We’re just a wacky bunch of kids!!!
Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) is an aspiring writer living in New York City…and making no money. When her parents cut her off, and she loses her internship, Hannah must find real work for the first time since college. As her best friend/roommate Marnie (Allison Williams) deals with boyfriend troubles, Hannah’s friend Jessa (Jemima Kirke) returns from abroad to move in with Jessa’s cousin Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet). Hannah is just trying to survive and struggling with love and a strictly sexual relationship with Adam (Adam Driver)…can she cut it in the big city?
Girls—Season 1 aired on HBO from April 15, 2012 to June 17, 2012. The series was based on real events from star and creator Lena Dunham’s life and was lauded by critics. The season was nominated for multiple Emmy Awards and won an Emmy for Outstanding Casting and the show and Lena Dunham took home a Golden Globe for Best Comedy and Best Performance by an Actress in a Comedy.
Wow, crazy throwback to mid-2000s…
I kind of steered clear of Girls when I read about it in that it just felt like it was going to be Sex and the City with younger people. Watching the first episode of the series, the issue is addressed directly as Shoshanna tries to even compare herself and her friends to Sex and the City characters…putting the idea out there and acknowledging what many people believe was a smart move on Dunham’s part. Dunham has said she wanted to cover young adult…something Sex and the City had already passed by (though I still think the characters do line up somewhat).
Comparing this show to Sex and the City however isn’t fair. Girls does a much better job of making likeable and real characters than Sex and the City ever did. Rather than pretending the show is about the four girls (as Sex and the City did), the show is 90% about Lena Dunham’s Hannah and 10% about the other characters. In these ten episodes, the characters don’t really feel right acting independently from Hannah, and Dunham is definitely the most developed the bunch.
I wish I had more to do in this series…
I will say Dunham is a stronger lead than Sarah Jessica Parker and the writing is a bit more realistic, the series is rather unflinching and raw at times. Dunham isn’t trying to win any modeling contests and it is refreshing to have a character that isn’t ashamed of her appearance or too proud about it. She feels like a real young adult with half-way real problems (I still doubt that an unemployed writer and an art gallery employee would be able to live in anything close to what Hannah and Marnie live in).
Girls has potential and can develop. The show is quick and the seasons are short (which I always go for), so it isn’t that much of a commitment. If Dunham is someone you cannot tolerate (which I totally understand…sometimes I can other times I grow tired of her complaining quickly), the show probably is not for you. It took one or two episodes to get the characters down and that is pretty good for a half-hour show. My verdict is still out on Girls, but perhaps another season will help.
Girls—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Pilot”
1.1 Pilot Airdate: 04/15/12
Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) is told by her parents (Peter Scolari and Becky Ann Baker) that she is being cut off. Now Hannah must make some money to support her part of the rent. Marnie (Allison Williams) worries about telling her boyfriend Charlie (Christopher Abbott) that she’s finished with him, and Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) has her cousin Jessa (Jemima Kirke) return from overseas which could cause more problems. When Hannah puts up an ultimatum at her internship, she finds herself unemployed and seeking sympathy sex from her on-again-off-again guy Adam (Adam Driver). Marnie confronts Jessa bout her actions, and Jessa reveals a secret.
“Vagina Panic”
1.2 Vagina Panic Airdate: 04/22/12
Jessa’s pregnancy and plans for an abortion have Hannah, Shoshanna, and Marnie questioning their own sexual futures. Hannah goes for a job interview that goes horribly wrong and decides to have herself checked out for STDs just in case.
“All Adventurous Women Do”
1.3 All Adventurous Women Do Airdate: 04/29/12
Hannah gets some bad news from the gynecologist and questions who she gave her HPV. Jessa gets a new babysitting job, and Marnie meets an artist Booth Jonathan (Jorma Taccoone) at work. Hannah decides she has to meet up with her ex-boyfriend Elijah (Andrew Rannells) but learns things have changed with him.
“Hannah’s Diary”
1.4 Hannah’s Diary Airdate: 05/06/12
Hannah gets a new job but finds the hands of her boss (Richard Masur) wander…with all the women. Jessa’s trip to the park with her wards leads her to meet the other nannies. Shoshanna runs into an old camp friend but learns her virgin status is a problem. A picture from Adam makes Hannah question their sex relationship. Charlie and his friend Ray (Alex Karpovsky) find Hannah’s diary and brings up what they find in at their concert.
“Hard Being Easy”
1.5 Hard Being Easy Airdate: 05/13/12
The fallout from Hannah’s diary being read has Marnie trying to keep Charlie. Jessa goes after an old flame. Hannah makes a move on her harassing boss but also finds that her relationship with Adam might be ending.
“The Return”
1.6 The Return Airdate: 05/120/12
Hannah goes home for the weekend for her parents’ anniversary and finds returning home is different than it used to be when she goes on a date with a pharmacist.
“Welcome to Bushwick A.K.A. The Crackcident”
1.7 Welcome to Bushwick a.k.a. The Crackcident Airdate: 05/27/12
The girls to go the “best party ever”, and Marnie finds that Charlie already has a new girlfriend. Hannah sees Adam at the party but ends up injured when she leaves with him. Shoshanna accidentally smokes crack and Ray tries to be her “crack-buddy” when Jessa finds she accidentally invited her boss Jeff (James LeGros) to the party.
“Weirdos Need Girlfriends Too”
1.8 Weirdos Need Girlfriends Too Airdate: 06/03/12
Adam and Hannah celebrate their new relationship, and Marnie finds herself hung up on the fact Charlie has a new girl. Hannah begins to see another side of Adam when he invites her to his play rehearsal. When Marnie and Jessa go out for the night, they find more adventure then they are ready for when they go home with a man named Thomas-John (Chris
O’Dowd).
“Leave Me Alone”
1.9 Leave Me Alone Airdate: 06/10/12
Hannah attends the writing premiere of a classmate and runs into her old professor Powell Goldman (Michael Imperioli). When Hannah attends a reading, her nerves get the best of her. Jessa meets with her old boss and Katherine (Kathryn Hahn) tries to deal with her husband’s attempt to seduce her. Hannah and Marnie have it out and make a big decision about their future.
“She Did”
1.10 She Did Airdate: 06/17/12
Marnie moves out, and Hannah considers having Adam move in with her. When Jessa invites Marnie, Hannah, and Shoshanna to a mystery party, they learn that she’s marrying Thomas-John. Shoshanna makes a big jump and Marnie finds a potential new man. When Hannah invites Elijah to move in with her, Hannah worries that she’s ruined her relationship with Adam.
