Fanboys Anonymous

So the end begins. David Duchovny's misadventures in L.A. as Hank Moody will have lasted seven great fun-filled, tear-driven seasons as we get the last twelve episodes of Californication, starting April 13th, 2014. Since the series debuted in 2007, we have seen many raunchy and questionable antics from a wide variety of characters. Despite the show being an ode to sex, drugs and "rock 'n' writer's block," we got to experience the more humane and three-dimensional aspects of those characters. We comically saw the depravity of Los Angeles, the deromanticization of traditional moral values, the constant cheapening of drug abuse, how we cannot escape sex in this day and age—and still cried along with it all. (The Season 3 finale is my favorite moment in TV history.)

The cast together for the last script reads (Heather Graham, far right, will guest star).

Duchovny brilliantly shed the skin of agent Fox Mulder. He did such a wonderful job that, as an X-Files fan, I was glad to see a more comical—albeit tortured—and optimistic performance, and never once thought of Gillian Anderson, Agent Skinner, or covert alien conspiracies (apart from one or two humorous references). Duchovny's co-stars are right up to par. Evan Handler and Pamela Adlon are the happy go-to couple, Charlie and Marcy Runkle, that Hank Moody and his longtime girlfriend Karen van der Beek (Natasha McElhone) confided in with no reservations. The dynamics of their interactions always alluded to a past in which the couples would double-date and share leisure time, while in the present we saw Hank Moody trying to find himself as his family broke away. Meanwhile, Charlie would parallel Hank in the series with his failing marriage to Marcy. In this aspect, the show flawlessly displays the nuances of true friendship, which is only cemented by going through difficult times.

Rob Lowe (seated left) and Duchovny: Lowe's character was one of the most memorable, not an easy feat in this show.

Hank and Charlie

The cornerstone of the show, however, was not the series of guest stars that added fuel to the flame, nor the soundtrack, nor the memorable rockstar dialog. Hank Moody, a New Yorker par excellence, would periodically get into trouble with mathematical regularity: sex with underaged psychopaths, altercations with the law, and entanglements with married women were skillfully brought in to further upset his struggle to reunite his family in California. In spite of all of this award-winning content, the true voice of brilliance that called out the show's Peter Pan complex in all its sincerity was Becca Moody, Hank and Karen's daughter.

"I look like an FBI agent." – Hank Moody

Becca is played by Madeleine Martin, and it is quite the breakthrough role. Her character speaks direct truths in ways that, if said by an adult, would be downright pretentious and rude. As her character aged from being a teenager into adulthood by Season 5, this tether of conscience for Hank seemed to have disappeared as Becca became romantically involved with a disapproved-of boyfriend, distancing her from Hank. In Season 6 she is a college dropout interested in following in her father's footsteps, much to his chagrin.

Not only rock 'n' roll: hip hop superstar Samurai Apocalypse set a new tone for Season 5.

We will enter Season 7 with one certainty: the show will return to its roots, even if temporarily. Charlie and Marcy got remarried in the Season 6 finale, meaning that once again Hank and Karen will look upon their friends with nostalgia. Will this be enough to join them together again, after so many near-misses? Becca is seemingly out of the picture for now, so how this dance will take place remains to be seen as the former lovers—who were never married—lack the shared responsibility of a daughter. Maybe this simplicity is what they needed. Or perhaps Hank will seek comfort elsewhere? Trixie, the successful lady of the night, did hint that if she were retired and Hank available, things could take off for them.

Apart from this, we will see what we have seen throughout every season. We will see the archetype of the modern man fighting against his own personal ghosts to reunite with the woman he knows is right for him. We will see the archetype of the modern woman trying to tie together what she wants with what she needs. Every great love story has a tragic end, though, and every love story with a happy ending is sappy science fiction. There is a reason people naively mutter the words, "I believe in happy endings," because that's what it is: a belief that things actually end well, when they end at all. I believe this love story will go on without a final dot and leave us wondering what truly could be. With this said, I hope to see the sappiest, most sugar-coated and honey-filled mother of all love-happy endings, because it's the only thing I will ever want more than sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll for Hank and Karen.

What do you guys want to see in Season 7? Should the suspense be maintained like I'm hoping, or do you want the fairy tale to become a modern bedtime TV story? Comment to keep the blog dream alive!