From Sho.com:

I think Hank's redeemed himself more than a bit tonight, no?

Interesting: I had no idea Hank slept standing up, or that the fund-raiser was a strictly horizontal affair.

This show is starting to grow on me. Hank is much more likeable when he isn't treating women like pieces of ass just waiting to be tapped by him.

The agent’s wife seems much cooler than his spank toy, what an idiot.

I really like the daughter and not just because she looks like a mini Betty Page.

Karen’s gets called a c*&t and all her fiancé does is ask if she wants the guy thrown out? I’m not saying that he should have decked the jerk like Hank did but he didn’t even tell the man to back off, not too gallant.

Hence, yet another reason Bill is a tool. Even his own daughter doesn't really seem to care about him. She asked Becca about him referring to him by his first name. I did wonder about that. And did I mention she managed to creep me out even more during that scene with Becca. Was it just me or did she look just as freaked?

Yeah I thought Mia was getting near inappropriate with Becca. Chris Hansen wasn't coming to ask what she was doing, but still it was creepy.

Wow, I thought it was weird, too. I almost thought Mia was going to lean in and kiss Becca. Maybe Mia was molested by her Dad when she was younger (maybe it's still going on!) and now she's exhibiting inappropriate sexual behavior all the time. Just a thought.

Speaking of Becca, with all the speculation about how old she is supposed to be and the age of Madeleine Martin (and IMDB is NO help with that question!), I took a good look tonight and I wouldn't be surprised if she (Madeleine) was 14 or 15.

Well, I don't think the show is really getting any better and Hank's character is only likable some of the time (when he's not being a crude jerk) but I still laugh often enough and I see Henry Rollins is guesting next week, sooooo I guess I will be back for another go round.

Dream On quotient was way down, other than the secretary in the little photoshoot.

Hope they drop that story line.

This show offends me for reasons other than the gratuitous sex - like the fact that it so blatantly plays with a stacked deck.

It is easily amongst the worst written and moral abiding show on tv - the nudity and dirty talk is just a cover for old fashioned moralizing and chivalrous behavior.

Did anybody *not* know that Hank would be defending the honor of women tonight? Or that he would walk in on the boss with the secretary and suddenly turn into a marriage counselor?

My heart goes out to the other characters and actors - they're clearly just a pretext for Moody (what a crap and obvious name for a temperamental writer) to show off his 'artistic' temperament. Pretext is putting it mildly - they're more a cipher for his ego and moods.

A God awful wank - and a dog's breakfast to boot.

Most of this episode was really stupid, poorly scripted and acted. But there was one good exchange:

"You don't knock?"

"You don't lock?"

That was clever.

Evan Handler manages to keep a character charming and sexy even when he is being a cheatin jerk. This is to be complimented as well.

This was the best episode of the season by far.
PussyMan was toned down to a level of being a real person rather than a caricature. Acting was very strong as well as the writing. If it keeps up this level, I will watch religiously while praying for a second season.

This was the first episode I was able to catch. I was predisposed not to hate it because I have an inexplicable fondness for David Duchovny (sue me) and I didn't, but if this was the episode where Hank starts to redeem himself, I can only imagine what the previous episodes were like. Stacked deck indeed. Sure, Hank seemed sweet. Because everyone around him is a cardboard jerk, especially the ex's new boyfriend. Kinda' easy for Hank when Bill blames the ex for someone else's asshat behavior. Why not give Bill real emotions -- anger at the insult to his girlfriend, reluctance to cause a scene in public. Maybe because then Bill would look like an adult and Hank the idiot, self-indulgent seventh grader he his? And this is the character I'm supposed to have sympathy for? I didn't think the writing was groaningly bad, but it was groaningly predictable. Not good when the defining characteristic of the main character is supposed to be unpredictability.

We'll see. Now, if next week I can just remember when it's on.

A relief to see you knew *exactly* what I meant by stacked deck, despite the obvious (and lame) play on words. I just couldn't be assed to flesh out my post either.

This sorry excuse of a show belongs on network tv - not cable. It's so frikking obvious and formulaic. But apparently the sex makes its edgy.



