Californication Review: "Monkey Business"

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If we learned one thing this week, it’s that when it comes to autoerotic asphyxiation, you always... use... a spotter! No debate!

As for opulence, Zig Samitur has it. His house looked like the love child of Donald Trump’s apartment and Kimora Lee Simmons’s closet. Was there a clearance sale at the Liberace house of crap that I missed? Fisher Stevens was great from the start. Creepy Warbuck’s had me laughing from the moment he screamed “Silence Agent!”

Karen and Marcy

"Monkey Business" was a great title choice. When director Jonathan Kasdan asked who wanted to get baked and the little Outbreak Monkey raised its tiny hand, I lost it. Only to be one-upped when the little fecal-pelting primate high-fived Hank and stole Charlie’s beer. 

That monkey was channeling Alonzo from Training Day and Hank referenced it nicely as he eluded to the line made famous by Denzel Washington, “King Kong ain’t got nothing on me!” The entire time spent at the mansion was special and highlighted by the fact that Charlie literally spanked Zig’s monkey and killed it, only to discover later that Zig himself died while spanking his other monkey. What a clever and twisted sequence of scenes.

Hank’s initial reluctance to attend the meeting with Zig was typical, but later on I was surprised to see how quickly he passed up the chance to enjoy the two “sister wives.”  I have never heard of someone being too stoned to bone. To hear it from Mr. Moody was rather shocking. Great call, though, when he asked them if they were really sisters or just living out some Jack and Meg White like story of relation.

Stu’s reluctance to romp was surprising, too, as he told the fuck toys to back off because he was looking for love. Could it be he was thinking about Marci? If so, he is going to have to wait awhile or develop a thing for pregnant chicks.

Marci’s painful period turned out to be a shocking exclamation point when she learned she was preggers after giving the dipstick, as she put it, a “golden shower.” Upon finding out the news, Marci made an interesting comment to Karen, “the rabbit done died.” She was referring to the rabbit test, an early pregnancy test developed in 1927.

The test consisted of injecting the tested woman's urine into a female rabbit, then examining the rabbit's ovaries a few days later, which would change in response to a hormone only secreted by pregnant women. It was a common misconception that the injected rabbit would die only if the woman was pregnant. This led to the phrase "the rabbit died" being used as a euphemism for a positive pregnancy tests. In fact, all rabbits used for the test died, as they had were surgically opened in order to examine the ovaries.

While Marci tried to figure out who the father could be from any number of Craig’s List encounters, Karen met a daddy of her own that she seemed to click with instantly. Great line by Ben when he handed her the picture he took and remarked how not many people can say they have a picture of the exact moment they met someone. A very true and very smooth line delivered by the dad of the girl with the pipes as he tried to impress the mother of the one with the bangs.

After they discovered Zig’s dead body, Hank told Charlie not to worry, that he had a guy he could call to fix everything. I half expected to see the The Wolf from Pulp Fiction show up, but Abby was a good alternative.

Hank playfully flirted with Abby and the sentiment was mutual on her part. I thought it interesting how they had her pull up in a Porsche. The similarities of character are definitely evident between those two. Hank will no doubt try to go there at some point this season, but as he saw when he walked into Runkle’s house, his fun away from home will cost him. Karen and Becca’s lives will continue to move on with or without him.

Great music choice to close out the episode. Gregory Alan Isakov’s  “If I Go, I'm Goin,” captured Hank’s melancholy perfectly. 

All together a great episode. All the major characters were featured in their element. Hank was back pumping out literary genius and witty banter as, Charlie rode his coat tails like the old days. Marci and Karen had great chemistry in the kwiki mart and while they discussed children when Marci took the pregnancy test. Loved they way Karen said the word “boobies.” Becca and her new band rocked and hopefully will be featured more.

Until next week, remember two things from this episode: Tip always counts and tomorrow is always another day in the dream factory.

Monkey Business Review

Editor Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 (40 Votes)
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Californication Season 4 Episode 4 Quotes

Of course I haven't had an erection in the past decade but that's another story, but that doesn't stop me from giving face rides to my sister wives right ladies?

Zig

I got a date with my dong and some hotel pornography, the good stuff too, penetration and everything.

Hank