impressed? I’d like to impress you.” Brennan: “Why?” Walter: “The usual reasons.” Walter is so genuine that even a bad girl/meth smuggler can be taken by him! LOL! Walter: “That’s crazy! You’re beautiful.” Awww! Poor Walter. It’s like Ike said in one of the ending scenes: Walter can find anything except lasting love. I loved how Ike and Walter refer to Brennan as “the bones lady.”

• Walter: “It’s amazing how many times people ask me to find something, but the real treasure is something else all together.”

• Walter (to Hodgins): Who are you? Hodgins: I’m her husband. Walter: Are you rich? Hodgins: Where did that come from? Walter: On a scale from 1-10, she’s an 11. Angela: Well, thank you, Mr. Sherman. Walter: Yet, you’re a 7. So, if you’re rich, that just explains the discrepancy.

• Characture of HH on the air tank.

• Loved Walter’s answer to the murderer about what he wanted. “I want Brittany Stevenson not to be dead.” Aww!

• Did I mention that Walter is HOT?

Parts I disliked:

I didn’t like how the timeline changed. How could he have gone AWOL when Parker was born? He was in Iraq or Afghanistan in the early to mid-90s and he started working with the FBI in the late 90s. Hmmm.

And this was REALLY BAD, IMO: When Booth was getting Bones to leave Walter so they could get to the airport, he talked to her like she was one of his dogs… and it ended with a doggy whistle call. Seriously? WTH?

I thought Brennan having Booth get her ID back was OOC. What happened to kick *ss Bones?

Why would Walter catch the killer when he is the finder?

Did anyone else notice that Ike kept the treasure in her bar? I would have rather have seen them return it to the Catholic Church.