Has Franklin & Bash become the new Baywatch? I can't remember the last time I saw so many bikini-clad women and shirtless men running on a beach. Not that I'm complaining. 

In a case of surfier blackmail led by guest star Eric Balfour, who mysteriously was the only party to keep his shirt on, Peter and Jared ended up defending a local fisherman on "Captain Johnny."

On any other show I'm sure that would have led to a case filled with maritime law and lectures about environmental impact of over fishing. 

But this is Franklin & Bash, where defending a fisherman gave us an old TV Guide with Perry Mason on the cover submitted as precedent, not to mention pirates, parrots and the creation of wenching as a verb.

John Ratzenberger was great fun as the judge who shook his head in amusement at what was the circus known as Franklin and Bash. He never lost his cool, even when the defendant threw up in court or a parrot was brought in as a witness, sort of.

Just when you thought a case couldn't get any more enjoyable, all you had to do was cross over to Rachel and Damien, who were defending a psychic who was wrongfully terminated. No, not from a job as a psychic but from her financial planning firm.

I had really hoped that both Peter and Jared would get a reading but Jared never asked and Peter chickened out.  

Of course, the big question now is what will Damien do to end up behind bars and how long will he be there.

And we're not done yet. Who could forget the case of Rob Lowe's sofa? But as Peter tells Pindar in their defense in this Franklin & Bash quote…

Curbside law, Pindy. Indoor furniture found outside is deemed abandoned and free to take. | permalink

Somehow I doubt their famous neighbor had his $10,000 Icelandic down filled sofa sitting on the curb... but, like Pindy, I wanted to know why it had to be cleaned in the first place.

Pirates, psychics and a neighbor war with Rob Lowe. What more could you ask for from an episode of Franklin & Bash?

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.