The essential episodes of Californication
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Californication — each pick states its reason.
- 01
A transplanted author suffers from writer's block and is disappointed that his novel has been turned into a romantic comedy for the big screen. He also learns his ex is engaged and that their 12-year-old daughter is acting on her "emerging sexuality."
- 02
After the funeral of Hank's father Al, Hank comes back to L.A. with a new manuscript, that he wants Karen to read. After receiving a bonus paycheck, he buys a new car for himself and a new guitar for Becca.
- 03
A new threesome including Hank and Charlie evolves from a meeting at the gym, while Karen and Marcy have a girl's night out at which they decide to surprise Hank and Charlie.
- 04
Charlie and Dani represent Mia after she wrote a book that seems to have come out of Hank's feather. Becca decides to move out of Bill and Karen's home to live with her dad Hank.
- 05
As Karen's wedding to Bill nears, Hank struggles with accepting what appears to be inevitable. Bill informs Mia that he will not allow her book to be published and Hank has a unique solution to dealing with Becca's surprise visitor.
- 06
In order to distract Hank from his heartbreak, Ashby arranges a sex session with popular, yet incredibly annoying, celebrity chef, Chloe Metz. Charlie takes on a new client who's eager to land the lead in a porn film called Vaginatown. Charlie meets with the film's director and secures her the part, but only after investing $100,000 of his own savings.
- 07
Hank's in for a hedonistic night to remember when Jackie and two stripper friends arrive at his doorstep, unannounced. The next morning, before Hank can escort his new friends from the apartment, Charlie shows up with a verbally abusive Rick Springfield. Hank's forced to hide the hung over party girls all over the house after Jill and Felicia pay surprise visits. The charade reaches its boiling point when Dean Koons arrives on the scene, resulting in a messy catharsis by fire.
- 08
As the Moodys at last prepare to move to New York, Becca tells Hank about an intimate coming of age experience she had. Hank's stunned when Mia shows up at the house unannounced, in town with her slimy boyfriend/manager for a book signing. Hank fails to prevent Mia and Paul from hatching a devious publicity stunt, forcing Hank to finally share the long buried heartbreaking secret with Karen. Meanwhile, Charlie must come to the realization that his relationship with Marcy may be over.
- 09
Just as Hank is released from a 72 hour jail period for assault he is picked up by Charlie and dragged off to show the recent events of F&P with Mia becoming public and dropped into a meeting with a young actress that wants to capitalize on the publicity and make a movie out of F&P. The episode ends with Hank hearing from his lawyer that the assault charges have been dropped and he is then arrested for statutory rape.
- 10
Hank is told he faces 3 years in prison because the DA wants to make an example of him. There are signs Marcy is pregnant. Hank tries to fix things with Becca. The episode ends as Hank, high on drugs and liquor, writes a letter to Becca and then passes out.
- 11
Hank Moody is notified by his attorney Abby that he will be going to trial for statutory rape. But not before Hank hands the completed F&P script to Charlie, who promptly drags him to a meeting with the Director, producer Stu Beggs and eccentric financier Zig Samitaur, setting off a chain of events that leads to Hank and Charlie having to explain why there's a dead billionaire in the bathroom.
- 12
A few years have passed and Hank is living in New York but looking for a ticket out of town after his latest breakup. He accepts an invitation from Charlie to come to Los Angeles for a job writing a film starring rapper/actor Samurai Apocalypse, then reunites with Karen, her former professor and now husband Richard, and his daughter Becca, who now has a boyfriend named Tyler that is the spitting image of Hank himself ... in the worst possible way.
- 13
Hank and Faith attend a funeral. Later, Karen finds Hank in a compromising position. Robbie Mac and Ken take Charlie out on the town, which doesn't sit well with Marcy.
- 14
Levon enjoys a night with Nikki, while Karen, Hank and Marcy are forced to endure the company of Nikki's creepy friend. Meanwhile, Charlie gets in over his head with a new client.
- 15
Hank makes a life-altering decision. Series finale.
Shows like Californication
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
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- 03Drama·Comedy·SportsThe essential episodes of Ted Lasso2020–present
Ted Lasso centers on an idealistic — and clueless — all-American football coach hired to manage an English football club — despite having no soccer coaching experience at all. - 04Drama·Comedy·FoodThe essential episodes of The Bear2022–present·Hulu
Carmy, a young fine-dining chef, comes home to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop. - 05Drama·Comedy·CrimeThe essential episodes of Tulsa King2022–present·Paramount+
Tulsa King follows New York mafia capo Dwight "The General" Manfredi, just after he is released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. - 06Drama·Comedy·FamilyThe essential episodes of Shameless2011–2021Same network — Paramount+ with Showtime·
