Alright, so ya wanna know about that Franklin show, episode one, huh? Well, lemme tell ya, it’s a whole lotta talkin’ and fancy folks doin’ fancy things. Don’t expect no shootouts or car chases, this ain’t one of them action flicks.
First off, they throw ya right into the thick of it. This fella, Franklin, he’s over in France, tryin’ to get them Frenchies to help us out with the war against the British. You know, that whole Revolutionary War thing? Yeah, that one. He’s gotta convince these French kings and queens and all their fancy friends that givin’ us money and guns is a good idea.
Now, this Franklin fella, he’s a bit of a character. They show him fartin’ at a table right off the bat! Can you believe it? A grown man, fartin’ in front of everyone! Guess that’s supposed to show he’s, whatchamacallit, “endearing”? I dunno, seems kinda rude to me, but hey, maybe that’s how them fancy folks roll.
- He’s got this grandson with him, a young whippersnapper named Temple. Temple’s supposed to be learnin’ the ropes, I guess, but mostly he just looks confused. Can’t blame him, all them French words flyin’ around would confuse anyone, I tell ya.
- Then there’s this other fella, Bancroft. He’s kinda shifty, if you ask me. Always sneakin’ around, whisperin’ in corners. He’s supposed to be helpin’ Franklin, but I ain’t so sure. He does manage to get Franklin some stuff he needs for printin’, though. That’s somethin’, I guess.
So, most of the episode is just Franklin meetin’ with these French bigwigs. They talk and talk and talk, about treaties and alliances and all that political mumbo jumbo. It’s hard to keep track of it all, to be honest. They use big words and act all high and mighty. Makes a body tired just listenin’ to ’em.
But here’s the gist of it: Franklin needs money, he needs weapons, and he needs France on our side. The French, well, they ain’t so sure. They like to play games, these Europeans. They don’t wanna jump in too quick, see? They gotta make sure it’s worth their while.
There’s a bit about Franklin tryin’ to be all charming and clever. He tells stories, he makes jokes, he even flirts with the ladies. Michael Douglas, the fella who plays Franklin, he does a pretty good job, I gotta say. He makes Franklin seem like a real person, even if he is a bit of a show-off sometimes.
And let’s not forget about all that French talkin’. They speak French pretty much the whole time, which I guess makes sense, seein’ as how they’re in France and all. But it means you gotta read them little words at the bottom of the screen, which is a pain, let me tell ya. At least they ain’t speakin’ English with some fake accents like they do in some of them other shows. Heard that The New Look show did that, and it just sounds plumb silly.
Now, I ain’t one for these history shows, usually. Too much talkin’, not enough action. But this Franklin show, it’s got somethin’ to it. Maybe it’s the way Michael Douglas plays him, all sly and witty. Or maybe it’s just the fact that it’s about our history, about how we became a country and all. Whatever it is, it kept me watchin’, even if I didn’t understand half of what they were sayin’.
They say this Franklin show is a miniseries, only eight episodes. So, I figure I can stick it out. See how the whole thing plays out. Maybe Franklin will get them Frenchies to help us out, maybe he won’t. Either way, it’ll be interestin’ to see how it all unfolds. This first episode, it sets the stage, ya know? Introduces the players and the problems. It ain’t exactly a barn burner, but it gets the job done.
The show jumps around a bit in time, too. One minute they’re in 1776, the next they’re showin’ somethin’ that happened earlier. Kinda keeps ya on your toes, I guess. And they show Franklin goin’ to the king’s council, tryin’ to make his case. That’s a big deal, seein’ as how the king is, well, the king. Gotta be pretty smooth to talk your way into that kinda situation.
So, yeah, that’s pretty much the first episode of Franklin in a nutshell. Lots of talkin’, lots of fancy folks, and one old fella fartin’ at a table. If you like that kinda thing, you’ll probably like the show. Me? I’m still on the fence. But I’ll give it another episode or two, see if it picks up the pace a bit. After all, it’s Michael Douglas, and he usually knows what he’s doin’. Plus, it is about history, and that’s somethin’ we ought to know about, even if it’s a bit dry sometimes.
