Californication Can't Shake the "Monsters"

Article first published as Californication Can't Shake the "Monsters" on TheTVKing.

Showtime's sixth season finale of Californication, entitled "I'll Lay My Monsters Down," is a joyous celebration, as well as a time for introspection. Charlie (Evan Handler) and Marcy (Pamela Adlon) are getting remarried. Now Hank (David Duchovny) has to decide whether to hit the road with a rock tour, or try to win back the heart of his lady love once again.

The wedding is super sweet. Marcy and Charlie have been through many a rough patch, but they always belong together. The longer that they are apart, the harder it gets to watch them suffer. Once Marcy agrees to remarry Charlie, there is little doubt in my mind that, not only will she go through with it, but this time it's forever.

How can it not be? They've both had their chance to sow their wild oats, and find out what else is out there. Yet, they come back to each other. This is why Californication is the story of love, even if the characters must overcome the effects of the West Coast to find their true happiness.

Marcy's urging Hank and Karen (Natascha McElhone) to get back together can be chalked up to projecting her own feelings onto them. She has realized that she belongs back with her man, and so assumes the path to her best friends' happiness is the same as her own, even though this is not necessarily the case. Given it is her wedding day, she can be forgiven, and surely won't hold it against them if they ignore her.

Yet, Hank's story has always been about Karen. He may take detours along the way, most recently with Faith (Maggie Grace). But not matter who he shares his bed with, he always comes back to Karen. Even in his dreams, she's the one.

It's interesting that Hank's subconscious takes the form of Lew Ashby (Callum Keith Rennie) at this point. The departed musician was striving for love when he died, just as Hank always is. Is Hank worried that he will wait too long and die before he can get back with Karen? I think so, considering that Hank literally appears in Lew's position behind the bar in his second dream. Though, it really doesn't matter why Hank imagines Lew, so long as we get a glimpse of that great character again, highly appropriate in a season chock full of rock 'n' roll.

The question is, is Hank Karen's destiny? We don't see as much of her, so it's not always clear. She definitely cares about him, but she may not want to spend her life with him anymore. Shortly before "I'll Lay My Monsters Down," Karen ponders if they only remain in one another's lives at this point because of their shared daughter, Becca (Madeleine Martin). It's sad, but it could also be true, as much as Hank and his fans won't want to admit it.

Which is why it's probably good that Californication is pulling a fast one on the audience when Hank drops to bended knee on the stage at the rock concert. It is heart breaking to realize that Hank won't lie it all out on the line right then and there. But, Karen knows how he feels. He makes it clear constantly. And her words say that she's not ready to commit to him, so he is liable to be disappointed if he tries for this now. She must sort out her own feelings first.

On the other hand, she could be on the fence, and the things she says may be just to test him. After all, Hank may say one thing, but may not mean it, even if he wants to. Perhaps she needs the grand romantic gesture to make up her mind.

I truly love when Becca, high, calls her father and tells him she just wants him to be happy. At first, Hank thinks that may be traveling with Faith. Then, he realizes that it's being with Karen, of course. This is a moment where Hank is forced to consider what will make him happy, and it's fitting that his wise daughter comes through once more, even if she isn't as smart with her own decisions.

It's also great that the moment includes Hank asking Becca to text Marilyn Manson (himself) a lude picture. How very fitting for the tone of the show!

"I'll Lay My Monsters Down" bids a fond adieu to Faith and Atticus (Tim Minchin). I will greatly miss these characters, and am sad to see them go. They both truly connect with Hank in a way that only a handful do, they are two of his soul mates, and are worthy of being recurring characters along the lines of Stu (Stephen Tobolowsky) and Bates (Jason Beghe) because they just fit into Californication so well. I hope they return often, as they, far more than most recent guest stars, deserve to do so.

Also, Krull's (Steve Jones) goodbye to Hank is a wonderful moment in an episode packed with wonderful moments.

