Sophisticated and unique, this comedy centers on novelist Hank Moody (David Duchovny) who struggles to raise his teenage daughter with his on-again/off-again girlfriend in Southern California. His obsession with truth-telling and self destructive behavior — drinks, drugs, and relationships — are both destroying and enriching to his career.When we last left transplanted New Yorker and “debauched moralist” Hank Moody (David Duchovny), he was reunited with his ex-girlfriend and runaway bride Karen (Natascha McElhone) and his beloved daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin). Sounds like the makings of a happy-ever-after ending, but Hank’s life is no fairy tale. Or maybe it is. Though a total screw-up, he remains irresistible to a bevy of women who throw themselves at him, from the nurse participating in his vasectomy to an A-list prostitute (“You really got under my skin, Hank Moody”). The new Hank is determined to make grown-up and responsible decisions, but before the dust has settled on the season opener, he once again finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong woman, albeit accidentally. No wonder Karen needs time to mull over his marriage proposal. Californication takes as jaundiced a view of Southern California hedonism as did the classic 1975 film Shampoo.
In season 2, fast-laner Lew Ashby (Callum Keith Rennie), a legendary music producer, recruits Hank to be his biographer. Hank’s agent Charlie Runkle (Evan Handler) is fired from his agency and takes a fledgling female porn star under his wing. Charlie’s wife Marcy (Pamela Adlon) becomes a coke fiend. Seventeen-year-old Mia (Madeline Zima) becomes a critics’ darling when Hank’s manuscript, which she stole in season 1, is published. Sonja (Paula Marshall) the Scientologist is pregnant and Hank may be the father. Duchovny’s laid-back charm imbues Hank with what one character calls “infuriating magic.” As the precocious Becca tells her mother, “You have to love him for who he is, not his potential.” For all its explicit language and graphic sex, Californication is a compelling character study of a seriously flawed man-child. To quote a review of Mia/Hank’s book, “It isn’t about sex, but loneliness. It’s hauntingly hopelessly romantic in the best sense of the word.” Big ups! –Donald Liebenson
Buy “Californication : The Complete Second Season” For Only $19.96
March 6, 2008
#1
The series showcases a bunch of self-centered degenerates who never seem to take responsibilty for their actions – which, of course, explains how our current affirmative action president was elected. The various characters depict coke fiends, borderline pediofiles and a man who takes zero responsibilty for his unborn child while engaging in drunk driving and doing drugs all while being a glib imbecile. In short it shows what’s wrong with the country in general and Southern California in particular. It does have some funny moments.
March 6, 2008
#2
Season two of Californication compared to the price of Weeds is overpriced and the second is a better series…
March 7, 2008
#3
this is one showtime series that i am disappointed in. i thought marcy was smart enough to stay off cocaine, but the entire series wrapped around marcy and her coke problem. it was nice to see her get out of the house and into a waxing salon. charlie is asking for trouble when he got fired and got involved with the daisy, the porn star. dani, not charlie, should of been fired from UTK. season 2 should of been like season 1, funny. and where was bill, after karen left him as she took off. i guess nowhere to be found. the only thing i enjoyed was becca getting a boyfriend. this is one series i will not be watching again.
March 7, 2008
#4
Hank and Charlie Runkle in Season two.
A MUST have for any real TV series aficionado!
TV does not come any funnier than this
ORDER NOW!
March 7, 2008
#5
The second season of “Californication” had a lot to live up to because the first season was so fabulous. Unfortunately, Season 2 falls pretty short. It picks up right where Season 1 left off, with Hank (David Duchovny) and Karen (Natascha McElhone) back together again. Their happiness is short-lived, however, because Hank accidentally mouth-rapes another woman, gets arrested, and learns that he’s impregnated one of the many women he banged during Season 1. Not surprisingly, this is all too much for Karen, so she bails on Hank for the second time. Hank deals with this latest rejection the only way he knows how: drowning his sorrows and sleeping with every woman he crosses paths with. He also befriends a middle-aged rocker, Lew Ashby (Callum Keith Rennie), and agrees to write Lew’s biography. Lew is even more childish than Hank, if you can believe that, and the two men get into numerous sticky situations. Meanwhile, Charlie and Marcy go through some serious rough patches due to Marcy’s blossoming cocaine addiction and Charlie’s venture into the porn industry, which results in an extramarital affair with a young porn actress.
There are definitely some funny moments in Season 2, but overall, it was a major letdown for me. The storylines were way too unbelievable and over the top. There were too many crazy things going on at once, to the point that it all got kind of ridiculous. Also, the Charlie/Daisy storyline really bothered me, and I was disgusted by the changes to Charlie’s character this season. I sincerely hope the writers do a better job with Season 3, if there even IS a Season 3. I guess we’ll see what happens.