The second episode of Season 7 starts off with Hank and Karen playing sweet with each other – Karen gives Hank a murse for his first day at his new job and tells him how sexy it is that he’s getting his life on track. Meanwhile in the bedroom next door, Charlie and Marcy are trying to work out Charlie’s erectile issues, but to no avail. Charlie then accompanies Hank to his first day as a writer on Santa Monica Cop to make sure that he shows up on time, and reasonably sober.
Inside the offices at Santa Monica Cop, Hank gets acquainted with the other writers which not surprisingly, doesn’t get off to the best start. One particular writer named Terry, who is a toss up between a man and a woman gives Hank an especially hard time. Then while Hank is trying to work and get familiar with everything, Levon (his estranged son who we met last episode) keeps harassing Hank to hang out with him. Hank keeps avoiding Levon, but then when he overhears that they will be getting the morning off working, Hank is forced to go over to Levon’s house.
Now this where that blast from Hank’s past is introduced, while browsing Levon’s house, Hank gets awfully curious why he has so many pictures of his mom (who still looks just as hot as when Hank went with her) all over the place. Levon tries to pawn it off that it’s not strange for a son to have scantily clad bikini shots of his mom all over his walls. But when Julia (Heather Graham) suddenly appears in the room, Hank gets that blindsided surprise.
Back at work, Hank’s personal life chaos affects his work mood as the showrunner, Rick Rath, asks Hank why he’s being so quiet. This leads Hank into his personal life confession, which all the other writers try to spin into a story for Santa Monica Cop. Suddenly the room erupts in idea banter, but is immediately halted when one of the writer’s gluten allergy sprays puke all over the room. Hank then meets Julia at a bar near the studio so he can finally get some of the answers he’s looking for. Julia tells Hank that she didn’t see him as a fit father figure for Levon, which is why she didn’t tell him Hank about him. She also tells Hank to stay out of Levon’s life so he doesn’t have the opportunity to hurt him, which she knows he inevitably will.
This conversation leads Hank to call Charlie to tell him that he wants to quit the job on his first day. Charlie, after having just popped a Viagra with Marcy, is forced to come to Hank’s career rescue before Hank completely implodes in self-misery. Then in the studio, Levon appears, just as Charlie comes rushing into the office. Charlie covers Hank’s disappearance from work by lying that he was in a minor accident. Charlie then sees Rick Rath’s assistant bending down in a crouched position, which gives Charlie the excitement he was looking for. He ends up crumpling to the ground, just as he releases himself all over his pants… finally!
Then later that evening, the episode concludes as Julia pays a visit to Hank. She thanks him for not listening to her wishes with Levon and getting him a PA job on Santa Monica Cop. Just as it often does, timing plays Hank’s biggest demon as there’s a knock at the door and of course, it’s Karen at the worst possible time. Hank hugs her while moving her into the room, then spins her around and says, “Karen, I have someone I want you to meet”.
Well, at least Charlie knows he’s still got it. But for Hank, it seems he’s going to have to be on the fast track to damage control, once again. We’ll have to tune in next week to see if Julia’s re-emergence in Hank’s life is going to be the last straw for Karen.
