# So, nobody watches Girls on HBO? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 11, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639 "2013-03-11T17:12:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/21 "2013-03-13T07:42:08Z")
I tried it, didn’t like it. There are plenty of bellends like those NY bellends here and I wouldn’t want to watch a show about them either. It is immensely popular here though. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/22 "2013-03-13T09:18:42Z")
> [@malarkist](#): > > However… I generally _HATE_ Lena Dunham’s character, almost with a passion, along with the girl who recently lost her virginity, whose voice and demeanor make me want to punch her in the face 99% of the time she is on the screen. Our main character is a total bitch to her ex-boyfriend, not attractive in any way aside from her interests, and is the most selfish and self-entitled person on the show. I wonder how much Lena Dunham is actually like that in real life cuz the show is so obviously auto-biographical, especially since she shows her boobs 50 times too often (can anyone say attention-whore?). I’ve never watched Girls but the “real” Lena Dunham fascinates me because she’s such a weirdo. She apparently has crippling anxiety and describes herself as an “old lady” who never does the typical young person thing. I think I would be more interested in seeking out that show, honestly. Shows about how hard it is to be artistic and creative and “the voice of a generation” just make my teeth grate. Especially because I’ve met people like that in western NY (who view NYC as some kind of paradise and are always blabbing about moving there) and they’re just universally awful people. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/23 "2013-03-13T12:05:26Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I tried it, didn’t like it. There are plenty of bellends like those NY bellends here and I wouldn’t want to watch a show about them either. It is immensely popular here though. I take it that “bellend” means something like “asshole”? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/24 "2013-03-13T12:13:02Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I take it that “bellend” means something like “asshole”? > **[bell-end - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bell-end)** ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/25 "2013-03-13T12:25:16Z")
My wife and I have been watching them on demand over the past few weeks. Watching two or three episodes back to back you can certainly get sucked in in the trainwreck sense. I enjoy shows/books that give me a view of a subset of society that i’m not part of. The problem is, if you aren’t part of it, you don’t have a good way of knowing if it is accurate. I asked my son (26, lives in that general part of NY) if it was accurate. He said he hadn’t watched many episodes but Lena Dunham doesn’t know the Williamsburg neighborhood. Again, that is just one data point. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/26 "2013-03-13T13:22:51Z")
I’m watching and enjoying _Girls_ even though I’m almost twenty years older than most of the characters. There’s a certain charm in Hannah (when she’s not totally gross that is) and I do like Ray, Shoshanna and the Brit girl whose name escapes me. Marnie is probably my least favorite character - so needy and just meh. My boyfriend also watches but I think that’s mostly due to the regular appearance of boobage. I have never related to any of those types of people- even when I was younger. But, I appreciate the humor of anyone who can honestly make fun of themselves and I feel that Lena Dunham does this very well. Also, Hannah’s parents and Adam are hilarious. The only episode I’ve hated was the one where Hannah has an affair with a doctor. It wasn’t believable and felt almost like a dream sequence. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/27 "2013-03-13T13:34:39Z")
Lena Dunham really does seem to have the ability to put raw, unblemished honesty on the screen. But, the more I see her in interviews, the more I think she’s really, really shallow and dumb, almost offensively so. [Here’s an essay](http://theaerogram.com/lena-dunham-went-to-india-and-felt-really-sorry-for-all-of-the-stray-dogs/) objecting to some things she said about her visit to India, including: > [@Lena Dunham](#): > > We do a really good job in this country of basically sealing off sick people and sealing off toilets and sealing off everything that lets us know we’re animals. And in India not only do they not do that, there’s no interest in doing that. No interest in doing that? How about too poor to do that? She also said something like that she felt more sorry for the stray dogs than she did for the people. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/28 "2013-03-13T13:39:24Z")
> [@LVBoPeep](#): > > The only episode I’ve hated was the one where Hannah has an affair with a doctor. It wasn’t believable and felt almost like a dream sequence. I’ve heard a theory that the entire series is us watching adaptations of whatever it is Hannah has been writing. The doctor episode could work as a bit of a fantasy tangent in her book. ---
