HPV actually earned crying? And a big “adventurous woman” dancing to a significant soundtrack at the end?
Yeah, that’s when I knew it was over. “Now ist der time on GIRLS ven ve DANCE!”
I like this show quite a lot.
I gave it three episodes for being an HBO show, which has never disappointed me. Flawless record ruined.
I’ve watched one episode and found it reasonably watchable, though I’m well out of the target demographic. It may be cliche but the contrast between Dunham’s character’s struggle and the opulent lifestyle of her parents is something I’m sure many twenty-somethings can relate to. True, the character seems to be a would-be writer without talent or prospects, and most likely didn’t graduate with an employable degree–but then many recent grads with “employable” degrees are struggling as well.
How can you not love the interview scene with Mike Birbiglia in episode 2? It’s all fun and games until you call your interviewer a date rapist.
Yes, Birbiglia was great. I kept waiting for one of his lines…
"I knoowwwww. … What you should have said … "
It’s funny because I loved that ending. Nothing really changed but she decided she wasn’t going to let it bother her. All those problems are still there but right now she was going to dance and let go. The joy was infectious; I actually smiled.
Different strokes I guess.
Yeah, that’s the thing. I said basically exactly that to someone about the show the other day. I like Always Sunny and Seinfeld a lot, so I’m no stranger to shows with unlikeable characters. Hell, I watch reality shows.
I think part of it is that I think Girls doesn’t really work unless you relate with or like the characters, and the show seems like it wants you to sympathize with them. I don’t, for reasons that bouv nailed perfectly. The thing is, if you’re not supposed to like the characters, then I don’t really get the show, because they’re not interesting enough to watch for other reasons.
Part of it may be that the Seinfeld and Sunny characters are cartoonishly evil, whereas the Girls characters are utterly noxious in ways that are unfortunately familiar to me from real life.
Eh. It was pretty cliche. Didn’t bother me much, though.
It just seemed like a tired cliche to me. And it sort of emphasized the whole over-the-top drama.
I love this show. You’re supposed to think they’re all shallow assholes. They’re privileged white kids in Manhattan in their 20s. What else are you supposed to think?
I think the writing’s pretty brilliant, but maybe I’m also not the target demo (40yo male). I find the show amusing as all get out because the characters are such complete idiots.
That line from the last ep, “the first time i fuck you, you might be scared. because i’m a man and i know how to DO things.”… i looked at my wife and said, “sounds like something I would say” 
Adam, the dickhead boyfriend, is the most compelling character. I actually found myself saying “Let’s play the Quiet Game” to a drunk, chatty co-worker.
That was a great line.
And boy, I can think of about 3 guys I knew who were JUST like that guy in their late teens/early twenties. Most of them grew out of it.
Face it, most of us were selfish assholes in that age period. It just goes with the territory.
The first two episodes were kind of meh for me, but the third episode clicked. I’m not sure what it was, but – maybe I’ve just gotten used to the characters, but I laughed quite a bit in episode 3. The whole thing with her going to see her ex, and finding out he’s gay – I know we’ve seen that before, but the way it was written and played was just spot on. (“Is it the scarf?” “The scarf isn’t helping, but no…”).
I certainly laughed more during that episode than I did during Veep, which I watched right beforehand.
And I liked the dancing at the end as well.
I watched the premier episode, didn’t do much for me, though the clumsy sex of the lead character and her boyfriend was kind of charming, if that’s the right word for it. The boyfriend had all these ideas about sex should go and she rolled with it, even though he was really kinda bad at it because he didn’t understand the importance of communicating and connecting with her, and maybe she didn’t understand about connecting with him, either. It added some authenticity to the characters. But the rest of it was not all that funny, perhaps because I am not the target demographic.
I do like planetcory’s idea of the show as a glimpse into an isolated, privileged world, but I think the writing needs to get a lot sharper and more to the point before it gets to hilarious. But it could be that I am so far from the target demographic that the humor just does not register for me.
Is it supposed to be hilarious? I can see why people wouldn’t like it if they thought it was supposed to be rip-roaring funny.
I see it more as an introspective drama kind of thing with a weird/sometimes funny edge. Not at all a comedy.
“Hannah’s Diary” was an improvement. I’m still really enjoying Zosia Mamet. Every moment with her on the screen is gold. And I loved the final concert.
I am also out of the demo but I’m liking it. I’ve seen only the second and last episodes and I liked them well enough. I really enjoyed the last one with the main character’s touchy-titfeely boss and her Bronx and Brooklyn co-workers.
If you’re expecting a laugh riot you will be sorely disappointed. It’s too pointed to be a sit-com yet too ridiculous to be a dramedy. That could be it’s problem.
I have two questions for those who have seen all of the episodes: Are all four girls cut off trust fund babies? And did the British one ever get her abortion?
Maybe that explains the comically over-the-top hype for this show.
In fairness, though, I like it better than its Veep lead-in. It’s a decent show, just not THE GREATEST THING EVER!!!