By Jamie Ruby

TNT's hit series Franklin & Bash returns for a third season starting Wednesday, June, 19th with two back-to-back episodes. The legal series stars Breckin Meyer (Jared Franklin) and Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Peter Bash) as lawyers who like to do things their own way. This season Heather Locklear joins the cast as Rachel King, the new partner at the firm who doesn't approve of their methods and tries to reign them in.

Meyer and Gosselaar recently talked to the digital media about the new season of the series.

Meyer talked to SciFi Vision about the addition of Rachel and the other changes at the firm. "I think with the addition of Rachel it is basically, you know, Stanton (Malcolm McDowell) always had this kind of blind threat to us, which was about the New York office, and I think by bringing Rachel in he really has - I mean he's gotten a little close to us - and it doesn't hurt to have somebody behind him, or next to him, who really doesn't like us.

"And I truthfully think Rachel genuinely - she knows we're good at our jobs, but I don't think she likes us very much, as opposed to [Stanton] who really does. And Stanton really does enjoy Jared and Peter. It reminds him of himself.

"And Rachel is much more of a corporate shill where she does not like them, doesn't like the way they do business, and they if they can bring in good clients she'll tolerate them. But I think it actually helps Malcolm's character keep a tighter leash on us by having Rachel around and by having Rachel in his hip pocket, so to speak."

Gosselaar talked to the site about the changes this could cause for the team. "I don't think they necessarily grow up. There's just now someone that's pushing back. I think what happened in the last season is that there were no boundaries for the guys. They kind of ran amuck, especially being equity partners with the firm, but there needed to be someone above them.

"And I think the show is its best when Franklin and Bash are up against some form of authority, someone above them. And whether they get that from a judge or whether they get that from, now, Rachel I think it strengthens our show.

"So I don't necessarily think they grow up. They kind of discuss the fact that they - are they going to continue this lifestyle forever? They are in talks of, you know, when we move, do we move separately or are we going to live together? But growing up - I think they are pretty grown up. They just have a different approach to things."

Franklin & Bash returns to TNT June 19th.

TNT Conference Call
Franklin and Bash
Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer

June 5, 2013
3:00 pm ET

SCIFI VISION: So can you talk a bit about Stanton’s changes and also the addition of Rachel to the firm, can you talk about how that’s going to change and affect their process at the firm?

BRECKIN MEYER: All right. Thanks Mark-Paul. I will do just that. I think with the addition of Rachel it is basically, Stanton always had this blind threat to us, which was about the New York office, and I think by bringing Rachel in he really has - I mean he’s gotten a little close to us - and it doesn’t hurt to have somebody behind him, or next to him, who really doesn’t like us.

And I truthfully think Rachel genuinely she knows we’re good at our jobs, but I don’t think she likes us very much, as opposed to [Stanton] who really does. And Stanton really does enjoy Jared and Peter. It reminds him of himself.

And Rachel is much more of a corporate shill where she does not like them, doesn’t like the way they do business, and they if they can bring in good clients she’ll tolerate them. But I think it actually helps Malcolm’s character keep a tighter leash on us by having Rachel around and by having Rachel in his hip pocket, so to speak.

QUESTION: So in addition to adding Rachel, obviously the big change this season seems to be that you guys are moving out of the house and moving to the beach house. How does that open up the world, if at all, and what kind of crazy adventures can we expect from these guys on the sands of Malibu?

BRECKIN MEYER: I’m going to give this over to Mark-Paul Gosselaar.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: All right, I’ll try not to bore everyone with my answer like you did with yours. Well, can we talk about the circumstances of why we’re living in Malibu, Breckin? Is that a big secret or is that something that we can talk about?

BRECKIN MEYER: No you can totally talk about it, but I’ve got to tell you you’re off to a shit start of not boring them.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: I agree with that, totally agree. We need to move somewhere else. We end up moving into Stanton’s old beach house. And I guess what that does for the show is it just gives it a different light where we were in Silver Lake and now we’re in Malibu, so of course we’re going to have different characters coming in.

