Californication

I heard about this episode being bad beforehand so I didn't exactly go in expecting heaven. It wasn't flat-out abysmal, just bland and... okay, it might've been flat-out abysmal for a show like Californication. It had nothing on last week, let's put it like that. Not even a scene.



Whereas last week took us to beautiful places such as bars, streets, book and grocery stores. This week took us to an altogether different place, and the feel of the show was lost completely. I wasn't really a fan of the regal garden party, "luncheon at the mansion" setting. The characters almost looked out of place. Plus, the duel was just odd, and not in a funny way. Is this where were going to leave these characters? I wish they just left Felicia and her family in the episode before Dogtown, then maybe this episode could've focused on Jill and Jackie's new-found friendship and their revenge tactic on Hank or something. Speaking of them, there wasn't enough of them in this episode. I expected more from the scene at the table. Felicia seems to be the main character in this "threesome" and dominats the most screen time.



Overall, a pretty shoddy resolution to this Seasons arc. I felt the same for the Season 2 Finale after Ashby's death, nothing really came of it and it sort of went out on a whimper. I know this isn't the Finale so I hope the writers have something in store for us. I've been bad and read stuff before I even started the Season so I know they do ;)

Break out your Yu-Gi-Oh cards because it's time for a duel. Okay, that was an odd reference, even for me, but I rather enjoyed tonight's episode of Californication. It had a somewhat romantic moment between Charlie and Marcy, and had a Wedding Crashers-esque outside sporting event with the duel between Dean Koons and Hank Moody. This episode felt like more of a drama than a comedy, sort of the way later seasons of Weeds feel, where the plight of the characters rakes precedent over humor. Not that all growth and evolution is a bad thing, but there really wasn't that one laugh out loud scene to point to tonight, which you are usually guaranteed when watching an episode of Californication.



Still, it did have its funny moments, and was still a fine half hour of television.

Californication has carved out a niche for itself as a quirky, sexual, disgusting and dark comedy that will occasionally take romantic moments that are milked for all its worth in regular shows that descend into cliches and make them something completely different. The best part of the episode was definitely the duel between Hank, Dean Koontz and Richard Bates, a three way man-duel that was entertaining and hilarious.



I also enjoyed the Charlie and Marcie storyline, something that seems a little stale and overdone when Rick Springfield is not involved. Ever since Season 1, with Charlie's assistant, it feels like they've been caught in this endless and tiring game of back and forth. They need to figure out whether they want to be together or not, because I'm starting to grow a little tired of it. But they had some really nice moments in this episode, including a hilarious one of them getting.. well, intimate in a powder room.





I don't know what it is about this season, but I'm not getting the feeling that the season finale will be as exciting as previous ones. If you look at Season 1 and 2, they really built up the suspense. This year, Mia returns, but the only way I can see that really working out is if the indescretion between her and Hank were to come out. That would REALLY put a stop to Hank and Karen's relationship, and would create some great plots to work with. Either way, Californication should take a leaf out of Dexter's book and start figuring out how to end their seasons properly. A good episode otherwise.