Vitals

David Duchovny as Hank Moody, washed-up novelist and womanizer

Venice Beach, Fall 2007

Series: Californication
Episode: “Filthy Lucre” (Episode 1.09)
Air Date: October 8, 2007
Director: Scott Burns
Costume Designer: Peggy A. Schnitzer

Background

After a traumatic first eight episodes, Hank Moody’s luck seems to be changing. He has endured losing the love of his life, the death of his father, and a crippling inability to put pen to paper.

By the start of “Filthy Lucre”, the ninth episode of Californication‘s first season, Hank has written a draft for his newest novel, supposedly a hot item that will bring him back to the top.

Unfortunately, as the episode’s title might suggest, this doesn’t last. Oh, and spoiler alert.

What’d He Wear?

After landing at LAX after a long flight from New York, Hank changes out of his duds – his usual brown smoking jacket and black button-down – and slips into the proverbial “something more comfortable”.

He sports a black T-shirt and his brown Timberland sueded Chelsea boots. His underwear – of course – is also black, a pair of black boxer briefs and black socks.

His jeans are the same set of dark blue wash jeans as he usually wears. They have a zip fly and reddish-brown stitching. We get a close-up of these in the car in the seconds before the saleslady comes onto him, asking “What can I do to get you in this car today?”

The accessories are nothing out of the ordinary, Hank’s usual pair of brown Izod 725 sunglasses and the same black leather bracelets we’ve come to know and love over the series’ tenure.

Go Big or Go Home

Perhaps feeling some karma for his recent string of good luck, Hank spends “Filthy Lucre” trying to pull off some good deeds. He takes his daughter guitar shopping and, after she spots one she likes in the hands of a despondent and cash-strapped rocker dad, Hank overpays the destitute dad and gets a guitar for Becca.

Hank’s bad habits are slightly curbed; we don’t see many drinks in his hand and he only has sex once in the episode. Appropriately enough, it’s a roadside session with the saleswoman whom he woos by merely defending taking the car on a test drive and getting stuck in traffic. The man’s got moves, I guess. He’s still smoking, though, with the fictional “Malvolio” being this episode’s brand of choice, lit up with a light blue Bic Classic. Despite the box resembling Marlboro Lights, the cigarettes actually smoked are Duchovny’s usual Honeyrose herbals.

Hank gets his windfall income from his year-old writing credit for A Crazy Little Thing Called Love, the “big, shitty movie” adapted from his book. Of course, he wouldn’t be Hank if he didn’t manage to spend it all in one day.

So how does Hank blow his money?

* An engagement ring for Karen

* A brand-new Porsche 996

* Becca’s guitar

And, of course, the only expenditure that really manages to prove itself as a good investment is Becca’s guitar since Karen rejects his marriage proposal and the car gets stolen – both in the same night that he loses the lone copy of his new novel’s manuscript. I guess karma can only go so far.

How to Get the Look

This is the most basic of Hank’s looks. Seriously, anyone can pull off a black T-shirt and jeans.

• Black short-sleeve cotton T-shirt
• Dark wash blue denim jeans
• Brown suede Timberland “Torrance” Chelsea boots with black elastic side gussets
• Black socks
• Black boxer briefs
• Silver ring with two ridged bands, worn on the right index finger
• Black leather bracelet with silver hexagonal and round studs, worn on the left wrist
• Thin black braided leather bracelet, also worn on the left wrist
• Izod 725 sunglasses

The Car

Hank’s trademark car has often been called a metaphor for Hank himself, a once-great icon that – although now outdated and beat-up – can still pull its weight. Hank drives this car, a black 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cabrio with a light brown leather interior, from the first episode until his daughter crashes it during the fourth season. He is seen purchasing it in a flashback episode a year before the show takes place. Strangely, the car would have been 16 years old when first purchased but it looks shining and new. Hank admits that he isn’t much of a car guy, instead just needing something from “A to B”, but he still picked a Porsche rather than a ’97 Cavalier.

In this episode, an unexpected windfall income and Becca referring to a “funky smell” sends Hank shopping for a new ride. Evidently feeling some brand loyalty, Hank heads directly to the Porsche dealer where he picks up both a saleswoman and a newer version of his black Porsche, the 996 model that was manufactured from 1998-2005. The car doesn’t last very long, despite being “even more phallic than the last one,” according to Hank’s astute daughter. It is stolen by a Glock-wielding gangbanger at the end of the episode and Hank is back to his old Porsche.

1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cabrio (964)

Body Style: 2-door convertible

Engine: 220 cu. in. (3.6 L) M64/01 flat-6 engine with electronic fuel injection

Power: 247 bhp (184 kW; 250 PS) @ 6100 rpm

Torque: 228 lb·ft (310 N·m) @ 6700 rpm

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

Wheelbase: 89.4 inches (2270 mm)

Length: 168.3 inches (4270 mm)

Width: 65 inches (1650 mm)

Height: 52 inches (1370 mm)

Hank’s Porsche has California plates 5KZ0475. He may claim not to be too interested in what he drives, but as soon as it’s time for him to pick up a new car, he gets the exact same 964 model.

“Hey, how come you keep calling it a 964 and a 911?”

Well, the 911 was the general model. 964 was an internal Porsche designation to separate the different generations. The model produced between 1989 and 1994 was known as the 964. The 964 was notably the first generation to offer the Tiptronic automatic transmission and all wheel drive as an option. Hank’s is a rear wheel drive, but in the flat and warm climate of Los Angeles, this wouldn’t be as much of an issue. A total of 62,172 – including both coupes and convertibles – were made.

Much like Hank, the Porsche 964 was quite a performer back in its day, racking up a top speed of 159 mph, a 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds, and a 14 second time for the quarter mile. The car performed even better with the optional five-speed manual transmission, but an “A to B” driver like Hank wouldn’t have much need for that.

Music to Drive By

Hank is a classic rock fan, as we often hear throughout the show. He prefers the Rolling Stones to the Beatles and also likes artists such as Warren Zevon, Elton John, and Ozzy Osborne. However, this episode features a more modern piece of rock, Foo Fighters’ “The Pretender”, during the dramatic finale when his new Porsche is stolen.

Whether you’re a Foo Fighters fan or not, it’s certainly worth listening to at least once.

For a Hank-style road trip, he’d load up a playlist with his favorites from the classic bands, including:

• The Rolling Stones – “Sympathy for the Devil”
• The Rolling Stones – “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
• Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Free Bird”
• Elton John – “Rocket Man”
• Warren Zevon – “Wanted Dead or Alive”
• Warren Zevon – “Werewolves of London”

Do Yourself a Favor and…

Buy the first season.

The Quote

After Hank receives his royalty check from “the big, shitty movie”, Runkle sends him on a mission for a new car.

Runkle: Get yourself a new car!
Hank: I don’t want a new car, I like my old one… it’s got character.
Runkle: Yeah, well, if by character you mean it’s got lady juice in every nook and cranny of the upholstery, then yes, you’re absolutely right.
Hank: That explains a lot, actually.

Footnotes

Hank’s bracelets are available at http://www.urbanwrist.com/store/Celebrity-Wristbands-Hank-Moody/c2_13/index.html.