**Author:** ![malarkist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@malarkist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malarkist)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/29 "2013-03-13T15:04:19Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I’ve never watched Girls but the “real” Lena Dunham fascinates me because she’s such a weirdo. She apparently has crippling anxiety and describes herself as an “old lady” who never does the typical young person thing. She is unfortunately full of shit. I have a friend who’s partied with her on a couple of occasions and she’s definitely a typical young person in NYC. In fact, they said she is almost exactly the same person she is on the show. > [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I think I would be more interested in seeking out that show, honestly. Shows about how hard it is to be artistic and creative and “the voice of a generation” just make my teeth grate. Especially because I’ve met people like that in western NY (who view NYC as some kind of paradise and are always blabbing about moving there) and they’re just universally awful people. There really aren’t that many shows about “how hard it is to be artistic and creative”, are there? Not sure what you are referring to. The truth is, though, that it _IS_ hard to be a young artist, regardless of where you are in the world: there’s generally no money in it unless you’re “discovered”, older people don’t take you seriously, there’s tons of others like you who constantly steal your thunder… The reason those awful people you mention put NYC on a pedestal is because of the dramatic difference in the amount of opportunity for an artist in this city compared to other parts of the country. Unfortunately, the cost of living is so high that it forces only the wealthier kids to succeed in pursuing their dreams while the rest have to focus more on making money as bar-backs and baristas to survive. Lena Dunham is the former, and those are the type that I think are most awful, which is the trouble I have with Hannah on the show as well. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/30 "2013-03-13T15:39:33Z")
> [@malarkist](#): > > She is unfortunately full of shit. I have a friend who’s partied with her on a couple of occasions and she’s definitely a typical young person in NYC. In fact, they said she is almost exactly the same person she is on the show. That’s… disappointing. > [@](#): > > There really aren’t that many shows about “how hard it is to be artistic and creative”, are there? Not sure what you are referring to. Right, there aren’t many shows that do that as the entire plot, but I was specifically thinking of Claire’s art school days on Six Feet Under. The episode where she realizes her arty friends are all twits is a good one. ---
**Author:** ![vislor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vislor/32/5933_2.png) [@vislor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vislor)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/31 "2013-03-13T15:58:37Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > That’s… disappointing. I am disappointed by that as well, for some reason. I have wanted to watch the show and hopefully enjoy it but now I’m not sure I will, on either count. vislor ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/32 "2013-03-13T15:59:46Z")
To tell people they don’t like something because they don’t get it is condescending at best. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/33 "2013-03-13T16:02:28Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I’ve never watched Girls but the “real” Lena Dunham fascinates me because she’s such a weirdo. She apparently has crippling anxiety and describes herself as an “old lady” who never does the typical young person thing. In reality she was raised in an atmosphere replete with intentionally shocking art, checked off all the right boxes for her cohort (st. Ann’s prep school, of course, then Oberlin, natch) and is now reaping the bounteous harvest of her pedigree. She’s not an outsider. She’s basically the ultimate NYC insider and I wan to slap the looky I’m so different right off her face. ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/34 "2013-03-13T17:16:23Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > To tell people they don’t like something because they don’t get it is condescending at best. Especially when one of them is a New Yorker just a few years outside of Laurie Simmon’s daughters cohort and whose social group consists largely of people in and around NYC who are engaged in creative fields (music, photography, acting, fashion, design). There is humor to be found there, especially among the true believers. **Girls** fails to capture it IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/35 "2013-03-13T17:20:45Z")
