Not even a hurricane can stop The Finder

FOX's The Finder uses a hurricane to excite in the last episode before taking a little over a month off. "Eye of the Storm" finds the characters hunkering down to ride out major wind and rain, but a televised report of a missing girl makes Walter (Geoff Stults) spring into action. Limited to any hunting he can do from his bar, Walter makes use of those trapped with him, as well as Isabel (Mercedes Masohn), who remains in town. Despite the challenges, Walter manages to solve the case.

OK, so finding a missing girl in a hurricane is a little far fetched. Making light of it with scenes of Walter and Timo (Toby Hemingway, Black Swan) struggling in and out of the door to the bar may also be a little tasteless. However, those things do not prevent "Eye of the Storm" from being a great episode. The threat of the storm, and the cleverness it takes to get anything accomplished around it, make the case of the week quite exciting. It also allows for great visuals and humor, as handled with the light-hearted tone of the series. This is enough to overcome any complaints about the premise.

The major B-plot is incredibly cliché and predictable. Willa's (Maddie Hasson) seemingly tough probation officer, Christina Farrel (Amy Aquino, Harry's Law, Brothers & Sisters, ER), gets trapped in the bar with them. Of course, she sees Willa break several terms of her probation, including using the internet and associating with Timo. But, caught up in helping find the missing girl, Christina exposes a softer side of herself, and all is forgiven, with a recommendation that the court allow Willa supervised computer access.

Yes, there is little originality in Christina's story and character because it's been done a thousand times before. However, Aquino is such a fantastic actress, that those things are forgotten about throughout most of the episode. Every time a "twist" involving her occurs, viewers may remember that they already knew that it would happen. But then Aquino's performance takes over again, and keeps the plot enjoyable, no matter how unoriginal it may be.

That's kind of the story of The Finder at large. There isn't a lot of unique things in it. It's a crime series with quirky characters, something extremely prevalent on television today. Yet, by putting together this particular cast, and bringing in great guest stars like "Eye of the Storm's" Aquino, Laura Slade Wiggins (Shameless), and M.C. Gainey (Lost, Justified), The Finder soars. Add to that great gags, like Walter printing out an entire internet site for them to puruse, and the show somehow manages to be fresh and worth watching. It must be the magic influence of creator Hart Hanson, who accomplishes a similar victory with his other show, Bones.

Besides the above happenings, Michael Clarke Duncan continues to deliver a riveting performance as Leo, who doesn't always say all that many words, but exudes a presence that carries every scene he is in. Also, the relationship between Walter and Isabel is developing nicely, and Willa's inevitable break from her gypsy family is played wonderfully. All around, The Finder is making itself a show to watch.

So make sure to watch The Finder when it returns to FOX on Fridays in April.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here to catch up with streaming episodes of The Finder.

The Finder looks for a couple of "Bullets"

     FOX launched the Bones spin-off, The Finder, last week. This week, episode two, "Bullets," finds Bones character Dr. Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley) arriving in Florida to determine if Walter Sherman (Geoff Stults, October Road, 7th Heaven) is crazy or not. Sweets's opinion will determine whether Walter will be permitted to continue to work with Deputy U.S. Marshal Isabel Zambada (Mercedes Masohn, Chuck, Quarantine 2: Terminal), or any other government official, for that matter. Sweets accompanies Walter as he searches for two bullets, in a swamp that has been paved over, in order to save a man from execution. What Sweets discovers doesn't exactly put his mind at ease. But the good doc does get to see the benefits of Walter's work, which is enough to convince Sweets to clear him for six months.

     Admittedly, The Finder seems like a slight twist on a tired concept. There are so many crime series already clogging the network television airwaves, that another one is rarely welcome. Yet, The Finder bubbles with unique characters and amusing situations, so much so that it manages to be highly entertaining. Considering it is a spin-off of Bones, arguably one of, if not the, best procedurals currently running, this shouldn't be all that surprising. And yet, it is, especially with this smaller cast, and a setting that is featured in many competing shows like Burn Notice, Dexter and CSI: Miami. Somehow, The Finder manages to be more than watchable, and slightly addictive after a mere two episodes.

     A large portion of that can be attributed to the cast. Stults is perfect as the brain-damaged man obsessed with finding things, and with a knack for uncovering the truth of any situation. Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile, Armageddon) shines as Leo Knox, Walter's soft-spoken, extremely loyal lawyer, who devotes his life to protecting Walter in a variety of ways, from preparing food, to running interference on those who would disturb Walter's work. Mashon has had less to do in the first couple of episodes than the guys, but is likable enough to spark some interest and the hope she becomes more developed soon.

     Rounding out the cast is Maddie Hasson (God Bless America) as Willa, a troubled teen who is on probation, and looked after by Leo. She might be, perhaps, the most interesting of the group, given that her history remains her murky, and her motivations unclear. Willa gets some really interesting plot in the "Pilot," but less so in "Bullets." This week, she merely hangs out with a cute guy, then, learning he is a douche, walks away, leaving him to take the rap for a car they steal. She is a bad girl, who can be good when she wants to be, which certainly isn't always. Of course, Leo will rub off on her, and she will turn over a new leaf soon. But what will be the result of that, and what will she bring to the team when she starts helping them on their missions, as she eventually must? These question make her pretty darn intriguing.

     The case of the week in "Bullets" is pretty neat. A cop is killed twenty-years ago, and Walter is asked to clear the convicted murderer's name. The swamp where everything happened is now paved over, so finding the bullets proves difficult. Plus, colorful characters, such as a couple of Miami Vice knockoffs, a slimy IA officer, and an exciting, humorous shoot out keep things interesting. And yet, even with all of these distractions, Walter somehow manages to find what he is looking for. Sure, sometimes the plot stretches reality here, but the writing is clever enough to seem plausible, if unlikely. It's also really cool to see how Walter's brain works, including figuring things out while hypnotized, resisting control from Sweets, and building models.

     A story point that is a bit odd is that Sweets is sent to Florida, since surely there are qualified mental health professionals nearby, and one does not need to be sent from Washington D.C. Though not mentioned, perhaps Sweets's friends, who met Walter last spring, pull some strings to send their guy, thus providing Walter with someone they think will give him the fairest chance. And Walter is a great character to pair up with Sweets because of the various neurosis both have. So it works out very well, and hopefully Sweets will return in six months to re-evaluate Walter.

     In summary, The Finder manages to be a pretty great show, despite a number of factors working against it. Only time will tell if it can maintain some of the elements that make it great, which, by necessity, will have to evolve. But it's off to a good start.

     Watch The Finder Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!