Californication – What’s the golf equivalent of zero percent?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I feel as if each season of Californication up to this point has been somewhat of a self-contained unit. Season one was our introduction to these characters, as well as Hank’s redemption when he won Karen back. Season two was Lew Ashby time, and season three was Hank the professor. So, if you had to sum it up in a few words, what would you call season four?

I think this is going to be the triumphant professional return of Hank Moody. I know I may sound crazy at this point, and the show certainly doesn’t travel in straight lines, but I believe that the evolution of Hank’s destructive book into a major motion picture will return him to the pinnacle of his profession. Will he be free from prison to enjoy it? That I couldn’t say.

But I think there’s going to be a message in there about the flawed artist, to a greater extent then we’ve seen before. Do Hank’s escapades detract from his talent? No way, and anyone who calls him a hack because he’s also a slut is crazy. Statutory rape, of course, is a whole different ball game, and I’m not about to make excuses for him about whether or not he should have known how old Mia was … the point is, as famous as he is now Hank has yet to really be recognized for how talented he is. I think that’s where season four is headed. Maybe the movie will open at number one on the same weekend that he reports to jail for a multi-year prison term.

Anyway, this week’s episode was fun. Watching Hank golf was insanely awesome; from the outfit to him murdering a golf swing the whole thing was completely — and enjoyably — out of character for Hank (and dare I say for David Duchovny as well?) That made it even more fun.

Alan Dale as Abby’s (Carla Gugino) boss Lloyd was great. I loved it when Lloyd tackled Hank as he peed in the sand trap (that I could see Hank doing). How funny was it that Hank was raking over the wet sand that he had peed on?

I don’t know if I see Michael Ealy and Karen together, but I do enjoy having him as a guest on the show. However, I was disappointed in those final moments of the episode when Karen was holding both Hank’s and Ben’s hand under the table. Because suddenly we’re back in season one, with Karen being torn between Hank and Bill (Damian Young). The fact that Hank spends his life like that means that it’s part of who he is. But for Karen, why do we have to experience the repeated big explosions between her and Hank if she’s never going to be able to move past him?

Karen practically spit on Hank earlier in the episode when he showed up with coffee. Fine, go with hatred for everything that he’s done to you, even as he’ll always own a piece of your heart. But we don’t need to watch her ditch another guy at the alter. I just don’t want to see that again.

It was kind of funny that Marcy, Charlie, and Stu (Stephen Tobolowsky) were pitching a show to Showtime. I don’t think I want to see a show about a waxologist to the stars, but it was a cute wink at their own show (when did the writers learn that they were writing Duchovny’s memoir?) But it wasn’t until later that I really read the significance of Charlie’s look when the three were out for celebratory drinks. Talking about a show that mirrors Marcy … Charlie still wants to be the love that she found and built a life with. It was kind of sweet, actually.

I’m not saying he didn’t sleep with Lloyd’s assistant anyway, but it was sad. I don’t like Marcy, but I would like Charlie to be happy. I wonder if the Runkles, and the baby that Marcy’s carrying, have a second (fifth?) chance in them.

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Feb 22, 2011 @ 15:30 EST5EDT