CALIFORNICATION 1.6 – "Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fonder"

Writers: Tom Kapinos & Eric Weinberg
Director: Ken Whittingham

Cast: David Duchovny (Hank Moody), Natascha McElhone (Karen Van Der Beek), Madeleine Martin (Rebecca), Madeline Zima (Mia), Evan Handler (Charlie), Damian Young (William "Bill" Cross), Pamela Adlon (Marcy), Lance Barber (Mia's Teacher), Rachel Miner (Dani), Michelle Lombardo (Venice Beach Girl), Daisy Gardner (Crusty Cashier), Dana Michael Woods (Emcee), Robert Gilling (Band Member #1), Jory Glick (Band Member #2), Shira Kreitenberg (Band Member #3) & Myles Trifon (Band Member #4)

Hank is robbed by a one-night stand, goes to see his daughter perform in a Battle Of The Bands concert, before having to come to Mia's aide...

Karen: What would you do if our little spawn actually became, like, a rock star?
Hank: I would be really proud of her.
Karen: You would?
Hank: And I would be there to help pump her stomach when she OD'd.

It's the half-way mark of Californication's first season, and the show has done an incredible job of crafting a memorable new TV character in the shape of Hank Moody (David Duchovny), and it's one of the easiest shows to watch in a marketplace stuffed with complex mythologies, labyrinthine plotting and huge ensembles. But, I've yet to see an episode be anything more than an enjoyable diversion.

Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fonder is another series of events for Hank, who we find swigging from a bottle whilst doing some late-night shopping in his shades. As luck would have it, a Venice Beach Girl (Michelle Lombardo) is sniffing around him, and becomes a damsel-in-distress for Hank to bed when he pays for her purchases. Unfortunately, the Girl turns out to be an opportunist thief who steals Hank's guitar and vintage LPs while he sleeps, although Hank seems robust to whatever life throws at him. Hey, the sex was probably worth the vinyl...

From there, Hank is again granted plenty of opportunities to make a play for his ex-wife Karen (Natascha McElhone), who might be weeks away from marrying someone else, but seems to be always willing to spending more time with Hank than fiance Bill...

The proud parents attend their daughter Becca's "Battle Of The Bands" concert at school, where she surprisingly rocks the place, but Hank is called away by Mia (Madeline Zima) -- the underage daughter of his ex-wife's fiance, who he's secretly slept with...

Mia's a sexy little control freak, who enjoys winding Hank up, and here concocts a story that she's about to be forced into a threesome against her will -- when in fact she's perfectly safe in the home of her junkie school teacher (Lance Barber).

Elsewhere, Hank's agent Charlie (Evan Handler) is still unable to stop getting his sexual kicks from playing "master" to his secretary's "slave", relishing making Dani (Rachel Miner) crawl around the floor on a whim. His wife, Marcy (Pamela Adlon), is still unsuspecting of her husband's antics, and his attempt to get her similarly interested in bondage and spanking fails miserably...

As always, it's all naughty fun and the writing is deft and witty, with the show held together by Duchovny's revelatory performance and fine support from the rest of the cast. The problem is, after 6 episodes, Californication hasn't really done much. I can predict where everything is headed, and while the episodes themselves are amusing and entertaining, the overall direction is a little plodding and not exactly compelling.

The show seems unable to provide the same level of writing quality that's been bestowed on Hank Moody's character. He's a great creation, but I wish he was being given something exciting and multi-faceted to do -- instead of variations on shagging every attractive woman who throws him a glance, flirting with his ex, tensing up around Mia and spitting venom at Bill.

There are another 6 episodes left to go, so I hope Californication will get out of its holding pattern and begin to fly into new directions, before the narrative's repetition becomes something even Duchovny's charisma can't counter.


15 November 2007
Five, 10.00 pm

CALIFORNICATION 1.5 – "LOL"

Writer: Susan McMartin
Director: Brad Freundlich

Cast: David Duchovny (Hank Moody), Natascha McElhone (Karen Van Der Beek), Madeleine Martin (Rebecca), Madeline Zima (Mia), Evan Handler (Charlie), Damian Young (William "Bill" Cross), Pamela Adlon (Marcy), Lance Barber (Mia's Teacher), Henry Rollins (Himself), Camille Langfield (Sandy Carr), Amy Price-Francis (Meredith), Jaoquin Pastor (Dave) & Amy Okuda (Mia's Classmate)

Bill asks Hank to be a guest speaker at Mia's creative writing class, while Becca develops a crush on her guitar teacher Dave...

