The Finale may be the worst I've personally ever seen.

While I quite liked the characters of Hank and Karen, I feel that the only fitting ending was have been for Hank to die.

Son, you got a panty on your head.

Just watched the finale and I, too, am disappointed. I think the only reason they ended it this way was to bring it back in a few years. I would've given this 10/10 but because of this ending I am giving it 8/10.

SPOILERS - I can't help but leave comments that, if you haven't finished the show, will reveal too much. Don't read unless you've seen the full series, please.


You know, call me a sentimentalist--and I've been called worse--but I can't agree. I came into season seven having read some of the comments here on the IMDB and I was expecting that the writing would have fallen apart, the characters were written poorly, or that Levon was the antichrist, but in the end I found the season very satisfying, and that includes the final episode.

We had six years' worth of Hank's antics. At the end of every season he's essentially remained the same. No lessons learned, perhaps weighed down by a few extra regrets. He's betrayed both Karen and Becca's trust, makes a sad puppy-dog face, and then enters the next season ready for more hijinks irrespective of what he supposedly "learned" the season before.

Season seven took a much more somber approach to Hank. At last, he finally seemed to change. For most of the season, I noticed that Duchovney played the character as much, much more subdued. In hindsight, I have to wonder if his real life marital woes, which came to a conclusion shortly after the show ended, might have contributed to the more dialed-back portrayal. In the end, though, we saw a Hank that was--save for a few indiscretions--finally looking inward a bit, or at least so we hope. He's still just as self-centered, as evidenced by his reaction to Becca's wedding plans, but he's trying mightily to change his ways. Finally, after six years of arrested development, Hank grew.

Marcy and Charlie have ALWAYS been a sexually deviant couple. For most of the episodes, I cringed for Evan Handler in that the writers made Runkle the butt of every gross sexual joke and deviant personality disorder, yet he took it all like a champ. Marcy had the foulest, frankest mouth on a Smurfette, yet she was always the cheerful, tactless yin to Charlie's yang. And somehow their Indecent Proposal ending was OK. Yes, it was as unrealistic as it was bizarre, but in the Hank Moody universe their extreme Hollywood lifestyle was never THAT unusual.

The only characters I felt sorry for were Karen and Becca. I still struggle to see what made Hank and Karen "work" aside from the mutual longing. Karen never really moved on from Hank, even when she was with Bates. Yet she always stayed within arm's reach of Hank. She never changed through all six seasons, which must have made playing the character very, very boring. Becca never really stepped out of Hank's shadow and it was a shame, after Episode 11 of this season, that there was never a direct reconciliation between Hank and Becca after Hank essentially ruined the joy of Becca's upcoming nuptials. Surely, Hank has to know that his approval meant the world to Becca, her acerbic remarks notwithstanding.

In the end, I can imagine that many felt that the "happy" ending was wrong for the series. Perhaps Hank is never meant to find a traditional marriage, or relationship, satisfying. But it seemed that Season Seven gave him as much of a shot as it possibly could. Did I look down in disappointment at my tablet when I saw that the episode was no longer than any other? Sure. I could have enjoyed a two-hour finale with characters I've come to enjoy over seven seasons. But the ending somehow felt hopeful, which is what I wanted after seven seasons of chaos, betrayal, and depravity.

Maybe that's just the shred of sentimentalism in my shell that life hasn't pried out with an oyster knife just yet.

In space, no one can hear you scream. On IMDB, we can hear you but we just don't give a crap.

Agree.

@OP

I think the series finale fit the very nature of the show perfectly. (That's not a compliment; read on..) It was, less effectively than Seinfeld, a show about nothing. Or rather, a show about the ambivalence Hank felt towards Karen, and vise versa. As such, the ambivalent/nothing ending fits perfectly. The problem isn't with the ending; it's with the entire show. And without being too harsh or judgmental, I think the fact that you expected more out of this series, and were disappointed with the way it ended, has to do more with your expectations than anything else. Maybe you should have listened to the people saying it was dying long before they finally pulled the plug, instead of arguing with them and defending this mess. Just sayin...

Love isn't what you say or how you feel, it's what you do. (The Last Kiss)

I kinda feel the ending to the show was somewhat fitting
Rath told Hank to make a TV-show, about the things he knows. his life, his relationships and whatnot, everything he's experienced.
So the ending of the show, is also kind of the beginning to the show, where Hank makes "californication"
I actually can see the show ending in season 4, 5 and 6 as well
In 5 that he dies, because the show is from Hank POV so after he dies, we have no clue what happens next, as it would be in most other shows
6 is great because its so open, you can interpret for yourself what happens after the knock on the door
also i kinda liked season 6 because I like the rockstar plot, though it is not as good as the ashby one.
Also the first half of season 6 where Hank is absolutely broken. utter self-loathing and everything, I kinda thought that was a cool plot point, even though he got that sorted out way to fast
I do feel that 7 is the weakest season, but the ending can be very fitting, but I also think the show could've ended with hank either really getting all of his *beep* together, or die.

Agreed, the most unsatisfying series finale ever. I mean don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the show! But it almost seems they didn't really plan the end of the show, I mean they didn't really plan it to be a series finale episode. It would've been nice to have some closure on what happened to everybody, I mean at least an indication. But we all know the bottom line; Hank screwed it all up from day one. Best wishes to Becca in her marriage, what I think happened is she and her mother went back to NYC, she got married and they had a life there.

Finished the series tonight and I agree, it was a letdown! (I enjoyed the series overall too). I hate whenever a movie or tv show ends at the airport or plane. For a show so bold and unconventional, I couldn't BELIEVE it went that route.

Marcy & Charlie was fine because they were always super silly. I would have liked though seeing Charlie come out on top in some way career-wise. I thought the rock book storyline was going to materialize. The Julie & Rick ending was very sweet - I thought they had good chemistry.

As much as I didn't like the Becca character, I thought it was a bummer that it ended with her mad at Hank. Not that growing up with an alcoholic father would be a picnic, but I don't think he got the credit he deserved as a dad; it would have been nice for Becca to realize that he really cared about her.

One thing that I did like was the 2 callbacks to the beginning: the porsche symbolism and receiving "grace" from Karen/life. However, with all of Hank's vices and self loathing, I always thought the end of the series would make a bigger deal about him overcoming those things. All of the sudden he's going to be ok?

I think I will pretend that the season 6 finale was the series finale. The last part was one of my favorite moments of the whole series, and really moved me. The "My California" song had lyrics that matched perfectly with the series. "Californication" always threatened their relationship, but then it was like Hank was making the deliberate choice to turn down the ultimate indulgence of living the rock and roll fantasy and fully be with Karen - she would be his California. The quick cut after he knocks on the door was cool, leaving it up to you to imagine their reunion.