Moment of Goodness: Peter and his Mom Bond in Court, Franklin & Bash “Good Lovin’” 

OK, we’re three episodes in and I’m loving the Peter and Jared banter more than ever before. And I’m liking the cases too. They’ve all been highly enjoyable.

In this latest episode, Peter finds out his mom (once again played by the vibrant and wonderful Jane Seymour) is arrested for prostitution. But, thankfully, it turns out she’s a sex surrogate and this case is really just some sort of dirty politicking that’s going down in the D.A.’s office. Peter’s mom, Colleen, was really just going to be collateral damage.

Thoughts about “Good Lovin’”:

• Peter being embarrassed by his mom talking about sex was a lot of fun. Not so much the mom vagina talk, however.
• Jared and Ellen’s hate sex affair. I had no problem with it. In fact, I loved the twisted relationship these two were having in this episode.
• I loved Ellen Swatello as a whole. I wouldn’t mind if Jared and Ellen got together for hate sex again in the future. She did get a promotion at work. So she’ll be around.
• The Jane Seymour/Heather Locklear scene. The kiss was whatever but I like that Colleen was getting Rachel to admit some things. I also really enjoy the fact that TV goddesses Jane Seymour and Heather Locklear shared some scenes. Colleen helped make Rachel seem a bit more human, which needed (and needs) to happen. After all, we did learn that Rachel hasn’t had sex in six years, right?
• I totally loved Jane Seymour and Malcolm McDowell flirting with each other. Again, two actors that have entertained me for such a long time. Love it.
• Pindar has become obsessed with their Malibu neighbor, Rob Lowe. Awesome. Who wouldn’t? And, reportedly, the payoff will be coming later this season.
• I’m not as wild about the Damien trying to become a judge story but I’m glad he has something to do. I’d like to see him interact more with Peter and Jared, however. I don’t know if I totally get why Rachel is helping Damien become a judge. I guess I’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out.
• Jared and Peter calling Rachel a shapeshifter and a swamp demon? So great. Although she does offer some good advice. But still…I especially loved the shapeshifter comment.
• Where was Carmen? I need both Pindar and Carmen in every episode. Sorry.
• Peter was shirtless again. I think that’s three for three this season. Just saying.
• Also, I believe I said this in my column for the two-hour season premiere but I love that we’re learning more about these characters. Finding out more about Peter’s broken family is great. And seeing how much he loves his mom is wonderful. Speaking of which…

My Moment of Goodness from “Good Lovin’” had to be when Peter questioned his mom about being a sex surrogate. They were in court and she was on the stand ready to defend her profession and validate it as well. There was no way she could release her client list. There was definitely a confidential element to it and she had to protect them. Peter originally didn’t want to be the lawyer to question his mom, but Jared engineered it so that his reluctant pal would have to do it. And it made for a really great scene.

Colleen told the jury and her son about one of her success stories. And that’s when things really clicked for Peter. What his mom was doing wasn’t something to be embarrassed about:

Peter: “So what you do, it isn’t really about the sex. Can you tell the jury what surrogacy is about?
Colleen: “Communication. If I had known 20 years ago what I know now, maybe I could have saved my own family.”
Peter: “Your family’s fine, Mom. I love you.”
Colleen: “I love you too, Peter.”
ADA Hewett: “Uh…Objection.”
Jared: “He’s objecting to love?”

Even though I loved how that moment ended, the stuff between Peter and his mom was sweet and great to see from him. I hope Colleen comes back more often. Jane Seymour and Mark-Paul Gosselaar have such great chemistry as mother and son. Now onto some Guest Star Goodness:

Jane Seymour

F&B Role: Colleen Bash, Peter’s mom. I love it whenever Seymour’s on the show. If at all possible, she’s even more endearingly wild than Peter is. More Colleen please.
TV Credits: I mean, come on. This is Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Plus, she was Jason Teague’s mom, Genevieve, back in season four of Smallville. So she’s been Mark-Paul Gosselaar’s mom and Jensen Ackles’ mom. Lucky lady. Did you guys know that Gosselaar and Ackles share the same birthday? Yup, their birthdays are on March 1. Quite the coincidence, right?

Rhea Seehorn
F&B Role: Assistant D.A. Ellen Swatello. This is her fifth appearance as the tough opposing counsel to Franklin and Bash. Adored Seehorn in this episode.
TV Credits: She was a regular on the now canceled NBC series, Whitney. And she appeared in a few episodes of USA Network’s The Starter Wife.

F&B Role: A.D.A. Brad Hewett. By the end of this episode he was demoted and transferred. That’s what you get for trying to scheme and manipulate your way into a better job.
TV Credits: I’m just going to name some of his recent credits: The Client List, Justified and Nikita. He was also in the fairly recent Liz & Dick Lifetime movie and has appeared in countless other TV shows like NCIS, CSI, Nip/Tuck and Numb3rs.

Jamie Rose
F&B Role: She was the judge in the Colleen Bash prostitution/pandering case.
TV Credits: She’s been in a ton of TV shows but I know her best from her Falcon Crest days. That’s when she played the very first Vickie Gioberti, the daughter to Maggie and Cole Gioberti. I loved Falcon Crest.

Buck Henry
F&B Role: He played the outgoing judge Damien Karp had to suck up to get a recommendation. He had designs on Rachel and wanted Damien to hook that up for him. Loved how Stanton got his nephew out of this predicament.
TV Credits: Well, Mr. Henry is an actor, writer and director of film and TV. He’s known to TV audiences for making numerous appearances on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. This includes hosting the show ten times from 1976 – 1980. He was also the co-creator of the ’60s spy comedy series, Get Smart along with Mel Brooks.

Franklin & Bash airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on TNT.