Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: 'Girls' - 'Hard Being Easy': The unsmoteable

Hannah's plan backfires and Marnie tries to win back Charlie

By Alan Sepinwall Sunday, May 13, 2012 11:00 PM

Jemima Kirke and Lena Dunham in "Girls."

Credit: HBO

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"For the story? I don't know — just to be an asshole?" -Hannah

From the start, "Girls" hasn't been a show that seems particularly worried about whether you like Hannah or her friends. It lets them be stupid and selfish early and often, operating under the assumption that if their bad behavior is depicted specifically and strongly enough, likability won't matter any more than it does for the various cable shows with male anti-heroes who do all these things and worse.

But even by the standards of what we've seen so far, "Hard Being Easy" is a real piece of work, as both Hannah and Marnie(*) fumble around, unsure of who they're hurting mainly because they're unsure of what they're doing.

(*) Shoshanna is reduced to a brief (but funny) cameo this week in which she's stuck watching Jessa have sex with her ex. And short of letting Beatrix and Lola actually get kidnapped while she's busy impressing people with stories about the time she kite-surfed in Bali, I'm not sure how Jessa could get less likable.

We pick up not long after the ugly incident at the end of last week's episode, with Charlie and Marnie both demanding that Hannah read the offending diary entry so they can hear it in her own voice. Hannah seems vaguely aware of how much trouble she's caused for her best friend, yet she can't stop herself from asking Marnie how she would have liked the entry "as a piece of writing" if it wasn't about her. Later, following in part on Jessa's advice(**), she decides the best way to deal with her boss' sexually harassing ways is to try to seduce him, and when he rejects her advances, she quits in a huff, threatening that, "Some day, I am going to write an essay about you, and I am not going to change your name!"

(**) I'm glad I watched this one twice before writing, because Hannah's behavior with the boss seemed to come out of left field the first time. She explains it better to Adam in their later scene, but I had already forgotten that Jessa had suggested it first. Part of the problem is that that scene is usually part of a familiar trope where the harassed tries to turn the tables on the harasser to get him to stop, and that's not at all what Hannah's doing; she actually wants to have sex with the guy for the experience of it.

That kiss-off line is Hannah Horvath in a nutshell: all her power comes from her belief in her own writing (and that one day, other people will be reading it). And, as she half-explains to Adam later, most of what she does is out of a desire for... something to happen in her life, preferably something she can use as fodder for her writing. She wants experiences. Doesn't necessarily matter what they are, if they wind up making her feel like a fool, or make others feel the same. That's at least part of why she's with Adam, it seems: he treats her like an inconvenience half the time, but she's going to get one hell of an essay about him, sooner or later. And in the meantime, she finally gets to assert some control in the relationship — albeit in a weird and degrading circumstance where he's started to masturbate even knowing she's still there — and it turns out he enjoys it sometimes when she's the one in charge.

And though Marnie might at one point have seemed like the angel on Hannah's shoulder to Jessa's devil, it's been clear for some time that she's just as self-absorbed, just in a more pleasant package. For goodness' sake, she doesn't even know where Charlie lives, and he's only been her boyfriend for five years.(***)

(***) I like that the flashback to the girls' time at Oberlin showed that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Their looks may be different, but everyone is pretty similar otherwise. Even Elijah doesn't come off as significantly less flamboyant than he was in his present day appearance in episode 3.

Marnie's attempt to win Charlie back was like watching a car crash in slow motion, because it was obvious from the start her motivation — whether she would admit it to herself or not — was entirely to avoid being the dumpee, and that once he took her back, she'd be back to resenting him instantly. I didn't necessarily expect her to dump him in mid-coitus, but it wasn't exactly a shocker, either. When a guy tells a woman that he needs her to "Act like my life is real," it suggests a foundation that can't be repaired.

On the whole, "Hard Being Easy" felt a bit rougher than the previous episodes — not only the odd tone of the Hannah/boss scene, but the lighweight nature of Jessa's hook-up (though that story did have a quintessential Jessa moment when she responded to his complaint about the trashed Vespa with "I did you a favor!") — but still demonstrated how good the show can be in individual moments, and what a strong grasp it has on who its characters are and what their world is like.

What did everybody else think?

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: Girls, Lena Dunham, Jenni Konner, Judd Apatow, Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, Jemima Kirke, Adam Driver, Alan Sepinwall

Rollie

Still waiting for that first male character who is actually portrayed in a positive light.

