Girls

[SmoothLover]

I just finished watching the finale and was impressed how good the writing was this season. Did anyone have the same thought?

[Petralicious]

I am Sorry to say I thought it was horrible. Aside from Ray I hate almost all of characters . Most people I know hate Marnie the most but out of the 4 girls, she is the most likable, or maybe the least hateable. Hannah is the most repulsive non criminal person, maybe in the history of television! I mean the things she does to her friends, coworkers, bosses, parents, you name it, I am shocked no one has beaten her to an inch of life.  I have been watching since day 1 and thought it was fun Season 1.  I still do watch. why? I do not know, in some way I must like it or maybe hate myself !! Maybe this is the point of the show?

[Mr Roxy]

Thankfully, never watched this show. Saw bits and pieces of it  while my wife watched  It. Dunham's character has to be the most annoying in tv history.Steal someone else's bike- no problem. The scene where she exposed herself to a teacher was a big turnoff . I left the room after that one.

[east side story]

I've been watching since the first season. I felt the new season was the strongest overall in a while. My one gripe are the dramatic shifts in tone from one episode to the next. Or even scene to scene in some episodes. When GIRLS is good, it's great. When it's not great, it's totally passable for me. The characters are all uniformly unlikable, but for what it's worth--most people are just that. I loved Marnie's capsule episode where she reunited with her old boyfriend. Such a beautiful piece of writing, directing, and acting. (Something I never thought I would say about Williams.) And in regards to the finale, I loved Dunham's monologue. Every so often she will turn in a performance that I find so touching and real. I doubt she will be remembered come Emmy season, as this show has largely dropped off their radar aside from Adam Driver. 

[Petralicious]

I feel the same way about Marnie/AW East Side.

To be fair, I did think it was HILARIOUS that Shoshanna is going on Welfare, and was called out big time about her "privilege"

 I will say, I would love to see the Kitty Genevese Story Off Broadway! That looked brilliant!  But even then, the GIRLS were so obnoxious during the show, talking, spouting off addressing the actors, GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

 

Mr Roxy... eeewww!!!

[TotallyEffed]

I loved this season.

[henrikegerman]

Those women are all crazy and, in the ordinary (as opposed to the theatrical) sense of the word, extremely unlikable. 

And I absolutely love the show.

[TotallyEffed]

Everyone is always complaining about how unlikeable the characters are. Isn't that kind of the point of the show?

[GavestonPS]

TotallyEffed said: "Everyone is always complaining about how unlikeable the characters are. Isn't that kind of the point of the show?

 

"

I think so. My husband agrees with Petralicious, but I think Dunham is painting a portrait of a generation of young people who were raised with a sense of privilege by helicopter parents, only to leave college to find themselves in an America of diminished opportunity.

That said, I found this past season incredibly scattered. Did Shoshannah even have a scene with any of the other girls? Yes, of course, the characters are getting older and it is natural that their lives move in different directions, but, however realistic, it doesn't make for a very unified narrative.

[Mr Roxy]

Since I never watched the series, I did not know. Since you state the characters are supposed to be unlikable than they have definitely succeeded. Kind of a strange premise for a series but to each his own.If I was ever stuck on an island with the Dunham character and it was surrounded by sharks, I would run into the water without hesitation.

 

 

[SmoothLover]

GavestonPS said: "TotallyEffed said: "Everyone is always complaining about how unlikeable the characters are. Isn't that kind of the point of the show?

 



I think so. My husband agrees with Petralicious, but I think Dunham is painting a portrait of a generation of young people who were raised with a sense of privilege by helicopter parents, only to leave college to find themselves in an America of diminished opportunity.

 

YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU. I ALSO THINK THEY REPRESENT THE SELFIE GENERATION TO A DEGREE. THE CHACRACTERS ARE SELF OBSESSED WHICH IS ANNOYING BUT YET THERE IS ALOT OF TRUTH AND COMEDIC ELEMENTS TO THEIR BEHAVIOR. I FELT THIS YEAR THE GIRLS WERE SLOWLY GROWING UP IN THEIR OWN WAY. I THOUGHT THE FIGHT WITH DRIVER AND HIS GIRLFRIEND WAS RAW AND WELL EXECUTED AND I THOUGHT THE ENDING MONOLOGUE WAS EFFECTIVE AS WELL. WHOEVER DOES THE MUSIC FOR THE SHOW HAS VERY GOOD TASTE AND INTUITION. I WILL SAY THAT HANNAH'S LESBIAN SCENE SEEMED TO JUMP THE SHARK BUT ALL IN ALL THE SEASON HELD MY ATTENTION.

