Advance Review: The Finder, Season 1, Ep. 2 “Bullets”
Air Date: Thursday, January 19, 2012 9PM E/P on FOX.
Rating:
After a floundering premiere, The Finder has found its groove! “Bullets” puts us back into the swing of the things we loved about Walter (Geoff Stults) and his friend/attorney Leo (Michael Clarke Duncan) when we first met them in “The Finder” episode of Bones last season. And as a treat, Dr. Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley) guest stars this week to evaluate Walter’s sanity to ensure his credibility is intact so he can continue to work as a consultant with federal and law enforcement agencies.
Walter (Geoff Stults) evaluates a piece of evidence in a most unsual way
“Bullets” is the title of this episode but it is also what Walter is commissioned to find. Back around the Miami Vice era (the 80s), a cop named Glen Hogan (James Harvey Ward) is allegedly shot by Eddie Ross (guest star Mitch Pileggi). Why, you ask? It may have been a misunderstanding or perhaps Ross shot Hogan in a fit of jealous rage for allegedly sleeping with his girlfriend Gloria (Valarie Pettiford). But, it seems Ross might actually be innocent. There might be more to the mystery than just jealousy. In fact, there’s some dirty undercover work that went down and where there are dirty cops, you know Internal Affairs is going to start sniffing around, but “it was a different time back then,” and the lines between right and wrong were “blurry.” (Wink). Former prison Warden Nick Larsen (guest star Chris Ellis) believes Ross is innocent. So much so, he asks Walter to find evidence to prove it.
Walter (Geoff Stults, R) asks two retired Miami Vice cops Bronski (guest star Greg Evigan,L) and Fontana (guest star Mario Van Peeples, C) about the case
This episode is not only intriguing with how Walter puts his unique methods of finding things to the ultimate test – finding a 20-year-old bullet in a swamp that is now a storage facility with a paved parking lot – but it’s also very entertaining and has tons of witty humor. And how can you go wrong paying homage to Crockett and Tubs of Miami Vice fame? Yes, the ‘real’ cops, Bronski (guest star Greg Evigan) and Fontana (guest star Mario Van Peeples) who were supposedly used as the basis for Miami Vice, bring back the tight t-shirts and blazers look that Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas made so famous. Of course, we know they aren’t ‘real’ cops.
As Walter continues to unravel the mystery of where the missing bullet is, Sweets tries to determine whether Walter is sane. Why would you think a man who bites your I.D. or makes a hat from bar cherries and toothpicks is insane? He’s eccentric for sure, but insane…doubtful. I love that Sweets jumps in and gets involved in the case just like he does on Bones. I think The Finder has a great premise and I absolutely adore Stults as Walter. He is such a charismatic actor. I loved him in October Road and Happy Town, both of which were cancelled by ABC, so my fingers are crossed that The Finder finds its place on television if for no other reason than to see Stults on my TV screen every week!
Leo (Michael Clark Duncan) watches as Dr. Sweets (John Francis Daley) tries hypnotizing Walter (Geoff Stults)
One aspect of the show, and in particular, “Bullets,” I really enjoy is the friendship between Walter and Leo. Leo is very helpful to Walter – much like a body guard but also a good friend. His loyalty to Walter and his unique abilities, which is unwavering, is what resonates. While Dr. Sweets tries to determine whether Walter is crazy, Leo encourages Walter to reveal the reason he’s so compelled to find things. And I’m totally digging Walter’s little saying, “I’ma risk it!”
If The Finder continues producing fun and interesting episodes such as “Bullets,” it will certainly draw and maintain audiences. From the nuances of the methods Walter employs – like his crazy dioramas and prophetic dreams – to trying to figure out the origin of his friendship with Leo, all are wonderful avenues for the writers to explore.
“Bullets” airs Thursday, Jan 19th. Tune into The Finder on Thursdays at 9/8c only on FOX.
Follow the show on Twitter @TheFinderonFOX and follow @HartHanson and @GeoffStults
Like The Finder on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheFinderonFOX
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Photos © 2011-2012 FOX Broadcasting Co., LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Judy Manning
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