Open beach, full sun
f/1.4: 7 stops too bright
Lost in the glare. Stop it down.
Showtime · 2007–2014 · seven seasons, 84 episodes
Californication
A test strip of the cast as they were, each band a stop brighter than the last. Press Stop down.
Californication, created by Tom Kapinos, begins on Showtime; it runs until 29 June 2014, seven seasons of twelve episodes, 84 in all. Both of the show’s Emmys are for cinematography: Peter Levy for the pilot and Michael Weaver for “In Utero”. So every place below starts lost in Los Angeles glare: turn the ring until it comes through.
Sources
The title
Whose word?
Four claims on one word. Pick one.
Nobody owns a word, but four parties had a go.
Sources
The show is made in California, with some episodes in New York; season two starts filming in April 2008 and season four on 19 April 2010.
With the Writers Guild strike on, the 65th Golden Globes had no ceremony: the winners were read out at a press conference here on 13 January 2008. David Duchovny won best actor in a comedy or musical series for Californication.
Sources
Seven places
Stop it down.
Each card is a place from the show, lost in white. Turn its ring to the stop that suits the light where it happened: hard sun on the beach, shade on a street, a ballroom, a party at night, a cinema. Drag the ring, use the arrow keys, or press Meter it.
0 of 7 through
Every ring is wide open at f/1.4, and every place is white. Turn them down.
A street, part shade
f/1.4: 6 stops too bright
Lost in the glare. Stop it down.
Morning by the sea
f/1.4: 6 stops too bright
Lost in the glare. Stop it down.
Coast, full sun
f/1.4: 7 stops too bright
Lost in the glare. Stop it down.
A hotel ballroom, indoors
f/1.4: 3 stops too bright
Lost in the glare. Stop it down.
An evening party
f/1.4: 2 stops too bright
Lost in the glare. Stop it down.
A cinema
f/1.4: 1 stop too bright
Lost in the glare. Stop it down.
Hotel Erwin
Hotel Erwin, Venice Beach
1697 Pacific Avenue, Venice
A 119-room hotel at 1697 Pacific Avenue, where Ocean Front Walk begins, with a rooftop bar. Abbot Kinney and the pier are a walk away.
Check rooms
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Venice Beach walking and bike tours
Venice
Live marketplace results for tours of Venice, the boardwalk and the canals. None is about the show; check each route.
Live marketplace results · itineraries change
Compare tours
The Beverly Hilton
The Beverly Hilton
9876 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills
Welton Becket’s 1955 hotel on Wilshire Boulevard, where David Duchovny’s 2008 Golden Globe was read out at a press conference.
See the hotel
McKinley Avenue, Venice
Californication House.
The McKinley House on McKinley Avenue, Venice, was featured in the Showtime series Californication. Its architect, David Hertz, lists the project under the title Californication House.
Photovoltaic panels make about 90% of the house’s energy; there are edible gardens on the roof, and the pool runs without chlorine.
It was built in 1999–2000 and grew in two phases: two volumes joined by a bridge, then a third building on the next lot, joined by another bridge round a central courtyard.
Its Syndecrete has 41% recycled content, and Dwell put the house on its cover in December 2001.
A private home, named here only by its street. Do not go up to the house or disturb the people who live there. The photograph shows the Venice canals a few streets away, not the house.
Sources
During the run
As they were.
David Duchovny Hank Moody · 2011
Evan Handler Charlie Runkle · 2009
Natascha McElhone Karen · 2009
Madeleine Martin Becca · 2009
Pamela Adlon Marcy Runkle · 2011
A year on, David Duchovny and Evan Handler are photographed at Golden Globes parties, Duchovny at Showtime’s, at the Peninsula. The hotel opened on 8 August 1991 at 9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, with 195 rooms and 52 suites.
Natascha McElhone answers questions at a Californication screening for the L.A. Times Envelope series. The Chinese 6 is a six-screen cinema attached to the Hollywood & Highland centre, designed by Behr Browers Architects.
Sources
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills · Rates on booking
Opened in 1991 with 195 rooms and 52 suites; Showtime’s Golden Globes party was here in January 2009.
See the hotel
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Los Angeles film and TV location tours
Los Angeles
Live marketplace results for film and TV tours of Los Angeles, many starting on Hollywood Boulevard. Check which stops each one makes.
Live marketplace results · itineraries change
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By LAX, 2013
Series wrap.
David Duchovny’s last shoot was on a promontory by LAX, a spot the crew liked, watching planes take off and land.
By then the final season had wrapped, in August; it was just him and the Porsche.
“That’s a series wrap for David.”The first assistant director, as Duchovny told TIME
When the first assistant director called a series wrap for David, Tom Kapinos was there and in tears, and someone photographed the two of them walking away from the car.
Duchovny said he loved going to work every day for all seven years.
The lookout is not identified, so nothing is pinned. The photograph is a nearby public overlook on Imperial Hill in El Segundo, not the place itself.
Sources
Where it is now
6 places you can visit. The house on McKinley Avenue is a private home, named only by its street; Charlie’s Malibu beach house was a set; and the promontory by LAX is not identified. None of the three is pinned.
Pins mark public places; private homes are named but not pinned.
Site reference · Public access · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A public boardwalk, open all day. The skatepark on the sand near Windward Avenue is free, 9am to sunset, with safety gear required.
Site reference · Public access · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A public shopping street a few blocks from the beach, busiest at weekends.
Building reference · Public access · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A public concrete pier at the end of Washington Boulevard, with the beach and bike path either side.
