GIRLS: "It's About Time" S2/E1 (review)

By Caitlyn Thompson

So last we saw, Hannah (creator/producer/star Lena Dunham) had successfully devastated her boyfriend, Adam (Adam Driver), after months of trying to win his heart. Marnie (Allison Williams) moved out of her apartment and on from being depressed to making out with the geekiest dude at Jessa's (Jemima Kirke) surprise party as her ex, Charlie (Christopher Abbott) looked on disappointed.  Seems everyone was in a worse or precarious state by the end of season one. All but Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) who we cheered with as she finally lost her virginity to blunt, but charming, Ray (Alex Karpovsky).

My feelings:

• Shoshanna--great job with Ray, hope she enjoyed it. 

• Jessa--poor decision on the wedding. Thomas John's awkwardness was a bit too cringe-worthy. 

• Marnie--get over it and find Jorma from Lonely Island, it was the only time I thought you might get interesting. 

• Hannah--you're being a mean girl. Bitch move letting your ex, Elijah, move in when Adam is in the middle of pouring his heart. 

We know Hannah needs a job, we know Marnie needs to unwind, we need to see what Jessa could have possibly seen in Thomas John and Shoshanna what will become of your outpouring honest naiveté?

Girls Season 2. Here we go.

About a month has passed since Jessa’s surprise wedding and nothing much has happened. The season opener focuses on a house party thrown by Hannah and Elijah. Driven by guilt, Hannah is still caring for Adam whose entire leg was broken when he was hit by a truck during the Season 1 finale. Some folks are awkward some folks are funny, but all of it felt slightly contrived.

I didn’t expect to be annoyed with everyone in the premiere but I couldn’t help it. Each character is selfish and unlovable in this episode. Where previously their behavior was quirky, yet faulted, it was grating and exaggerated in this episode. Adam is pitiful with his injury, and after Hannah’s plight for his love her behavior is rude and unwarranted. We get to watch her having sex with a new fellow and while her speech to this new man about not getting attached is supposed to feel empowering I was appalled by her.

Everyone kept saying she was a “selfish bitch” last season and I didn’t see that clearly until tonight. Perhaps I was in denial last season, disagreeing with characters in thinking that, “no Hannah isn’t selfish, she’s just confused” but really, as soon as she has the love of the guy she’s been chasing, she doesn’t want him anymore.

All characters made silly decisions last season, some lovable and some despicable, but all felt honest. Last year Shoshana’s awkwardness was endearing, but in this episode her mannerisms felt forced and were far more irritating. Marnie continues her poor-beautiful-me behavior. I didn’t feel sorry for her and the manipulative puppy eyes towards her ex, Charlie, felt old.

I hoped this episode would have moved on a little but it seemed to accentuate all of the negative aspects of each character. We didn’t need to be reminded so bluntly of the fact that these characters are so imperfect. Give us time to love them and have a few laughs before making us squirm in discomfort. We need characters we can root for. We don’t care if unlikable people accomplish their goals.

It was just an opener. It was an uncomfortable party. Perhaps I was supposed to be irritated and uncomfortable, but I couldn’t relate to it or find the realism as I did last season. And I would have loved to see more of Jessa and Thomas John on their honeymoon – into a cab going who-knows-where-because-we-don’t-know-each-other?

Saw it coming. Fingers crossed for next week.