Life in California is a seemingly wonderful thing. On the surface it’s all glitz and glamour. Even a few layers in it still feels like there are no problems or worries. Like a vapid existence bathed in sunshine and happiness. The truth is that life here is alike anywhere else, with a little bit of the so-called perfection that everyone sees as daily life here. Californication is a series that shows one man’s crazy sex addicted, and sometimes drug using life as screwed up as it is, but he is still imbued with the little bit of luck and charm that happens to come with Southern California life.
Californication is about a writer by the name of Hank Moody, played by David Duchovny. He is a sex addicted, but charming writer who has to deal with the relationships with his ex-girlfriend Karen van der Beek, played by Natasha McElhone, and his daughter Becky, played by Madeleine Martin. His agent Charlie and Charlie’s wife Marcie also play a huge role in the series, as they deal with the relationships with them as well. The series centers around the strained relationship due to his Hank’s move to LA from New York, and case of writers block that Hank suffers from.
Episode Highlights:
“No Way To Treat A Lady”: As Hand starts his new gig as ghost writer on Lew Ashby’s biography he is re introduced to an old “friend” Trixie. Charlie meets a porn actress and decides to become her manager.
“V*****town”: After Hank is dumped he ends up living at Ashby’s mansion. Ashby hooks Hank up with a celebrity chef, and Charlie works to get Daisy into a porn called Vagina town, but ends up funding it himself.
“In A Lonely Place”: after Hank and Karen go to a parent-teacher conference, Hank ends up sleeping with the teacher, only to find out that her son is his daughter’s boyfriend. Charlie finds out that Marcie spent all of their remaining cash on cocaine.
“In Utero”: While Hank is waiting for the results to his biopsy, he reflects on the beginning of his and Karen’s relationship. Daisy plans to move out of Charlie’s house, but he doesn’t want her to go.
Californication: The Second Season has a decent amount of special features. All of the features are located on the second dics. The features are “Conversations With The Cast” a set of interviews with the main cast of the show. “Marcie’s Waxing Salon” a featurette with the inspiration for Marcie Runkle’s job as owning her own waxing salon. Biographies, a photo gallery, a contest for a trip to Cabo San Lucas, and downloads a episodes from other Showtime shows.
The Video Quality is good for a modern tv show, and is as clear as one would expect for a tv show that has come out in the last few years. The sound is exceptionally clear as well surpassing the standard definition airing on Showtime..
This show is an adult romp through the problem plagued life of a writer in Los Angeles. This is in no way appropriate for children. With that said. I really enjoyed the show quite a bit, and I even started the season skeptical about the quality of the show. I found it to be witty, funny, and interesting throughout. The show has really good writing, and is not like most shows on television. This is one I’s recommend for adults who are not afraid to watch something that deals with sex and drug use in seemingly every episode.
ComicsOnline gives Californication: The Second Season 4 stolen manuscripts out of 5