"Hey. You know, it's not fair to say BRB and then never actually BRB."
-- Hank Moody (David Duchovny)

Californication has a pleasant indie spirit; with its Red Hot Chilli Peppers-inspired title, refusal to be a standard hour-long drama, vague 60s vibe with its opening 16mm titles and flashy shots of the Golden State throughout. It's hip, trim, naughty, and comfortable in its own skin -- much like its protagonist Hank Moody (David Duchovny).

That said, episode 5 is a noticeable lull that mainly just stirs new ingredients into the mix. There's better focus on Charlie's wife Marcy (Pamela Adlon), who isn’t the expected cold fish whose made her husband engage in saucy overtime with his secretary. No, instead she's sexually experimental and offers anal sex within seconds of her appearance – but perhaps her dominance is what's crushing Charlie's manhood?

Like every episode thus far, LOL is content to breeze through some amusing scenarios, in-between cheeky/witty banter with its characters. The main amusement this week comes from Bill (Damian Young) asking Hank to replace him as speaker at Mia's creative writing class. Hank agrees, in exchange for Bill's snazzy new coat, and proceeds to wow the giggling classroom of girls with his "rock star" good-looks and chilled-out attitude.

It's a testament to the show that someone as fortunate and lucky as Hank can still be quite engaging to watch. While Americans value and revere success, us Brits are more pessimistic and cynical. I fully expected to hate someone like Hank – with his successful career, big house, beautiful ex-wife, cute daughter and frequent sexual partners... but it hasn't quite worked out that way.

I still don't particularly feel Hank's got anything to moan about in the grand scheme of things – but his charisma and comical sexploits gloss over any jealousy. His character's success is a simple case of "men want to be him, women want to bed him."

Becca (Madeleine Martin) gets a small subplot, of sorts, as she has a crush on her guitar teacher Dave (Jaoquin Pastor), who also charms her mother (Natascha McElhone) -- confirming she's a former rock-chick -- and is later seen taking Mia (Madeline Zima) for a spin in his car. I'm not sure where this storyline will go, but it's another complexity to play with, so we'll see.

With a few new characters introduced and subplots started, one comes to a close as Hank breaks up with Meredith (Amy Price-Francis) – well, she breaks up with him – because her married former lover has finally left his wife. Hank's okay with being used like this, as it's nothing he doesn't do himself most weeks!

There's the usual zinging dialogue to savour – particularly regarding internet slang (hence the title), and Hank's views on how the web's essentially a bad influence on people, particularly for the English language. As he notes himself, he's part of his perceived problem, as his Hell-A blog is mentioned as being very popular.

Overall, LOL wasn't the most interesting episode, as the creative writing scenes didn’t lead anywhere and the guitar tutor subplot was quite short. Other than that, the only important development was between Hank/Meredith in the dying moments, but this was still a witty and humorous diversion -- even though it was just coasting along.


8 November 2007
Five, 10.10 pm

CALIFORNICATION 1.4 – "Fear And Loathing At The Fundraiser"

Writer: Daisy Gardner
Director: Michael Lembeck

Cast: David Duchovny (Hank Moody), Natascha McElhone (Karen Van Der Beek), Madeleine Martin (Rebecca), Madeline Zima (Mia), Evan Handler (Charlie), Damian Young (William "Bill" Cross), Rachel Miner (Dani), John Scarangello (Hollywood Jerk), Chris Williams (Todd Carr), Camille Langfield (Sandy Carr), Amy Price-Francis (Meredtih), Robert Merrill (Jonathan Mandel) & Kathy Christopherson (Nikki Mandel)

Meredith convinces Hank to escort her to an environmental fundraiser. Coincidentally, Bill and Karen are at the same event -- and Karen makes a scene...

Becca: Do you remember what you used to do for me when I couldn't sleep?
Hank: Dose you with opiates?
Becca: No. Look at the ocean and count mermaids.
Hank: I did do that. I'm a better father than I thought.