I get the sneaking suspicion this show hates me.
May 13, 2012 at 11:02PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall The women are portrayed in a generally negative light, too.
  May 13, 2012 at 11:04PM EST
- Rollie True, but doesn't seem as quite to the extent as the men. Especially those who interact with Hannah.
  May 13, 2012 at 11:09PM EST
- Facepalm Wow, this show can't not offend people
  May 13, 2012 at 11:20PM EST
- Rollie I'm not offended, just annoyed. When I can tell a character is going to be a jackass within seconds of introduction just because of the gender, something is wrong.
  May 13, 2012 at 11:32PM EST
- EricW Females have been portrayed terribly for most of TV history. As a male, I understand that in order for us to achieve equality, females must portray males in the same bimbo or disposable fashion to balance the scales.
  May 14, 2012 at 12:51AM EST
- Joe Charlie seems like a decent dude to me. Being too decent actually seems to be his problem.
  May 14, 2012 at 6:06AM EST
- Dee Charlie and Shoshanna are the only two likeable characters in the show - one guy, one girl. Everyone else - male or female - is awful. I think you're reaching a bit there.
  May 14, 2012 at 8:10AM EST
- gil Whats wrong with you people? They are all so likeable because they are so real. Extreme at times maybe - but real. Hannah's boss is not real. Charlie's friend. But the girls? And Adam and Charlie? I see them everyday. And I like them :)
  May 14, 2012 at 9:53AM EST
- brentalistair "They are all so likeable because they are so real. Extreme at times maybe - but real." This is an odd formulation - real=likable. Nobody contends that douchebags aren't "real" or that there aren't plenty of people in the actual world as self-centered and solipsistic as the girls at the center of this show but I fail to see how that makes them in any way likable. You seem to like them for some reason, Gil, but their "realness" doesn't really seem like a very solid explanation under the circumstances.
  May 14, 2012 at 10:32AM EST
- JK I actually felt the opposite was true - that the female characters are routinely unlikable and that the male characters have a fighting chance. Charlie'a a decent guy whose main flaw is not being alpha male a lot, Ray's a loyal friend if kind of a douchebag, Hannah's dad is more sympathetic than her mom, her boss was thoroughly decent if you were like her co-workers and looked pass the inappropriate touching...
  
  At this point, I'm far more likely to be irritated by how hard to deal with the leads are. I think the show is funny and well-written and I understand that their unlikability is intentional, but for me Hannah, Marnie and Jessa are just often difficult to watch. Hopefully as this season goes on the show will find the right balance for them, keeping them as realistic characters making realistic dumb choices without making them someone I'm not sure I want to spend my Sundays with.
  May 14, 2012 at 1:58PM EST
- 7s Tim I think the show only seems to portray the women better than the men, to the extent that one could even say it does, because we spend more time with them. Charlie and even Ray have been shown more fully these past two episodes, and even tho Ray seems to have his head up his ass most of the time, they seem like more decent people than the girls of Girls. And these characters remind me of people I see all the time too, and that's what makes the show interesting. But I loathe the people for real and the people for show. I couldn't imagine liking these people.
  May 14, 2012 at 2:13PM EST
- 7s Tim Also meant to add that the show would probably seem misogynistic if it were created, written, directed, and starring a 26 year old guy. And happy birthday Lena Dunham.
  May 14, 2012 at 2:22PM EST
- Jayne Hannah Horvath is George Constanza's child. I don't blame Hannah's parents for being appalled to have spawned such a spoiled and self-involved child. Her Tiny Furniture character was the same person.
  Judd Apatow hates women. I am not surprised he was falling over himself to help bring such a self-destructive and flawed characterization of young women to television. If this is what young women are really like, then it is ok for his own Neanderthals to treat them the way that they do in his vehicles.
  May 14, 2012 at 9:46PM EST
- Debora @Jayne Sorry but your "If this is what young women are really like, then it is ok for his own Neanderthals to treat them the way that they do in his vehicles" sound very resentful to me. Nobody deserves to be treated like the characters in the show. No girl deserves to even meet such a crap like Adam or to be treated like Charlie this episode, but I find this show honest and I really like it. It's very fresh. Some people freak out with a character like Jessa but they find ...I don't know... McNulty likable....please! (and I love McNulty as a character in all his assholness) I really think more people are like this girls than every other female character portrayed in television based in this time and age. I don't want to watch what I should aspire to wear or what kind of sex life I should aspire to have (thinking in SATC, Gray's anatomy, or those kind of shows). I met this people a lot in my life. Some were my best friends, others I hated them. This show works for me.
  May 14, 2012 at 10:36PM EST
- nath This comment confirms a lot of my worries after last episode. Everyone was portrayed so negatively that they were thoroughly unpleasant to be around. I can deal with unpleasant in a show like Seinfeld or It's Always Sunny, where we're supposed to be laughing at the characters as their personality flaws cause their own downfall. "Girls"' realism suggests we should also be sympathizing with these characters, something I find harder and harder to do each week.
  
