'Californication': That's my girl

“Californication” is certainly intended for adults, but Sunday night’s episode got me thinking: What if this show spent just a little bit more time at the kids’ table? Or in the kids’ room? Or at the kids’ school?

This line of thought stemmed from watching this latest episode twice. The first time I found it amusing but felt as if this was more or less one of those bridge episodes that come along during the course of a TV season, a half hour that serves as a connector of sorts between what was and what’s next. Nothing much seemed to really happen, other than Marcy finding out what everyone else already had — that Rick Springfield is a degenerate (no offense, Rick Springfield). The rest was merely further fallout from last week’s romp.

But then I watched it again and realized that something major had happened; we just didn’t see it, and perhaps the show — like its parents — glossed over the event just a little too passively. Becca (Madeleine Martin) and her best friend, Chelsea (Ellen Woglom), had gotten into a fight, the physical kind, the kind that got them both expelled from school — a posh, all-girls private school, from what we can tell. But we only discovered this through Hank getting that phone call from the principal’s office and not by actually seeing the fight itself. Hank’s reaction? A big smile and an “Ah, that’s my girl.”

That response — and especially with David Duchovny’s always-hilarious line reading — made me laugh. But then later, when Hank’s ho-hum ways continued both at Becca’s school and at home, I felt Karen’s pain. “Do you know how frustrating you are?” she asked. Becca, meanwhile, whined to her parents as she usually does (and usually has reason for) before escaping to her room, slamming the door. Hank and Karen then fought with each other, and she kicked him out. Then Hank whined about the whole thing to Charlie.

Here is the problem: We’ve seen all of this before, so many times and in the same way, Becca closing the door on us, leaving us again with the misbehaving parents as they try to figure it all out. But what if we’d stayed with Becca instead, following her into her room? What if we’d heard her parents’ fight from in there? What if we’d actually seen the punch Becca threw, along with everything that led up to it? Instead we got the same old scenes: Hank in the dean’s office (they even used the pipe gag again), Hank and Karen in the principal’s office and then Hank in his own office, lying on the couch before Charlie. It’s like a game of musical chairs, but none of the chairs ever get taken away.

Last season’s finale ended on the powerful note that this story has in fact always been “about her” -- her being Becca, not Karen. So then why don’t we spend a little more time with her? My point is that I just find myself wishing that the show would take some more chances sometimes in terms of how it tells its story. If we spent a little more time with Becca and a little less time with Hank, it might raise the stakes of the scenes between them, make us feel the dramatic moments a little more than we do. It could also make the show feel a little less claustrophobic than it sometimes does.
 
“Californication” has done this before, and well. Remember the sweet heart-to-heart Mia (Madeline Zima) and Becca shared about sex way back in the first season? Or how about the one scene between Becca and Chelsea earlier this season, the two of them out on the lawn while their parents were getting hammered inside the house? Dad would probably be happier without me, Becca told Chelsea, the friend that had just introduced her to mushrooms. It was a revealing moment of honesty that added a lot more weight to what Dad was doing inside the home — getting altered himself by way of the bottle and having fun. Having a little too much fun. I’d hoped at the time that we’d get a lot more of these teenage talks to play alongside the adult misadventures, but those chats seemed to pretty much stop right there -- or at least for us they did.

Meanwhile…

-- If I hear Hank say “The Deanery” one more time, I might throw something. …

-- Hearing the dean refer to “the little dean,” however, made me chuckle. It should be noted that Peter Gallagher was pretty great in this episode; he plays the anti-Hank quite well.

-- It seems that the Rick Springfield story has come to an end. Cheers to Springfield for playing a slime ball so well, but the character was such a one-dimensional slime ball (unlike last year’s Lew Ashby, who at least had some moments of charm) that I won’t miss him. 

-- Speaking of exits, I keep hoping for Sue Collini to say “Collini … out” … for good. But I may be in the minority here. The other day I went to my local bar and, when a conversation about “Californication” broke out, the bartender asked, “Don’t you just love Sue Collini!?” I reached for my drink.

-- The title of Sunday's episode was "Mr. Bad Example," which is a title of a Warren Zevon song about a con man who steals -- "I like to have a good time and I don't care who gets hurt" -- but who at the end of the song sings, "I'm thinking of retiring from all my dirty deals."

-- With three episodes to go in the third season, all signs continue to point to a New York relocation. Then again, all signs pointed the same way last season, until Becca fell in love (whatever happened to Damien, anyway?) and Hank and Karen agreed to let Becca stay in California for a little while longer. Will they actually make the move this time? I’m emphatically hoping that they do, thinking a move to New York could completely change the complexion of this series at just the right time, heading into a fourth season.

Please share your thoughts on all of these topics below.

— Josh Gajewski

RELATED:

David Duchovny talks literarily

Last week's romp of an episode

Madeleine Martin feature

Photo: Madeleine Martin as Becca in "Californication." Credit: Showtime.

Comments

[Sabrina]

but if they move to NY, then wha would be the point of "Californication?"

