Californication s04e11 review

How is it the penultimate episode already? It seems like 2 days ago the first two episodes were leaked online. The season has been great, I thought the trial would come and go within the first 5 episodes and the rest of the season would focus on Hank making a movie. Not so, this season has shown a broken Hank dealing with the consequences of his actions in a way he's never had to before. Its not slowed him down, but still.

Hank was found guilty, which I really didn't expect, and in the opening shots we saw the gang dealing with the news - badly. Charlie wept like a child. I just feel bad for Hank now, everyone knows he's innocent(ish) but he's facing jail time. Hanks described as an 'outlaw' by an old friend and Becca pleads with Hank to be a normal boring 9-5 dad (which leads to a 50s-Sitcom style dream sequence that almost kills the episode). Becca has some great moments this episode, despite her pissing me off somewhat this season. Hank tells her that he wants to 'forget reality' for a while and Becca communicates to Hank, without actually saying it, that that is exactly what his problem is.

I think I've always wanted to be an outlaw. Hunter S. Thompson, Bill Hicks - these are the people I look up to, but I could never cut lose and live like Hank. I think its why I find Hank such an appealing character.

The gang all get high together and talk of old times, remembering that they were once great - and wondering how it all went wrong. Hank is the centre of this little group, but he needs them all to survive. I think in their heats they all want to go back to being two couples, getting drunk and having a laugh, but its just out of reach. Its sad times.

I'm looking forward to next week and seeing how this all wraps up. There's another season after this, but to me this feels like the last. The whole season has been about his mistake from the start of season one, and we re-lived the infamous Nun scene that opened season one this episode. Maybe this will be the last great season, but who knows the show seems to have just got better to me, without losing sight of where it all began - a rarity. Most shows find out what works with the fans, then do that to death and ignore everything else. Califonication is a cut above.

EIGHT THUMBS UP.

Season 1 was good too y'know: Californication - The First Season