Fear And Loathing At The Fundraiser is less hectic than previous episodes, essentially focusing on one event and featuring practically no bed-hopping antics for Hank (David Duchovny). For now, he's dating Meredith (Amy Price-Francis), who drags him to an environmental fundraiser, primarily to make a married man jealous – which Hank doesn't really mind that much.

As luck would have it, Hank's ex-wife Karen (Natascha McElhone) is at the same event with fiancé Bill (Damian Young), and reveals an interesting new vibe to her character – visually in evidence with a tattoo on her left shoulder blade. Here, Karen brashly stands up for herself when a man bumps into her and calls her the c-word. Bill is eager to avoid making a scene, whereas Karen is more interested in getting an apology from the foulmouthed creep.

It's the first clear evidence that Karen and Bill have very different ways of dealing with life, with Karen's attitude much closer to Hank's. Indeed, when Hank learns about what happened, he immediately punches the creep.

As usual, most of the episode's enjoyment comes from watching super-confident Hank glide around between people, spitting out quips. Like House, the show rests almost entirely on the shoulders of its lead (perhaps more so, as there's little life-and-death drama anywhere). Duchovny makes for an immensely likable and suave lead, but Hank isn't someone you'd really want to trade places with. Well, not forever.

The only other recurring plot so far revolves around Charlie (Evan Handler) who has been developing his naughty relationship with Dani (Rachel Miner), who here strips to deliver paperwork in her teeth and later becomes Charlie's personal lingerie-clad model for an impromptu office photo-shoot. It's little more than cheeky fun, deflated when Hank catches them red-handed.

After the opening episodes sketched Hank as a sex-obsessed playboy, the recent episodes have begun to give him more refinement. He seems like a good friend to have (a shoulder to cry on), stands up for those he loves (Karen) and his relationship with daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin) is surprisingly tender.

So yes, at the moment Californication is doing a decent job, although the lack of a major plot (beyond the Hank/Karen/Bill/Mia love.. square?) could soon become an issue. At the moment, it's just pleasant to watch Duchovny, McElhone and Handler do their stuff, helped along by the zingy dialogue, inherent sauciness, and nudity...

But that could become a little stale unless Hank's given something meatier to grapple with, and not just opine the fact he's writing a blog (ooh, the very idea!) and waltz through scenes being smooth.


1 November 2007
Five, 10.00 pm

CALIFORNICATION 1.3 – "The Whore Of Babylon"

Writer: Tom Kapinos

Director: Scott Winant

Cast: David Duchovny (Hank Moody), Natascha McElhone (Karen Van Der Beek), Madeleine Martin (Rebecca), Madeline Zima (Mia), Evan Handler (Charlie), Rachel Miner (Dani), Damian Young (William "Bill" Cross), Amy Price-Francis (Meredith), Kathy Christopherson (Nikki Mandel), Robert Merrill (Jonathan Mandel) & Chris Williams (Todd Carr)

Hank ends up in jail after brawling with the director of his book adaptation, and then finds a new connection to Meredith. Meanwhile, Charlie discovers a naughtier side to his assistant Dani...

Hank: You looking for a dick punch?

Bill: Do you want to punch me in the dick?

Hank: I kinda do, yeah. But standing here talking about it is beginning to sound pretty gay.

At the moment, Californication is one of those shows that I can't get terribly enthused about watching, despite its quality. That said, the moment I do watch, I'm very glad I did and it's very enjoyable. David Duchovny is a revelation for anyone who dismissed him as a mumbling pretty-boy chasing aliens, giving a charismatic performance as reckless lothario Hank Moody.

The Whore Of Babylon thankfully gets down to business, after two episodes of character moments drowning out much of a story. The short runtime doesn't allow Californication to become more than breezy incidents with a loose connection, but it's a style I'm finding easy to digest. Unlike many other shows, it doesn't outstay its welcome -- it's get in, have some fun with Hank, get out: just like how women treat the novel-writing Don Juan!

The opening scene has Hank brawling with Todd Carr (Chris Williams), the man who directed the crass film adaptation of his book, landing him in jail, only to be bailed out by his ex-wife's fiancé Bill (Damian Young) -- a character who finally grows a back-bone when Hank's belittles him once again.

