Californication

Season 1 – 85% – Sometimes he doesn't know if he's thinking with his brain or with the other most essential organ, but Hank Moody is still The Man. Someone I always wanted to see in a series. Fortunately, the remarks about sexism don't bother me because the series doesn't denigrate women (and when it does, it quickly takes down a whole group of men along with them). Plus, Karen behaves two classes more mature than Hank the entire time, and he just futilely tries (when he tries) to improve himself enough to be the right one for her. And he does it so humorously, originally, and irresistibly that I had to fall for him too. The only thing that hurts the series is the uniqueness of David Duchovny, which therefore makes this into Hank's one-man show, disrupted only slightly by an excess of attention to the comedic characters of Charlie and his Smurfs. Nonetheless, Californication is to a certain extent an unrivalled series. Combining humor and drama at such an open sexual level is not as easy as it might seem. Season 2 – 90% – Master Moody pulls out a heavier caliber. He has become an even greater idol, Becca has become a bit more likable, and when even the Runkles' family becomes a full-fledged part of the story, there is not a single thing to criticize. That doesn't mean the viewer won't shake their head during the various hijinks. Nevertheless, the second season would be "just" an improved version of the first if it weren't for the icing on the cake: the mortally witty but never exaggerated Lew Ashby. He brings the new dramedic escapades a perfectly complex touch. Season 3 – 80% – It isn't easy to stay on top for three years and not repeat yourself. Especially with a topic whose initial appeal of the "adventures of a dirty writer" can quickly fade for superficial viewers. That's why the first few episodes scared me a bit. More and more women were circling around Hank, Charlie and Marcy were proving that the boundaries of what kind of taboos could still appear hadn't been pushed to the utmost limit, and Becca's aggressive and at the same time hurtful puberty development was quite annoying. But there wouldn't be a group around Tom Kapinos if they couldn't handle development. The storyline took a look at more serious positions again, the situational humor reached the limits of genius (the episode that takes place entirely in Hank's apartment is possibly the best of the whole series), and the whole dramatic arc for the third season suddenly made sense. The struggle with all the hos and the desire to make up for them can't save everything. Californication is taken from life. Just not from ours. Season 4 – 75% – The Reckoning. The events around one dirty-minded writer for the first time fall below the clear above-average line, but there is probably no need to fear for the development of the series. Its greatest strength is no longer in the story of the series as a whole, or the perfectly structure and twists of the episodes, but rather in specific dialogue or absurd characters. While characters with a certain depth came on the scene early, now the screenwriters are competing in their eccentricity and sexual openness, perhaps even too much. The honorable exception then goes to the smart and seductive Abby. Californication still has its power and in some scenes clearly reaches for the absolute (the confession to Becca or the dialogue with Mia on the balcony resonate even after several weeks), but a bit more complexity and even some more significant change might now be in order. Season 5 – 90% – Santa Monica Cop, a projection of one's own transgressions, one generation younger – and Hank's mental maturity. A slight plot pause managed to move the characters to a point where their contemplation of life doesn't feel forced anymore and where there is room for anger, nostalgia, and the desire to give up on everything. This time the story mocks the rap community and the film industry and doesn't leave them unscathed. Fortunately, it manages this even without making characters like Samurai seem unnecessary. And when I have to biasedly watch my favorite, Becca, who has unexpectedly grown up into a naive woman with significant daddy issues, I simply see this as the best season. Mature, fateful, and clever. The swan song of the entire series, one which was worth experiencing. Season 6 – 70% – The line between bold humor and parodying yourself is sometimes damn thin, and looking at the crazy Ophelia or the drugged-out Atticus, it must be admitted that this Californian gang could have done better. David Duchovny can still just lounge on the couch and occasionally drop a random piece of wisdom, and that's enough to make me happy, but I was expecting a bit more. I've assimilated the fact that most sexual innuendos are already operating at the extreme level. However, it's more regrettable that the story of the fateful love is beginning to fail. Perhaps it's due to the beautiful smile of Maggie Grace (who in the role of Faith, easily steals the show), perhaps the fact that when one couple spins around each other for six seasons and obviously doesn't know what they want, their efforts become tiresome, whether they like it or not. The truth is that the sixth season was a level lower than everything that came before it. It still delivers fine entertainment with several amazing serious moments, but I was expecting a bit more. And yet the question