  At least the titular girls are written in relatively well-rounded fashion. The guys are all written as caricatures of what, I suppose, girls in their twenty-somethings think guys think about and talk about.
  May 15, 2012 at 1:14PM EST
- 7s Tim I think we're supposed to sympathize with the characters AND judge them horribly. You know, like with people. These aren't efficient or moral people, but they still try their best is somewhat exaggerated but still rather relatable circumstances. And when they don't try their best, that's a choice too, one to understand or not.
  May 15, 2012 at 3:40PM EST
- nath "I think we're supposed to sympathize with the characters AND judge them horribly. You know, like with people."
  
  No, I don't, really. I don't find people who are self-centered and shallow and who keep making the same mistakes over and over again sympathetic in real life, either.
  
  I saw this written somewhere else, which is that you can successfully blend the two, but this show seems to go for either extreme revulsion/judgment or extreme sympathy, and it doesn't work for me.
  May 15, 2012 at 4:30PM EST
- Jayne @Deborah- you did not understand my statement. Let me try again. " I am not surprised he was falling over himself to help bring such a self-destructive and flawed characterization of young women to television. :::Because, in his reasoning:::, if this is what young women are really like, then :::that would make it::::ok for his own Neanderthals to treat them the way that they do in his vehicles.
  I wouldn't have posted if I thought it was ok in this or any alternate universe to treat women like that. But it is beyond painful to think that a person who thinks she is the (a) voice of her (a) generation thinks that being treated like this is preferable to being alone, or that this is the only way to have experiences worth writing about.
  I am an educator and find it chilling that this is what four years of very expensive higher education puts on the street, bad economy or no. Lena's character in this and her film imply that adult life is very very tough, but demands that she be given a free pass to play at adult in a Manhattan sandbox on her parents' dime until she gets the career that she seems to feel life owes her. If any other aspect of her life was being handled responsibly, one could possibly consider it an investment but seriously, how much should one have to pay provide the world with access to a quirky web presence? For free? And she just quit ::another:: job.
  To me, the analogy to SATC is that a whole lot more impressionable girls have drawn the wrong conclusions out of that show as well, and this is one of the results. Do you care to speculate what junk like American Idol and reality shows are doing to young peoples' ideas of how to attain success in life?
  I weep for the future.
  May 15, 2012 at 6:33PM EST
Ken scott

This is a show through the eyes of Lena Dunham. This is her experience. There are men and women who act like that. You don't have to pretend that the real world doesnt exist we are only seeing a small part of it.
May 14, 2012 at 12:18AM EST Reply to Comment
- rachel I totally agree. Just because Charlie doesn't "win" (and in the end is cruelly rejected) doesn't mean he's not treated sympathetically (at least as sympathetically as the girls, in this episode probably much much more sympathetically).
  May 14, 2012 at 4:04AM EST
Ezekiel

I'd argue Charlie has probably been the most sympathetic character in the show to this point (except for maybe Shoshanna). He's still done a couple bad things, but the reading of the diary was instigated by Ray and he tried to break up with Marnie for most of the episode. I take the fact that he got lured back into the relationship more as a condemnation of Marnie exploiting the fact that Charlie was still in love with her to avoid being dumped rather than a condemnation of Charlie. Charlie is too nice and a pushover, but in comparison to the other characters in this world he's not portrayed as negatively.
May 14, 2012 at 12:50AM EST Reply to Comment
- rachel Reply to comment...
  May 14, 2012 at 4:07AM EST
- rachel Oops, my comment above was meant to be here (though it's applicable in both places). Anyway, as I said above: I totally agree. Just because Charlie doesn't "win" (and in the end is cruelly rejected) doesn't mean he's not treated sympathetically (at least as sympathetically as the girls, in this episode probably much much more sympathetically).
  May 14, 2012 at 4:10AM EST
Grubi

I realize this show has partly been compared to Sex and the City in the past, but this episode seemed to really be begging for the comparisons. Each of the characters matched up perfectly. Hannah=Carrie (they're both writers and they both write A LOT about interactions with the opposite sex and specifically sex itself. Marnie=Miranda because she is Hannah/Carrie's best friend, the most "together" of the four women, but is secretly as screwed up as everyone else. The strongest correlation is definitely Jessa=Samantha because they are both sexually adventurous, very explicit, and very charismatic. Shoshanna doesn't line up with Charlotte perfectly, but she will if, once she loses her virginity, she starts sleeping around all the time while continuing to act all repressed and naive.

I say this because I really didn't like Sex and the City and if Girls continues to look like an updated carbon copy of that show, some people (such as me) are going to stop watching it.
May 14, 2012 at 1:37AM EST Reply to Comment
- John That's because they are. This was obvious from the start. And don't mean that in at all a cruel way, it's just a fact.
  
