What I’m Watching: Californication

Californication: Season 4, Episode 8 “Lights. Camera. Asshole.” (B+)

In the category of best casting ever, let’s have a round of applause for whoever thought that Callie Thorne would be perfect for the role of Sasha’s mom and Hank’s latest conquest. Thorne is most well-known for her portrayal of nutjob Sheila on “Rescue Me,” and here she had a more tempered yet equally fascinating role. She also had the opportunity to utter the most unfortunate sentence just as her daughter walked in to try to bed Hank herself. I like that this show isn’t trying to recycle plotlines but instead referencing past similar ones, as done by Hank when he brings up Damien and his mom, though admittedly this situation is considerably more messed up than that. It’s also nice that Hank isn’t being painted in such a terrible light, and while he has the wrath of a mother and daughter reigning down on him, he doesn’t have the public to contend with, which is a relief. All of Marcy’s interactions with Stu were completely hilarious, and I like how Karen talked to her about the abortion and essentially let her make her own decision. Charlie’s latest romp is just as crazy and out-there as all of his previous sexual encounters, and what really makes it work is seeing his reaction to the wildish things that his new partner suggested and did. This show really manages to display and contain such an intense level of sex that seems almost unparalleled on any other television show currently on the air.