Growing Up Among RED OAKS

Article originally published as RED OAKS Review on Seat42F.

Amazon’s newest half hour series is called RED OAKS, and it premiered today on the streaming service. Set at a country club in 1985, it’s a coming-of-age sex comedy, just like many of the movies of that era. In the summer before college, several teenagers hang out and hook up, mentored by adults who are not the best role models.

The protagonist of RED OAKS is David (Craig Roberts, Submarine), who bristles against his dad’s (Richard Kind, Spin City, Gotham) desire for him to become an accountant. Looking at the messed up marriage of his father and mother (Jennifer Grey, Dirty Dancing), David sees a life he doesn’t want, and so gets a job as an assistant to the tennis pro at the club, Nash (Ennis Esmer, The L.A. Complex).

Nash is probably the most interesting character on the show. Nearly forty years old, he has managed to use a failed turn as a pro athlete to carve out the life he wants at the club. He’s not exactly a good role model for David, but he does occasionally give good advice, and at least he cares about his charge.

RED OAKS is rounded out by other familiar personality types. Paul Reiser (Married, Mad About You) is terrific as the angry club president. Alexandra Socha (The Big C) is his daughter who turns David’s head, despite the fact that David is in a relationship with a yoga instructor played by Gage Golightly (Teen Wolf). There’s David’s schlubby friend, Wheeler (Oliver Cooper, Californication), the jock, Lefevre (Nick Bailey, A Most Violent Year), and the jock’s girlfriend that Wheeler wants, Misty (Alexandra Turshen, Boy meets Girl). Plus, there’s an older jerk who will probably steal away David’s girl played by Josh Meyers (The Awesomes), brother of Seth.

If that sounds like the cast of an 80s movie you love, that’s because RED OAKS is designed to slide right into that genre. It isn’t making fun of those types of movies like Wet Hot American Summer does; it is one of those movies, just in episodic form. The characters take themselves seriously and the plot is earnest. And, by comparison to its peers from twenty years ago, RED OAKS is pretty good, even if it doesn’t do anything to set it apart from those other works. It’s neither better nor worse, which is pretty good.

The main story will probably be about the sexual activities of the younger characters. After all, they are at the age where they are finding themselves and, in the case of the sheltered or dorky guys, finally getting to interact with the opposite sex. That David already has a girlfriend he sleeps with actually sets him a little apart from what one might expect, but his personality still fits within the virgins that generally appear in pieces like this.

Given that subject matter, don’t expect to watch this one with the kids. Amazon is not bound by the FCC, and thus can show the boobs and such that the movies did. I don’t think RED OAKS will get particularly raunchy, and don’t expect orgies of the likes you might see on certain HBO shows. It also lacks violence and has less profanity than many in the genre. So it’s got a relatively tame approach, but there is nudity.

I haven’t yet decided if I’m going to watch RED OAKS past the first episode. Because it doesn’t break the mold, I kind of feel like I’ve already seen it. At the same time, there are not any glaring flaws (other than David’s girlfriend both professing how perfect they are and looking at someone else), and this cast does make me care about the characters. So whether you should tune in or not really comes down to how much you enjoy this particular premise.

RED OAKS’ first season is now available on Amazon.

CALIFORNICATION Doesn't Quite Land With "Grace"

Article first published as TV Review: 'Californication' - Series Finale on Blogcritics.

Showtime’s Californication completes a seven-season run this week with “Grace.” No matter how badly Hank (David Duchovny) screws things up (and he always screws things up) there have consistently been threads of love and hope sprinkled throughout the series. Thus, with the final episode, we knows there must be a happy ending, not just for Hank, but for all of those in his life, beloved family and misfit friends alike. That’s exactly what “Grace” delivers, if a tad too easily.

Hank must end up with Karen (Natascha McElhone); even the most casual viewer knows that. The problem is, “Grace” lets them work things out far too quickly. Halfway through the episode, Hank is pondering the idea of getting back together with Julia (Heather Graham), his other baby momma. Then, on a whim, he writes Karen a beautiful letter, runs to meet her on the plane she’s taking to their daughter’s wedding. But wait! They’re a couple again? Where is the lesson learned? Where is Hank’s self-examination of all his wrong-doing? Karen accepts him for who he is, and it’s just done?

Californication has spent much time on this pair, going back and forth with their love story. At times, they’ve been very, very close, and at other times, they couldn’t be further apart. Throughout this final season, it’s been the latter, with Hank trying to be a good dad to the son he only recently learns about, while Karen is off-stage. And when she does show up, she disapproves of Hank and his actions. The viewer sees Hank mature and learn from his past, finally being responsible. But Karen hasn’t witnessed the transformation. So why would she take him back?

I guess, as much as I approve of the emotional note on which “Grace” ends, complete with good callbacks, I’m just deeply disappointed that the Hank/Karen closer doesn’t seem earned. It could have been with a little more finesse, maybe even just another half hour of the story. Instead, it comes across as very tacked on, and not serving the two characters we’ve come to know over the years very authentically.

Is that intentional? Do the writers known that Hank will always mess up again if the camera lingers too long? After all, the opening scene is a dream sequence of Hank’s daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin) reminding him of his failings. That’s why I almost thought Californication might leave Hank single, knowing he can’t help himself with his vices. This would be very dark, darker than show’s usual tone, but it would be appropriate.

