'The Finder' and 'Bones' Intended as Companion Series, EP Sees Future for Both
Creator and showrunner Hart Hanson, appearing via Skype, describes the midseason spin-off as a proper partner to his veteran procedural, while echoing Kevin Reilly's wishes for another order of "Bones."
Fox's Television Critics Association panel for The Finder was among the rowdiest thus far at winter press tour -- if only for the minor communication issues with creator and showrunner Hart Hanson.
Sidelined by a motorcycle accident last week, Hanson appeared, via Skype, on two large monitors in the ballroom to walk reporters through his midseason Bones spin-off. And it is, indeed, a spin-off.
Though The Finder is rooted in other source material -- Richard Greener's book series, The Locator -- and last year's backdoor pilot introduced a completely new set of characters, Hanson said the shows are intended to work together.
"Right from the get-go, The Finder was conceived as a partner to Bones," Hanson says. "Something that existed in the same universe. They're [at] the same tonal place."
Though unlike Bones, the will they/won't they? aspect has been turned on its head, giving way to a dysfunctional couple of sleuths who've already gotten together.
The addition of Mercedes Masöhn as Deputy U.S. Marshall Isabel Zambada, a partner of sorts for Geoff Stults' Walter Sherman, was intended to turn the idea of a romantic foil on its head.
"That trope works so well," Hanson said of the duo, "and then to add the fact that they're boyfriend and girlfriend -- and just not meant for each other -- gave us so much story."
It was around this point when Stults asked Hanson if he was wearing any pants, which Hanson answered by lifting up a bare calf.
Hanson went on to talk about how the freshman 13 will delve into darker topics -- Walter's ability to find anything hinges on a debilitating brain injury -- and what the audience seemed to regard as an uninspired title.
"You know what I wanted, and Kevin Reilly said no, was Cougar Town," Hanson said to great laughter and the keystrokes of at least 100 tweets.
And echoing the Fox entertainment president's earlier hopes for another season of Bones, Hanson confirmed that he's on board.
"Oh hell yes," said Hanson. "I'm very confident that we'll come to an agreement and have an eight season of Bones. We're all really excited and have story ideas.. There is still really good amount of stoiries to tell in the Bones universe... and I'm not even on pain killers right now."