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Showtime's dangerous Eden

Take the title of Showtime's new half-hour comedy seriously.

"Californication" features plenty of it. In the first episode of the series, which bows Monday at 10:30 p.m., following the third-season premiere of "Weeds," three women appear topless in the bedroom.

That's not the only way the new show, which marks "The X Files' " David Duchovny's return to series television, differs from the safer offerings on broadcast. "Californication" takes cliches — about geography, relationships and work life — and plays with them until they're almost unrecognizable.

Mr. Duchovny plays Hank, a New York novelist who moved to Los Angeles when his book was turned into a film. He has been disillusioned by his time in Lotus Land, of course: His book with a black cover, "God Hates Us All," was turned into "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love" starring "Tom and Katie." In the process, he also has lost his family and his will to write. Girlfriend Karen (Natascha McElhone, who also appears in the new TNT series "The Company") has left him for a more successful man, taking their 12-year-old daughter, Becca (Madeleine Martin) with her.

One might think Karen left because of Hank's seemingly unquenchable libido. "You've always been a walking id, Hank," Karen tells him. Hank's semicelebrity status gets him lots of tight and toned L.A. women, whom we see in all their glory. Yet that's one of the many surprises of "Californication": Karen cheated on Hank.

Showtime only sent the first episode of the series for review, so it's not certain where it will go, but we'll probably watch Hank attempt a journey of redemption as he tries to get back his muse and his mistress.

He's got a long way to go: The first scene features him putting out his cigarette in holy water just before he gets propositioned by a nun. (Is it saved from offensiveness by being only a dream?)

The show boasts hilarious (albeit unprintable) dialogue and pitch-perfect performances. Suffice to say that if you don't change the channel after the church scene, you'll likely be amused endlessly by Hank's foibles.

Mr. Duchovny is more than welcome back on the small screen. He deserves to be seen by many more viewers than those of the small but good movies in which he's been starring since "The X Files." The complex character of Hank gives him a chance to show range every single week.