  And yet another reason Dunham's writing is not very strong (to put it politely, frankly it's horrible.)
  
  Even without the SATC comparisons, Dunham basically created caricatures. The pretty one=Marnie, the adventurous, British one=Jessa, the frigid or reserved if you'd rather one=Shoshana and the one with low self esteem=Hannah.
  
  Had the critics not been so invested in aping each other and falling all over themselves to call this crap brilliant they would have realized that long ago.
  
  The show's just not that good. Period. And it's losing viewers. I really wish the critics would own up to it and try to do a critical reappraisal rather than just digging their feet in for no reason and being assured its brilliant because that's what they initially thought when they fell victim to groupthinnk and HBO hype.
  May 14, 2012 at 2:53AM EST
- Joe I have to strongly disagree with you John. I can't speak about any SATC similarities because I've never seen it but I happen to love Dunham's writing in this show which I've found very naturalistic & funny.
  
  I can understand your thoughts on their being caricatures to a degree but I think you're overstating this, especially when one considers how early in the shows run we are-it takes time to develop characters after all. That said, outside of Shoshana I think Dunham's done a pretty solid job.
  
  Marnie is far more than just "the pretty one." She initially seems to be the one with her life most put together but she's also the one who's just thrown away her loving boyfriend & masturbated to a jack-ass of an artist. Also despite what she says to Charlie in this episode, I think she truly does love Hannah which creates an interesting dynamic between to friends who really do care for each other but are also pretty narcissistic.
  
  Jessa is indeed the adventurous one (though I don't think her being British has been used in any real stereotypical way on this show) but I think her scenes with the dad she babysits for (& the abortion episode) have deepened her character. She relates to that dad more than anyone because he doesn't know where his life is going & neither does she, & while it's fun to be worldly & what not deep down she's scared because she doesn't really have a clue about her future.
  
  Hannah has low self esteem regarding men but she's very confident in much of the rest of her life. She has a, probably somewhat misguided, faith in her writing ability & she has a fairly impressive ability to just roll with the punches life throws at her.
  
  So no, the show is not "Just not that good. Period." That's your opinion & clearly the opinion of a fair number of others but those of us, critics or otherwise, who are fans of the show are not "just digging [our] feet in for no reason" but because in "Girls" we've found an interesting, unique, & funny show.
  May 14, 2012 at 6:30AM EST
- Grubi @John,
  
  I agree that it was obvious from the start that they had a lot in common with the Sex & the City characters. The show itself even pointed it out when Shoshanna talked about that show in the pilot. I just think that in this episode, it was so blatant as to be distracting and that wasn't true in the previous episodes.
  
  Also, I do not hate the writing on the show as much as you do. At times it can be very funny. As I said above, my biggest problem is the tendency for the characters to line up so closely with the Sex & the City characters.
  May 14, 2012 at 3:18PM EST
- Jeffrey So I would agree with some of what you're saying. They do seem to fit into the stereotype of girls that was set by SATC. What I think more people find appealing about this show is that, as a 27 year old, I know these kinds of people. I see them everyday, I went to school with them, I don't like them at all but I know them so you have that relatability (don't think that's a word but I'm going with it). And living in NYC, I know the places they live and frequent and I enjoy that aspect. I like the way the show is shot, the camera angles, the drabness, the muted colors and most importantly, the music is phenomenal. And while I can put up with some of the mediocre writing that's littered throughout, the part I can't get passed is how much I dislike Lena Dunham. Not her character, her. She is a HORRIBLE actor. Every sentence makes me grimace and the sex scenes are so wildly uncomfortable that I'd actually prefer she keep her clothes on. I think that she could've found someone to play her character with a little bit of acting chops and frankly, I'm a tad disappointed in Mike Lombardo at HBO for letting such an unexperienced actor onto HBO. HBO is where you come once you've made your mark because you know what you're doing and you want the autonomy of making a show that doesn't have to fit into the advertising driven networks molds. Its is not a proving ground. It is supposed to be a proven ground. Its the reason that Scorsese, Wahlberg, Buscemi, Hoffman come here. I give Lena a lot of credit for what she's done so far at such a young age because I know that at this age, we don't have enough of the experiences that we want to write about. Shes impressive in the fact that she writes, produces, directs and (if you want to call it that) acts, but I think we a different person in the role of Hannah this show might have some longer-term legs. Bring back Bored to Death. At least that show was witty-funny and had actors who've all acted before.
  May 15, 2012 at 8:54AM EST
- dyton99 Reply to comment...
  May 16, 2012 at 8:55AM EST
- dyton99 GRUBI, In regards to the "Sex and the City" comparisons, I thought of "SATC" almost immediately when Hannah's commitment-phobe guy Adam greeted her as, "Kid" like Big used to do to Carrie. Although, I did love Hannah's reply, "Hey Grown-Up."
  May 16, 2012 at 8:59AM EST
- @Jeffrey- Yeah, I loved that sure thing HBO put on the air called 'Game of Thrones'.
  
