“Bones” may be noted for its efficiency and brisk gallows humor, but “The Finder,” also created by “Bones” bigwig Hart Hanson, was a different animal. Indeed, it seems to have more in common with the ousted spy series “Burn Notice” than with the taut, structured procedural of “Bones.” Walter was not a law enforcement employee, but a free agent with unorthodox investigation techniques. “The Finder” was, just by glancing, far removed from “Bones,” which may explain why the show didn’t quite catch on with “Bones” fans and only stayed on the air for a single season.
“Bones” fans may also have been put off by the eerie, semi-supernatural element of “The Finder.” While there is no explicit magic or mysticism in “The Finder,” Walter’s uncanny ability to locate missing things is referred to as a “Finder Power,” or sometimes “Akashvani,” the Sanskrit word for “celestial announcement.” Furthermore, “The Finder” also featured a character named Timo (Toby Hemingway) who had a talent for reading Tarot cards. Meanwhile, “Bones” was a show based on the science of pathology and the two main characters’ ability to remain objective and unflappable in the face of bizarre, gory crimes. Introducing characters who were more or less mystically powered into the “Bones” universe seems like an ill fit. That would be like having a wizard suddenly show up in “Law & Order.”
At the very least, “The Finder” seemed to possess the same flippant sense of humor as “Bones,” as the backdoor pilot episode ends with a scene of Walter stuffing a museum curator in a trunk. Walter is clearly willing to comedically flout the law to bring ne’er-do-wells to justice.
“The Finder” was ultimately rejected. It may take The Finder himself to track down big fans of “The Finder” (yuk yuk).