I wish we could've seen Becca throw that punch at Chelsea. Chelsea gets on my nerves, just like her snob parents!

As for "Sue Collini" I LOVE her role...of all the guest stars, I like her best.

As for other characters: I see a chance for "Rick Springfield" to possibly come back in a difference season, maybe after "rehab" or something. I thought the way Charlie Runkle put that jacket on Marcy as he escorted her out of the trailer was very gallant...he may be a dog at times, but when the chips are down, Charlie really does truly care for Marcy (and I think deep down she cares for him, too), and I think that was the main point of the over the top depiction of "Rick Springfield" ...to show us that the grass isn't always greener on the other side...and to also "be careful what you wish for." lol.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Hey mate. Sorry I haven't posted since this third series' premiere, but I've just been so utterly disappointed with the way it's commenced. Such a lackluster series thus far, the best moments turn out to be the scenes with Karen and/or Becca, which unfortunately are few and far between.

Gone are the well-worded literary references, clever pop culture references, creative dialogue, the writer actually WRITING ... it's not the same show we tuned into when Hank opened up his laptop to type his single-worded blogatribe comprised of the familiar four letters.

I WANT CALIFORNICATION BACK!

And by the way, a tell-tale sign that a great show is losing its creative stones: starting the episode with a fart joke. Unless it was to symbolize the flatulence of which has been most of Californication's third series.

You're welcome.

[Natalie]

I totally agree - this was a ridiculously repetitive episode...and it was repetitive in ways that weren't as good as their first (and second and third) time around (like the Rick Springfield vs. Lew Ashby comparison you make). Following Becca a little more would certainly help shake things up and I hope the show creators follow your advice!

But I have to disagree on your feelings about Sue Collini - I think the character is fabulous (even if her allusion to the Thai sex trade last night went a step too far!). Her own amazing sexual power makes Hank look like a schoolboy by comparison. She's been the high point of this season for me.

http://themothchase.wordpress.com

[Richard]

You know, that might be kind of cool.
Have a second episode that changes the perspective to Becca's and have if
follow this one. Normally you would have that in the same episode, so perhaps
a double length (give or take) episode to show that.

Been done before on other shows, but when done right .....

[Peter]

Josh,
I agree with your opinion of Sue Collini. Who would have thought that Kathleen Turner's playing Chandler's father on Friends would some day seem like "the good old days". I am old enough to remember when KT was the new hottie. Now she is ... what? I don't even know how to describe the Collini character. I enjoy when actors demonstrate that they don't take themselves so seriously but this character is just crass with no redeeming charm. But that is pretty much par for the course for this show.

[the steve man]

It would nice to see more of Beccas point of view - at least more of her laugh!

Hank's dialogue is getting a little bit too clever for me. However his talk with Becca about his sexual infidelity was particulary poignant in light of Duchovny's own real life infidelity.

And I agree with you about Collini - she's getting annoying....

steve man out.......

[janey]

Although I agree with your assessment of this episode, I don't agree that a move to New York is the answer. It seems that overall this season has focused heavily on the comedy and let the drama and the more serious aspects of the show go by the wayside. It also seems that by doing so, the show has become more popular in a mainstream kind of way. Maybe that's what the writers were shooting for? To increase the audience? I still enjoy Californication and do find it funny, but like you, I miss the heart of this show and the characters. I hope that in the remaining episodes they are able to capture once again, what makes Californication so different and unique from other sitcoms. If not, then I guess we will have to wait til next year and hope for a return of what makes Californication so great.

[Theodora Drak]

I think ‘Californication’ is the most sovinistic , sexist, sitcom I have seen, where the guy is a total screwed up, fucks around, hurts his loved ones, and yet he is portrayed as the most adorable men on earth. What is we outcome we get from the show other than that Hollywood will always be Hollywood as men will always be men, and women will always have to endure …? I am sorry but it seems that every episode of the show is a repetition of the episode before.

The show though is using the recipe for success, this of the charming poppy eyes Hank Moody. Men are definitely allured by his life style and women are under his spell because he is funny, smart, successful and nice looking. But women out there taking all these aside, were you pissed off when you had met your our Hank Moody who had his fun and never called back? Any thoughts on that? Please, lets discuss what you think about all these…

Cheers all!

[jenna]

I would looove to see more scenes with Karen and Becca.Sundays was so powerful and they're both amazing actresses.I love how Becca stood up for herself in that scene.The writers should really show it from her perspective! seeing it from Hanks is fine but it would change things up and also might get a younger audience! I'm not saying fourteen year olds could watch the show but maybe 17?

[lbj]

Personally, keeping the teenage talk to a bare minimum is a good thing. And this episode sucked.

[Scott]

New Yorkafication? Or would it be Manhattenafication? Neither has much of a ring. I kinda think they have to stay in the west. Sex in the City wouldn't really have survived coast switching either. But ya never know.

[janey]

To the person who finds this show sovinistic and sexist, did you know that Californication has a writing staff that consists of 67% women? I fail to see the sexism and chauvinism that you claim to see. The women are depicted as no worse than the men. There are no saints on this show.