Airdate: Wednesday, August 03, 2011, 9:00 pm ET/PT on TNT
Rating: [4 stars]
Karp speaking to his Uncle Stanton
Last week at the end of “Bachelor Party,” Stanton (Malcolm McDowell) was watching TV and saw a man being carried down Mt. McKinley. It appeared he didn’t know who the man was – that is until the reporter, who was there getting some quotes for the article about Damien Karp (Reed Diamond), identified the man and a very strange look crossed Stanton’s face. Turns out the man was his best friend, Gibson Hawke (actor unseen), being taken off that mountain—one which they had climbed together 15 years ago. I didn’t think too much about it then, but now he’s being charged with Hawke’s murder. To make matters worse, the New York office of Infeld Daniels has sent Brett Cayman (Tricia Gelfer) to oversee the handling of the case. Who’s on the case? None other than our fun-loving duo, Jared Franklin (Breckin Meyer) and Peter Bash (Mark-Paul Gosselaar). Oh, and Karp too. “Everything goes through me,” Brett declares. Yeah, right. The woman has no idea who she’s dealing with. With Stanton in jail, things aren’t looking too good as the evidence against him is overpowering and he is caught in a lie. Looks like the guys have their work cut out for them.
There are two funny scenes in “Go Tell it on the Mountain.” First is Peter’s reaction to seeing Hawke’s frozen body in the morgue. It’s the first time he’s ever seen a corpse and it seriously looks like he’s going to lose his lunch. I had a good chuckle over his comical facial expressions, but the best, by far, is when he jumps and screams because he thinks the body moved.
Jared, Karp and Peter visit Stanton in jail
Then there’s the scene where Peter barges in on a nearly naked Brett in some very sexy black lingerie. It looks like he’s seeing a ghost! He can’t even look at her! “I’m going on Anderson Cooper 360 – see if I can’t influence the jury a little. Which outfit’s better,” Brett asks. Come on Peter, we all know you’ve seen plenty of naked women in your day. The most interesting and strange part of the scene is when she tells him Karp is off the case. I don’t trust Brett and there’s a good reason why – especially when Karp realizes Stanton’s case is being sabotaged.
This week’s side story revolves around Ultimo, the persona of the mask-wearing wrestler (Danny Trejo) who is bringing an age discrimination suit against the owners of the wrestling league for letting him go. Ultimo’s daughter Amelia (Floriana Lima) brings her father to Jared with his case, but with him being so busy with Stanton’s case, he turns this one over to Hannah (Garcelle Beauvais). While this story is good for a few chuckles, it isn’t really necessary – it’s not season finale material. I suppose it was included as a means of bringing levity to the episode. Unless, of course, it is used to introduce a new love interest for Jared, as he and Amelia proceed to get it on. I’m glad Jared gets the love interest this week, because usually, it’s Peter who is surrounded by women. He and Amelia are just so adorable together.
Peter and Jared questioning Stanton about the lie he told
Of course, Hannah wins her case, as do Peter and Jared, and there’s the usual party in the Man Cave with the requisite number of bikini-clad young ladies. You’d think I would be tired of seeing this, but I’m not. It’s part of who Jared and Peter are, and the women are rather innocuous. Amelia, Ultimo and “Ultimo’s giant friends” are there too. In a shocking twist, Amelia tells them the league owners took off so the league is in default and they get whatever assets are left – meaning Jared and Peter now have a percentage interest in the wrestling league. Imagine the lawsuits that could stem from this turn of events next season!
As season finales go, I am somewhat disappointed in “Go Tell it on the Mountain.” Throughout the first season, knowing who and what Franklin & Bash is is what made this show work – and it never tried to be something it wasn’t. I guess the writers don’t know the expression, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” because to me, this episode is something it’s not – a serious legal procedural. There are no overt sexual undertones, no antics in the courtroom, and very little witty banter and sharp writing. “Go Tell it on the Mountain” just doesn’t have the fun feel the rest of the season has had.
Stanton teaching tai chi to his fellow inmates
The highlight, for me, is Malcolm McDowell’s acting, as well as Reed Diamond’s. You can see the genuine care in Diamond’s face as Karp exhibits concern over how the case is being handled, and real worry about what will happen to Karp’s Uncle Stan. McDowell is such a versatile actor and he showcases it beautifully in this episode. Gone is the quirky character we’ve come to know and love, although he does try to teach tai chi to his fellow prisoners. Hello to the serious side of the man who cares so much about his best friend, he’ll go to any lengths to protect his name – even murder.
Nevertheless, it’s been a fun ride this summer and I am wholeheartedly looking forward to Franklin & Bash’s second season next summer.
Photos © 2011 Turner Broadcasting/TNT.
Linda
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