Californication

I AM LEERY, always, of shows about writers or featuring writers. Yes, yes, I think we are endlessly fascinating. How could I not? I'm just not sure that the world needs to share our solipsism.

The last real Inside-Showbizzy series I loved was The Larry Sanders Show, and I think my unreasonable love for that show is an instructive one. It was the first of the big behind-the-sceners (unless you count Mary Tyler Moore or Dick Van Dyke, and I don't.) but the juice of that show didn't necessarily come from its setting. It came from a triumverate of truly amazing characters: Artie, the always on the edge of a beating hardass producer, venal, complex, damaged Larry, and the sublime Hank Kingsley. (How is it possible that the show never made a big impact, yet everyone seems to know, "Hey now!" Does Howard Stern really have that much power?)

Shows that are too inside baseball never age well. I liked Murphy Brown, but man, those shows are well nigh unwatchable now.

When Studio 60 came along, I was willing to give it a flyer because of Sorkin. And we all know how that turned out.

Entourage, interestingly enough, bores me the more it becomes about the business, and the less it focuses on those four guys. I think giving Ari his own plots free of the boys -- while inevitable -- was probably a big creative mistake.

And 30 Rock -- well, the TV characters on 30Rock are the lamest -- Jenna, Tracy Jordan...it's Alec Baldwin, Fey, and the Intern who sell that show.

See how I just rationalized all the inside baseball shows I watch as not being inside baseball? Nifty trick, self delusion.

Anyway, on to Californication. I have to admit, I was pretty held by it. And yup, this is not a likable character. I mean, that speech he gives in the restaurant to dress down his date is just...horrific.

He also suffers from Tommy Gavin syndrome. There is something off the charts ridiculous about that many women leaping over themselves to get a piece of the Duchovny magic. And flash their bits in the process. There are a lot of actresses in Hollywood, yes there are.

And yet...

The show charms. It does. It helps that Natasha McElhone and Duchovny have a lot of chemistry. (I think Natasha McElhone is one of the most beautiful women on TV. Finally, a woman that I could see someone being all moony over for years. Duchovny sure has good luck with redheads.)

The late-episode reveal of the nature of one of buddy's bed partners is probably what everybody's going to be talking about...and it was a pretty sickening reveal... it was a little uncomfortable that they played the same beat as Rescue Me (when the father is delighted by the possibilty that his daughter's a lesbian. That was funny the first time...)

But all that being said, and despite serious reservations about the character, (and serious envy about the Soundtrack...I mean, who digs up My Morning Jacket singing Rocket Man, AND licences Sympathy by the freaking Stones?) I think I'll be watching. The dialogue was cutting, and there were some genunie surprises.

Like, say, I never thought I'd find myself laughing so hard at a donkey punch.

I think it comes down to Duchovny. This is the David Duchovny that you saw on Larry Sanders, and in the extras on the new excellent Sanders set. He's loose, he's enjoyable and charismatic and low key. David Duchovny is yet another one of those actors (like Jimmy Smits) who's made for TV. He looks so damn comfortable out up there on that screen, and he's just so likable, that I want to spend time with him, even if he is a shit.

But hocheemama that was a lot of nudity. That's a lot of closed set days there, by gum.

For Golick's take on Californication, click here. What did y'all think?