TNT orders legal drama 'Franklin & Bash'

Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer star in the new series

By Daniel Fienberg Friday, May 14, 2010 1:49 PM

Reed Diamond, Dana Davis, Kumail Nanjiani, Garcelle Beauvais Nilon, Breckin Meyer, Mark Paul Gosselaar and Malcolm McDowell of 'Franklin & Bash'

Credit: TNT

It's been a busy day for the Turner cable networks, with TBS ordering the college comedy "Glory Days" and now TNT's pickup for the legal drama "Franklin & Bash."

Scripted by Kevin Falls and Bill Chais, "Franklin & Bash" stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer as a pair of street lawyers who experience a major culture clash when they join a more traditional law firm.

If you're keeping score at home, Meyer is Franklin and Gosselaar is Bash.

[You'll recall that Gosselaar's last TNT legal drama, "Raising the Bar," lasted two low-rated seasons. Then again, at least he's starting this one with a respectable haircut.]

"Franklin & Bash" also stars Malcolm McDowell, Reed Diamond, Garcelle Beauvais, Dana Davis and Kumail Nanjiani.

"'Franklin & Bash' is a hugely entertaining, smart and funny take on the legal procedural," states Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming, for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies. "After viewing the outstanding pilot, we realized that its emphasis on quirky, likeable characters and solid procedural structure make it an ideal addition to our current line-up of series on TNT. As an odd-couple pair of lawyers, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer play off each other extremely well. With the outstanding cast around them, plus Kevin Falls and Bill Chais' great words, we’re very excited about bringing this series to TNT."

TNT has yet to set a premiere date for "Franklin & Bash," but the network has ordered 10 episodes.

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.