This episode also involves a surprising return for Meredith (Amy Price-Francis), the woman Hank psychologically tore apart in the Pilot. After a chance meeting at a bar, it's not long before Meredith becomes another notch on the bedpost for Hank, and inspires him to steal back her beloved dog Cat Stevens – who was mistaken for a gift by her married lover's wife.

With Californication in grave danger of becoming The Hank Moody Show, it's nice to see Hank's agent Charlie (the great Evan Handler) given an interesting subplot. Here, he sacks his incompetent assistant Dani (Rachel Miner), only to retract her dismissal when he discovers provocative photos of her on the internet...

It's a funny and sexually quirky idea, but it becomes even more amusing when Charlie realizes Dani loves domination – and is later only too willing to become his naughty secretary in need of a good spanking...

Overall, I'm really enjoying Californication at the moment, mainly because of Duchovny's superb performance and the refreshing treatment of sex. But I'm yet to be totally enslaved by its cheeky/dirty charms – because, once you take away Hank and the sex scenes – it's a fairly standard relationship drama about a fractured family.

It's Sex & The City for straight men, but without all the pretentious twaddle and a character you believe might actually exist -- and appeals to both sexes.


25 October 2007
Five, 10.00 pm

CALIFORNICATION 1.2 - "Hell-A Woman"

Writer: Tom Kapinos

Director: Scott Winant

Cast: David Duchovny (Hank Moody), Natascha McElhone (Karen Van Der Beek), Madeleine Martin (Rebecca), Madeline Zima (Mia), Evan Handler (Charlie), Damian Young (William "Bill" Cross), Rachel Miner (Dani), Pamela Adlon (Marcy), Paula Marshall (Sonja), Lucy Davis (Nora) & L. E. Brooke (The Blonde)

Hanks goes to a party with his ex-wife Karen, her new fiance Bill, his daughter Becca, and their mutual friends. Unfortunately, he soon realizes Karen's trying to set him up with a Scientologist friend of hers...

"Why is the city of angels so hellbent on destroying its female population?"

-- Hank Moody (David Duchovny)

Aren't those opening credits awful? No matter, because Californication takes another solid, if unremarkable, step forward in episode 2. While Hell-A Woman lacks an involving plot (everything is more a series of incidents), it's all held together by strong performances and an undercurrent of dirtiness.

Hank (David Duchovny) meets his ex-wife's fiance Bill Cross (Damian Young), and wastes no time in demeaning him and making a play for his former lover. It's patently clear Hank is a confident dog, with a smart mouth, low morals and rampant appetite for sex. There are also more scenes of female nudity for the more salacious viewer; from "The Blonde" (porn star Brooke Banner, credited as L.E Brooke, and giving a decent performance!) to middle-aged Scientologist Sonja (Paula Marshall), who Hank is set up with by ex-wife Karen (Natascha McElhone).

Hank's family life is dysfunctional, in that he's clearly still obsessed with Karen (who even makes imagined appearances in his car), and doesn't try to hide it -- not even from her new fiance! He also has an amusing relationship with daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin), as they pass each other cash as penance for bad language. A parent-child bond clearly means a lot to Hank, as he even passes up sex with the aforementioned porn star, because her baby began to cry for its mother in the next room.

The complication that provided a twist in the Pilot is returned to here, as Hank's conquest Mia (Madeline Zima) -- his ex-wife's fiance's daughter, keep up -- clearly relishes teasing him about it. Some under the table touchy-feely at a social gathering and veiled allusions to their activity is the order of the day. Cleverly, as Hank would likely enjoy rubbing Bill's nose in the fact he's bedded his daughter, the main concern Hank has is that Mia's only 16 years old.

Work-wise, Hank grudgingly accept a job with Hell-A Woman magazine as a website blogger and offers "Hank Hates You All" as his first post -- a witty indictment of how L.A destroys women's femininity with plastic surgery (particularly "vagina rejuvenation") and shaved pubis.

Lucy Davis (The Office) makes another US drama appearance following her supporting role in Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip. As Hell-A Woman rep Nora, she's essentially playing the same character from Studio 60 -- again trapped in twee, twittering English girl mode. Davis was memorably cute in The Office, but can't seem to progress into anything else, so just devolves her Dawn character.