Californication will return for a seventh season next year on Showtime.

Please forgive Calfornication

Grade: 99%

Showtime’s CALIFORNICATION comes back to “The Unforgiven.” Hank (David Duchovny) wakes up after spending several days slipping in and out of consciousness. He learns that he is in the hospital because of Carrie’s (Natalie Zea) suicide-murder attempt, which only succeeds on one count.

This is Hank as we have never seen him before. He is self-loathing, yes, but now he has the guilt of Carrie’s death on his head. Or, assumed death, as she is on life support, and will likely die once the plug is pulled. Carrie is a crazy psycho, to be sure, but if it wasn’t for Hank, would she have been driven to take such extreme measures?

One would like to think that yes, whoever Carrie had been dating would be the victim, and Hank deserves none of the blame. This is not what Carrie’s friends and family believe, which is unfortunate, as they should know her better than anyone, but it is definitely the thought that Hank’s loved ones cling onto.

The problem is, Hank has never been big about listening to others. And despite his sins, he has a very strong moral compass as to how he treats women. He tries to never degrade them, or make them feel down on themselves. His whole schtick, which is what gets him laid so much, is building up a woman, making them very special, a skill that he excels at. Sadly, he fails to do that for Carrie, at least, fails to do it enough, and so he takes her actions very much to heart.

Viewers of CALIFORNICATION are treated to a look inside of Hank’s mind in “The Unforgiven.” In the hospital, and after, as he drinks himself into a stupor every night, we see Hank dream about his time with Karen (Natascha McElhone). But every time Hank is heading towards a happy place, Carrie invades the scenario, screwing things up, pulling Hank back towards the pain. Hank wants to be happy, but refuses to let himself, thinking he is not deserving.

As is typical for Hank, when he hates himself, he cares little about what happens to him, physically. The flaw in his attitude of caring for others is that he doesn’t consider the fact that hurting himself might hurt them, too. The incessant alcohol intake is ruining his physical and emotional state, but it’s also making Karen, Becca (Madeleine Martin), Marcy (Pamela Adlon), and Charlie (Evan Handler) miserable.

That is why they stage an intervention. It’s a crappy effort, because everyone in the group has plenty of their own issues that prevent them from being completely there for Hank. However, it’s the dysfunction that has brought them together as a group, and is the basis for their love for one another. Thus, their attempt is enough, in my book, and it does succeed in its drive.

I think, of all of Hank’s friends, Charlie is the one who takes the situation the least seriously. This may be because Charlie is used to Hank’s ups and downs, and looks up to him. Charlie assumes that Hank doesn’t need to give up alcohol completely, and should put himself back in the line of temptation if it means a good job. In this case, Charlie wants Hank to help rock star Atticus Fletcher (Tim Minchin) turn A Crazy Little Thing Called Love into a rock opera.

I feel like Charlie’s actions will jeopardize any healing that Hank may embark upon. We’ve seen before how Hank gets when living the rock star lifestyle, and while Hank was able to break away once, he’s far less strong, emotionally, than he was before. Charlie may have good intentions, but his efforts could be the thing that keeps Hank floundering all season.

And we need Hank to get better. Karen needs him, after this way-too-long, on-again-off-again thing between them, she is still in love with Hank. Becca needs him, as she is thinking of pursuing the writing career, following in her father’s footsteps, which may not be the best idea, especially if she shares his judgment. She’s also finally joined the adult cast, and this is a critical time in her development, moving into a new stage of life. Marcy needs Hank, to talk her up so that she doesn’t go back to the cheating Stu Beggs (Stephen Tobolowsky).

Bottom line, Hank has to get better, and as of “The Unforgiven,” it looks like he may need to ditch Charlie to do so, something Hank surely won’t do in his present state, especially after Charlie took a bullet for him in last year’s finale. Which means that we’re in for another glorious, rocky season of CALIFORNICATION, airing Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET on Showtime.

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Article first posted on Seat42F