Californication – It’s all fun and games until someone gets shot in the arm

I’ve got to say that, while I wasn’t surprised that David Duchovny didn’t win a Golden Globe last night for his portrayal of Hank Moody, I am kind of surprised by the overall lack of recognition for the show and its actors. Duchovny and the show are really first class; what will it take for people to realize that?

I mean, last night’s episode of Californication only reinforced the idea. It looks like this season’s Hank family drama will finally pivot away from Hank and Karen and focus its sole attention on Becca. Hank’s well-founded disapproval of new boyfriend Tyler — I love Scott Michael Foster, even as this sleazy character! — has landed Tyler in the hospital, courtesy of Samurai Apocalypse (RZA) and friends, and my guess is that either Hank’s feelings of guilt, or some weird debt he’ll feel obligated to repay to “Sam,” will keep him in Los Angeles working on Samurai’s ridiculous project. That, and the lure of the lovely Kali (Meagan Good). I give it two more episodes before they’re together, and then another two before Samurai finds out and Hank once again screws up his next big break. Takers?

I think Foster’s character is going to be more about Hank and Becca than about him and Becca. If things were better between father and daughter, Hank could have easily taught Tyler a lesson himself, and then gone home to tell Becca about the kind of person her boyfriend really was. But given how screwed up their relationship is, Hank couldn’t even tell Becca, let alone do something about Tyler. So what happens now that Tyler’s in the hospital due to his dalliances? Season five of the show looks like it’s going to be about Hank and Becca connecting as adults. It’ll be painful for most of the season, but eventually I think Hank will come to understand what kind of father Becca needs him to be, while Becca will finally see in Hank the father she wants him to be. As for Foster, he probably won’t make it to the season finale … but I bet there’s a lot of great material with his name on it between now and then!

We’ve seen Charlie mixed up in some crazy stuff before, but now his toddler son is exposing himself to little girls in his nursery class? The three-way parent/teacher conference at the school was hilarious, especially given the personalities of the three people involved in Little Runk’s rearing. What does it say about Charlie that he’s comfortable with Stu being the moneybags in this situation? Is it a sign of Charlie’s maturation that he’s putting his son’s interests before his own feelings of inadequacy, or is it further proof of just how extensively Marcy emasculated him before they broke up? I think it’s a little of both.

Meanwhile, the scene with the little girl’s mother, Alison (Vanessa Angel), was pure insanity. Really, what is wrong with these people? Unfortunately I got a vibe from the new nanny of more seriously uncomfortable intimate moments in Charlie’s (and her) near future. Why can’t we look away from the train wreck that is his sex life?

And why can’t we look away from the train wreck that is Hank Moody?… Because he’s awesome.

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Jan 16, 2012 @ 11:02 EST5EDT