Californication Review

The new series, “Californication” staring David Duchovny just premiered on Showtime and it’s a winner.

If there’s a better new series on TV for the over 40 male, I can’t imagine what it could be. I’m really hoping that it’s not just me here; That all the men watching really want to be Duchovny’s character, Hank. He’s a “one hit wonder” writer whose best seller (“God Hates Us All”) was just completely commercialized into a Kate and Tom summer blockbuster. This does not make him happy. He moved to L.A. from N.Y. and hasn’t been the same since.

Now certainly, he’s dealing with his share of problems. His girlfriend has left him, his relationship with his daughter is on the rocks, he’s suffering from incredible writer’s block, he’s just committed (unknowingly) statutory rape (spoiler from the first episode…sorry) with the daughter of his ex’s new boyfriend, he feels he’s sold his soul for money, his Porsche has a broken headlight; and yet, he’s funny, smart, witty, and (this is a direct quote) “drowning is a sea of pointless p***y”.  He’s clearly the typical anti hero that you’ve seen countless times.  However, with the charm that Duchovny exudes, it really works.  You feel for this character who can’t possibly get out of his own way, is rude and annoying, yet (I’m getting goosebumps) has a true heart of gold.  Really, I know it sounds very shallow and cliche, but it is very effective here and rings true.

I know that we’re not supposed to want to be him. My wife would be upset, thinking that it means I want to have meaningless sex with lots of hot women. But, really, I think it has more to do with the fact that we all hope that we have some kind of greatness in us. Hank clearly is a world class writer, and yet he can’t seem to fulfill that promise or destiny. Most of us don’t ever really rise to the level of having much of an impact on this world while we’re here, so isn’t it nice to identify with someone who may not either…but certainly could if he ever got his act together? Don’t we all really think that we have that potential that just never gets realized? Don’t we all think that we could write that next novel, or design that car, or whatever? If you don’t, I’m not sure if I feel worse for you…or for me.

There’s a subplot here about the shallowness of L.A. and the town’s obsession with beauty and its objectification of women…blah, blah, blah. Doesn’t really interest me. A bit of an old premise anyway. The real interest here is Hank and what’s going on with him.

My favorite lines so far:

Hank’s Daughter: “Dad…Are you ok?”
Hank: “No, Honey…but I’m working on it”

This is a show that’s funny, sexy, has lots of great female nudity in it AND has a lot of depth. At the end of the day, the story is about Hank and what he’ll do at this critical point in his life. He’s being tested, and at stake is everything he holds dear; his true love and his daughter. He’s fighting for his life, and it’s going to be a bumpy ride.  I think that many of us feel at some kind of a crossroads at this age in our lives.  Maybe not to the extreme of what Hank is dealing with, but we all have our own issues.  I’m rooting for him.

Check it out on Showtime Mondays at 10:30 PM.

For a completely different take on this, see the NY times review. They hated it. For me, that’s just a further indication of the series’ greatness.