By Greg Baerg
Zap2it.com

LOS ANGELES -- Don Franklin's not quite sure what to think. The costar of UPN's three-year old science fiction show "Seven Days" finds it a little strange the network has decided to pull the show from the schedule early to make way for the new series "Special Unit 2."
 

It's kind of weird," he told Zap2it. "We don't know what's going on. I'm not sure if it bodes well.

Fans who think Franklin is concerned about the future of the show may be surprised the actor, who plays Captain Craig Donovan, actually won't shed too many tears if the show is canceled. Franklin says he regrets doing the show, saying it has wreaked "havoc" on his personal life.

"I signed on with the understanding that it was going to shoot in Los Angeles," explains the actor. "If I had known then what it was going to ultimately become I never would have done it."

It's not the first time a cast member has spoken out about the show. Several weeks ago, costar Justina Vail walked off the set, though she has since returned to finish the season. Franklin calls her actions "ironic ... because she is the best treated of everyone."

Still, Franklin does enjoy working with costars Jonathan LaPaglia, Nick Searcy and Alan Scarfe. "I actually have a good time with the guys. We just have a blast. We have a great time on set; we have a great time off the set."

Though he doesn't receive too much fan mail, Franklin also enjoys checking out what viewers say about the series on the Internet.

"I pretty regularly read the newsgroup postings. It's just fascinating the attention people pay to the show. And it's kind of nice we have intelligent viewers.

"A lot of the problems that we as actors have with the show and its logic and its departures from logic in many cases the fans pick up on it."

One of those problems may be the fact that Donovan, as second banana, has never been able to backstep on the series.

"It's never going to happen," Franklin laughs. "It's a mandate."

In addition, Donovan has a unique distinction: he's been killed the most times on the series. 

"We stopped (counting) this year because I am just so clearly in the lead," Franklin says. "Recently they changed an episode where I was actually killed in back-to-back episodes. They said, `We can't kill him two weeks in a row."'

While he may have some issues with his current gig, Franklin still prefers doing television to theater. He started his career at the age of 14, dancing and performing musical comedy. If it's up to him, he knows what he'll do next -- a sitcom.

"That's the perfect combination between doing film and live theater," he says. "It rocks."

Franklin even has the perfect idea for a show.

"The new 'Friends.' I should say the real 'Friends,' where there are actually people of color in a major metropolitan city."

But it looks like Franklin will have to wait at least one more year before tackling that project. "Seven Days" is expected to be renewed and if it is, he will be along for the ride.

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Visit the 7 Days Web site at http://www.upn.com/shows/sevendays/sevenlog.htm.