Novelist Hank Moody struggles to help raise his 13-year-old daughter, while carrying a torch for his ex-girlfriend Karen. His obsession with honesty and his self-destructive behavior are simultaneously destroying and enriching his career. . . all this in the city he loathes the most: Los Angeles.
S01E01
A transplanted author suffers from writer's block and is disappointed that his novel has been turned into a romantic comedy for the big screen. He also learns his ex is engaged and that their 12-year-old daughter is acting on her “emerging sexuality.”
S01E02
Hank begins his blogging job at Hell-A-Magazine. Karen is able to set Hank up with her friend Sonja by disguising the get together as a family dinner. At dinner, Becca reveals how Hank met Karen.
S01E03
At a book signing, Hank gets into a scrap with the disgruntled director of the film based on his novel, and later runs into a woman whom he embarrassed and insulted on a blind date. Mia attempts to steal some of Hank's work to use for her high-school creative-writing class.
S01E04
Meredith convinces Hank to escort her to an environmental fundraiser. Coincidentally Bill and Karen are at the same event, where Karen makes a scene. Also, Hank runs into Dani and Charlie while they are in his office.
S01E05
Bill asks Hank to step in as a guest speaker at Mia's creative writing class. During a radio interview, Hank talks about his writing and motivations. Meanwhile, Becca develops a crush on her guitar teacher Dave, but he ends up with Mia.
S01E06
Hank spends the night with a sexy surfer girl and in return she robs him. Mia wants more of Hank's writing to pass her class, instead he offers her to help her with her own writing. Charlie wants to spice up the sex life with his wife, but she is not as fond of spanking as Dani is.
S01E07
Hank is disturbed by Becca's negative reaction towards the concept of happy endings, even more so when he finds out that it is partially his fault. Marcy comes up with the idea of a threesome with Charlie and Dani, but it ends unexpectedly.
S01E08
Hank's father dies. Despite the memories of his father floating to the surface, he doesn't want to go to the funeral. To ease his pain, he goes to bed with a hooker named Trixie, despite the fact he doesn't have enough money to pay her. Meanwhile, Karen does her best to help him overcome the pain.
S01E09
After the funeral of Hank's father Al, Hank comes back to L.A. with a new manuscript, that he wants Karen to read. After receiving a bonus paycheck, he buys a new car for himself and a new guitar for Becca.
S01E10
A new threesome including Hank and Charlie evolves from a meeting at the gym, while Karen and Marcy have a girl's night out at which they decide to surprise Hank and Charlie.
S01E11
Charlie and Dani represent Mia after she wrote a book that seems to have come out of Hank's feather. Becca decides to move out of Bill and Karen's home to live with her dad Hank.
S01E12
As Karen's wedding to Bill nears, Hank struggles with accepting what appears to be inevitable. Bill informs Mia that he will not allow her book to be published and Hank has a unique solution to dealing with Becca's surprise visitor.