Californication

UK viewers may well get the chance to see new episodes of Californication with Netflix UK & Ireland looking to acquire the series.

British viewers have been without the David Duchovny series since Channel 5 decided not to extend its licensing deal with CBS Studios International.

It is being reported this week that Netflix are eyeing up the new seasons of series for UK audiences, beginning with the fifth season.

Viewers are currently able to see the first four seasons on Netflix UK.

Looks like Channel 5 has decided not to rethink their decision to remove Californication from its line-up.

The last time the show aired in the UK was season 4 way back in late 2011, with the decision being made midway through last year to drop the show altogether.

Channel 5 said today that the fifth and sixth seasons of the brilliant David Duchovny series Californication will definitely not be screening in the UK.

The network responded to an inquiry by @bill626 on Twitter, asking if the show would ever return, saying: “Hi .@bill626 just heard back from our programming team and Californication is not coming back ” Continue reading »

Wednesday 13 October, 11:25pm on Fiver

The third season of the racy comedy drama comes to an end on Fiver this week. On the eve of Hank and Karen’s move to New York, Mia returns to town with a new agent, who is hellbent on exposing Hank’s transgressions in order to save his client’s ailing career. Meanwhile, Charlie considers getting his vasectomy reversed in the light of his improving relations with Marcy. Hank arrives home to find that he has a very unwelcome visitor. Mia, a former conquest of his, is in town to promote the paperback release of her hugely successful novel. Unbeknown to Karen – who became a mother figure to the girl when she dated Mia’s father – the book was actually written by Hank. After Mia seduced Hank at the age of 16, she stole the manuscript from him and passed it off as her own, using the fact that Hank unwittingly committed statutory rape as leverage. Karen accepts an invitation to Mia’s book launch party on behalf of her family, where a reluctant Hank soon finds himself alone with Mia’s agent – and latest conquest – Paul Rider (James Frain, ‘The Tudors’, ‘True Blood’). Paul confesses that Mia seems to be having trouble writing her second novel, and goes on to indicate that he knows exactly what went on between the teenager and Hank. “Quite the literary scandal we have here,” he muses, watching Hank squirm. “But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” Paul goes on to set out his master plan for Mia’s career. Now that he knows she is hopeless as a novelist, he wants her to confess all about her involvement with Hank in order to become a reality TV star. Hank is understandably horrified by Paul’s plan, which could see him facing not only the end of his career, but also possible jail time. “My biggest client is a fraud – I’m trying to make the best of a bad situation,” Paul snarls when he hears Hank’s protests. “And I’m not the one who fucked an underage girl.”

Wednesday 6 October, 11:25pm on Fiver

David Duchovny stars as hell-raising writer Hank Moody in the third season of the racy comedy drama. In this episode, Hank is confronted by several of his old lovers at an awkward lunch, while the Runkles re-evaluate their marriage. Hank and Karen are in bed on a Saturday morning. Karen confides to Hank that she is concerned that the fiery passion they once had as a couple has disappeared. The couple then get dressed and go to Felicia’s house for lunch. On arrival, Hank discovers to his dismay that Felicia has also invited his old paramours Jill and Jackie. “We couldn’t just let you skip town without a fond farewell,” Jill says wryly. As the morning continues, Hank becomes ever more uncomfortable about being alone in the presence of his four latest conquests. Karen is delighted by Hank’s discomfort, and is more than happy to swap notes about him. “I’m enjoying the appraisal of your little idiosyncrasies,” she reveals. Hank’s problems worsen with the arrival of Richard Bates, a fellow writer who is taking over Hank’s teaching position at the university. It is revealed that Karen had a passionate affair with Richard when she was at university, and it is clear there is still a strong spark between the old lovers, who flirt openly in front of Hank. Lunch is further complicated by the arrival of a drunken Stacy, who is dressed in full American Civil War regalia. Having had a few drinks with his war re-enactment buddies, he is ready to settle a score with Hank. He challenges his former love rival to a duel, although this idea is met with ridicule from the louche philanderer. “Let him bust a Civil War cap in my ass? I don’t think so!” Hank says. When Felicia convinces those present that the pistols have blanks in them, and goaded on by Richard, Hank reluctantly agrees. However, the three men present soon get into an ugly tussle as the women look on in startled amusement. Will this episode damage Hank’s smooth reputation once and for all, and ruin his delicate relationship with Karen?

