Franklin & Bash: New TNT Lawyer Show

'Franklin & Bash':

The New 'Ally McBeal'?

For men?

With Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar!

Apparently TNT likes the concept of using the last names of main characters in their show titles. 'Rizzoli & Isles', a pretty great solid show that I enjoy watching, premiered on TNT last summer to strong ratings (and don't worry, it's back again soon for a 2nd season). This summer TNT is premiering the similarly named 'Franklin & Bash'. And no, the shows have nothing to do with each other. Although I suppose if TNT really wanted to they could orchestrate a cross-over episode. Now that I think about it, that would be pretty sweet.

But concentrating on the actual purpose of this post...'Franklin & Bash' is premiering tonight at 9 pm on TNT. It's being called "a David E. Kelley legal drama aimed at...men...rather than....women" by the NY Times. Except, you know, for the fact that it's not by David Kelley (aka the man behind 'Ally McBeal' and 'The Practice') nor do I really think that 'Ally McBeal' was for women. 'Ally McBeal' was sexualized (the show, not and Calista Flockhart) in such a way that the show was supposed to appeal to men too. Plus, just because a show has a female main character does not mean it's aimed towards women. I think what they meant to say was that the show's larger demographic was female.

But I'm getting slightly whiny/digressing.

'Franklin & Bash' has nothing to do with 'Ally McBeal' except for the fact that it is set in a law firm. And yes, the two main characters are men. They've recently graduated from law school and apparently have a frat-like quality which makes their introduction into a stuffy firm a bit of an imposition on the other lawyers. I'm assuming they'll also prove to be brilliant, because otherwise this show has nowhere to go. They'd get fired.

Are you planning on watching 'Franklin & Bash' tonight? Do you think (or did you think) it was worth watching? Also, do you think TNT believes in some kind of "main characters' last names in title" magic? seriously, why else would they think it makes sense to have two shows with almost identical looking titles (see below)...

brothers & sisters canceled (plus comments about the apparent series finale)

"Brothers & Sisters", the ABC drama which just wrapped up its 5th season, has been canceled.

In a way, I understand this decision. The show could have gone on indefinitely, considering the fact that its storylines are so outrageous that its writers could have the characters do the most insane shark jumping ever, and no one would blink an eye. However, a lot of the central cast has chosen to move on. Both Patricia Wettig (who played Holly) and Emily VanCamp (Rebecca) claim that they chose to leave the show of their own accord. And Rob Lowe (Robert) abandoned the drama for a more comedic role on "Parks and Rec". Plus, Calista Flockhart (Kitty) was barely present this season, and had announced she wanted to continue a limited appearance in a sixth season. In fact, perhaps for this reason, there was talk of "Brothers & Sisters" being renewed for a truncated sixth season run.

They didn't get this, and that is truly unfortunate. Do I think the show could have continued for another full season? Maybe. Another two seasons? I doubt it. But half a season more? Definitely.

It's not that the wedding was a horrible place to end the show. In fact, Nora Walker's voiceover at the end about families reinventing themselves summed up the show nicely. What annoyed me like crazy was the whole issue of Kitty's pregnancy. Is Seth right that it's too risky? Why didn't Kevin see through Kitty's lies? What will Kitty decide to do? And when will Sarah figure out that Kitty (and not Paige) is the pregnant one? Oh, and changing the subject slightly, what's up with Sarah's crazy half-sister?

It's clear that the writers of "Brothers & Sisters" planned to answer these questions next season. And they could have easily done so in a shortened 6th season. Frankly, I don't understand why ABC couldn't have given us that. For those of us who have been loyal viewers of the show for five years this abrupt, poorly constructed ending is far less than we deserve.

The Ally McBeal Family Tree

I never watched "Ally McBeal" when it was on air, and instead stumbled across it in a semi-depressed state after the cancellation of "Better Off Ted".

After getting through the first couple of seasons, I realized that it was a melting pot of guest actors who later went on to success as supporting characters and leads on hit shows.

The Ally McBeal Family Tree:

Michael Weatherly~

Okay, to be honest, he was a series regular on "Significant Others" (1998), but considering that the show was canceled after the first season, I've decided that it doesn't count as a true success. Weatherly guest starred on "Ally McBeal" for one episode ('Sex, Lies, and Second Thoughts', 2000). What's he doing now? He's a lead on the hit series "NCIS".








Tate Donovan~

Again, he did have a role as a series regular before guest starring on "Ally McBeal"...he was on "Partners", also canceled after one season (1996). After his role on "Ally McBeal" (3 episodes as Ronald Cheanie, 1997), he went on to be a guest star on "Friends", and main characters in both "The O.C." and "Damages".







Michael Vartan~


He really wasn't a series regular until after he played Jonathan Bassett on "Ally McBeal". He then went on to star in "Alias" (with Donovan's "Partners" cast member Jennifer Garner) and "Hawthorne".








John Ritter~

This was almost a freebie for me because, lets be honest, John Ritter was a guest actor in almost every successful show from 1972 until his death in 2003. And he was a series regular/leading man long before his guest role as George Madison in "Ally McBeal". Still the show certainly did nothing to hurt his reputation, so I think his inclusion in the family tree is warranted.





Roma Maffia~
Finally, a woman! Roma Maffia was a guest actor on "Ally McBeal" ('Fear of Flirting', 2001). She later became one of the lead characters on the successful "Nip/Tuck". I really left the best for last, because Maffia makes the circle complete. She guest starred on "Ally McBeal" during the show's fifth season when one of its leads was Portia de Rossi. De Rossi then guest starred during the fifth season of "Nip/Tuck". How's that for symmetry?




Can you think of any other guest actors on "Ally McBeal" who later made it big?


Images courtesy of: movieeyes.com, TopNews.in, trailershut.com, Hollywood Reporter, & BuddyTV.