Californication, Season 6, Episode 3: Dead Rock Stars, Review

What is life but a series of daily tests, aimed to measure our awareness of the world. For viewers of Californication, episode 3, “Dead Rock Stars” is a reminder that sometimes it’s ok to fail.

Having Hank all coiled up in rehab can only entertain us for so long. He’s an animal that needs to be let loose, free to dangle his junk in the wind. Temporarily granted a field trip out of rehab, Hank escorts Faith to the funeral of her dead rock star lover and we expect him to get in all sorts of Rock and Roll related trouble.

Really, Hank is taken out of the equation early in the episode. Faith becomes the focus by insisting on entering a delicate situation. She wants to pay her respects for closure but she runs the risk of her love with the dead rocker (still unnamed) being exposed. When confronted by the wife of the rocker, Faith doesn’t crumble. She stands up for herself when called a whore and later apologizes for “fucking her husband,” to which the wife (also unnamed) plants a tasty kiss on Faith and says “hey, it’s rock and roll.”  Kissing and making up is apparently that easy.

At this point it’s unclear as to where the Faith storyline will go. She’s been a conflicted character through two episodes, dealing with emotional issues related to the death of her lover. After gaining some closure in episode 3 all signs point to a Faith and Hank sex-binge that will last through the final six episodes that Maggie Grace is slated to appear in. So far, we’ve seen that Faith is a bit guarded, which makes me believe she is hiding a big secret that will pump some life into Hank. 

The trip into the real world was a test for both Hank and Faith. After stealing a necklace off the dead rocker to comfort Faith and accepting a pre-funeral blowjob from his widow, Hank was up to his old tricks. He tells Faith that he’s ready to start writing again and maybe the sultry blonde was his inspiration this time, much like Karen has been in the past. Passing every test is hard, so when Hank has to buckle down and stick to his rehab program, he relapses when rocker Atticus Fetch promises a line of cocaine and that their assholes be “tongued by the angels.”

Californication has always been a show rooted in rock and roll. The Lew Ashby days are long gone, but the character developments in six seasons have made it painfully obvious that we are heading towards another rock collaboration. Karen is remodeling Atticus’ house. The dead rocker’s best friend happens to be Atticus. Hank and Atticus bond over some lines. As forced as it is, the lives of Hank, Faith, Karen and Atticus will be intertwined in the next few episodes.  

Before we get to any real drama, we get Charlie trying to turn himself on by testing the Gay waters. While we are still waiting for Hank to find his way out of rehab, Charlie is carrying the show by paying off Gay men and trying to make himself America’s next Gay agent. He’s passing so far, but it’s only a matter of time before Runckle flunks. 

It’s only Rock & Roll but we like it:

We even see the rock star and still no one says his name. They make up for it by having a funeral hologram guitar solo straight out of Coachella 2012. 

Some Charlie Runckle quotes for the road:

“I’m in a pickle, Hank. A big, Gay pickle!”

“Steve Jobs, respect!”