Wednesday 29 September, 11:25pm on Fiver

David Duchovny stars as hell-raising writer Hank Moody in the third season of the racy comedy drama. In this episode, Hank and Charlie hit the town after Karen, Becca and Marcy snub them in favour of a girls’ night out. Hank pulls up outside his flat in the early evening and sees Becca and Karen leaving for dinner at a restaurant. Despite Hank’s best efforts, the ladies are adamant that he will not be joining them “We were thinking that you weren’t actually invited,” says Becca. The girls are taking Marcy out, in an effort to cheer her up after her relationship with Rick Springfield imploded (see last week’s episode, ‘Mr Bad Example’). Karen and Becca are still angry with Hank for sleeping with Felicia, jeopardising Hank’s plan for them all to move back to New York. Taking their strong hints to leave them be, Hank visits Charlie as he is cleaning out his office. It transpires that Sue has fired the agent over his run-in with Rick Springfield. “Charlie Runkle is once again an agent without an agency,” Charlie ruefully reports. The pair decide that hitting a bar is the best plan of action, and are soon discussing their respective other halves and recent troubles. Charlie then gets a drink accidentally spilled over him by an unremorseful man. When Hank demands an apology from the stranger, he is rudely questioned about his sexuality. In response, Hank passionately kisses Charlie, announcing to the bar “we’re here, we’re queer, get used to it,” before promptly punching the offending drinkspiller in the face. After being thrown out of the bar for fighting, Hank has a proposal for Charlie. “What say you and me go on a good old-fashioned bender?” he asks. After a few more drinks, the boys find themselves in a late-night book shop, where they steal an expensive first edition of Hank’s early writing. After making a dash out of the shop, Charlie and Hank run into Becca, Marcy and Karen as the women are leaving a restaurant. The ladies are not impressed with the inebriated condition of the pair. “I’m done being your mommy,” Marcy says to Charlie.

Wednesday 22 September, 11:25pm on Fiver

David Duchovny stars as hell-raising writer Hank Moody in the third season of the racy comedy drama. In this episode, Hank and Karen ponder their next course of action when Becca and Chelsea are expelled from school for fighting. Rick Springfield’s designs on Marcy drive Charlie to despair. Hank is called to Dean Stacy Koons’s office to hear his fate at the college. “I’m not planning to fire you,” Stacy says. “Unfortunately, not a single one of the ladies that you so egregiously fouled has agreed to stand up and press formal charges against you.” Hank is dismayed to hear that Felicia has kicked Stacy out of the deanery and offers to help him patch up his marriage. Both men are distracted, however, when they hear that Becca and Chelsea have been fighting at school. Hank, Karen, Felicia and Stacy are called to see the principal of the girls’ prestigious academy. The principal reveals that both Becca and Chelsea have been expelled for fighting with each other. When Karen demands to know the cause of the fight, Felicia lets slip the revelation of her fling with Hank. “Becca’s father and I had a slight, well, indiscretion. It may have contributed to the girls’ little kerfuffle,” she explains. Back at the apartment, Hank’s explanations to Karen cut little ice, and she begins to rue the day she left him in charge of Becca. “Do you have any idea how infuriating you are?” she asks. “Yes, yes I do,” Hank replies. The chastened writer retreats to his office at the campus, where he consoles a downbeat Charlie over his work and relationship woes.

Wednesday 1 September, 11:25pm on Fiver

David Duchovny stars as hell-raising writer Hank Moody in the third season of the racy comedy drama. In this episode, Karen returns from New York to discover Becca’s adolescent behaviour is spiralling out of control. Charlie feels inadequate when Marcy takes a shine to rock star-turned-actor Rick Springfield. Karen’s unexpected arrival from New York (see last week’s episode) does little to shake Becca from her morose mood. “I don’t recognise her anymore,” Karen says. “I told you, she’s changed,” Hank replies. “She’s a miserable little bitch all the time now.” Karen decides that Becca needs to move back to New York with her. “This place is toxic,” she says. “LA is no place to raise a daughter.” But the news sends Becca into a fury. The stubborn teenager is aghast at the prospect of being separated from her best friend, Chelsea. “New York doesn’t mean shit to me! It isn’t the answer to anything!” she screams. Karen, meanwhile, has a confession to make to Hank. She reveals that she slept with her ex-fianc�, Bill, in New York. “It’s not that big a deal. I kinda felt that I owed him one. I did, you know, ruin his life and all,” she says. Disturbed by this news, Hank nonetheless allows Karen to accompany him to the university, where she delights in sitting in on his class. Karen is quick to notice Hank’s exchanges with perky Jacky and repressed Jill. “Which one are you sleeping with?” she asks, with a raised eyebrow. Hank and Karen grant Becca her wish of dining with Chelsea and her family, the Koons. They head off for dinner with Marcy and Charlie, only to be called away by the news that Becca has been misbehaving. “It seems Becca and Chelsea staged a raid on the dean’s wine cellar,” Hank says.

