Remember the amazing season three of Californication? If you missed the recap before last night’s premiere, you may have forgotten the heart wrenching finale that aired at the end of last season. The episode where Hank told Karen the truth about him and Mia, and their happy life together (potentially) ended for good. If you’ll recall, after punching a cop — and beating on Mia’s boyfriend Paul Rider (James Frain) pretty good — Hank ended up in jail.
The season four premiere opened with his release from prison, Charlie awaiting him with cigarettes and booze. Ah, ever the good agent.
It was obvious that this season Hank would be dealing with the fallout of his revelation on the home front. No surprise then that Karen doesn’t want him at home. No surprise as well that Becca believes in Hank’s innocence. I’m just glad that due to circumstances we may get a reprieve from her for the season.
But what I’m (additionally) very into are the other two stories that seem to be taking shape. One is the statutory rape charge that Hank got slapped with at the end of the episode. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with that thread, and whether or not Mia — and Karen — steps up to save him.
The other interesting bit is that Hank’s book, rightfully back at home with him, is being turned into a movie, the screenplay for which he’s being asked to write. The series opened with Hank wailing on the guy who turned his first book into a terrible movie. It’s interesting that he’d get in bed with Hollywood once again.
And I wonder what, if anything, Sasha Bingham (Addison Timlin) is going to mean to Hank. Was it just me or did she totally look like a little kid when she answered the door … in her underwear? The actress is over eighteen, and I assume the character she’s playing is meant to be as well, but Hank really needs to start looking out for himself.
I wasn’t crazy about the surprise appearance of Carla Gugino as Hank’s lawyer Abby Rhodes, better known to some as Vince’s one-time agent Amanda Daniels on Entourage. I really disliked her on Entourage, and I’d hate for Hank to bed her … I realize it might seem to have made more sense for me to say that I don’t think I’ll like her here, but, really, what are the odds that Hank won’t sleep with her? I just kind of skipped a step in my thought process.
I’m an on-again, off-again Charlie Runkle fan, and I was feeling him last night. Last season he was kind of pathetic, trying to get back a woman he made no sense with. But I liked him as a guy who has a goal for himself: sleeping with 89 (now 88) more women to make it a round 100. He’ll never succeed, but at least he won’t be weak Charlie Runkle as he attempts it. That alone is worth something.
I’m super thrilled that Californication is back! It’s hands down one of the best shows on TV. Period.
![Californications finale left me feeling cold and alone [51zUPAJuTIL. SL160 ] (IMAGE)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51zUPAJuTIL._SL160_.jpg "Californications finale left me feeling cold and alone [51zUPAJuTIL. SL160 ] (IMAGE)")
![Californications finale left me feeling cold and alone [51WLeoOWvQL. SL160 ] (IMAGE)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WLeoOWvQL._SL160_.jpg "Californications finale left me feeling cold and alone [51WLeoOWvQL. SL160 ] (IMAGE)")
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Jan 10, 2011 @ 15:00 EST5EDT
In the spirit of the show I’ll say it was a fucking incredible premiere. Everything about it hit high marks. And, I hope Brett watched because Addison Timlin (or her chest double) has great breasts.
I knew Hank would eventually be arrested for statutory rape, but I don’t know how that can stick when there was no indication she was 16. She will certainly be a witness and called to testify. Don’t they already know what was written, while it had a basis in fact was, indeed, fiction? It’s not like once he found out he said – “Oh goodie! You’re 16! Lemme at ya!”
His sex with Sasha and the repeated punching gave a new meaning to the phrase “beat yourself up over it.”
Duchovny looked all kinds of sexy. He just keeps getting better looking. I realize that has no relevance to the conversation at all, but as far as eye candy goes, he has all bases covered in this girl’s eyes.
As I was watching, I was actually using the verbal equivalent of “squee” because I was so happy to have it back, and in such great form.
*POST AUTHOR*
Californication kind of took me by surprise. Season one was great, but it wasn’t until midway through season two, when we finally started to see inside Lew Ashby, that it blew me away. And then last season? Wow. Remember the premiere where Hank gets the author drunk at dinner and he strips down and jumps out the window?
The question is whether or not Mia will feel the need to “come clean.” If she tells the truth, it doesn’t matter whether Hank wouldn’t have known in a million years that she was under age — the law says he’s culpable.
That’s one of the things I love about Duchovny in this role: everything about Hank totally makes sense coming from him. Women staring at him all the time is the least of it, but I hear you!
Last season was so great I hoped he would have stayed a teacher.
I only got to watch the first episode this season because of the free Showtime weekend.
I watched all of the first season, it was very up and down, season 2 was so bad I didn’t even think I would watch season 3, thankfully I did, it was amazing. I have high hopes for this season, and the premiere was great, but not as great as season 3.