 

 

"

 

[Steve C.]

Michael Penn (Sean's brother) does the music for the show and you are right SL, it plays a major part in the story and mood of the show.

I think HBO was positive they did not want another "Sex and the City". Though the characters do come across as unlikable that's supposed to be a compelling reason to have an interest in them. (You don't like Hannibal Lecter but it's hard not to watch).

I do think this was a very good year in regard to writing and the stories, especially in developing the side stories of Elijah and Hannah's father and mother. I don't always like some of the characters' actions but I can kind of understand these "me" generation people, especially when some are "haves" and some are  "have nots".   

 

[henrikegerman]

The Girls are fascinating.  They don't need to be likable.

And frankly when we speak of "liking" characters, aren't we really saying that that they are fascinate, or at least interest, us?   And not saying that we like them as people?    

Otherwise, one might as well complain that Richard III, Lady Macbeth and Malvolio are unlikable.

[Mr Roxy]

Lady Macbeth was a laugh riot compared to Dunham

[Petralicious]

/Frank Underwood is unlikable but fascinating because he is brilliant in what he does and how he gets there. Forcing Sodomy on your ex while driving, or flashing your magic garden to your boss is not fascinating or clever it is just sad.  

The problem with unlikable and Sad are viewers do not want to invest and will go away.  The Ratings are their worst ever, and that is bad, less than Vinyl or even Leftovers   They are one of those shows that critics love(d) but most everyone else is undifferent. I would bet outside of NY the ratings are even worse.

http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/hbo-tv-show-ratings-33447

 

[SmoothLover]

In most ensemble shows there may be one character that is self obsessed aka Golden Girls, Sex In The City so it is interesting to me that Dunham is bringing that quality out in the majority of the ensemble. I also liked the fact that they gave the male gay character more focus. I felt sorry for him but the result of the interaction was not surprising.

 

I did think it was sweet however that at the end of the last episode the characters were all experiencing a sense of peace at least for those particular moments.

[HorseTears]

I was not a huge fan of this season; in fact it was probably my least favorite, but it did continue to surprise me - who knew that my favorite episode would be a standalone Marnie ep??  The final two eps won me over, though.  I loved Jenny Slate's guest appearance on the penultimate episode.  Her dynamic with Hannah was just perfect.  I hope she's back for the final season.  And the final episode made me genuinely empathize with Hannah, no small feat considering what a psychopath she's been this past season.  

 

Oh, and, next season, I want more interactions with Elijah and Hannah's parents.   His separate scenes with Hannah's Dad and Mom were hilarious and surprisingly touching.  

 

I'm going to be bummed to see this show come to a close, because I have my doubts about Lena's voice translating well to film.  I mean, look at Tina Fey's lackluster cinematic output.  Either way, no matter if you loathe or love Lena, I'm kind of in awe of what she's accomplished at such a young age.  

[TotallyEffed]

No one can deny her work ethic is astounding. As far as her voice translating to film, have you seen Tiny Furniture? It's available from Criterion and I like it very much.

[HorseTears]

Yes, I've seen Tiny Furniture.  I might have been more impressed if I'd seen it before I'd seen GIRLS.  

[artscallion]

I'm a big fan of this show, but am finding the current season annoying. The unlikable thing doesn't bother me. I think it's a part of what the show is. All these characters think/feel/act badly in ways that we can all relate to on some level. We can all be neurotic jerks on the inside in various ways. These girls gave voice to that and made us all fell less flawed and more united in our humanity.

However I feel this season has gone off the deep end. Hannah running circles through the roadside bathroom, etc. all too over the top. Her character, in particular, has gone from someone you could relate to and sympathize with to someone who's just lost their mind and is unable to function with other people.

I still have the last two eps to watch. So I'm hoping they manage to pull this altogether in some meaningful way.

[HorseTears]

arty, the last two eps definitely turn things around in a really interesting way.  I was not a fan of this season either, but loved the last two eps.  

[EricMontreal22]

I'm with those who thought this season was a marked improvement overall over the previous couple.