Drink it in
Every week we are choosing one TV show that deserves your attention because time is precious and there are some stunning shows available to watch.
This week it’s everyone’s favourite writer, drinker and womaniser, Hank Moody from Californication..
1) What’s it about?
I’d wager that there’s a moment in your life when you meet someone that seems like they’re living the dream.
Hank Moody is this person. Why? Well, who wouldn’t want to be a prodigiously gifted writer that’s equally adept at crafting prose as he is knocking back drinks, insulting suits and bedding women?
This being said, Hank does revel in the cliched concept of ‘tortured writer’ a bit too much but what makes him interesting is that he’s also the judge, jury and executioner of his own demise.
While my earlier vacuous description might make the show seem like it’s a bit too close to Entourage for comfort, Hank’s redeeming qualities are found in the devotion that he has to the two most important women in his life.
His estranged wife Karen provides his artistic muse and raison d’etre while his rebellious but sage daughter Becca frequently provides his moral core.
Hank can be a dick, his own daughter frequently calls him a ‘poor mans Bukowski’, but there’s a roguish charm about him that’s impossible not to love. Ultimately, it’s Hank’s integrity and charm that makes him stand out in the crazy world that’s known as L.A L.A land.
Yes, he’s a self-saboteur that thinks that the answers to all of life’s problems can be found at the bottom of a bottle or in the bed of a strange woman, but it’s these flaws and his devotion to this idealised and elusive idea of a normal family life that makes him human.
The warped relationship that Hank has with his best friend Charlie Runkle is gas and it’s hard not to escape into his escapades within the Hollywood golden circles.
Being a writer has never looked this appealing.
2) It’s almost like…
As mentioned before, Charles Bukowski’s semi-
3) It’s worth your time because…
For men, I’d wager that it’s pure wish fulfillment because Hank is the type of guy that most lads want to be but as mentioned before, there’s enough of a pull on the heartstrings to elevate this show above the rest.
4) Did you know…?
In 2007, the Red Hot Chili Peppers filed a lawsuit against Showtime Networks over the name of the series.
5) One episode and you’re hooked…
The pilot has a very memorable scene featuring a nun, I’ll say no more, but the turning point for me was the episode title ‘In Utero’ in season two. The dynamic between Karen in Hank is perfectly summed up and soundtrack by Pearl Jam’s astounding track Nothingman.
6) If the show was a person…
It’s that friend of yours who just seems like they coast through life without a single care in the world.
You can’t resent them though because you’re always interested in hearing what they have to say. They’re at the parties where you want to be.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