Overall, Californication is an amusing and entertaining character study. The storylines, so far, don't amount to much, but Duchovny's charismatic performance, clever dialogue, some intriguing relationships, full-frontal nudity and a pleasantly short running time, makes it a very easy watch. This episode also contains a wonderful moment of sex-farce; involving a naked Scientologist ("You are one kinky Thetan!"), drug-taking, an expensive painting and vomit...


18 October 2007
Five, 10.00 pm

CALIFORNICATION 1.1 - "Pilot"

Writer: Tom Kapinos
Director: Stephen Hopkins

Cast: David Duchovny (Hank Moody), Madeline Zima (Mia), Natascha McElhone (Karen Van Der Beek), Evan Handler (Charlie), Madeleine Martin (Rebecca), Pamela Adlon (Marcy), Amy Price-Francis (Meredith), Michelle Nordin (Nun/Heather), Camille Langfield (Sandy Carr), Stephen Sowan (Drunk Kid), Don Abernathy (Restaurant Patron), Michael H. Barnett (Gawky Dweeb), Craig T. Kelly (Threesome Guy), Philip Shahbaz (Man On Cell Phone), Alison Mei Lan (Hot Woman), Miriam T. Green (Penny Lyons) & Chase Penny (Tattooed Millionaire)

Sex-addict novelist Hank Moody discovers his 12-year-old daughter is becoming sexually aware...

"Now you're giving me that look, right now; like I fingerbanged your cat."

-- Hank Moody (David Duchovny)

"Fuck". The final, typewritten words that close Californication's opening episode just about sums up the entire show's content. There's a lot of nookie going on; meaning copious breast shots, sexual language and David Duckovny's backside -- a sight which, on The X-Files, was more elusive than those little green men.

Duchovny stars as Hank Moody, a character whose name also says it all. Hank's a highly-sexed, lovable, laconic, cynical, novelist. His book "God Hates Us All" has just been adapted into a crass rom-com called "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love" -- so Hank's idea of pay-back is to bed the director's wife.

Hank typically lusts after "unobtainable" women, with the ultimate example arriving in an opening dream sequence about a blowjob-giving nun. Away from his middle-aged sexploits, Hank has a 12-year-old daughter called Becca (Madeleine Martin), from his failed marriage to Karen (Natascha McElhone), who has now moved in with unseen fiance Bill...

The Pilot does a marvelous job of introducing Hank and laying down his lifestyle and bed-hopping personality. Sadly, it doesn't really do much else -- with a rather perfunctory storyline about Becca beginning to notice boys at school, eventually leading to her parents stealing her away from a late-night party.

Along the way, there are some blackly comic scenes; Hank getting in a tustle with a social irritant at a cinema, brazenly insulting a woman at dinner, sleeping with a sexy bookworm called Mia (Madeline Zima) and bemoaning his daughter's fondness for Pirates Of The Caribbean.

David Duchovny is well-cast as Hank; with his smoldering good-looks and smart line delivery given sharper focus than it ever was on X-Files. He's cynical and rude, yet remains likable and charismatic. Duchovy also relishes acting in something where the show rests on his performance, and has great fun subverting the somewhat-celibate character of Mulder.

The supporting cast are peripheral to Hank's misadventures, although Natascha McElhone is an intriguing presence as Karen Van Der Beek, his stunning ex-wife who clearly had enough of his womanizing ways -- but is forever tied to him via their daughter Becca. McElhone and Duchovny have a believable chemistry together and there's clearly going to be a will-they-won't-they component to Californication's subsequent episodes.

Madeleine Martin is also enjoyable as young teen Becca, although I'm not convinced she would be the offspring of a Duchovny/McElhone union. But Martin turns in a nice performance that doesn't grate, and also gets the best line when she stumbles upon her dad's bedroom conquest: "There's no hair on her vagina. Do you think she's okay?"

It's difficult to say if Californication is a series worth making a point to watch, but Hank Moody is certainly a memorable character, and the show's open attitude to sex gives it an edge over comparatively mundane relationship shows. It's naughty, high-energy fun, without a weak-link in the cast assembled. Duchovny is on particularly fine form. Mind you, it risks devolving into lazy sex-obsessed tedium, unless the other characters are fleshed out and a real direction for Hank is established...


11 October 2007
Five, 10.00 pm