Reggie Watts Just Ruined Everyone's Summer in One Line of an Interview

71.05K

Anonymous

07/30/13 04:51PM

Filed to: Spoiler Alert

That's it everybody. We can all just pack it up and go home now, because summer is officially cancelled.

While waxing poetic on all the reasons why he hates comedy, comedian/musician/Questlove impersonator Reggie Watts ruined The Best Summer Show Ever, TNT's Franklin & Bash, by letting slip that Kumail Nanjiani, everyone's favorite accented agoraphobe, will not be returning.

“I’m a huge fan. It’s totally brilliant. It’s a really well-designed comedy. There’s not a wasted line in it. Every line is perfect, and totally well-crafted. My friend Kumail [Nanjiani] is on it. I love him on that, but he actually retired from it, they wrote him off.”

Franklin & Bash has been a cult favorite since premiering in 2011, mainly due to the undeniable chemistry between Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar's abs. Nanjiani plays Pindar Singh, Zack Morris and Travis Birkenstock's unwilling partner in unlawful courtroom shenanigans. Given his busy schedule (Veep, Portlandia, The Jeselnik Offensive, as well as the upcoming Silicon Valley), it's very likely that the retirement was Nanjiani's choice, but that really doesn't soften the blow of having to play Marry-Fuck-Kill with Peter, Jared and Damian instead. You're always going to kill Damian! It's not even a challenge!

You may now return to your gloriously sunny beach-filled vacations. Just try not to drown in the crushing waves of despair you may be feeling knowing that Pindar is soon to be no more.

[Image via TNT]

The following replies are approved. To see additional replies that are pending approval, click Show Pending. Warning: These may contain graphic material.

12

JinDenver Anonymous 07/30/13 05:12PM

I've never heard of Franklin & Bash. I go outside in the summer.

14

Distorted View JinDenver 07/30/13 07:16PM

...says the douche commenting on a Defamer article. YOU WIN!

Ush Hana JinDenver 07/30/13 07:30PM

That's just weird.

Honestly, Franklin and Bash isn't anything special, so you aren't missing anything.

2

JohnMcClanesSmirk JinDenver 07/30/13 07:40PM

Your kind is the WORST.

meshugganner JinDenver 07/30/13 08:10PM

You'd love it! It's Just like Rizzoli & Isles... I think. I don't know. I've never seen these shows.

A_Copy_Editor Anonymous 07/31/13 08:18AM

I used to work at one of the major networks, and I actually got a copy of Franklin & Bash's pitch materials. This is from the original one sheet that was distributed to networks when the show's creators were pitching it. I haven't seen the show, but I am glad it got picked up, and I hope they didn't change it much. I've typed it below so you can check it out:

After graduating from a mid-level law school, Zack Morris went to work for Infeld & Daniels, LLC. Though he was taller, better dressed, and even had a bit of grey in his hair, Zack liked to think he was the same old charming mischief maker. But he's about to find out, he's no match for the firm's main client: an Englishman named Alexander DeLarge!

No walk-in client, DeLarge has had the firm on retainer for 40 years! In 1974, Infeld & Daniels successfully sued the British government for over $10 billion dollars (and undisclosed amounts more via settlement with various private parties) after DeLarge, as a late teen, underwent a controversial and ultimately failed medical and psychological experiment called the "Ludovico Technique." Since that landmark victory, Infeld & Daniels has provided an ongoing legal defense from the staggering amount of rape, theft, assault, battery, breaking and entering, and speeding charges brought against DeLarge. But representing DeLarge isn't easy. That's why they're giving it to the new guy, Zack!

Hilarity ensues when Zack orders ten anchovy pizzas to Alex's home, interrupting Alex's marathon "moloko"-fueled fuckfest, which, up to that point had been in full swing! There's more laughs when, in the middle of a standard attorney-client debriefing, Alex unexpectedly produces a metal rod and begins mercilessly beating Zack, breaking his tibia, collarbone, and fracturing his eye socket! But it's not all laughs. In one of the episodes, Zack's girlfriend breaks up with him, choosing to be with a hunky (but dumber) attorney at a competing firm. The older and wiser Alex explains that, sometimes, things don't work out. Like, for instance, when he was given experimental medication that made him ten times sicker than food poisoning, then forced him to watch thousands of hours of war footage, pornography, and other ultraviolence, until his identity was lost, as was his ability to defend himself, and ultimately his will to live. The two bond over anchovy pizza and tall glasses of moloko. And as the credits of this special episode roll, we see Zack's ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend's house burst into flames, and hear him shrieking in agony.

JohnMcClanesSmirk Anonymous 07/30/13 06:29PM

I didn't give two shits about this show until Uproxx told me a few weeks ago an entire episode hinged on subpoenaing of a parrot. Now I realize it's actually brilliant - the logical, post modern extension of Zack Morris.

Effortless charm, frivolity, and goofy schemes that appeal to our inner 14 year old. Touché TNT, touché.

16

JohninLA Anonymous 07/30/13 05:27PM

Suits is a waaay better summer legal show anyway.

9

anonymousryan JohninLA 07/30/13 05:46PM

It's apples and oranges. It's like comparing Psych and The Mentalist, same premise but vastly different execution.

kckempf anonymousryan 07/30/13 05:55PM

I always got the impression that James Today pitched Psych to CBS, they turned him down, he got his own show anyway, and they decided to make the version they wanted based on the pitch. Maybe I just made that all up.

20

ThirdAmendmentMan anonymousryan 07/30/13 06:49PM

Yeah but Psych is clearly 100x better

5

Chip Skylark of Space anonymousryan 07/30/13 07:01PM

Suits has Meghan Markle and Sarah Rafferty. Suits for the win.

By the way, I watch Franklin and Bash as well.