Ocean Front Walk, the Venice boardwalk, in June 2025. DanielMichaelPerry · CC0 Venice & the coast · Ocean Front Walk, Venice, Los Angeles
Ocean Front Walk, the Venice boardwalk
Season two ends with Hank and his daughter Becca walking on the Venice boardwalk, as Karen leaves for a job back home in New York.
A public boardwalk, open all day. The skatepark on the sand near Windward Avenue is free, 9am to sunset, with safety gear required.
Sources
Looking down Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, at the end of 2004. Peter Merholz · CC BY-SA 2.0 Venice & the coast · Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, Los Angeles
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
IMDb’s location list for “Dogtown” puts Hank and Charlie Runkle’s walk, and the encounter on it, on Abbot Kinney Boulevard.
A public shopping street a few blocks from the beach, busiest at weekends.
Sources
The Venice Fishing Pier at the end of Washington Boulevard, December 2021. Priwo · Public domain Venice & the coast · End of Washington Boulevard, Venice, Los Angeles
Venice Fishing Pier
IMDb’s list for the same episode puts a morning conversation in the parking area by the pier.
A public concrete pier at the end of Washington Boulevard, with the beach and bike path either side.
Sources
Stay
Sleep near the places.
A hotel on the Venice boardwalk and two in Beverly Hills.
Hotel Erwin
Hotel Erwin, Venice Beach
1697 Pacific Avenue, Venice
A 119-room hotel at 1697 Pacific Avenue, where Ocean Front Walk begins, with a rooftop bar. Abbot Kinney and the pier are a walk away.
Check roomsThe Beverly Hilton
The Beverly Hilton
9876 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills
Welton Becket’s 1955 hotel on Wilshire Boulevard, where David Duchovny’s 2008 Golden Globe was read out at a press conference.
See the hotelThe Peninsula Beverly Hills
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills · Rates on booking
Opened in 1991 with 195 rooms and 52 suites; Showtime’s Golden Globes party was here in January 2009.
See the hotelGo there
Go and see.
Marketplace tours of Venice and of film and TV locations in Los Angeles.
Viator · Ad / affiliate
Venice Beach walking and bike tours
Venice
Live marketplace results for tours of Venice, the boardwalk and the canals. None is about the show; check each route.
Live marketplace results · itineraries change
Compare toursViator · Ad / affiliate
Los Angeles film and TV location tours
Los Angeles
Live marketplace results for film and TV tours of Los Angeles, many starting on Hollywood Boulevard. Check which stops each one makes.
Live marketplace results · itineraries change
Compare toursWhat’s on
Nothing dated yet.
No current events tied to these places were found.
No current dated events are listed. Check providers for the latest programme.
Take it home
Two books.
A memoir from the run and a novel by its star.
Bookshop.org UK · Ad / affiliate
It’s Only Temporary
Evan Handler
Evan Handler’s 2008 memoir, published during the show’s run.
Find the book
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Bookshop.org UK · Ad / affiliate
Holy Cow
David Duchovny
David Duchovny’s first novel, 2015.
Find the bookDates, prices, rooms and stock change: confirm with the provider before you travel or buy. A stay or tour is described as a filming location only where the card says so.
Every frame
Every place and moment behind this page, with sources.
9 of 9 places · 13 of 13 stories
Ocean Front Walk, the Venice boardwalk
Ocean Front Walk, Venice, Los Angeles
13 August 2007
Californication, created by Tom Kapinos, begins on Showtime; it runs until 29 June 2014, seven seasons of twelve episodes, 84 in all.
California, and some New York
The show is made in California, with some episodes in New York; season two starts filming in April 2008 and season four on 19 April 2010.
Two Emmys for the light
Both of the show’s Emmys are for cinematography: Peter Levy for the pilot and Michael Weaver for “In Utero”.
Whose word?
The Red Hot Chili Peppers sue Showtime over the title on 19 November 2007; Showtime points to a 1972 Time article, Kapinos to a 1970s bumper sticker, and the case is settled out of court.
The boardwalk, end of season two
Season two ends with Hank and Becca walking on the Venice boardwalk as Karen leaves for New York.
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, Los Angeles
Dogtown
In IMDb’s listing for “Dogtown”, Hank and Runkle’s walk is on Abbot Kinney Boulevard.
Venice Fishing Pier
End of Washington Boulevard, Venice, Los Angeles
A morning at the pier
In IMDb’s listing for the same episode, a morning conversation is in the parking area by the Venice Fishing Pier.
The McKinley House
McKinley Avenue, Venice
Californication House
A solar house on McKinley Avenue, Venice, is featured in the series; its architect files it as Californication House.
Malibu (Charlie’s beach house)
Malibu, Pacific Coast Highway
Charlie’s beach house
Season five moves Hank into Charlie Runkle’s new Malibu beach house, a set built for the season.
The promontory by LAX
Near Los Angeles International Airport
“That’s a series wrap for David”
Duchovny’s last shot is on a promontory by LAX, alone with the Porsche, watching the planes; Tom Kapinos is there when the wrap is called.
The Beverly Hilton
9876 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills
A Globe without a ceremony
David Duchovny wins the Golden Globe for Californication, announced at a press conference at the Beverly Hilton during the writers’ strike.
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills
Showtime’s Globes party
A year on, David Duchovny and Evan Handler are photographed at Golden Globes parties, Duchovny at Showtime’s, at the Peninsula.
The Chinese 6, Hollywood & Highland
Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue, Hollywood
The Envelope screening
Natascha McElhone answers questions at a Californication screening for the L.A. Times Envelope series.