Californication

Hell-A Woman

Season 1, Episode 2, Aired 8/20/07

Episode Summary

Becca invites Hank to her Mom and Bill's house for a dinner party with some mutual friends. After he arrives, however, he realizes that Karen has planned a little setup for Hank with a scientologist friend of hers, which doesn't thrill Hank all that much. But, Hank gets a nice laugh out of it after the rest of the party people walk in on him and Sonja in the bedroom. Hank also gets a little news about the job he recently accepted.moreless

9.1

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Cast & Crew

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David Duchovny

Hank Moody
Natascha McElhone

Karen Van Der Beek
Madeleine Martin

Rebecca

Fan Episode Reviews (8)

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"I probably won't go down in history, but I will go down on your sister."

9.0

"Superb"

By ZaleIsBackAgain, Jun 10, 2010 Report Abuse

What do you know, following up an excellent pilot episode is another excellent second episode. Once again strong writing, hilarious dialogue, and just some well developed characters steal the show. Seriously was the writer an award winning comedian before this? Hank's blog just gave laugh after laugh, and then his little awkward situation at the dinner table where it seemed like a barrel of "everything's going wrong" was being unleashed and no one could find the lid to close it, but at the same time was just top notch hilarious. Then he makes use of it with his hook up, and to end it smoothly, above all of his cocky and carefree remarks, he is reminded of how badly his life is going. All of this wrapped in one episode, not hard to see why this episode was so awesome.moreless

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Californication

9.5

"Superb"

By efc91, Aug 10, 2009 Report Abuse

After receiving encouragement from all sides, Hank starts his blogging gig at Hell-A Magazine. Plus, under the guise of inviting Hank to family dinner at her and Bill's (Damian Young) house, Karen sets up Hank with her friend Sonja (Paula Marshall). At dinner, Becca reveals how Hank met Karen.
this episode was very good and funny the part at the dinner table was great and the part where Hank vomits on the expensive painting made me really laugh, cantwai to see next weeks there was a preview after this episode and it look really funny.
I felt sorry for poor Hank at the end of the episode.moreless

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great...

8.5

"Great"

By efc1991, Nov 19, 2007 Report Abuse

After receiving encouragement from all sides, Hank starts his blogging gig at Hell-A Magazine. Plus, under the guise of inviting Hank to family dinner at her and Bill's (Damian Young) house, Karen sets up Hank with her friend Sonja (Paula Marshall). At dinner, Becca reveals how Hank met Karen.
this episode was very good and funny the part at the dinner table was great and the part where Hank vomits on the expensive painting made me really laugh, cantwai to see next weeks there was a preview after this episode and it look really funny.
I felt sorry for poor Hank at the end of the episode.moreless

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1 0
A good second episode... after the first one, this didnt quit live up to my expectations... but still high class/well written po... ehh I meant erotic fun ;)

9.4

"Superb"

By Kondix, Sep 07, 2007 Report Abuse

Hank is still hitting the rock bottom, and it really is this rock bottom what makes the show so interesting... Hank is edgy becouse of his missfortune... What I am afraid of is the moment, ones he puts his live together I fear this show might loose its apeal very fast... so I hope the writters won't aim for this too soon. What I dissliked about this episode is, that Hank actually doesnt have to do anything to get laid... the chicks jump into his bad right away! I mean, okay, the guy is handsome and quit famous... but this whole thing seems to me quit unreal, he doesnt even try to get laid. Even for the potential lost of some nudity, I would prefer some reallity. But whatever... I thing the one thing that makes me watch this show, besides well written/acted characters and good dialogues with a lot of punchlines is the nudity. So as long as they keep the scripts high level, I can forgive them the lack of realizm in Hanks sex-live, or maybe this is the way it is in HelL.A.

After the 2nd I consider it still worth watching!moreless

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Awkward.

8.2

"Great"

By ascensx, Sep 06, 2007 Report Abuse

After I watched the first episode I hoped for more from this one while at the same time I knew there were a lot of uncertainties in the storyline. It's a paradoxal comment, I know, but the thing is that Hank is still too ethereal. What made him the way he is? Karen's betrayal only? But one of their friends says Hank is trying to "get his **** together since they met"... Either way, during this episode more than once I felt its storyline wasn't quite defined. Furthermore, what is its main purpose/theme? Nudity, sex, etc.? I hope for more, but as I see it more and more people aren't "buying" the show from episode to the next.

I will, though, stay tuned to find out if there will be a development of sorts. Stay with me if you like.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- The adult DVD that Hank finds during his encounter with the porn actress titled "A Crazy Little Thing Called Anal", is a spoof of the movie based on Hank's book. This reflects the common practice of adult movies using titles of popular movies with a few changed words, e.g. "Very Dirty Dancing". Edit
- If you refer to "The Blonde" as the blonde porn star who asks Hank about her Body this lady is real life porn star Brooke Banner. Edit
- Hank's first blog entry Hell-A Magazin Blog Number 1: Hank hates you all. A few things I've learned in my travel through this crazy little thing called life. One: A morning of awkwardness is far better than a night of loneliness. Two: I probably won't go down in history, but I will go down on your sister. And three: While I'm down there it might be nice to see a hint of pubis. I'm not talking about a huge seventies playboy bush or anything, just something that reminds me that I'm performing cunnilingus on an adult. But I guess the larger question is: Why is the city of angels so hellbent on destroying its female population? Edit
Notes
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- International Episode Titles: Czech Republic: Pekelná ženská (Hellish Woman) Edit
- Shannon Mitchell was nominated for the 2008 Eddie Award for "Best Edited Half-Hour Series for Television" for this episode. Edit
- Two more advertisers, Subway and Castrol, joined the seven advertisers who pulled their advertising from the show after the pilot episode with the airing of this episode in New Zealand. There continued to be concern over the explicit nature of the show. Edit
Quotes
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- Bill: Well, I'd like to propose a toast: To friends, family, a new beginning... (Mia rubs the inside of Hank's leg) Mia: And a happy ending. Edit
- Mia: Hi Daddy. Bill: Honey, you can put some clothes on, okay? We have company. Mia: Well. I'm sure it's nothing he [Hank] hasn't seen before. Edit
- Mia: (To Hank) You look like ass. Did we just have sex? Edit
Allusions
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- Hank: (describing how Bill and Karen met) Bill hired Karen to redo his place--this place. And along the way they taught zen and the art of the midlife crisis, and, uh, eventually fell head-over-heels in love. This is a reference to the 1974 Robert Pirsig book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values. The book covers Pirsig's 17-day cross-country motorcycle journey, during which he had numerous discussions about life and philosophy with friends and family. Edit
- Hank: Let's ask Dani California. "Dani California" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, from their album Stadium Arcadium. The song is actually the third and final part of a story that began, appropriately enough, with "Californication". (Part two was "By the Way") Edit
- The title of this episode refers to The Doors Song L.A. Woman, which is featured in this episode. The spelling also references the fictional magazine that Hank blogs for. Edit