In a 2017 episode of the hit series Billy on the Street, host Billy Eichner ran around New York in his usual maniacal fashion but asked a much more serious question than usual: “How much will you miss the show Bones?” Surprisingly, many caught-off-guard New Yorkers had something significant to say: mainly that yes, they will very much miss Bones, with some even making long speeches about their love for the show. Bones premiered on FOX in September 2005 and had an incredibly impressive twelve-season run, ending in 2017. In a world where getting more than one season of a show is nearly impossible (we’re looking at you, The Finder), this was a feat rarely seen in television today.
Bones tells the story of a detective Temperance (Emily Deschanel), who has a freaky skill of identifying what happened to victims just by looking at their bones. Her partner, Seeley (David Boreanaz), is skeptical of Temperance but eventually finds that the two work well together. In 2012, five years before Bones ended, Fox announced a spin-off of the beloved detective show titled The Finder. Then, in a matter of months, the show was canceled, forever haunting Bones mega-fans as the spin-off that never was. Below is a look into everything that went into the failed program and some other detective-with-a-special-skill shows you can watch right now.
When Was ‘The Finder’ Released?
The Finder premiered on Fox in January 2012, in what is called a “mid-season premiere.” When a show airs in January, already established and returning shows are midway through their seasons, meaning The Finder’s pilot slot had a bigger risk of not gaining the same viewing audience as something premiering in the fall. While critics were lukewarm about the new show, it nonetheless rated high among viewers. Another tricky piece of The Finder’s cancelation equation occurred when it moved time slots multiple times, initially airing on Thursdays at 9pm and never quite finding a home on the channel’s lineup.
Who Made ‘The Finder’?
The Finder was created by Hart Hanson, the same Executive Producer who created Bones. After the failure of The Finder, Hanson’s only credit other than the next few seasons of Bones is another one-season mystery show, Backstrom starring Rainn Wilson (The Office). Another Bones alum, Barry Josephson was another EP on The Finder, alongside a one-time Bones director, Daniel Sackheim. With EPs who knew the success formula of The Finder’s predecessor, it’s a mystery what parts of that success were lost in production translation.
Watch the ‘The Finder’ Trailer
The FOX promo for The Finder made sure to mention it was created by the same known and trusted folks behind Bones, which was sure to draw some audiences to its season one premiere; however, the promo lacks much more to it other than showing all the things The Finder can…well, find. Perhaps some depth and insight into supporting characters might’ve intrigued more viewers to tune in.
What Was ‘The Finder’ About?
The Finder was based around a character named Walter (Geoff Stults), a character from Bones who appeared in the show during its sixth season. Walter is sought for his ability to find anything, from the incredibly important to the mundane, like a pair of socks. Stults’s character also suffered brain damage, which caused him to be incredibly paranoid about the people and the world around him. This brain damage also created an inherent impulse to find missing things, hence Walter’s nickname as “The Finder.” Walter has a good friend in Leo Knox (Michael Clarke Duncan), who acts not only as a local bar owner, but as Walter’s manager, and sometimes, his bodyguard.
Who Was In the Cast of ‘The Finder’?
The Finder starred Geoff Stults in the titular role. Stults has had quite the career in television, having notable roles in 7th Heaven, The Odd Couple, Little Fires Everywhere, and the recently released The Last Thing He Told Me. Walter’s confidante, Leo, was played by the late Michael Clarke Duncan, who sadly passed away the same year the show aired. Duncan was known for his role in the Tom Hanks-led The Green Mile, but had hit films like Armageddon, Planet of the Apes, and The Scorpion King under his belt as well. The show also starred Mercedes Mason as the ambitious U.S. Marshall Isabel Zambada, with whom Walter has a relationship. Mason’s resume includes Fear the Walking Dead, The Rookie, and NCIS: Los Angeles. Rounding out the main cast is Maddie Hasson as juvenile delinquent Willa, who is out on probation and has a skill for computers, which she is unable to utilize during that probation.
More Shows Like ‘The Finder’ That You Can Watch Right Now
Monk (2002-2009)
The Finder has an uncanny skill to find things due to his brain trauma, while Monk’s Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) has the same mystery-solving skills due to his intense Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The story starts right after the sudden death of Monk’s wife, Trudy (The Office’s Melora Hardin) and a four-year period of isolation in his home. With the help of his assistant (Bitty Schram), Monk is getting back on track as a private detective. Working alongside him are Captain Stottlemeyer (played by Ted Levine, The Silence of the Lamb’s iconic Jame Gum) and Lt. Deacon (Jason Gray-Stanford), who are at once impressed and annoyed and Monk’s way of doing things. The show had a great eight season run, ending with a finale viewed by 9.4 million people, which, until The Walking Dead, this was the highest viewership rating on a scripted drama show. A Monk film, Mr. Monk’s Last Case, is currently in production and is set to premiere on Peacock, where you can currently watch all seasons of Monk.
Dexter (2006-2013)
This lead character’s skills are not as clean-cut as Mr. Monk’s, as they involve main character Dexter (Michael C. Hall) having the unusual ability of using blood spatter to solve a case – oh, and his being a murderer once he clocks out from his day at work. While Dexter believes he’s killing as a vigilante, this double life causes him a great deal of trouble the more it goes on. The idea for the show was taken from the novel “Darkly Dreaming Dexter” by Jeff Lindsay, and it had eight critically-acclaimed seasons on CBS. Like Bones, the show’s spinoff series, Dexter: New Blood, lasted only one season. However, there may be hope yet for Dexter fans, as there are rumors of a prequel series detailing the serial killer’s origin story. You can find all seasons of Dexter streaming on Paramount+.
WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+
The Mentalist (2008-2015)
If you really can’t handle a crime drama without the lead having some sort of special skill that helps them solve the crime in a stylish way, then here’s one more: The Mentalist, starring Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, a master observer working with the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Patrick, once a fake “psychic” who relied solely on reading people through sharp observation, has publicly pronounced himself a fake. However, this offers him an opportunity for a change in career, as it’s this talent for noticing the seemingly obscure that gets him hired to investigate cases with the CBI. While Patrick isn’t himself in law enforcement, he aids in the solving of murders, and is very good at it. More than that, his driving force is similar to Monk’s: seeking revenge for the murder of his loved ones by a killer named “Red John.” The Mentalist also starred Robin Tunney as Teresa, a higher-up at the CBI, and Tim Kang as Kimball, one of Patrick’s CBI colleagues. The series ran for seven seasons on CBS, ending its run in 2015, although you can catch every episode now streaming on Max.
WATCH ON MAX
