Like Weeds, Californication is another one of Showtime’s series that lost its way more and more with each successive season. The first season gave viewers a taste of David Duchovny as the sex-addicted author Hank Moody and exactly how much trouble he could get into when he let his libido make his decisions, and the chaos that ensued set up plenty of familial and professional drama. Within that premise, the show managed to keep the laughs going for a solid season and a half. By the end of the second season, however, Hank’s reckless behavior began to wear on the audience just as it did his ex-girlfriend and their daughter. From there on out, Californication became little more than an endless parade of Hank’s conquests and the consequences they brought upon him.
In fact, that’s the entire point of the fourth season: after the world discovers that Hank was the true author behind the popular novel “Fucking and Punching”, Mia, who claimed to have written it after stealing it from Hank decides to divulge the truth about their sexual encounter from the first season when she was just 16. Now, Hank’s on trial for statutory rape with an attorney less than convinced of his moral fiber doing her best to mount his defense. It doesn’t help that “Fucking and Punching”, the novel that depicts his relationship with Mia, is now being adapted into a feature film starring a fan of Hank’s work and produced by a man sleeping with Runkle’s soon-to-be ex-wife. If that’s the silver lining of Hank’s clouded life, then the thunder and lightning is his relationship with his daughter and ex-girlfriend who all but hate his guts.
Despite being a show about an irresponsible lout who makes one bad decision after another in a quest by the writer’s to create a character who should be impossible to love, Californication hinges upon the innate charisma of Duchovny and his ability to play the lovable loser. He succeeds too, because even as the show spins its wheels, the smart-ass comments of Hank Moody and his laid back response to virtually every obstacle give it all just enough levity to make it halfway decent entertainment. As a Duchovny fan from his X-Files days, seeing him back as the lead of a television show is a treat, but when a show lacks any room for progress it starts to eat at the patience. There was potential for Californication when it started, but it’s officially in a rut, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to get out any time soon.
Sadly, save for the introduction of the trial, the struggle of Hank Moody to win back the love of the two women in his life sees no real change. One episode they love him, the next three they hate him, and it fluctuates back and forth for the entire season’s duration. At this point, the only thing really keeping the casual viewer engaged is the crass comedy that fills the gaps between the stories. Yes, the rapport between Duchovny, Handler and Adlon makes for some fantastic laughs, and the stress placed on that trio by the divorce means the barbs fly between them faster than normal, but it’s just not enough to keep the series from feeling stale. It begs the question of whether or not Californication has any real future, because the relationships of Hank Moody have taken so many beatings that him getting forgiveness is the last place the show can go, but also downright impossible.
DVD Bonus Features
The extras are rather disappointing if you’re a fan of the show expecting to get any kind of inside look into the series. Instead, the extras are the first and second episodes for seasons of Gigolos, Episodes, and, if your DVD player connects to the internet, The Borgias. The shows have potential but you can’t help but wish there was something on the discs pertinent to the one you just watched.
"Californication: The Fourth Season" is on sale November 1, 2011 and is not rated. Comedy, Drama. Directed by Bart Freundlich, John Dahl, David Von Ancken. Written by Tom Kapinos, Gabriel Roth. Starring Carla Gugino, David Duchovny, Natascha McElhone, Pamela Adlon, Madeleine Martin, Evan Handler.