And one of the characters that actually comes in towards the end of the season is Rob Lowe. He’s our neighbor and there’s a little storyline with him that’s sort of a runner that starts in the middle of the season and then ends at the finale.

But yes, the boys are on the beach and it’s just a different atmosphere. Breckin gets to take off his shirt, which is going to bring in huge ratings and...

BRECKIN MEYER: Anybody want to see a skinny white guy?

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Who doesn’t? That actually is a new show on TNT, Skinny White Guy.

But no, it gives us a breath of a different air, yes.

BRECKIN MEYER: I personally like the Silver Lake feel. There was something sort of dark about it, but it might have been a little too dark and this lightens it up and the guys get to go surfing, and the beautiful people, and it’s Malibu, who doesn’t love Malibu?

QUESTION: Was it nerve-racking or fun to strip in front of Heather Locklear?

BRECKIN MEYER: You know, we’ve both been (stripping) off camera for so long with Heather that I think it was really comfortable because we’ve been…No, I think I will say, we did the season premier with Piers Morgan where we’re naked and I was the one who drew the small straw, so to speak.

I was sitting next to Heather with my little naked cover and pack over me and I realized while I’m sitting there that this woman’s been married to Tommy Lee, who’s not less endowed than me, but it was a little nerve-racking.

And I think in general when you have to be naked on screen or shirtless and stuff it’s not the most comfortable experience and being next to Heather who has been around larger men ((inaudible)).

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Well Piers Morgan, he was a good sport as well and having to do that - we had to actually physically stand up in front Piers pretty much naked and he was a good sport about it.

QUESTION: Heather, on our call earlier today, said you guys had nice butts.

BRECKIN MEYER: Well, she’s not wrong.

QUESTION: So there you go. Tell me about having Heather on. Has it been a lot of fun with her and did she come in and was it clicking right away and everything?

BRECKIN MEYER: Yes. Mark-Paul, do you want to do this?

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Yes, she’s a sweetheart. She came on set, she’s always prepared, and she fit right in with the family, and has a great sense of humor and doesn’t take herself too seriously. She was a perfect fit for all of us on the set and the characters. And yes, I think she had a good time. We had a good time with her. Yes, she fit right in.

QUESTION: You have a new cast member, the blonde girl that’s moving in next door. Can you tell us more about her?

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: The blonde, oh the doctor...

QUESTION: The Australian.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Yes Nicky, played by Nicky Whelan. She and I have a romantic little thing going on that sort of - I guess it travels throughout the whole arc of the show this season. But yes, she’s a single mother, she’s a kinesiologist, she’s blonde, she’s probably a perfect woman for Bash.

And yes, they try to make things work throughout the whole season. So it’s just a fun little relationship color that we throw in this season. And then Breckin actually has...

QUESTION: I was going to ask that.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Yes Breckin, talk about your relationship, Breckin.

BRECKIN MEYER: My relationship, we had a guest on the first season, Rhea Seehorn, who plays D.A. Swatello, who her big quote that I loved from the first season was she wanted to stab herself in the eye with my tiny little body because she just hated Jared and hated Peter and we always beat her in court.

Rhea was on Whitney for the last two seasons, so we couldn’t get her that often. And now we were lucky enough to work it out that she could come and do a couple of episodes. And I think I speak for Mark-Paul and I both, she is one of our favorite guest stars we’ve had on the show. She’s just so game and so much fun and she’s such a fun adversary for Jared and Peter.

And this season she’s back and Jared and her go toe-to-toe and end up, even more so, end up - it gets a little heated in the argument department and then it gets a little heated in the bedroom, which is nice and fun. And so Jared has some angry sex this season, which is also another show coming to TNT called Angry Sex.

QUESTION: I had a question about working with Malcolm McDowell. I think most of us know him from his role in A Clockwork Orange and he seems like a pretty intimidating guy, but what’s he like to work with?

