Californication: Daughter Review

Earlier in the season, Hank said he needed to sit down with Karen for drinks because she centered him. When things get a little crazy, when his life seems like it has spun out of control for the millionth time, she’s the escape. Karen is always there in spirit when Hank really needs her, and maybe she’s physically present, but she’s far from the remedy to Hank’s problems.

The second to last episode of Californication’s seventh season run is called “Daughter” because Hank’s (second-born) child returns with the news of her impending engagement and the daughter is improperly introduced to her long lost brother. In terms of where this storyline fits into the season, it loses some of its weight because of how late it’s presented. Really, Becca comes home to give a last-ditch effort to refute the train of logic Hank’s been riding for the last seven years – logic best summed up in the words of Rick Rath: “The second you try to get serious about something it loses all its magic” 

The man-child had a new stabilizing force this season and, for the first time, it happened to be a boss he respected. The wisdom of Rick Rath, a weathered man who has an idea of what it’s like to be in Hank’s shoes, has consistently given Hank his unfiltered, unbiased perspective on the direction of Hank’s career and love life. Most importantly, Rath has shown Hank how to mature. He’s what Hank thinks he wants to be.

The reality is Hank has no fucking clue what he wants to be.

In his heart-to-heart with Becca he can barely get a sentence out of his mouth without Becca scolding him for his hypocritical viewpoint. While Becca should have returned earlier in the season, her appearance now raises some important questions that Californication passes on answering. “It’s not about being married or not being married,” Hank says without having a proper response to back it up.

Becca is tying the knot because “he asked and I answered,” something Hank never did and most likely never will. Just as the build up to Becca’s announcement was tempered, resolving Hank and Karen’s relationship in the final half-hour when an entire season, a very enjoyable one at that, passed us bye, may seem like the right way to end the series. If Hank does ask the question, there’s only one answer that will feel justifying based on the way the last two seasons unfolded and that answer is no. 

We’ll have a wrap-up feature for the Californication finale next week, for now, let us know how you think the show is going to end in the comments section! 

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