Californication 4x12

Easily the best episode of the season, perhaps of the entire series thus far. After all the hoopla about Hank Moody unwittingly having sex with an overly eager underage Mia, it’s time to wrap things up. The judge reads her sentence, explaining how Hank has been a tragic disappointment, behaving like an animal and living in flagrant defiance of the rules of society. He is found guilty of statutory rape, but, she continues, the real crime not one of moral turpitude, but that Hank seems committed to squandering his gifts and wasting what appears to be a rewarding life. She sentences him to three years. Hank passes out. When he comes to, on the courtroom floor with Abby lunging over him, he asks “I got three years, didn’t I?” “Yes you did,” Abby replies, “Probation.” He kisses her – the scene cuts to her bedroom ... And Justice for All (a reference to Metallica’s 1988 album). Let’s read between the lines, and notice how Hank Moody is portrayed as an immoral misfit, rather than a conscientious non-conformist, an animal living by no rules, rather than an intelligent artist deciding not to abide by the standards of society.

The next day Stu Beggs has a party celebrating that Fucking & Punching is going into production. Hank brings Abby, to Karen’s dismay. While she brings handsome Ben, to Hank’s dismay. Sasha is there, with a new boy toy in tow. Eddie Nero, too. Of course Marcy is there, and Runkle brings crazy kinky Peggy. How could this not go wrong? It starts out awkward and it only gets worse. Jealous tension is rife. Nero tosses some oil on the fire. Things get out of hand. Peggy asks Runkle if he still loves Marcy, and he wholeheartedly confesses that he has been and always will be in love with Marcy. Marcy admits she’s carrying Charlie’s baby – not Stu’s. Peggy slams a knife in Runkle’s hand. Cat fight! Hank and Stu hold back Marcy, while Nero starts making out with psycho Peggy. And this is why the Cricket still loves this show. The only question is: what is going to happen next season, or, how will Californication continue entertaining us, with everything wrapped up so nicely. Towards the end Becca says that a chapter has been closed. It rather feels we’re moving on to another book.