Ep 1. Wish You Were Here

Hank Moody is back in Los Angeles, after having spent some time in New York. As always with Hank, things aren't going well. In the opening sequence, he's being dragged out of a Catholic church against his will, while screaming "I'm glad you all found Jesus, but Mine's been missing since the fourth grade" to the chagrin of the crowd of onlookers. He's picked up by his agent and best friend Charlie Runkle, and the two head off to a diner to grab a bite.

While there, Hank sees a young girl crying over a magazine. He strikes up a conversation with her, and it turns out she's upset because she's just found out that her idol, the popular musician Lew Ashby, has died. Hank's heard of Ashby himself, and knows that he's a difficult guy to work with. Charlie, however, has been assigned to him as his new agent - much to his chagrin - and must fly to New York to sort out his business affairs. He asks Hank to come along, and although he's resistant at first, eventually agrees.

On arrival in New York, they head to Ashby's apartment, only to find that he's not actually dead - rather, he's holed up, high on drugs and booze, and surrounded by a bunch of young, attractive women. Hank is initially wary of the situation, but soon finds himself getting along with Ashby. He even ends up sleeping with one of the girls, a Russian model named Sasha, who seems to be a kindred spirit in her own way.

Meanwhile, the girl from the diner - who turns out to be Ashby's goddaughter, Mia - shows up at the apartment looking for Ashby. Hank ends up lying to her about Ashby's whereabouts, claiming that he's out for a few hours. She seems to have developed a crush on him, which Hank finds somewhat uncomfortable. Later, she invites him out for a drink, and they end up at a dive bar, where Mia tells Hank that she's been writing a novel - about him.

Hank is both impressed and creeped out by this, and tries to dissuade her from writing about him. Mia is insistent, however, and seems to have a good handle on Hank's character, pointing out that he's a writer who's struggling with some serious personal demons. Hank is eventually won over, and agrees to read her manuscript.

Back at the apartment, Charlie is dealing with Ashby's increasingly erratic behavior. He's been holed up for days on end, refusing to take calls from anyone. When Charlie finally manages to get a hold of him, he reveals that he's just broken up with his long-term girlfriend, Janie Jones, and is feeling extremely low. Charlie is wary of getting involved in his personal life, but Ashby insists on confiding in him about his problems.

The episode ends with Hank sitting on the roof of Ashby's apartment building, smoking a cigarette and contemplating the city below. Mia shows up, and he hands her a copy of his book - a thinly veiled account of his time in New York with Ashby. Mia seems thrilled with it, and promises to show it to Ashby when she gets a chance. Hank watches her go, looking somewhat wistful, before stubbing out his cigarette and heading back inside.