BRECKIN MEYER: Well he’s great. This show lives or dies with Malcolm, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and [my] relationship. And ever since the beginning Malcolm’s just so game. He’s been doing this so long, he’s been through all of the bullshit and he’s seen prima donnas and whatnot and he just loves working and he loves having a good time and he really enjoys the character and we just, I think, Mark-Paul and I both just adore him.

We went up to Ohio to go golfing with him and we were just giddy that we get to, you know, I love that I can call Malcolm McDowell my buddy, he’s so great. And he sets a really great tone on the set, which is know your stuff and we can have fun, but know your stuff. And yes, he’s just fantastic. Mark-Paul, do you want to add anything to that?

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Everyone always asks, “Is he as terrifying in person as he is on the screen?” And he can be, I guess, but you just realize what a terrific actor he is and just a terrific person in general. Family man, with his three little boys and his wife and they’re all lovely. You can’t say a bad thing about Malcolm.

SCIFI VISION: So do you think this season because of Rachel that the two of them are going to have to grow up a little bit maybe?

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Yes, I don’t think they necessarily grow up. There’s just now someone that’s pushing back. I think what happened in the last season is that there were no boundaries for the guys. They ran amuck, especially being equity partners with the firm, but there needed to be someone above them.

And I think the show is its best when Franklin and Bash are up against some form of authority, someone above them. And whether they get that from a judge or whether they get that from, now, Rachel, I think it strengthens our show.

So I don’t necessarily think they grow up. They discuss the fact that they - are they going to continue this lifestyle forever? They are in talks of, you know, when we move, do we move separately or are we going to live together? But growing up - I think they are pretty grown up. They just have a different approach to things.

QUESTION: I was hoping you guys could talk about translating your relationship and your working relationship, from Franklin and Bash to Men at Work. And Mark-Paul, if you could talk a little bit about your guest appearance on that show and Breckin, was it just literally saying to him, “Hey, come be on my show?”

BRECKIN MEYER: Mark-Paul and I, and it’s rare, but we have such a good working relationship and a personal relationship that it makes going to work just fun. We have such a shorthand with each other and we definitely know each other well enough to know when to leave the other one alone, or to bug the other one or not, and we have just a great time.

And the second we started Men at Work it was just a matter of - it wasn’t a matter of if, it was just a matter of when can I have Mark-Paul on the show and what would be the right role. And there were a couple of times and finally schedules lined up for the season finale when Mark-Paul was available.

And it was great because it’s a fun episode with a ton of people. I mean, there’s J.K. Simmons, and Kevin Corrigan, and Amy, I’m sorry, not Amy Smart, Meredith Hagner is in there, it’s a big wedding thing and Mark-Paul is there and it was kind of like our big fun Love Boat premiere. So I was glad to be able to bring him.

And as far as our working relationship, honestly, Mark-Paul can tell you if it’s different, but it’s really similar to how we work on Franklin and Bash. We just collaborate all of the time.

I didn’t let Mark-Paul say anything on that, I’m sorry, I didn’t let Mark-Paul answer that question and I should let him speak.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: No, no, no, that’s okay. I put it on mute every time you speak, so I didn’t really know whether or not you finished.

QUESTION: You were saying before that Jared gets a girlfriend and has some sex. So that means we get to see you with your shirt off again?

BRECKIN MEYER: My shirt’s definitely - well now, once they moved us to the beach that was kind of...

QUESTION: A given?

BRECKIN MEYER: Once they said we were going to the beach we both went to the gym.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Speak for yourself, buddy.

QUESTION: Are we going to get to see, I’m blanking on her name now, Claire Coffee again?

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: She did not make an appearance this last season. She’s kind of busy.

QUESTION: Yes, still on Grimm.

QUESTION: How long in the season are the guys going to stand for having their office split up?

BRECKIN MEYER: Not long.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Yes, that goes on for quite a bit. I don’t know, depending on how we air the shows, how long that wall stays up, but it stays up for at least three episodes or so. Yes, a little longer than the boys would have liked, but it’s definitely a tactic used by Rachel to try to split them up and really just to show that she has the power to do it more than anything else. Breckin?