  HBO takes risks, sets trends, all of it quality. Dunham is an incredible actress (the scene on the toilet this episode was heartbreaking) and the writing is fantastic.
  May 17, 2012 at 10:00PM EST
Jim

Marnie is a four letter word that begins with the third letter of the alphabet.

Let's see if anybody tries to defend what she did.
May 14, 2012 at 2:17AM EST Reply to Comment
- svetlana I actually like Marnie. It didn't seem that she was being malicious when she broke up with Charlie. I admit it wasn't the best time but you'd think he would've learned something from Hannah's journal and cooled it with the I love yous, kind of sickening. I wish people on the show would stop acting like jessa is this gorgeous bombshell...we have eyes! She is by far the most unlikable person on the show. I really like this show, I find a lot of the situations relatable and I'm a decade older than these girls.
  May 14, 2012 at 2:29AM EST
- Jim She clearly did not love the guy and whined about it to her roomate for weeks. He breaks up with her then they discuss her non-love for him but she keeps pushing and finally pleads and cajoles him into a BJ and sex comences. She THEN realizes that he is the same clingy lover that he was and she breaks up with him? What did she think was going to change in that less than 24 hours? None of the discussion would lead you to believe he had changed. Of course she did it vindictively because she has not come off as stupid so far.
  May 14, 2012 at 2:58AM EST
- Jim BTW - I'm not saying I didn't like it. Just pointing it out. I like a#@hole TV characters. Much more fun.
  May 14, 2012 at 3:02AM EST
- Joe I think Alan nailed it when he said Marnie, consciously or not, just wanted Charlie back so she wouldn't be the dumpee. I think all of that time she'd spent being in a relationship with Charlie that she had grown to hate only to have him be the one to dump her was just unbearable to her. He was the one who still loved her so he couldn't possibly be the one to break it off. It's incredibly selfish but in a way it's understandable, but, yea, mostly just really f@#$ed up.
  May 14, 2012 at 6:37AM EST
- Slam Marnie has gone through her young life getting exactly what she wants because of her looks ( and she's fairly intelligent ). So she can treat Charlie like the hired help and get away with it. She is a character I'm interested in because she's gorgeous to look at and I want to see her get her comeuppance.
  
  In order for a TV show to work, you have to either strongly like or strongly dislike the characters, and I think this show has done a very good job of introducing and developing these f'd up characters.
  
  It's not Deadwood, but I like this show.
  May 14, 2012 at 11:35AM EST
- Joseph I agree, to a certain extent (I would go with the five letter word beginning with B), but Charlie is just as unlikeable. He's a petulant, spineless, bland lump and really deserved to be the dumpee more than she did.
  
  I'm still watching, and respect the quality of the show, but wow I really do pretty much hate all the characters except Shoshanna.
  May 14, 2012 at 3:08PM EST
- mhb Marnie did what most ppl do... she wanted something she couldnt have, so she put her efforts into getting it.... and then when she got it, didnt want it anymore. That's life. Frankly, most women are like that when it comes to relationships.
  May 14, 2012 at 4:20PM EST
- Marshall1 Well, for the reasons you guys mention, I think Marnie is a despicable person. The characters' self-absorbedness starts to really turn me off. I don't mind people who are assholes, but I don't feel like there's a lot of redeeming qualities to them. Call me old-fashion. So far, Veep and Girls are going to be out of my routine soon if they don't improve. Thank God Nurse Jackie is great this season, and there's also the Big C.
  May 15, 2012 at 1:58AM EST
- BlitzMark I agree. Jessa is unlikable but Marnie is a selfish brat. As a guy, I would feel the same way if the gender roles were reversed.
  May 17, 2012 at 4:23PM EST
Sam

Woah! This was one of my favorite episodes. Any show about women is always compared to SATC, people will just have to get over it. It's well written and, to me and my friends, it's the gritty truth about this time in our lives. I am always sad when the episodes end! I hope this show is around for a long time!
May 14, 2012 at 9:05AM EST Reply to Comment
- Sam Also, I don't get how Jessa did anything wrong...her ex who was "so happy" called her. He obviously wanted something to happen, she just capilatized on it. I loved the scene.
  May 14, 2012 at 9:13AM EST
- brentalistair "I don't get how Jessa did anything wrong"
  
