“Good luck doing Franklin and Bash without the Bash.” – Bash
I find myself constantly refreshing the Wikipedia page for Franklin & Bash episodes hoping to get insight into what wacky new cases (and dare I say, adventures) our heroes will be facing each week. When I came across the title of this week’s episode, I was terrified. I was scared because “Franklin vs. Bash” implied not only that these two great, great men would be facing off against each other, but they might break up for good.
Sure, the idea of two separate spin-offs, “Franklin’s Place” and “Welcome Back, Bash,” couldn’t be better for the current Golden Age of Television, but breaking up the greatest legal partnership since Casey Anthony’s attorney and common sense is the biggest crime of all. Really, the only lawyers who could handle defending the case against such a crime against humanity would be Franklin and Bash themselves. And they wouldn’t be able to do it, because they broke up!
The whole concept of Bash going toe-to-toe with Franklin nearly made me sick to my stomach. There’s just something right with the world when the big boys decide to put their minds together and beat ex-girlfriends or Beau Bridges. When they were actually attacking each other’s credibility tonight, and not the credibility of some minor league baseball manager or something, I found myself questioning who I am and what my place in this world is. Maybe there is no goodness in any one individual. Maybe society has no chance to overcome its many past atrocities and develop into the utopia we read about in books and magazines (ex: Highlights).
I just…
I don’t know. Sorry, this review is kind of going off-track, but I’m just really down in the dumps over this whole fighting thing. I’m actually writing this part during the 40 minute-or-so mark of the episode and it just doesn’t seem like Franklin and Bash will ever kiss and make-up (it’s just a figure of speech, but I don’t think there’d be anything wrong with them actually taking it literally. Sometimes two straight dudes just need to kiss and junk). This is probably the end of the show as we know it. Now it’s going to feature more and more episodes of Franklin beating Bash or Bash beating Franklin. Hell, maybe Bash will join his Janey or Janie or Jayniey in the district attorney’s office (shudder).
I don’t know if I can go on reviewing this show. I can’t put myself through that darkness. That sadness. That pain.
If only there was a way for… Wait a minute…
Wait just one doggone minute…
Are Franklin and Bash reconciling their differences? Are they deciding to re-join forces again and finish defending their clients as a team (by the way, the case is about a jewelry-stealing stripper, obviously)? Sweet, merciful, Jesus. I think they are!
Yes!
They’re doing it! They’re back together. And they tricked the judge. Oh my lord did they ever trick that judge. The rich woman was the thief all-along!
Huzzah Franklin and Bash! Huzzah!
Oh man. That was a close one. I don’t even know what to think. I can only really look back and laugh at myself from a few minutes ago. Jeesh. How could I really think a team as powerful and altruistic as Franklin and Bash could ever really stay apart?
Obviously, I may have jumped the gun in accepting a concept that is unacceptable. I apologize, dear reader, for scaring you as much as I scared myself. It was reckless and maybe a little stupid. But if Franklin & Bash has taught me anything, it’s never to hide from your emotions. If Franklin or Bash had turned their back to the sadness they felt over not having their loyal partner by their side, would they ever have gotten back together?</p>
Probably. Because, as Jeff Goldblum once said, “Life finds a way.”
Lingering thoughts about “Franklin vs. Bash”:
- The B-Plot with Douchey Lawyer and Foxxxy Lawyer defending a precocious little boy trying to get his dad from barring him from kayaking up the Amazon didn’t really work for me because it had a supreme lack of neither Franklin or Bash. However, the kid was kind of like pre-teen version of F&B. Franklin and Bash, Jr., maybe? Do I smell a Saturday morning cartoon?
- “Our job is no different than yours; we’re here to get you off.” – Franklin
- “There’s no shame in being versatile.” – Franklin
- “Quiet contest: starting now.” – Franklin
- “Jackhammer. I see.” – Bash
- “Objection: betrayal.” – Franklin
Some stats and info about Franklin & Bash, “Bro-bono”
TV SHOW – Franklin & Bash
SEASON/EPISODE – Season 1, Episode 7
AIRED ON – July 13th, 2011
NETWORK/STREAMING SERVICE – TNT
GENRE – Legal Shows, Drama, Comedy
CREATED BY – Bill Chais, Kevin Falls
CAST – Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Breckin Meyer, Reed Diamond, Malcolm McDowell, Kumail Nanjiani, Dana Davis
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.