Californication – What Hank really needs are consequences

Don’t get me wrong … I’m certainly glad for Hank. He got off pretty easy on last night’s season finale of Californication: three years probation, a $25,000 fine, and two hundred and eighty-eight hours of community service. The judge said she weighed what the absence of a father would do to a young woman, i.e. Becca, in deciding not to give Hank jail time. But is that really what’s best for him?

I find it difficult to separate Hank’s obvious crime of sleeping with an underage girl from the fact that he didn’t know she wasn’t eighteen. I believe that the act itself must be punished, and yet I’m left wondering if there are any other crimes, aside from murder, where we punish someone who had no intent to commit a crime. I’m not sure.

In my mind what Hank needs to be punished for, or rather what he needs some alone time to reflect upon, is his behavior in general. Hank’s been out-of-control this entire season, and unless he’s forced to evaluate his life he never will. It’s scary to think about what road Hank might find himself wandering down if left unchecked.

Even more confusing was where the episode left us for the hiatus. Karen and Becca are off with Ben and Pearl on an RV road trip, while Hank’s stumbling around a faux version of his real life, sleeping with faux Karen and lusting after faux Mia. Granted the season closed on Hank driving off into the sunset, and one could wonder whether he was in fact chasing after Karen and Becca, but personally I don’t think that matters. Californication thrives on drama, and the season finale left us with none. Should we expect same-old same-old come next year?

None of this, by the way, is to say that I didn’t enjoy the episode, just that I question some of its creative choices.  The best moment sprinkled memories of the season three premiere at the Koons’ house — dinner at Marcy and Stu’s was awesome.

By then Eddie Nero (Rob Lowe) already made his transition for the movie and had gone all Hank Moody. The hair looked a bit limp and the voice wasn’t even close, but I loved how Eddie hit on Karen even with Ben sitting right there. Sasha (Addison Timlin) showed up with some random production guy who was lucky to be holding onto her skirt for the time being, Hank brought lady lawyer Abby, and Charlie brought crazy Peggy (Melissa Stephens) the realtor.

For once it actually wasn’t Hank who made a scene, but rather first Eddie, and then Marcy and Charlie. Charlie’s admission of his love for Marcy led Marcy to come clean about the baby — congratulations Charlie! — and then Peggy to stab Charlie in the hand. Ouch! I think had Marcy not jumped over the table and attacked Peggy, Peggy and Charlie would have been on the floor in under a minute having sex; instead it looked like Peggy probably went home with Eddie. From what we know, they’re made for one another.

While it didn’t appear as if Charlie and Marcy were getting back together in the end, this could be the start of some sort of normalized relationship between the two, which would be a first. Meanwhile, Hank’s still out there floating free. Will he go after Abby? Will he go back to his apartment? Who knows. But will any of that keep you wondering for the next nine months? Now that’s the real question.

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Mar 28, 2011 @ 12:00 EST5EDT