of what grace Hank can ride into the sunset merited a better answer. Season 7 – 70% – If ever the creators had a downright bad idea, it was named Levon. His awkward pronouncements and decisions may hide Hank's chance to make amends, but even given the young man's age, it's a weak attempt at new penance and a seemingly intractable complication to his relationship with Karen. And it's story line with the chosen love interest that, with few exceptions, hardly works at all in the final season. Besides, Natascha McElhone comes across as unexpectedly exhausted, so her more drawn-out scenes are rather embarrassing, and the likes of Charlie, Marcy, and Stu are a caricature of themselves, doing all the side storylines nothing but a disservice. The highly generous 70% rating is thus heavily influenced by the excellent episode Faith, Hope, Love and, of course, the final Grace, in which David Duchovny proves definitively that without his shifty eyes and overwhelming charisma the whole series would have fallen apart long ago. So while I remain indulgent for my incredibly positive impressions of the last few minutes, the truth remains that the last two seasons have just been a sadder spasm, with a barrage of oddball supporting characters and only occasional glimpses of the essence of Californication itself. The sense of uniqueness is thus unnecessarily eroded and, with the passage of four years, sadly so, clouding my love of the world of Fucking and Punching at the time. But now I at least want to believe that everything turned out well and that there is not some banal betrayal waiting around the first corner. I'm a rocket man – burning out his fuse up here alone. (14.06.2010) (menos) (más)

Season one: Life is a crock of shit and it’s fine to get a good night’s sleep occasionally. And when you have writer’s block everything’s twice as bad. Hank Moody deals with it with a Camel, a glass of scotch and a new woman every other day. But life is still a crock of shit. When I watch Californication, I get this nice warm feeling inside that I’m not up shit creek alone... Season two: Damn, that’s Rick Rubin’s house! Or isn’t it? Season three: A change of job brought a breath of fresh air with it and, after a slightly week season two, it’s heading to the top again. Three new beauties and an unbelievably overloaded last episode grabbed me by the heart. Lots of luck, Hank. Season four: Like the last chapter of a book that never ends. The excellent ending to season three caused this one to have a really strong take-off (maybe the best yet) and the endings were always very powerful. Then everything returned to the same old rut until toward the end the standard rose again. The excellent episode with flashbacks to days even before the pilot shows that a lot of water has gone under the bridge, but the quality remains high. One thing is beginning to annoy me and that’s Charlie. Is he exaggerating just to make Hank’s most difficult moment more bearable? Maybe. But some lines just shouldn’t be crossed. As for the last episode, they couldn’t have given us a better ending. The circle that began with episode one has closed and now an empty road lies before us. What stories await us on it? Season five: The break in New York did Hank good and it had a pretty good effect on the entire season. To begin with the moody writer is literally dragged back into the series against his will and his short trip to California turns into a long-term vacation. “It all started well, then it went a bit weird and in the end everything was completely fucked up." The supporting character that stands out most is mad Sam. Apoc. and he’s a younger version of Hank who is dating his daughter. A perfect ending, showing that it doesn’t help even if you do everything right, things still won’t go the way you want, because God hates us all. I hope we see each other soon, Hank. Season six: This was supposed to be the last season, but money has to spin. I can’t help thinking that all of this californicating is beginning to spiral all the way down to hell with Lew Ashby behind the bar. A good half of the episodes were trash. The beginning is pretty fine, the rehab center was interesting and the fairies were duly funny, on the other hand the rock opera is just pitiful. Even Hank says that. The idea with the muse Faith (the ravishing Maggie Grace) as the new “first lady" in Hank’s life promised more than it gave. Would it have been such a problem to drive things to greater extremes? The whole thing is starting to be really forced and some parts are boring and a tasteless cesspit revolving around its own absurdity. I’m not very pleased that there’s going to be another season because we’re witnessing the fall of another people’s hero. I sometimes watched it just out of habit. Well, perhaps this is just a weak spot and they’ll make up for it next time. Season seven: Wrack and ruin. The arrival of the prodigal son is the worst thing that could have hit Californication. The situations are becoming even more absurd. Filth, stupidity and humiliation are mounting up. This season was no better, more like a painful crawl to the finish. Really, only the last three or four episodes are any good. Thanks to those Hank Moody leaves with honor, a little dented, broken and immobile, but with honor. Farewell, Hank, but you should have stayed in New York after season four. Farewell, old brother. (26.11.2009) (menos) (más)