7 Reasons Why You Need To Revisit Californication

7. Balance Of Comedy And Drama

Californication is the apotheosis of TV comedy drama. Rooted for the most part in Hank Moody’s hilarious misadventures and mistakes, the humour used is often gratuitous and over-the-top, though still very funny, and allows the characters a chance to be both crass and immoral whilst managing to remain endearing and likeable.

That being said, the show is no stranger to sitting back and hitting its audience with some serious drama.

From Hank’s confession about his (unknown) illegal liaison with Mia back in the series premiere, to his overdose of pills, to his constantly rocky relationship with his ex and his young daughter, Californication is unafraid to balance its most hysterical aspects with some genuinely effective tear-jerkers.

Mainly, this is down to the actors and the incredibly tight writing; the character arcs of the main characters are exceptionally well put together, all of them very funny but equally heart-wrenching and powerful when it counts. It remains one of TV’s best examples of how life is nothing but a series of ups and downs – funny, exciting, but ultimately very bumpy.