  I do. She slept with him not much caring about him or what it would do to his relationship. She wanted to feel validated and it didn't much matter to her that it was his expense or what it would cost him emotionally. Obviously, she didn't kill anyone, and he should have had enough self-respect and self-control to avoid her advances but her act was a profoundly selfish one. Whether one is especially bothered by this or not, it fits pretty comfortably with the normal social definition of "wrong."
  May 14, 2012 at 11:47AM EST
- BlitzMark It's not just shows about women that are compared to SATC. Entourage was called the SATC for guys for a while. Homogenous foursomes will often be compared to one another.
  May 17, 2012 at 4:21PM EST
ChampSkins

As a viewer I appreciated the Marnie story. I have seen this played out multiple times before. A breakup happens, one person isn't neccesarily ready for it, convinces themselves that they should be with the other person, then when they get back together they immediately realize why they wanted out in the first place. Except that a lot of times they will carry on the relationship just for the sake they don't want to hurt the other person. So in that respect I found it really interesting to see Marnie end things immediately.

Overally, pretty good episode. Albeit I can never watch this show and expect to be in a good mood after it ends.
May 14, 2012 at 10:50AM EST Reply to Comment
- wallywalters What higher praise for a comedy?
  May 14, 2012 at 2:13PM EST
xactomundo

This show is not a carbon copy of SATC. There are obvious correlations and they seem intentional, the same way The Sopranos referenced the Godfather movies. The Hannah character is more "Louie" in a wig than Carrie, not glamorous at all. That is why this show is brazenly humorous, and SATC was IMHO a horrible show that made those four c*nts seem glamorous(Borat's "a show about 3 prostitutes and their mother" line was the best). Someone else compared the girls here to the anti-heroes on cable(I am assuming that means Walter White and Don Draper) and I agree. And these Girls are more compelling because their ugly sides are allowed to be really raw, and funny. Lena Dunham is extraordinarily talented, and I look forward to the show more every week...
May 14, 2012 at 1:48PM EST Reply to Comment
thparadox

Come on... What do you expect from this show? It's a comedy. It's FUNNY. Why does there have to be a "positive male character"? Watching a show called "Girls" is probably the wrong place to look for a male rolemodel. The difference between Girls and SATC is that Girls is driven by comedy. It's legitimately funny. "there's no suing app on your iphone". "my best dyke friend is a dick doctor". This isn't good writing????
May 14, 2012 at 2:30PM EST Reply to Comment
Bryan

What was the song playing in the background of the flashback when Charlie and Marnie met for the first time?
May 14, 2012 at 9:40PM EST Reply to Comment
- Joe The song at the top of the flashback was "Heartbeats" by The Knife and Hannah and her boyfriend went off to dance to "Take Your Momma" by Scissor Sisters. Two great jams.
  May 14, 2012 at 11:25PM EST
- Bryan The internet wins again. Thanks, dude.
  May 15, 2012 at 8:31AM EST
- QuentinCold Was going to ask the same question - thanks, Joe!
  May 20, 2012 at 1:48PM EST
unfashionablyearly

i think everyone, alan included, is missing the point - marnie wanted charlie back because for 5 minutes he wasn't being nice to her - he (kind of) trashed their apartment, left, and was the one breaking up with her - he was more like booth jonathan, and less like charlie. as soon as she had him back charlie was himself again, marnie realized that he was right about them needing to break up.

i'm a little surprised she did it, i think it may have been more realistic for her to realize he was right but not have the guts to end things at that moment, but we'll see what happens.
May 15, 2012 at 9:29AM EST Reply to Comment
Emwero

As a female I've had the experience of knowing, beeing and interacting with all kinds of women. And I recognize myself and tons of other girls in Girls. It's problaly the most realistic representation of female /female relationship I've ever seen. The show is not about the men in their lives, their portrayal is not the essence. In some since one can compare it to Entourage and the way that show never had realistic women, and the main guys where flawed and unlikable.
May 16, 2012 at 3:12AM EST Reply to Comment
RL

this was a great episode for showcasing more "real" sex moments, the kind that are so unglamorous you rarely ever see them on TV. Specifically:
1. when marnie bumps her head on the loft bed mid-coitus
2. the boyfriend masturbating with hannah watching
3. JEssica's bedroom window fling

Also, another moment i found remarkable because it never happens on TV, we saw Hannah on the toilet. I don't recall a scene of a character using the toilet on TV ever. Granted, it's HBO so they can show more than you could on NBC but it's still refreshing to see these unspoken boundaries broken.

