I Can’t Believe I Watch This Crap: On Girls

The cynic in doglike dismissal says the HBO TV series Girls is the most asinine way to spend one’s half hour on Sunday nights.

Yet the cynic continues to watch—even as he waits for the new season of Game of Thrones too.

The trials and tribulations of Hannah and her loosely held crew of midwest liberal arts college graduates living in or near the orbit of the hipster Brooklyn ambience of excellence (or idiosyncrasy) is boring. It requires a sense of distance, a suspension of disbelief, that after two series worth of shows can’t believe that someone as fat, sloppy, and poorly dressed as Hannah has as many sexual encounters and potential suitors as she does. The veritable rapist Adam becomes her deepest and truest encounter. They seem to love each other.

Hannah as this OCD girl finds her deepest longing with Adam—this AA attending since 17 years old industrial artist alcoholic (who could have never hit alcoholic bottom at his age or situation. As is shown when he overrides his sobriety for a hot chick.). It is kind of ridiculous, but it is one of the charming elements of the show. I fear that the romantic breaking down the door in the last episode (a la Carlito’s Way) where Adam must be with his girl Hannah will make the show lose a bit of its edge.

But like all TV shows, the writers will just change the scenario to make it “interesting.” In that case, Girls has already jumped the shark.

But this shark jumping could be compensated by the attractive Marnie as she reunites with her jackass boyfriend Charlie, who has recently made a lot of money. I love these shows where money is made like magic, such as through things like the internet. Charlie’s success explains all by creating an App. I don’t deny the actual money making of those who can’t explain how they made their money, but it is an interesting phenomenon to which Girls seems to rely. This is Marnie’s boyfriend—he is the honor student regarding what today’s economy considers to be PRODUCTIVITY.

But in this scenario, Marnie is happy and Hannah is miserable, but it is not really the case of course. These two love each other, and will have a hard time disentangling that love as they meet and marry (or get into deep relationships) with other men.

Shoshana dumps Ray after he gives up “Latin Studies” (who writes this crap?), but he tries to make himself manager of a new coffee shop. She dumps him anyway.

The only relationship in this show somewhat based in reality, i.e., Shoshana and Ray, is marred by the promise of being free for one’s own ends to which Hannah speaks. Both Shoshana and Ray want to fulfill themselves as everyone else in the show wants to do.

Hannah loves Marnie and Adam. Shoshana, in a way, loves Ray. Marnie loves Charlie. Hannah loves her parents too, but she is also miserable and weak. And unhappy.

Which leads to the most interesting character in the show to my mind—Jessa. She has run away, after one episode where we have met her family. The only family we know in this show other than Hannah’s basically normal midwest parents are Jessa’s unfortunate hippie parents. Jessa grew up in a “progressive” environment, and it is no wonder that she has no place. She marries some guy, and then immediately divorces him. Then she disappears.

Unlike Sex and the City, of which I unfortunately saw many episodes, Girls shows family, but it tends to keep family at arms length. Except for Hannah and Jessa. Those family stories tend to be some of the best episodes.

Jessa better not disappear and then just show up again in future seasons. Or if she does, she better have some indirect influence on her friends Hannah, Marnie, and Shoshana.

I almost would rather watch what happened to Jessa than these other girls.