We’re going back and re-watching Season 6 of Bones (some Netflix ‘adultery’ occurred, and I finished the entire season without my husband). One of my prior posts commented about Hart Hanson, who is a writer and producer for both “Finder” and “Bones”. No sonner had I posted about this observation than the next episode we watched of ‘Finder’, featured a cross over character visit from Dr. Lance Sweets, who plays a psychiatrist on staff for the FBI.
I’m not sure about when characters cross over to other shows, especially in a series still in its infancy. It sort of feels like cheating–playing on the “street cred” of an existing show, with established characters, and fanbase. Is ‘Finder’ already in danger of being cut (at episode 3)? I know Hollywood and television execs are continusouly winnowing down the amount of time a show has to succeed…so with that knowledge, it’s not a surprise that ‘Finder’ is trying to capitalize off an existing audience.
The Sweets episode came and went on ‘Finder’, and the character remained true to itself (although the premise of his coming to ‘The Ends of the Earth” in the Florida Keys is a little far-fetched). I can’t say the same for when Dr. Jack Hodgins hires the main character (Walter) on ‘Finder’, to investigate the death of a space shuttle pilot.
Anyone who watches ‘Bones’ will know that Hodgins is an intelligent, deeply thoughtful scientist, with a penchant for conspiracy theory. In the context of ‘Bones’, amid all the solid scientific work Hodgins performs, with equally experienced co-workers, the conspiracy theory rants are an amusing quirk.
Hodgins comes to ‘Finder’ because he’s been following the death of a space shuttle pilot, who reported a UFO. Hodgins theorizes the government is burying evidence of alien visitations, and wants Walter to expose the cover-up, in addition to helping the second shuttle pilot regain his credibility. Unfortunately, removed from his regular environment, and plunged into the world of ‘Finder’, Hodgins is no longer an intelligent, focused scientist. He comes across as a conspiracy nut, determined to read alien invasion into every clue, every hint, or direction the investigation takes. ‘Finder’ loses credibility with me: the decision to not stay true to Hodgins character profile feels sloppy and amateurish.
There have been many other series where crossovers happen (Happy Days/Laverne and Shirley, Buffy/Angel) without this strange mutation happening.
Why would a producer let this happen to a strong secondary character from one series? It seems like it dilutes both ‘Finder’ and ‘Bones’.