Is that you Mr Duchnovy or Kapinos? :)

Listen up people. Apparently if your opinion differs from Postkantian's, you must be involved in the show somehow. ;)

I was joking....and not so much about the difference in opinion. More it's specific content. Thought it was obvious actually - not unlike the show.

If this were the actual show, I'd tell you to use a butt plug and make up. Then I'd go sleep with a lady I just met.

Do I see a war starting? I hope not. *cringes* Oh, I don't? Awesome. *relieved*

Are butt plugs reusable?

Yeah, what Omar said, only on a more serious note: Don't personally attack or get snotty with other posters who don't agree with you. People are allowed to like the show, and to dislike it. They're also allowed to be sarcastic. So let's stop this snottiness.

Talk of butt plugs obviously is fine, since this is the "Californication" forum. Heh.

I had a strange reaction to this one. All the action was very predictable; as someone else said, was there any doubt at all that Pussyman would be defending some honors? And yet I still enjoyed it greatly. By all rights I shouldn't have but I did. THe exchange with Hank in the office and with "Married Guy" is what did it I think.

One aspect of Hank's character that I continue to enjoy is his bizzarro nice guy to asshole ratio. I keep getting the impression that he knows exactly how much of a prick he is and that it is some sort of intentional self flaggelatory device on his part. This concept was cemented for me by the fact that he really went to bat for his Scientologist GF, and looked so hurt (as opposed to disbelieving) when Married Guy told him she'd called him a loser, but then took care of her drunken ass anyway. Definitely self flaggelatory. Which is of course another reason to hate the show as well, but it's working for me.

I really liked the exchange with Handler a great deal, he owned his own shit and reminded Mr. Agent that as hot as his little Suicide Secretary is, his wife is the bees knees. Really there was nothing about that bit I didn't like.

Hey Omar, I'm sorry you got stuck recapping a show you hate so much (and fully understand your reasons for hating it) but it sure is making for entertaining reading. I'm really looking forward to your coverage of this one.

You know, I give the show a hard time in the weecaps (it's what I'm paid to do), but if you look at the ratings I've given the episodes, it's been B-, C, B and B.

I think the show has moments of lameness, but then I thought the same thing when "Six Feet Under" started. I think it may get better once it finds its feet.

If I hated the show, I'd be giving it Ds and Fs. Bs are very good ratings considering it's on the same scale as "Sopranos," "Friday Night Lights" and everything else I watch (with a little bit of weight given to a rating's relation to past episodes of the same show).

Really liked this episode. Then again, I've liked all 4 so far. This show seems to be going down a lot better on this side of the Atlantic(Ireland, in my case) than it is in America. Every British forum I read, loves it, yet every American forum I visit seems to either hate it or have a very mixed opinions about it.

It's a strange one.

I'm so proud! "Pussyman" caught on! I wish I could take more credit for this, but when I worked in a video store in the 80's, this was an actual line of titles so it just kinda sprung to mind.

Best episode yet, and DD finally seems to have found the character. Is the agent's wife the character Pamela S. Adlon is playing? I love her. She's like Janeane Garofallo only actually cute without all the raging self-hate and bitterness.

I'm also glad I wasn't the only one who noticed Mia's seemingly sexually-motivated undertones in her conversation with Hank's daughter. I totally thought she was going to lean in and kiss her passionately.

That's funny that you've said that. I just went to 4 forums and most of the people posting from the states seem to love the series. I think that with each ep it gets better and better. I'm loving Hank, great character.



Madeleine martin is 12 years old.

THANK YOU! That was so...wrong.

Yeeess, I wanted to post something about that but I thought that maybe it was just me and I needed to lay off of Court TV for awhile.

Yes it is and so do I. Damn, maybe Lucky Louie actually helped her career. That's a scary thought.

from recap:


I'm pretty sure she actually said the material was for the "North of Montana hausfraus" which actually made me laugh, because "Montana" is a street in Santa Monica, CA that the area north of it is where all the upper-class homes are situated. You have to actually drive around in the area for awhile to understand the full context of the line I guess.

It was just a LaLaLand Inside-Joke... and from the looks of the writer chick, I don't believe the great state of Montana has EVER crossed her "everything between LA and NYC is fly-over space" mind.