Wednesday 25 August, 11:25pm on Fiver

David Duchovny stars as hell-raising writer Hank Moody in the third season of the racy comedy drama. In this episode, while Becca visits Karen in New York, Hank entertains a childhood friend looking for a good time. Daisy’s reappearance threatens to derail Charlie and Marcy’s reunion. Hank is at the airport to put Becca on a plane to New York. The taciturn teenager seems typically underwhelmed by the prospect of visiting her mother. “I don’t get it, Becs. What could be so awful about visiting the woman who pushed you through her magnificent vagina?” Hank asks. Having dispatched Becca, Hank heads across to arrivals to meet his childhood friend Mike ‘Zloz’ Zlozowski. Mike called Hank at short notice and asked to visit him in LA. The two men have not seen each other in years and Mike is initially cagey about the reasons for his visit. “What’s up? You sounded pretty mysterious on the phone,” Hank says. Mike and Hank end up in a bar, where Mike causes trouble by hounding every girl in sight with bad chat-up lines. Hank eventually presses the happily married family man to admit that he has fallen out with his wife. “We got into a fight. Words were spoken. Household appliances were thrown,” Mike explains. Appalled, Hank urges Mike to go back to his wife. “You’re not gonna do any better than Kim,” he says. “You were my hero when you nailed her.” “Well, as the saying goes – for every beautiful woman, there’s a guy who’s bored of fucking her,” Mike replies. The two boys attend a party at Sue Collini’s house, where Mike expresses his desire to enjoy a little bit of the LA high life – much to Hank’s continued dismay. “You got everything you could ever want or need back home, trust me,” he says. Mike winds up in a hot tub with a beautiful woman, only to discover that the woman is a transsexual. Mike’s revulsion angers Hank, who warns him to curb his aggressive behaviour. The pair end up in a fight on the pool table, only to be separated by Sue.

Wednesday 18 August, 11:25pm on Fiver

Zoso (Series 3: 4/12) David Duchovny stars as hell-raising writer Hank Moody in the third season of the racy comedy drama. In this episode, Hank further complicates his already convoluted love life by sleeping with one of his students. Elsewhere, Sue Collini suggests Hank kick-start his writing career by offering himself to powerful, older women, Hank appeases Becca by allowing her to go on a shopping trip with Felicia, and Charlie and Marcy’s attempt to sell their house goes awry. Hank is snoozing at the office when he is interrupted by Felicia. “We should talk,” she says. “Oh shit – you’re not preggers, are you?” asks Hank. Since the pair only kissed (see last week’s episode, ‘Verities & Balderdash’), Felicia calmly responds in the negative, before throwing herself on Hank. She confesses that ever since she discovered her husband was unfaithful, she has considered herself owed an infidelity. “I’m like fly paper for the emotionally disturbed,” reflects Hank. The pair quickly separate when Jill enters the room. “We have to talk…” she tells Hank as soon as they are alone. Much like her predecessor, she then proceeds to snuggle up to the in-demand writer. That night, Hank heads to a strip bar, ostensibly to talk to Jackie, a student who recently quit his class. Jackie is happy to talk to her former tutor – but only if he pays for her time. Hank finds himself trying to convince a topless Jackie to rejoin his class, while she writhes around on his lap. “You’re a damn fine writer,” he says. “Writing is just a pipe dream – you can’t make a living doing something like that. That’s how you end up teaching,” she replies. Upon leaving the club, Hank sees Jackie being pushed around by a group of men and rushes to her defence – only to be beaten up. Jackie takes her protector back to her flat, where the pair end up having sex. “This is not a good idea – you’re my student,” he protests. “Not any more I’m not…” she replies.

I’ve seen the first four episodes of Californication, Season 2, and they’re at least as much fun as the first. My sneak peek review contains no spoilers.