It's refreshing to see some really unsexy moments
May 16, 2012 at 12:12PM EST Reply to Comment
- number9 My guy's immediate comment on seeing Charlie's apartment: kid's room filled with little boy furniture.
  May 16, 2012 at 6:48PM EST
- number9 A guy builds a bed and doesn't play out how sex works in said bed while planning/building said bed? The terms selfish and self-absorbed come to mind.
  
  Sadly, I've known guys just like that.
  May 16, 2012 at 6:59PM EST
- Paul B Maybe he knew that his girlfriend was never going to come over. (that was awfully strange, huh?)
  May 18, 2012 at 12:09AM EST
- Paul B Number9: Maybe he knew that his girlfriend was never going to come over. (that was awfully strange, huh?)
  May 18, 2012 at 12:11AM EST
KobraCola

"I'm not sure how Jessa could get less likable."

JESSA is unlikable??? I actually have no problem with Jessa. Now MARNIE has gotten wholly unlikable to me, while acknowledging at the same time that her character is meant to be unlikable (probably same with Jessa). Marnie seems like the worst person out of any character we've met so far.

"As [Hannah] half-explains to Adam later, most of what she does is out of a desire for... SOMETHING to happen in her life, preferably something she can use as fodder for her writing. She wants experiences."

Interesting, I never got that feeling before this episode. I always felt like Hannah was always just sort of bumbling through life, waiting for her writing to take her somewhere. To me, it seems like she never though about this "experiencing weird things so I can write about them later" thing until Jessa suggested it to her early in this ep.
May 16, 2012 at 12:33PM EST Reply to Comment
Sandlapper

I absolutely love this show, but can't stand Jessa. She needs to go back to Europe or wherever she came from.
May 16, 2012 at 8:04PM EST Reply to Comment
Emily

So much Jessa hate out there. What I like most about Jessa is that she seems to be the only one of the 4 who seems at all self-aware of her actions. Maybe that makes people hate her even more, but the others are completely unaware of their effect on people, whereas Jessa is much more in tune with what her charm/sexuality/whatever does to others. And her ex-boyfriend obviously wanted to hook up with her, he never would've called her otherwise and besides, it takes two to tango.

Regarding Marnie, she did not act vindicatively towards Charlie, she's merely completely clueless about what direction she wants to go in and unfortunately steamrolls right over him.

Awkward sex scenes: are supposed to be awkward.

I'm a 28 year old woman and loved Sex and the City when I was 21 and somewhat clueless. As I got older and/or wiser, I realized that a lot of Sex and the City was pretty fucked up. (Still love it tho). Now, watching Girls, I feel like I'm watching a lot of my younger self--trying on adulthood, not really knowing what I actually liked or wanted, or worse, knowing what I liked/wanted but not sure if it was ok to like/want those things, learning the extent of my power, not really thinking about how all of that would affect other people, etc-- and my younger self really had no fricking clue what she was doing. When I watch this show, I don't see these girls being vindicative or mean on purpose, I see them being absolutely clueless.

May 16, 2012 at 9:44PM EST Reply to Comment
HeavyRaines17

My favorite line of the episode was when Charlie was screaming at the beginning and said "I wouldn't want to live here even if I wanted to!" I've been saying it all week.
May 18, 2012 at 5:13PM EST Reply to Comment
darci

First off, I got way excited when I heard "Infinity Guitars" by Sleigh Bells at the beginning of this episode, and then was even happier that they used it again when Marnie heads to the coffee shop to talk to Ray...love that tune!

Anyway, as for the episode, I loved the Hannah/boss thing - I've totally seen scenarios almost exactly like that in the workplace, that totally hit home in an uncomfortable but hilarious way (I've actually been the Jessa in this scenario with friends..i know, i know...). Also, speaking of Jessa, I love her, and how she's always good for a great line or two per episode, and I loved the "I did you a favor!" comment about the Vespa int his episode
May 25, 2012 at 5:48PM EST Reply to Comment

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Option 3

Rollie Still waiting for that first male character who is actually portrayed in a positive light.I get the sneaking suspicion this show hates me.

sepinwall The women are portrayed in a generally negative light, too.

Rollie True, but doesn't seem as quite to the extent as the men. Especially those who interact with Hannah.

Facepalm Wow, this show can't not offend people

Rollie I'm not offended, just annoyed. When I can tell a character is going to be a jackass within seconds of introduction just because of the gender, something is wrong.

EricW Females have been portrayed terribly for most of TV history. As a male, I understand that in order for us to achieve equality, females must portray males in the same bimbo or disposable fashion to balance the scales.

Joe Charlie seems like a decent dude to me. Being too decent actually seems to be his problem.

