Bones creator Hart Hanson is developing a potential spin-off, Fox confirms with EW. As first reported by Deadline, it would revolve not around an existing character — fans, breathe! — but tracker Walter Sherman, the central figure in “The Locator” novels by Richard Greener. If all goes according to plan, Hanson will introduce Sherman in an episode Fox says he’ll shoot in early December for air next year.

In the books, Sherman is a Vietnam vet, but in the Bones world, Sherman will be a former military policeman who served in Iraq with Booth (David Boreanaz). Just as Booth didn’t originally get along with socially-challenged Brennan, he and Sherman — who suffered brain damage overseas that left him “skeptical of every statement” and prone to asking “offensive, seemingly irrelevant questions which oddly enough turn out to be extremely relevant” — will butt heads. Brennan, on the other hand, will be fascinated by him — which means he’s very good at his job (hence the nickname The Locator). If the network believes Hanson’s found a true leading man, the character could spin-off to his own series. (How very JAG to NCIS to NCIS: Los Angeles of them.) Hanson is looking to cast an actor in his late 20s or 30s.

So, what do you think? It could be nice for Bones to have someone to do a crossover episode with that makes more sense than The Family Guy. In the crowded procedural field, the character sounds somewhat original. (Though not as cool as crime scene cleaner Webster Fillmore Goodhue, the focus of the Alan Ball HBO pilot starring Bright Star‘s Ben Whishaw.)

Who would you cast? This is a tough one: It needs to be someone with a believable physique for military police, who can act amusingly paranoid and reclusive, but who is also very attractive (I’m assuming). I don’t know how old Theo Alexander, who played Talbot on True Blood last season is, but we know he can wear a suit and deliver biting dialogue. (Can he do an American accent?) Fox would probably want a bigger name though. Where’s a young Jeff Goldblum when you need him? (Source)