Franklin & Bash

Words cannot describe how much I love this show.  I really do, though it’s a different type of love from my other shows.  I don’t know how to describe it.  It’s just so different from all the other lawyer shows out there.  Basically, it’s about two lawyer bffs joining a prestigious law firm and managing to keep their personalities.  The characters are all on point, bringing unending humor to a normally dull and serious work place.  The antics that they get away with is impossible, but watching, you can’t help but wish it was all real.  That would make jury duty a lot more interesting.

The thing about Franklin & Bash is that it’s such a summer show.  Even during it’s most serious moments, it takes itself so lightly.  The “important” shows so to speak all play and come out during fall and winter.  However, I feel like Franklin & Bash would be out of place in that line-up.  True that is comedy in the fall, but this show doesn’t fall directly into the category.  While comedies are funny for the sake of being funny, Franklin & Bash is funny because the show isn’t taking itself seriously.  It takes a medium where jokes usually aren’t or can’t be made, and makes them all…while they win all the cases.  Their antics are theatrical and completely over the top.

I love the fact that while other shows have lawyers that are aggressive and jerks and overall horrible human beings and on the opposite end is Franklin & Bash with their hearts of gold and frat boy attitude.  And of course, their undying friendship.  I swear, they are heterosexual life partners.  Even when they get married, they’re going to end up living next to each other because they refuse to move away from each other.  Their poor future wives.

As for characters, my favorite is Jared Franklin.  The shorter of the two, he’s the more laid back one (which is saying something since they are both ridiculously laid back).  He never misses a chance to rib at Peter.

And then there is Peter Bash, the taller one.  He’s a little more wound up and tends to worry more than Jared.

Wow…I tried to to write separate paragraphs about them, but I really can’t. They are a unit.  It’s hardly ever just Franklin or just Bash, but always Franklin & Bash.  Basically, they never grew up from the frat boy days in college and seem to have a semi, if not entirely, codependent relationship.  I mean they did throw a hissy fit about the wall between their offices and kept trying to circumnavigate it until lit finally came down.  Even when they have sexual conquest, they never seem to last long and they’re always teasing each other about it.  Personally I love Franklin’s relationship with the ADA.  But, yes.  They have parties at their house every week with their clients and coworkers.  And often times I wonder how they even survive on their own.  I mean they definitely don’t cook and the only reason the place is clean is because Pindar is OCD and a germaphobe.

Anyway, there are a lot of great characters in the show, but I really only feel like talking about my other favorite, Pinder.  He lives in the house with Franklin, Bash, and Carmen, and never leaves.  He has a list of phobias including agoraphobia.  He’s awkward, geeky, and the comedy relief in a show that already doesn’t take itself seriously.  His over the top freak-outs are hilarious and he says some of the strangest things.

The other characters like Carmen, Damien, and Infield have their own appeal and add to the overall formula of the show.  Damien especially as he can be seen as the antagonist, though not really.

In conclusion, I have totally lost my train of thought, but you should totally watch Franklin & Bash.  It’s nothing heavy or serious, perfect for summer when you don’t want to worry or think about anything.

Leave a reply