Ep 1. Pilot

Hank Moody is a talented writer and a notorious womanizer who is going through a mid-life crisis after his girlfriend Karen moves to New York with their daughter Becca. He has writer's block and is struggling to come up with a new novel.

The episode begins with Hank at a bookstore signing event for his latest book, God Hates Us All. He is clearly bored and disinterested in the event and is more interested in flirting with women who attend the event. Later that night, Hank goes to a bar with his friend and agent, Charlie Runkle, who tries to convince him to be more professional and take his writing career more seriously.

Hank meets a beautiful woman named Mia at the bar and they hit it off. They end up going to Hank's house where they have sex, and Mia reveals that she is only 16 years old. Hank is horrified and immediately ends the encounter, but Mia blackmails him into continuing the relationship on the promise of not telling anyone about their liaison.

The next day, Hank meets with his ex-girlfriend Karen to drop off some things for their daughter Becca. Karen confronts Hank about his irresponsibility and his constant womanizing. She tells him that she is seeing someone new and that they are moving to New York permanently.

Feeling lost and alone, Hank spends the day drinking and writing at a nearby public pool. He meets a woman named Meredith, who is also a writer, and they connect over their shared love of literature. They have a good conversation and kiss, but Hank decides not to pursue anything further with her.

At the end of the episode, Hank is sitting on the beach smoking a joint when a group of teenage skaters accidentally run over his laptop. Hank is devastated as all of his writing is on the laptop. He looks up at the ocean and contemplates his next move.

The pilot episode of Californication sets the tone for the rest of the series, establishing Hank's character as an intelligent but troubled writer with a weakness for women. The episode deals with themes of identity, responsibility, and mid-life crisis, and introduces a cast of characters that interact with Hank throughout the season. It is an entertaining and compelling start to a show that explores the wild side of Los Angeles and the struggles of a man trying to find his place in the world.