I actually think that _Girls_ is an artfully crafted slice-of-life for a very narrow, particular social group. Now, it might not be entirely accurate, but it sure seems to have verisimilitude. And apparently, Dunham does a pretty good job of portraying herself. It does have humor and it does have drama. Given all that, however, there is a lot that’s distasteful about the series. It seems to lionize a very shallow, self-centered, and inward-looking worldview. And, I can’t decide who I hate more – the four main characters on _Sex and the City_ or the four main characters on _Girls_. (Although, to be honest, I kind of like Saskia Mamet’s character.) Another thing that puts me off about the show is that it’s made by four children of famous people. I’m really not sure I’m interested in the point of view of such an exclusive social set. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/36 "2013-03-13T18:15:47Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Another thing that puts me off about the show is that it’s made by four children of famous people. I’m really not sure I’m interested in the point of view of such an exclusive social set. That’s my problem with it. It’s like watching a wealthy couple on House Hunters International. “Colby and Payton are looking for a vacation house to escape the bustle of NYC. With a budget of 1 million dollars, can these rich assholes find a beach house in Turks and Caicos that fits their needs and budget??” Gee, I hope so! ::bites nails:: ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/37 "2013-03-13T18:26:40Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > It seems to lionize a very shallow, self-centered, and inward-looking worldview. And, I can’t decide who I hate more – the four main characters on _Sex and the City_ or the four main characters on _Girls_. “Lionize”? It seems pretty plain to me the characters on Girls are supposed to be seen as anything but admirable. Most of the humour is based on how disfunctional and self-destructive they are. I can’t imagine anyone watching the show and thinking that they were being put forward as anything anyone would want to emulate. > [@Morbo](#): > > That’s my problem with it. It’s like watching a wealthy couple on House Hunters International. “Colby and Payton are looking for a vacation house to escape the bustle of NYC. With a budget of 1 million dollars, can these rich assholes find a beach house in Turks and Caicos that fits their needs and budget??” Gee, I hope so! ::bites nails:: Eh? The actors are well off, but the characters aren’t. Since most actors are some degree of wealthy, I’d think this objection would pretty much ruin any show or movie about poor people for you. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/38 "2013-03-13T18:30:11Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Another thing that puts me off about the show is that it’s made by four children of famous people. I’m really not sure I’m interested in the point of view of such an exclusive social set. > [@Morbo](#): > > That’s my problem with it. It’s like watching a wealthy couple on House Hunters International. “Colby and Payton are looking for a vacation house to escape the bustle of NYC. With a budget of 1 million dollars, can these rich assholes find a beach house in Turks and Caicos that fits their needs and budget??” Gee, I hope so! ::bites nails:: What do the actors’ parentage have to do with the quality of the show? Plenty of working actors and actresses are the progeny of famous people. Do you dismiss any work they do? Brian Williams is certainly very famous, and David Mamet, but does anybody outside of the NYC art world know who Lena Dunham’s mom is? Or the drummer from Bad Company (Jemima Kirke’s dad). The show isn’t about 4 rich daughters of famous people. Lena Dunham’s character is always broke and is cut off from help from her parents. Marnie is a failure in her field and is working as a bar hostess. Jessa’s dad didn’t seem poor but didn’t seem rich by any means, and he was a huge scumbag. I don’t think we know anything about Shoshanna’s folks on the show but she seems to have decent financial support. I live in Chicago and know a LOT of girls that aren’t too different from the girls on this show. I guess if you don’t know city girls like that, it would be pretty foreign, but I find it pretty relatable – even as a dude in his late 30’s. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/39 "2013-03-13T18:49:44Z")
I can’t really explain it - I don’t feel that way about other actors / shows. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639/40 "2013-03-13T18:53:12Z")
This is an apt link to share… [“If people talked about Seinfeld like they talk about Girls”](http://www.collegehumor.com/article/6874239/if-people-talked-about-seinfeld-like-they-talk-about-girls) This passage especially: > [@](#): > > Also, did you know Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the daughter of the billionaire Gerard Louis-Dreyfus. It seems a little disingenuous to cast her as personal assistant when she’s probably never had to work a day in her life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nobody-watches-girls-on-hbo/652639.md?page=3)