This is
H B O ' S G I R L S
So there is this little show out there that perhaps you've heard of called GIRLS, written, directed, produced by, and starring twenty-six year old Lena Dunham. Due to the major following and hype surrounding HBO's new hit, I decided it'd be in line for me to figure out why it was that everyone can not keep this show out of there mouths, and this city can't keep it off their train station walls and sides of city busses (as seen in the above photo taken by yours truly a mere 3 blocks from my apartment.) So I sat down to watch it on HBO online. After the first episode I was entranced and sore from laughter. I am embarrassed to now admit that in the passed twenty-four hours I've watched the entire first season.
Dunham is genius. Showing this generation in such a particular and comedic light is the most innovative idea television has seen in a while. The show has been compared to "Sex and the City," something that Dunham is honored by and admits was an inspiration for her piece. She has described the relationship between the two by saying "the characters in my show watched sex in the city growing up and moved to New York thinking that they would be Samantha, Carrie, Charlotte and Miranda." From having now watched the show, they were extremely mistaken.
This show depicts four "twenty something" girls who have recently moved to New York (though not specified quite how long they've been there) and the trials and tribulations they face as young adults trying to adjust to society. The focus of the show I would say is certainly not career driven, but rather their social and dating lives. Though there are four lead actresses (Lena Dunham, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, and Allison Williams,) I would say there is indeed a fifth lead character, their name? Sex.
Never has there been a show that evokes so much truth, laughter and empathy simultaneously. The opening of Episode 2, was such that I found myself, though completely alone in my studio apartment, covering my eyes with discomfort, and shamefully laughing aloud. HBO is truly pushing the envelope with this one. Prior to this show, writers only thought they were telling the truth. This show covers topics such as drinking, sex, humiliation, complete mediocrity, relying on parents for financial support, self discovery, casual hardcore drug abuse, abortion, threesomes, and over all self-discovery.
I found myself wondering what it was about this show that was so shocking? Surely I have seen television shows that involve racy topics before right? But until now the mere reference of sending naked pictures via text message to your boyfriend was thought of as "too edgy," in GIRLS, not only is it mentioned, but as it is mentioned our heroine rips her top off and snaps photos of her bare breasts and sends them to a guy who continually degrades her and uses her simply for sex. You truly find yourself sympathyzing with each character in different ways and each for different reasons.
Though not for everyone (my family included) I would highly recommend this show to most anyone in their twenties or older. For those of us experiencing similar things in life currently, this show is hilarious, and for those older, who perhaps have been there previously, mortifying.
Season 2 of GIRLS premiers on HBO on Sunday January 13th at 9:00pm and I will be following the season one episode at a time and documenting my take on it each Sunday!
