The BEST episodes of Californication

Every episode of Californication ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Californication!

David Duchovny returns to TV with his Golden Globe-winning portrayal of author Hank Moody in the critically-acclaimed Showtime hit Californication. Author Hank Moody's life is spinning gloriously out of control as he juggles his sex and drug addictions while raising a daughter and trying to win back the love of his life in this edgy new series.

Last Updated: 3/3/2024Network: ShowtimeStatus: Ended
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The Apartment
star
8.21
3557 votes

#1 - The Apartment

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/15/2009

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.

Directors: Adam Bernstein
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Last Waltz
star
8.15
2823 votes

#2 - The Last Waltz

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 10/29/2007

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.

Directors: David Von Ancken
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
...And Justice for All
star
8.04
4159 votes

#3 - ...And Justice for All

Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/27/2011

As Hank awaits sentencing, the lines between his real life and the movie based on his life blur as the film's star hits on his ex-wife and he feels stirrings of passion for the actress hired to play Karen.

Directors: Adam Bernstein
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
I'll Lay My Monsters Down
star
8.02
2324 votes

#4 - I'll Lay My Monsters Down

Season 6 - Episode 12 - Aired 4/7/2013

Hank makes a big decision about his future, which affects Faith. Charlie and Marcy also make a decision. The troops are rallied to ensure Atticus makes it to the Greek Theatre for his co-headlining gig with Marilyn Manson. A call from Becca and a visit from a dearly departed friend set Hank in motion.

Directors: Stephen Hopkins
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Mia Culpa
star
7.96
3184 votes

#5 - Mia Culpa

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/13/2009

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 PAUL 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. gives Charlie a career opportunity of a lifetime, but Charlie must confront the fact that he might be losing Marcy for good.

Directors: Stephen Hopkins
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Devil's Threesome
star
7.94
3251 votes

#6 - The Devil's Threesome

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 10/15/2007

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.

Directors: John Dahl
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Abby
star
7.90
2369 votes

#7 - The Abby

Season 6 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/31/2013

Hank and Faith join forces to track down Atticus, but Becca is the only person who can really help. Marcy's outing with Ophelia leaves her a little tied up and Charlie's response to a curious message reveals the true feelings between the two exes. Karen has an epiphany about Becca.

Directors: Michael Weaver
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
In The Clouds
star
7.86
2405 votes

#8 - In The Clouds

Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/24/2013

Karen asks Hank to intervene with Becca. Later, the boys board Air Force 69 with Atticus Fetch to fly to NYC to present the songs for the Broadway adaptation of "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love." Charlie faces a serious case of aerophobia. Atticus is surprised by Faith, while his wife surprises Hank.

Directors: David Von Ancken
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Ride-Along
star
7.85
3940 votes

#9 - The Ride-Along

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/5/2012

Charlie's boyhood dream is realized and Hank's worst nightmare comes true when Samurai Apocalypse invites the boys on a ride-along with the Santa Monica Police Department and takes them on a joyride that goes sexually awry for Charlie; Richard hits the bottle at a crowded Venice restaurant but Hank and the boys arrive to save the day for Karen and Becca, and Tyler realizes he's seen Sam somewhere before.

Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Raw
star
7.85
3710 votes

#10 - Raw

Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 3/4/2012

Hank is stuck reading Tyler's screenplay but discovers some talent under that head of hair, even though the script appears to be disturbingly autobiographical account of the author's relationship with Becca. Charlie and Lizzie's love quadrangle with Stu and Marcy heats up, but when their bedroom games hit too close to home for Charlie, it may be off to therapy for all four of them.

Directors: Bart Freundlich
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pilot
star
7.85
4812 votes

#11 - Pilot

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/13/2007

We meet 30ish year old Hank Moody in a church asking God to help him get his life back on track. He is then distracted by a hot nun. Moody also has to interact with ex-wife Karen who might still love him. With her, they share the custody of their 12 year old daughter Becca who is wise beyond her years but is starting to have a sex life, which freaks out both of her parents.

Directors: Stephen Hopkins
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Exile on Main St.
star
7.84
4686 votes

#12 - Exile on Main St.

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/9/2011

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. whom which he later re-enacts F&P in her hotel room. The episode ends with Hank hearing from his lawyer that the assault charges have been dropped and he is then arrested for statutory rape.

Directors: David Von Ancken
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Grace
star
7.81
2127 votes

#13 - Grace

Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 6/29/2014

Hank makes a life-altering decision. Series finale.