Dee Charlie and Shoshanna are the only two likeable characters in the show - one guy, one girl. Everyone else - male or female - is awful. I think you're reaching a bit there.

gil Whats wrong with you people? They are all so likeable because they are so real. Extreme at times maybe - but real. Hannah's boss is not real. Charlie's friend. But the girls? And Adam and Charlie? I see them everyday. And I like them :)

7s Tim Also meant to add that the show would probably seem misogynistic if it were created, written, directed, and starring a 26 year old guy. And happy birthday Lena Dunham.

Ken scott This is a show through the eyes of Lena Dunham. This is her experience. There are men and women who act like that. You don't have to pretend that the real world doesnt exist we are only seeing a small part of it.

rachel I totally agree. Just because Charlie doesn't "win" (and in the end is cruelly rejected) doesn't mean he's not treated sympathetically (at least as sympathetically as the girls, in this episode probably much much more sympathetically).

rachel Reply to comment...

dyton99 Reply to comment...

dyton99 GRUBI, In regards to the "Sex and the City" comparisons, I thought of "SATC" almost immediately when Hannah's commitment-phobe guy Adam greeted her as, "Kid" like Big used to do to Carrie. Although, I did love Hannah's reply, "Hey Grown-Up."

@Jeffrey- Yeah, I loved that sure thing HBO put on the air called 'Game of Thrones'.HBO takes risks, sets trends, all of it quality. Dunham is an incredible actress (the scene on the toilet this episode was heartbreaking) and the writing is fantastic.

Jim Marnie is a four letter word that begins with the third letter of the alphabet. Let's see if anybody tries to defend what she did.

Jim BTW - I'm not saying I didn't like it. Just pointing it out. I like a#@hole TV characters. Much more fun.

mhb Marnie did what most ppl do... she wanted something she couldnt have, so she put her efforts into getting it.... and then when she got it, didnt want it anymore. That's life. Frankly, most women are like that when it comes to relationships.

BlitzMark I agree. Jessa is unlikable but Marnie is a selfish brat. As a guy, I would feel the same way if the gender roles were reversed.

Sam Also, I don't get how Jessa did anything wrong...her ex who was "so happy" called her. He obviously wanted something to happen, she just capilatized on it. I loved the scene.

BlitzMark It's not just shows about women that are compared to SATC. Entourage was called the SATC for guys for a while. Homogenous foursomes will often be compared to one another.

wallywalters What higher praise for a comedy?

Bryan What was the song playing in the background of the flashback when Charlie and Marnie met for the first time?

Joe The song at the top of the flashback was "Heartbeats" by The Knife and Hannah and her boyfriend went off to dance to "Take Your Momma" by Scissor Sisters. Two great jams.

Bryan The internet wins again. Thanks, dude.

QuentinCold Was going to ask the same question - thanks, Joe!

number9 My guy's immediate comment on seeing Charlie's apartment: kid's room filled with little boy furniture.

number9 A guy builds a bed and doesn't play out how sex works in said bed while planning/building said bed? The terms selfish and self-absorbed come to mind.Sadly, I've known guys just like that.

Paul B Maybe he knew that his girlfriend was never going to come over. (that was awfully strange, huh?)

Paul B Number9: Maybe he knew that his girlfriend was never going to come over. (that was awfully strange, huh?)

Sandlapper I absolutely love this show, but can't stand Jessa. She needs to go back to Europe or wherever she came from.

HeavyRaines17 My favorite line of the episode was when Charlie was screaming at the beginning and said "I wouldn't want to live here even if I wanted to!" I've been saying it all week.

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Girls is updated

Rollie

Still waiting for that first male character who is actually portrayed in a positive light.

I get the sneaking suspicion this show hates me.

Ken scott

This is a show through the eyes of Lena Dunham. This is her experience. There are men and women who act like that. You don't have to pretend that the real world doesnt exist we are only seeing a small part of it.

@Jeffrey- Yeah, I loved that sure thing HBO put on the air called 'Game of Thrones'.

HBO takes risks, sets trends, all of it quality. Dunham is an incredible actress (the scene on the toilet this episode was heartbreaking) and the writing is fantastic.

Jim

Marnie is a four letter word that begins with the third letter of the alphabet.

Let's see if anybody tries to defend what she did.

Bryan

What was the song playing in the background of the flashback when Charlie and Marnie met for the first time?

number9 A guy builds a bed and doesn't play out how sex works in said bed while planning/building said bed? The terms selfish and self-absorbed come to mind.

Sadly, I've known guys just like that.

Sandlapper

I absolutely love this show, but can't stand Jessa. She needs to go back to Europe or wherever she came from.

HeavyRaines17

My favorite line of the episode was when Charlie was screaming at the beginning and said "I wouldn't want to live here even if I wanted to!" I've been saying it all week.

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