Newly-Reviewed Programs
TV on DVD
All Shows: A-Z Index
Advanced Search

2008 Fall Season
2008 Summer Season
2007-08 Midseason
2007 Fall Season
2007 Summer Season
2006-07 Midseason
2006 Fall Season
2006 Summer Season
2005-06 Midseason
2005 Fall Season
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss TV In Our Forums

A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! 77
Comedy Central, 11/23

24: Redemption 65
Fox, 11/23

Filth 72
PBS, 11/16

Ricky Gervais: Out of England 61
HBO, 11/15

Top Chef Season Five 75
Bravo, Wednesday

Californication
Season Two
SERIES: Showtime, Sunday 10:00p (30 minutes)


8.2

based on 11 reviews
read critic reviews
how did we calculate this?

based on 20 votes
read user comments
rate this tv show

Get more information on this show at TV.com.

Official Show Site

Starring David Duchovny, Natascha McElhone, Madeleine Martin, Madeline Zima, and Evan Handler

Hank's got his girl back, but he tries her patience with his many mistakes.

GENRE(S):	Comedy
CREATED BY:	Tom Kapinos
FIRST AIR DATE:	September 28, 2008

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

TV Guide Matt Roush

Worth the price of admission? Absolutely.

Variety Brian Lowry

Year two is actually more compelling and fun, morphing from the twin themes of bachelorhood and longing into tackling the challenges of monogamy--especially when one partner's lurid past keeps colliding with the present.

Boston Globe Matthew Gilbert

The impulse to protect his family comes much less naturally to David Duchovny's Hank Moody, the hero of Californication, which returns in top form for its second season.

PopMatters Cynthia Fuchs

Drawing parallels between the city’s decadence and that of its inhabitants is a fairly obvious point to make, so using it for more than just establishing shots is overkill, specifically pulling the viewer out of emotional moments. It’s a small quibble, though, and thankfully, the only complaint about this new season so far.

Chicago Tribune Maureen Ryan

His repetitive fights with his ex-girlfriend, Karen (Natascha McElhone), with whom he reunited at the end of last season, are by far the most tiresome part of the show. Much more fun is the easy camaraderie Hank has with his growing entourage, all of whom share his cynical and saucy outlook on life.

Time James Poniewozik

The first couple of episodes, in which Hank tries to be monogamous with his ex, offer some promise, but for me the show is still works better for its pithy little scenes.

The New York Times Ginia Bellafante

The cast is too appealing to make Californication as genuinely distasteful as it tries to be. And at the same time the writing is too broad to make it genuinely good.

San Francisco Chronicle Tim Goodman

Californication in Season 2 seems like its indulging a certain person's condition rather than illuminating the human condition, if you know what I mean - and I think you do.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Rob Owen

I kept watching last year and I'll probably keep watching this year, although I think the show is already starting to repeat itself.

Salon Heather Havrilesky

Desperate, self-involved losers who are aging badly? I can't think of anything I'd rather see on TV. But sweaty, half-dressed couples snorting drugs and mumbling "Wanna fuck?" at each other?

Newark Star-Ledger Alan Sepinwall

Regardless of how promiscuous its obnoxious hero is, Californication remains a smug, unpleasant ego trip to nowhere.

The average user rating for this tv show is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 20 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Caleb H. gave it a10:
The second season seemed to rely more on raunchy and vulgar content to keep viewers attached to Hanks life. However, at around episode 3 that all began to change. The daughter of Hank and Karen is starting to take a bigger role and she is really adding to the episodes. Watching her parent her parents is both funny and heartbreaking. Never have I seen a show so versatile in its use of imagery. I don't watch it for the sex; I watch it for the great relationships that are formed. Through all the sex and deceit, there is always a glimmer of hope and love that shines bright throughout Californication. One of the best shows I have ever seen.

Oscar B. gave it a6:
The first shows this season were average, but it'll pick up.

Milo C. gave it a0:
A horrendous ending of an episode to a promising second season.

Milo B. gave it a6:
It was going good, and then the ending of the first episode was like bam, wtf? It seems like this show is moving too fast, it needs to slow down, or they will run out of stuff to write.

Discuss this tv show in our forums

Return to top of page

Californication Season Two SERIES: Showtime, Sunday 10:00p (30 minutes)

Californication
Season Two
SERIES: Showtime, Sunday 10:00p (30 minutes)