What is the meaning of ‘What Did Wheeler Find?’ in A Man on the Inside? Details explored

Aashna
A Man on the Inside Season 2 (Image via Instagram/@teddanson)
A Man on the Inside Season 2 (Image via Instagram/@teddanson)

Ted Danson's second run as the amateur sleuth Charles Niewendyk in Netflix's A Man on the Inside Season 2 dropped on the platform on November 20. The sophomore season of the hit crime comedy series saw Charles take up a new case at Wheeler College.

Charles was hired to go undercover at the College (as a professor) and find the blackmailer behind a series of threatening messages sent to the college president, Jack Beringer. In addition to the blackmail, Jack's laptop was also stolen, which contained many college secrets and evidence of a hefty donation to the college, received just days before by a wealthy college alumnus.

Like the first season, the second season of A Man on the Inside was filled with laugh-out-loud moments and a harrowing college conspiracy that tested Charles' sleuthing skills.

‘What Did Wheeler Find?’ was a riddle introduced in Episode 4, which was connected to one of the college's traditions and also held a big clue about the ongoing mystery.

More on this in our story.


A Man on the Inside Season 2: Decoding the ‘What Did Wheeler Find?’ riddle

While A Man on the Inside Season 2 followed another mystery for Charles in Wheeler College, it was also filled with small puzzles and riddles for the audience to solve.

The fourth episode in A Man on the Inside Season 2 titled 'Spirit Week' saw Charles navigate a beloved college tradition. The tradition was a part of a week-long event known as 'Gold Rush' and was introduced by the college’s founder, Francis Wheeler. In Gold Rush, new students had to answer a riddle correctly and earn a red bandana, which is a symbol of being a 'Real Wheelerite'. However, the students who were unable to answer the riddle correctly were “glitter bombed” (doused in glitter for laughs).

The complete riddle is as follows:

Francis Wheeler came here in search of gold, but he found something much more important. What did Wheeler find?

When Charles was put to this test and asked to answer the riddle in A Man on the Inside Season 2, he failed multiple times and was glitter bombed.

The ‘What Did Wheeler Find?’ riddle in A Man on the Inside Season 2 added a fun layer of comedy and puzzle, with fans guessing the answer pre-reveal. Many fans even discussed the possible answers to the riddle on Reddit:

''I was trying to figure out the answer to the riddle as I was watching the episode… gold, nothing, acorns, and school were my guesses… I would have gotten glitterbombed a lot lol.'' commented one Reddit user
''My guesses were gold, himself, a purpose, community...I hope at least the last one would've prevented me from getting glitterbombed.'' another user chimed in

Fans, much like Charles, kept thinking in circles, but the riddle refused to crack. The answer was finally revealed to be Family, making the complete riddle as follows:

Francis Wheeler came here in search of gold, but he found something much more important. What did Wheeler find?- Family

What does the ‘What Did Wheeler Find?’ riddle mean in A Man on the Inside Season 2?

The ‘What Did Wheeler Find?’ riddle added a layer of fun and mystery in A Man on the Inside Season 2. It also fits into the narrative and is connected to the overall theme of the Wheeler College blackmail conspiracy.

The real blackmail conspiracy at the Wheeler College was to stop Jack from accepting the $400 million donation from Brad Vinick. Brad's motive behind the hefty donation was to strip Wheeler College's arts and humanities departments and turn it into a factory of business majors. Since the college's staff overheard Jack and Brad's dirty plan to ruin Wheeler College, they stole his laptop to stop him from accepting the hefty donation.

The ‘What Did Wheeler Find?’ riddle symbolizes the College staff's determination and efforts to save their beloved campus, which had actually become like a Family for them. The answer and setup of the riddle highlight how the college was much more than a place to impart education. It has become a community and a second family for the faculty and students.

A Man on the Inside Season 2 is streaming on Netflix.


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Edited by Aashna