August 28, 2007

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Seth Arenstein on the latest installment of Showtime's Californication.

Tube Stake: Programming Reviews by Seth Arenstein

HANK'S BUNCH: David Duchovny & Co.

Showtime’s wonderfully lewd comedy Californication (Monday, 10:30pm) made it through 30 minutes last night, the series’ third episode, without mentioning pubic hair. That must be some sort of record.

In the pilot, David Duchovny’s bowed but unbroken author character Hank Moody takes his 12-year-old daughter home for some “daddy time.” While Hank makes dinner—more accurately, fumbles for takeout menus—daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin) heads to Hank’s bedroom to fire up the DVD player.

Another night of Pirates of the Caribbean is in store for Hank and Becca, despite Hank’s wondering why a descendent of his loins favors a film based on a theme park ride instead of a piece of literature. But when precocious Becca returns to the kitchen, she’s brought a query and a follow-up. “Daddy, why is there a naked lady in your bedroom?” she asks. And then: “She has no hair on her vagina. Do you think she’s OK?”

BEACHY KEEN: Madeleine Martin (l.) and Natascha McElhone.

In episode 2 last week, Becca’s mom and Hank’s beautiful ex-girlfriend, Karen, played by Natascha McElhone, is castigated by Marcy (Pamela Adlon), the wife of Hank’s agent Charlie (Evan Handler), for not updating her bikini wax. It’s been weeks since Karen’s been to the salon, Marcy says. In a piece of dialogue appropriate to the no-holds-barred series, Marcy says Karen’s pubic region must look like a rock band by now. 

Of course, despite Hank’s prolific sex life—including an unintentional night of passion with Mia (Madeline Zima), who turns out to be the 16-year-old daughter of the man Karen intends to marry—we don’t actually see a pubic hair. Let’s be thankful.

Other than that, Californication doesn’t leave much to the imagination. And while last night’s episode avoided pubic hair, the sexual references and the actual sex were present and accounted for. In spades.

Duchovny, who must have it in his contract that he gets to sleep with at least one beautiful woman per episode, finds that a blind date he insulted in the pilot just can’t stay away from his bedroom. Bingo!

And then just as this woman leaves, 16-year-old Mia comes by, followed moments later by Karen, whom Duchovny’s character really still loves. Mia begins to poke around Hank’s bedroom for an unpublished short story that she can get credit for in her high school creative writing class.

All the while Karen is nearby, in the kitchen, examining a package of large condoms that Hank’s left on the counter. “You must have had a growth spurt,” she says. Hank’s in no mood to argue. Having the unpredictable Mia nearby while Karen is in the kitchen produces major anxiety for him. 

MAMA'S MIA: Madeline Zima and David Duchovny.

The seeming voice of reason in all this, Charlie, Hank’s agent, takes an unexpected turn in episode three. He discovers that his attractive, young, multi-pierced and tattooed secretary derives sexual pleasure from being spanked. Bingo again.

A word about Madeline Zima’s Mia. Devoted TV fans may recall Zima as the 8-year-old Grace Sheffield, the youngest daughter in Fran Drescher’s vehicle The Nanny. Now 22, although playing a 16-year-old, Zima’s grown into a beautiful woman, as we saw in Californication’s pilot during her graphic bedroom scene with Duchovny.

Zima’s acting chops haven’t been stretched on Californication as her character’s pretty one-dimensional so far, but she’s doing a great job with it, exuding the sexuality of a hormonally-charged teen all the while displaying a cunning personality behind a mischievous cat-like grin.

The other little Sheffield girl is busy, too. The now 29-year-old Nicholle Tom is co-starring as trampy Tara in IFC's hilarious The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman (Sundays, 11:30pm). While their characters aren’t the most solid citizens, at least both of Mr. Sheffield’s (Charles Shaughnessy) daughters are working. The Nanny would be proud. I think.         

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