The rest of the half hour is quite sweet. Charlie (Evan Handler) and Marcie (Pamela Adlon) can’t bring themselves to sleep with other people, but they still get the million dollars from Stu (Stephen Tobolowsky), who is somewhat satisfied with his love doll. Levon (Oliver Cooper) has a moment with his dad, who helps him treat a woman decently, and Hank seems to set up Levon’s mother, Julia, with lonely Rick Rath (Michael Imperioli), who deserves a good woman. Even Krull (Steve Jones) gets a little Love, literally.

All of this is almost cartoonish in how it works out, but Californication does tend to give its recurring players such goodbyes on a regular basis. It’s a shame that Hank and Karen end up in the same category, as they had always been better than that, but for the rest of the characters, that’s what we expect to happen.

I guess the only regret I’m left with, besides the obvious, is the lack of Becca in “Grace.” Her heart-to-heart doesn’t seem real, and we don’t see Hank have one last conversation with her at her wedding. She deserves her own piece of the finale, one last bonding chance with her dad, and without it, the episode feels like it’s missing something. “Grace” really should have been a full hour, half spent tying up this year’s arcs, and the other half serving the long-time cast, as Californication does a solid job with the former, and falls short with the latter.

"Levon" Shakes Up CALIFORNICATION Final Season

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Showtime’s CALIFORNICATION kicks off its final season with “Levon.” Hank (David Duchovny) leaves the road to fly back into the arms of the woman he loves, Karen (Natascha McElhone). But although the series gives us the storybook ending up front, that’s all in Hank’s head, and their actual first encounter is not anything like Hank had hoped for. Now, Hank must finally work on improving himself if he ever wants to win back Karen for good.

All of CALIFORNICATION has been about Hank’s arrested development. Time after time, Hank has screwed up. He’s screwed up with love, he’s screwed up with work, he’s screwed up at being a father to Becca (Madeleine Martin). Now, the end is nigh and Hank is tired of screwing up. Season seven might actually be the year in which Hank (gasp!) matures.

I really, really hope Hank gets the ending he wants. He’s a flawed man, to be sure, but he’s still the protagonist, and he never has done anything to deserve misery. Almost all of his mistakes are simple, forgivable errors, and circumstance plays as much as role as Hank’s own actions, though he doesn’t usually do himself any favors, either. Yet, there’s something earnest and sweet about Hank that makes one root for him, even when there’s not an overwhelming reason to do so. This part of Hank must be cultured so he can be rewarded.

Obviously, Hank is motivated to better himself for Karen’s sake. But Karen isn’t the only reason Hank needs to grow up. By Karen refusing to just get back with Hank, it takes away that immediate goal. This gives time Hank to improve for his own sake, and while Karen will always be in the back of his mind, he may actually find intrinsic motivation, too.

Step one of the New Hank is to find a job. Atticus has fired Hank and Charlie (Evan Handler) out of boredom, and because Aaron Sorkin became available, so Hank must find some bridge he hasn’t yet burned, a rarity in Los Angeles. Charlie points out that Hank has ruined writing jobs for books, movies, and Broadway shows, so there aren’t a lot of options left. The obvious experience still remaining? Television, the lowest art form in Hank’s mind.

Can Hank overcome his prejudices? His opinions and pride are things that have caused trouble in the past, and Hank isn’t much for being humble. Still, given the right carrot, perhaps Hank can find a way to get over himself, and maybe even come to like the medium.

Hank’s new boss, Rick Rath (Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos), should be able to help him succeed. He admits to seeing a bit of himself in Hank, believes in a good redemption story, and won’t humor Hank if his behavior goes to crap. At least this is the right environment for Hank to do well in, so if he puts his mind to it, he’s got a chance.

In true CALIFORNICATION form, the opportunity that presents itself is tied to Hank’s past, no one in the show ever escaping what’s come before. I won’t spoil what the project is, but Stu (Stephen Tobolowsky) is involved, and the title will be familiar to fans of the show.

There is another element to Hank’s story that I haven’t mentioned yet. The name of the episode is “Levon,” and there’s a character named Levon (Oliver Cooper, Project X) in it, a college kid who wants to interview Hank for his newspaper. I will say, the twist concerning Levon, one sure to keep him around for the rest of the series, is easy to see coming from a mile away, and feels tacked on in the final season of the show. And yet, the music choice for the ending of the episode and Duchovny’s trademark sneer nails the emotion so damn well that I find myself excusing the predictability, and even seeing a way this could really be good for the show and the character of Hank.

Of course Charlie and Marcy (Pamela Adlon) have a bit of story in “Levon,” too. Their renewed marriage isn’t going so well because Charlie is haunted by their time spent apart, especially what they did with others during their break. It’s regrettable, but also not unexpected. At least they seem committed to making the union work, so getting back to a good place will give them a satisfying arc for season seven.

To be honest, it took a lot not to just marathon the whole seventh year of CALIFORNICATION in one sitting today (thank you, Showtime, for making them all available, by the way), and it’s an impulse I likely won’t be able to resist long. This is such a good, solid show, and the growth and exploration of the characters is very compelling. “Levon” not only continues that trend, but also really tees up what looks to be a near-perfect last year, so I am eager to watch it. I hope you will be, too.

CALIFORNIATION airs Sundays at 9:30 p.m. ET on Showtime.