BRECKIN MEYER: Yes, I believe what you just said. I think the guys don’t like the wall as much as Mark-Paul and I didn’t like having the wall there. So we definitely tried to get it down as quick as possible.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: That’s true.

QUESTION: You guys have a lot of pretty cool guest stars on this season and I was wondering if there was anybody who were just dying to have on the show for next season? Or this season, if they’re still shooting.

BRECKIN MEYER: Yes. We have our dream cast. I know we always wish that we could get Jeff Bridges to come on as Peter’s dad or something fun like that.

I think honestly we’ve been really lucky with the cast we get and occasionally we get to even make suggestions and bring people on. But I think there’s just so many. I think Mark-Paul’s mentioned Jeff Bridges. I’ve mentioned I’ve been dying to have Michael Keaton come on. If you have a show you’re hoping that you can go down your wish list and be like, “Well, I’ve always wanted to work with this person, so I wonder if we could get them?”

SCIFI VISION: So what continues to challenge you the most?

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: Working with Breckin. That’s pretty challenging. It’s been three years now. He hasn’t really changed. I thought that from when we filmed the pilot that he would change. You know, we dated and then we had the marriage and in the marriage he just never changed. So that’s been pretty challenging. What about you, sweetheart?

BRECKIN MEYER: What are the most challenging? Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve ever done a show. I’ve never done an hour-long drama and never done something that’s gone past season one, I think, or season two, really.

But I think keeping it fresh and interesting for not just the audience, but also for the actors, so you want to keep adding things and you want to keep the show going. You want it to be true to what it was, at the same time finding ways to make it new and exciting and interesting.

And I think that’s always a challenge with shows that go on, and knock on wood we get to keep doing it and hopefully keep evolving the characters.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: All kidding aside though, for us showing up to work is not a problem. We absolutely love the people that we work with, we like playing these characters, every day we come to work prepared and ready to work.

And it’s a shame that we only get to do ten because we always say ten goes by very quickly for us. And we would love to do more because we have such a great time on the set, and we have a great time with each other, and with the writers, and the producers, and the cast and the crew. We just have a great environment to work in. So there’s not much of a challenge for us to work on this show.

QUESTION: You guys have a really good onscreen rapport and you’re really funny together. Is all of that scripted or do you do any improv or anything like that?

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: No, we do improv quite a bit. Breckin is, obviously he’s talented in writing, so he can write. I think you kind of - you do that right? I don’t really know what your process is, but I think you do write a little bit at night, like alternates and stuff like that and I kind of riff off of your alternate.

BRECKIN MEYER: Yes, yes and I think we, knock on wood, the creators of the show, the exec producers, know now. We have all banded together. We know we’re all very comfortable with who these characters are and it’s now gotten to a point where we stray a bit for just the fun ins and outs of scenes we riff a lot. The night before I’ll go over something and come up with an idea of maybe an alternate reference or something, if it’s a pop culture thing or whatever.

But we always clear it with the producers and say, “Hey, what do you think of this?” And it’s such a collaborative environment down there that we just start riffing and to me that’s some of where, even if it’s just for us to keep it exciting and interesting, that’s something where the best stuff on the show, in my opinion, comes from is just the relationship between Jared and Peter, the little riffing they do; the capping on your friend; the goofing off.

And a lot of that comes on the day with Mark-Paul and I just giving the scene a couple of, you know, once you do the scene a couple of times you find something new, you find something fresh and it works. So we’ve been given a lot of leeway to be able to riff a bit.

MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: And the producers and writers know that we do it pretty selflessly and a lot of the times if there’s a note from you and I to each other, it’s for the other person. Like if there’s an alternate we sometimes hand over that alternate to the other character saying, “This would be funny if you did this.” So they know that we’re doing it for the betterment of the show and we’re not doing it in a way to be selfish and bring the spotlight onto one character or the other.