Californication Episode Recap: The Great Ashby

October 6, 2008 · Print This Article

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Hank’s in jail as this episode begins, with a visit from Karen and Becca, wherein Karen refuses to speak to him (despite being in small part resonsible for Hank’s arrest). She also refuses to bail him out, leading him to seek alternate avenues to release…unfortunately, his agent and friend Charlie, his most obvious backup plan, is having troubles of his own…unavailable to Hank, confronting Mia during a meeting with her and Dani, and going on to argue with and insult Dani (Rachel Miner). More positively, Charlie has the promise of “kicking it Old School” with wife Marcy: “[prophylactics], [drugs], and lobster claws”–a proposition Marcy offers while waxing adult video actress Daisy (Carla Gallo)’s nether regions; Daisy admires their apparently still passionate relation. However, when Dani rather improbably makes a move on Charlie, Dani takes umbrage at his refusal. Dani and Charlie trade threats of going to their mutual boss to get each other fired; Dani, who has collected videos of Charlie pleasuring himself at his desk, wins this argument, and Charlie “ankles” (do agents use Variety-speak in daily life?).

Meanwhile, back in lockup, Charlie runs into Lew Ashby again, his record-producing host from the previous evening. Ashby, locked up for what he insists is a false charge of domestic abuse, takes a special interest when he learns who Hank is, since Ashby is a fan…and in need of a writer to do his As-Told-To memoirs. He won’t take any of the Rolling Stone writers being pushed on him; he wants Hank. Ashby bails Hank out, takes him drinking (and offers him the services of groupies at the bar). Ashby takes the reluctant Hank out to his ex-wife’s house, which Lew used to share, to appeal to Hank’s romantic soul, and they are called to Marcy and Charlie’s hotel room by the spooked and drugged-up Marcy.

Charlie, wearing underwear and a lobster bib, and Marcy, sweating profusely from her recreational drug consumption, have been having a rather intense discussion of Charlie’s discontent…he’s too guilty, and drugged up himself, to tell her of his firing, and instead shuts himself in the bathroom and is nonresponsive. Hank and Lew arrive, and Hank breaks down the bathroom door while Lew helps himself to the white powder. Charlie finally admits to his canning, much to Marcy’s irritation, and Charlie’s sudden need for the commission as Moody’s agent gives Hank all the reason he needs to accept Ashby’s offer.

Karen has had an odd day, herself, between being pressured by Becca, and eventually encouraged by Mia, to relent and bail out Hank, and accepting a proposal from Sonja to work together in restoring an historic house.

Having pacified the Runkles’ situation, Hank returns home, tucks in Becca, and steels himself for talking with Karen…who wants him back in bed with her, but worries if their love and mutual attraction is enough to sustain their lives together.

So…aside from throwing around a certain insult rather freely, for the second episode in row (in sympathy with the controversy over Tropic Thunder?), this episode is also continuing the unfortunate unbalance of the male characters being vicitimized by the women, or at least we’re apparently supposed to see it that way (even as, and probably particularly as, Hank is all apologies to Karen).

But at least this episode had rather a lighter touch, with the burly guitarist in lockup adding a deft, uncomfortable touch…and Pamela Adlon and Evan Handler certainly know how to make drug use look utterly unappealing.

In the bar, Hank and Lew compare notes as to what the first record they bought was…Hank’s was a Led Zeppelin, Ashby’s a Captain and Tennille. I can’t remember if mine was a Beach Boys, a David Steinberg comedy album, a Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition, or a Count Basie Orchestra album, since they were all about the same time. But my first single was Brownsville Station’s one hit…still more fun than either of theirs!