A Review of Showtime's Californication Starring David Duchovny

Yay, Nay or Duchovny?

In the last several years Showtime has made a strong push to start creating and producing more quality, original programming. There have been hits and misses along the way (read more about the good, the bad and the ugly on television right here) and their newest creation, "Californication", is bound to fall somewhere dead in the middle.

David Duchovny stars as Hank, a transplant from New York who is still in love with his ex, who happens to be the mother of his daughter. Hank is a writer who had one smashing success (and hasn't written anything in years) and then watched as his book was mauled into some cookie cutter romantic comedy. He follows his daughter and ex to LA where she finds a new guy and life and he struggles to fit in and get work.

The acting on the show leaves something to the imagination as in, "I can imagine how much better the acting would be if I turned the channel." Natascha McElhone, who plays Duchovny's former lover, is pretty to look at and not much else. Not all the blame can be placed on her, for her part is ridiculous in and of itself. The ex who has a new fiancée but lets the old boyfriend hit on her constantly, in front of child and new man no less. The new man is of course no excitement but no heartbreak...hmm that makes this the 7,348th time I've watched/read/listened to that story; this year. While Duchovny is good in his role - dry and sarcastic to the core - if you don't like him, don't watch the show.