Directors: Adam Bernstein
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be
star
7.80
3348 votes

#14 - Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be

Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 4/1/2012

Hank discovers the bartender at a local watering hole is his late friend Lew Ashby and wonders if he's in Hell. Richard makes a startling announcement about Hank and Karen. Hank tries to make things right with Becca, but her news about Tyler leaves him stunned. On the set of "Santa Monica Cop," Sam's jealousy and fondness for firearms give Charlie an opportunity to show how much he loves his best friend and number-one client; Hank's arsonist ex-girlfriend surprises him with a way for them to be together forever.

Directors: Adam Bernstein
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Party
star
7.80
3425 votes

#15 - The Party

Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/25/2012

Hank overstays his welcome at the house of Karen and Richard and hits the road with one last stop at Malibar, where he runs into Lizzie, who uses her newly acquired acting chops to lure him back to the Runkle Manor. Once there, Hank is surprised by everyone he loves and loathes: Karen, Becca, Charlie, Marcy, Stu, Richard and his creepy sponsor, Gabriel. Even Sam and Kali show up, but it's not a party until someone gets hurt and luckily for these partygoers, Hank has it in him for one final run-in with Tyler.

Directors: Michael Lehmann
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Here I Go Again
star
7.77
3798 votes

#16 - Here I Go Again

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/19/2012

Hank saves Karen from embarrassment with a drunk Richard, then covers for Richard by pretending to be dating a stripper named Holly, who takes a liking to Tyler and offends his girlfriend, Becca. Meanwhile, when she's fired after an inappropriate encounter with Stu, nanny Lizzie calls on Charlie and allows their relationship to progress, only to have Marcy beg for her return.

Directors: Michael Weaver
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
JFK to LAX
star
7.77
3581 votes

#17 - JFK to LAX

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/8/2012

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 Apolcaypse, 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.

Directors: John Dahl
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
La Petite Mort
star
7.76
3010 votes

#18 - La Petite Mort

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/14/2008

Hank completes his biography of Ashby. Charlie is reduced to working at a car dealership. Sonja gives birth. Karen accepts a job offer back home in New York, forcing Hank and Becca to make painful choices.

Directors: Bart Freundlich
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Filthy Lucre
star
7.76
3183 votes

#19 - Filthy Lucre

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 10/8/2007

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.

Directors: Scott Burns
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Raw and the Cooked
star
7.76
2999 votes

#20 - The Raw and the Cooked

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/19/2008

Hank proposes to Karen right before a dinner party, to which Mia, Charlie, Marcy, Lew Ashby, Sonja and Julian are invited. Drugs and special circumstances turn the evening in an unexpected direction.

Directors: David Von Ancken
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:Amazon
Zoso
star
7.76
3472 votes

#21 - Zoso

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/18/2009

Hank objects to Becca's adult fashion sense; Hank and Charlie visit a strip club to discover the secret life of a talented student; Charlie and Marcy's house sale goes awry.

Directors: Bart Freundlich
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Julia
star
7.76
2265 votes

#22 - Julia

Season 7 - Episode 2 - Aired 4/20/2014

Hank gets frustrated with his "Santa Monica Cop" coworkers on his first day in the show's writer's room, and he gets a surprise when he visits Levon's apartment. Meanwhile, Charlie meets Rath's new assistant; and Karen gets an unexpected surprise.

Directors: Adam Bernstein
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Way of the Fist
star
7.75
4031 votes

#23 - The Way of the Fist

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/15/2012

Hank passes on writing Samurai Apocalypse's new movie but Sam won't take no for an answer and drags Hank to a meeting with director Peter Berg, where they discover that Hank and Peter have shared more than just a love of the written word. Sam takes it on himself to get rid of Tyler, which makes things worse between Hank and Becca. Co-parents Charlie, Marcy and Stu have their hands full when Little Stuart exposes himself to a preschool classmate, and Charlie takes it upon himself to mend fences with the offended girl's attractive mother.

Directors: David Duchovny
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Waiting for the Miracle
star
7.75
4010 votes

#24 - Waiting for the Miracle

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/29/2012

Hank receives an unwelcome surprise in the form of Carrie, ex-girlfriend and arsonist that he's forced to invite along when Karen and Becca show up to invite him to a dinner party. Stu, Marcy and Bates' talk of sexual proclivities leaves the Moodys searching for the nearest exit, but the party gets even more out of control when Carrie has a realization about Hank. Meanwhile, Charlie goes on a blind date with Mary, a "nice girl" who's more than a little inexperienced.

Directors: Bart Freundlich
Writer: Tom Kapinos
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Monkey Business
star
7.74
4474 votes

#25 - Monkey Business

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/30/2011

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.

Directors: Bart Freundlich
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV