Review: Girls – Season 1, Episode 1 – “Pilot”
Air date: Sunday, April 15, 2012 at 10:30/9:30c on HBO
Rating:
The concept of a TV show about four girlfriends (one of them a writer) navigating through life, work and dating in NYC has a definite Sex and the City ring to it but in the new HBO series Girls, this is as far as the parallels go.
Girls isn’t the escapist glamorized portrayal of life in New York; it’s a refreshing and genuine take on a generation in flux: twenty-somethings who are striving to find their place and meaning in the world while not being ready to be cut off from the parental umbilical cord. Throw in the mix a heavy dose of sarcastic humor (with a little Judd Apatow touch) and the result is quite an intriguing series.
During the first ten minutes of “Pilot,” the series’ main themes are highlighted: job loss, money issues and sexual relationships. We’re also quickly introduced to the main characters who are nothing like their supposed Sex and the City counterparts – a fact that pleases me tremendously.
Hannah is at the heart of the story and she’s played to perfection by the extremely talented Lena Dunham, who is also be the show’s creator, director, writer, and producer. Hannah is smart and self-aware but her unstructured ways and lack of confidence prevent her from going somewhere in life. However, this is a quality that makes me root for her. She’s also honest about herself and her emotions. Where I need to be clued in is her attraction to Adam (Adam Driver), an unemployed and may I say, awkward actor. Adam not only lacks a sensitivity filter but is a selfish lover. I’m hoping there is more to him to justify Hannah’s obsession with him but there is one thing Adam and I agree on: Hannah’s non-stop chatter makes me want to play the “quiet game” too.
Here is the low-down on the rest of Hannah’s crew:
- Marnie (Allison Williams) is the ‘responsible’ one and really looks out for Hannah. Marnie’s relationship with her boyfriend Charlie (Christopher Abbott) is basically on life support and I don’t blame her because basically, he acts like one of the girlfriends. I’m in agreement with Hannah’s verdict on him: “Charlie has a vagina” too!
- Jessa (Jemima Kirke) is the hipster world traveler of the group. Her return from Europe cranks up the competitive spirit between her and Marni. Although Kirke offers a strong portrayal of a cool free-spirited woman, her character gets on my nerves. I found her old-soul routine presumptuous as it masquerades her limited concern for others under the guise of snobby sophistication. The twist involving her is a welcomed one as it humanizes her. I’m already predicting her back story will include a traumatic childhood experience that has rendered her commitment phobic.
- Shoshanna: the easily impressed and socially pressured spoiled girl of the group. She’s terrifically played by Zosia Mamet who captures well the ‘follower’ nature of her character especially in how she worships Jessa.
With Jessa’s return to NYC, the friends reacquaint and Hannah’s stress levels rise because of losing her unpaid internship and her parents’ (Becky Ann Baker and Peter Scolari) financial support. The best moment of “Pilot” occurs when Hannah feels the squeeze of having no job or money prospects and pursues a last ditch ‘begging’ attempt to sway her parents into funding her book project –all while high on opium tea pods.
Hannah: “All I’m asking for to finish this book is $1,100 a month for the next two years.”
Mom (laughing): “That’s insane!”
Hannah: “You would say it’s insane; who can live in New York for $1,100 a month? But I’m so committed to this book that I’m willing to get pretty thrifty on this.”
The scene is perfectly executed by Dunham, Baker and Scolari. It’s a satiric representation of the generation gap that exists between parents and the millenial generation (those born between 1980 and 1999). Hannah lives up to the millennials’ text-book stereotype of being part of a technology-savvy generation, perfectly manicured by parents who have them believing since birth they’re very ‘special’ individuals. And if you don’t’ believe me, think about Hannah screaming “I’m 24 years old; don’t tell me what to do” immediately following her plea for financial support. Brilliant!
My heart goes out to Hannah’s mom who, in spite of her parental exhaustion, steps up to play the bad cop half of the parental units. Baker strongly showcases a mother’s frustrations with her daughter’s parasitic ways, thanks to her husband’s lax parenting style.
Although I missed the urge to have a cocktail while watching the show, what I really enjoyed about Girls is how the series steers away from the MTV-like predictability and over-simplification of the characters. It’s great to watch a show about twenty-somethings without caricature characters. The inclusion of their flaws, virtues and annoying habits make them feel real.
In spite of Hannah stealing the hotel housekeeper’s tip, I’m looking forward to seeing her step away from La-la-land and into reality. It’s too soon yet to know if she is truly one of the voices of her generation but I certainly think Dunham is.
Tune in to Girls on Sundays at 10:30/9:30c on HBO. For more on the show, visit www.hbo.com/girls/index.html.
Follow @girlsHBO on Twitter.
All photos © 2012 HBO Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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elleL
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