Yep. I'd agree with that. I'm enjoying seeing DD on screen again acting as this miserable git. I find him funny.

As it's been said this episode was predictable, but I still enjoyed it. Charlie's storyline needs to end. Now. I'm hoping Hank catching them (funny!) stops it. I'm not sure about Exy. I can see why she left Hank. But for Bill? They really aren't giving this Bill guy a chance. He's very one dimensional. I get that he's safe and that's why Exy would want him... but please give him something else! It's too easy for Exy to lust after Hank when Bill's what she has at home. That just makes Exy look stupid.

I'm not liking Mia. Still. I'm not sure about Becca either...

Anyway, I'm glad it's getting better. Are there only 12 eps or is it a longer run?

Best episode so far in my opinion. There's a lot of priceless moments with Karen being called the c-word, Hank punching out the guy and Charlie and the assistant. What I like is Hank is moving further in his relationship with Meredith even though he still has those inevitable feelings for Karen. I won't be surprised if they're back together by season's end.

To answer your question beebs, I think there's 12 episodes this season. Weeds has 15 episodes and Dexter & Brotherhood both have 12 episodes each just to clarify.

Was it ever clear that Hank's date (I can't remember her name) really did say he was a "loser" to Married Guy? If so, ouch.



I'm a new member in the "Thank goodness I wasn't the only one who had that thought" club. I was supremely freaked by Mia yet again.

The last scene with Becca & Hank over the phone. Too cute.

It wouldn't be out of character for her. I would not be surprised at all, especially when she had just met Hank.

I think it hit home for him because the revelation of what these women, including his Ex think of him has to be rough.

Thanks for the info Snob. I was just asking as it's a half hour show it could have been different from Dexter (can't wait to see the season!).

On Exy aka Karen... I think they may get back together. But then what's the big angst for Hank? Also as I wrote before, it's all too easy for her to run back to Mr. Moody. Bill is a drip. Hank is hot (even though he's an asshole). It'd probably be more interesting if Hank moved on (don't see it happening as he worships Exy in his own special way) and Karen then tried and come back to him... but I don't see that happening.

Not for me -- I thought it was a very sweet moment, two-girls-on-the-edge-of-adulthood, realizing it can sometimes be a tough world for a female. Very touching. It's nice that Becca has a peer that she can talk to about these things.

You know, I don't think I could stand it if there was even a *hint* of Mulder (my most favorite character of all time) in this show. Good thing there isn't. That said, I love seeing DD again, I think that this episode was the best so far, and I adore Hank and Becca's relationship. However, I think that the predictability of every scene, down to the dialog of every character except Hank, may prove the show's downfall. I hope that everyone, writer included, finds their feet soon or 12 eps is all we are going to get.

I remember when QAF started and the endless complaints about practically everything on the show began, yet I was devoted to it and in real anxiety over it not being renewed. I don't have that same anxiety over this show, and that is a shame. I want to love it more, but it is not letting me, not unlike Hank, I suppose.

ETA: because spelling correctly is good

Never watched X-Files, DD was just barely even a blip on my radar and that only registered because he married the gorgeous Tea Leoni. So.........wow! I love him and Hank. Love the cast with the exception of Becca. The actor who plays Exy's Nexy? LOVE. This show is fun.

Add me to the list of creeped out by the inappropriate sexual vibe in the scene between Becca and Mia and disturbed by Mia in general. Mia's sexual confidence to the point of agressiveness also strikes a wrong note somehow. Most girls that age, even the beautiful ones, don't believe in their beauty enough to use it as this much of a weapon. After writing this, I know the guys are going to jump on me about how they were tortured by the sirens of their youth, but I swear to you that most of that torturing was unconsciously done and without the agenda that Mia clearly has.

Mia seems to be a character born of the whole Pussyman fantasy - and the bigger fantasy that deep down, Pussyman is really a nice, gallant guy. I say this even though I enjoy the show while watching it, but when I start to think about it..............

Totally!

I'm almost curious to know if there's a specific reason Mia acts like that. Or maybe that's just the way she is... Either way, creepy.