“Franklin & Bash” is a new TNT series about two immature, smug brats who practice the law (or their version of it) when they are not busy partying, riffing on the pop culture and congratulating themselves for being so much smarter and cooler than everyone else they encounter.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar (of “Saved by the Bell” and “NYPD Blue”) plays Peter Bash as an older version of Zack Morris. Imagine that Zack has aged 20 years without actually growing up; the courtroom has taken the place of The Max, and he addresses judges and opposing attorneys the same way he addressed Screech. The confident swagger and sassy manner worked fine for a boy in his early teens, but it is far less effective now that the actor is 37 years old (yes, you read that right) and playing a lawyer.
* Clearly, the right person won. Boston Rob Mariano got eight of the nine votes. He dominated this season from start to finish and, as host Jeff Probst suggested during the reunion show, he may have played the most perfect game in the history of the show. Competitively, strategically, socially he was flawless, and he was entertaining the whole way. Good to finally see his wife Amber at the reunion show. (Admit it: You were disappointed when she didn't show up for the "loved ones" challenge.)
As “Survivor” careens toward Sunday night’s finale, let’s start with two observations right up front: Boston Rob Mariano has played one of the best games in the 22-season history of the show to this point, and the new twist of “Redemption Island” has worked very well.
Let’s look at those two points first and then touch on a few other bases leading into Sunday night’s fun.
This is Rob’s fourth time around on “Survivor” – after his initial appearance, he was on the first All-Stars season (where he met, courted, and finished second to his wife Amber Brkich) and the more recent “Heroes vs. Villians” season. He has always been a formidable player – a smart strategist, a tenacious competitor and master at puzzles – but this season has been his best, and he might yet be rewarded with the $1 million for the first time.
Antonio Charity will appear on the Fox police procedural "Bones" on Thursday night, the first of three prominent TV appearances for the actor from Surry County.
In this week's "Bones," he plays a port security guard. Next week he will be in Monday's episode of NBC's "The Event," with one scene playing a garbage man. And next month he has a meaty supporting role in Lifetime's adaptation of the Nora Roberts novel "Carnal Innocence," playing a suspect (one of many) in a string of murders. Lifetime originally scheduled the film for this month but recently pushed it back to June.
