A few years have passed and Hank is living in New York but looking for a ticket out of town after his latest breakup. He accepts an invitation from Charlie to come to Los Angeles for a job writing a film starring rapper/actor Samurai Apolcaypse, then reunites with Karen, her former professor and now-husband Richard, and his daughter Becca, who now has a boyfriend named Tyler that is the spitting image of Hank himself ... in the worst possible way.

Hank passes on writing Samurai Apocalypse's new movie but Sam won't take no for an answer and drags Hank to a meeting with director Peter Berg, where they discover that Hank and Peter have shared more than just a love of the written word. Sam takes it on himself to get rid of Tyler, which makes things worse between Hank and Becca. Co-parents Charlie, Marcy and Stu have their hands full when Little Stuart exposes himself to a preschool classmate, and Charlie takes it upon himself to mend fences with the offended girl's attractive mother.

Hank hands a completed draft of "Santa Monica Cop" over to Samurai Apocalypse, but he still finds himself stuck in L.A. when he's asked to take Kali, his "acquaintance" from the flight to Los Angles, out for a night on the town. Tyler crashes at Karen and Becca's house while he recovers from his injuries. Charlie is rescued from a serious parental crisis by Stuart's nanny, Lizzie.

Charlie's boyhood dream is realized and Hank's worst nightmare comes true when Samurai Apocalypse invites the boys on a ride-along with the Santa Monica Police Department and takes them on a joyride that goes sexually awry for Charlie; Richard hits the bottle at a crowded Venice restaurant but Hank and the boys arrive to save the day for Karen and Becca, and Tyler realizes he's seen Sam somewhere before.

When Samurai Apocalypse hits a lyrical roadblock with his protege, he calls on the best writer he knows: Hank Moody, who unites with Kali to imbibe, bear his soul, and write a song that takes Hank back in time to an era when he, Karen and Charlie were happier and life was simpler before "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love." But the present comes roaring back when Karen shows up at Hank's door, worried that she made a mistake.

Hank overstays his welcome at the house of Karen and Richard and hits the road with one last stop at Malibar, where he runs into Lizzie, who uses her newly acquired acting chops to lure him back to the Runkle Manor. Once there, Hank is surprised by everyone he loves and loathes: Karen, Becca, Charlie, Marcy, Stu, Richard and his creepy sponsor, Gabriel. Even Sam and Kali show up, but it's not a party until someone gets hurt and luckily for these partygoers, Hank has it in him for one final run-in with Tyler.

Hank discovers the bartender at a local watering hole is his late friend Lew Ashby and wonders if he's in Hell. Richard makes a startling announcement about Hank and Karen. Hank tries to make things right with Becca, but her news about Tyler leaves him stunned. On the set of "Santa Monica Cop," Sam's jealousy and fondness for firearms give Charlie an opportunity to show how much he loves his best friend and number-one client; Hank's arsonist ex-girlfriend surprises him with a way for them to be together forever.