Review: Girls, S1, E8 – “Weirdos Need Girlfriends Too”

Air date: Sunday, June 3, 2012, 10:30/9:30c on HBO

Rating: ★★★★★

“Weirdos Need Girlfriends Too” seems to suggest there must be someone for everyone in this world. Is that really true and what level of weird are we referring to? This week, the series explores if the romantic ideal holds any weight, not only for Hannah (Lena Dunham) but for Marnie (Allison Williams) and Jessa (Jemima Kirke) too.

Hannah is giving the whole relationship thing a try with Adam (Adam Driver). They keep busy going for ice cream, working out, having sex and yes, having more sex. While Hannah and Adam are on an emotional high, Marnie hits a low when she struggles to accept her newfound single status.

The sight of Hannah and a butt-naked Adam greets Marnie from her bedroom and just when I think Adam lacks any kind of filter, he scolds Hannah for “minimizing” Marnie’s feelings about her lost relationship. Could it be the man actually has feelings? From the sympathy and somewhat useful advice on how to recover from a painful break-up a mature-sounding Adam offers Marnie, it would appear so.

Is Marnie (Allison Williams) really devastated about breaking with her ex or is she bothered he's having fun without her?

“I couldn’t move or talk or get my dick hard but it also made me go ‘Hey, who am I and what do I want?’ I… promised myself I’d follow my gut, no matter what, and I do what makes me feel good.”

Except for the circular saw purchase mention and the typical crudeness in his communication style, what Adam says sort of makes sense as it sheds light on why he is the way he is. Unlike Marnie, Adam has set himself free which is great except for how he’s possibly taken it too far. If there isn’t something in it for him, it appears he’ll move on without hesitation and dealing with that type of attitude may present a slippery slope for Hannah.

The part of the episode I didn’t foresee is the emerging love fest between Jessa and Marnie – in more ways than one. Who would have guessed they would become BFFs? It’s wonderful to see Jessa acting like a caring friend instead of being so self-absorbed. I thought it interesting that the start of their bonding is a Hannah bitch fest, and although it annoys me to hear Marnie taking jabs at Hannah for the second week in a row, what she’s been through makes me feel sorry for her. Before I digress further, I just want to say that although I’m not as “committed to hygiene” as Marnie is, after everything I’ve learned about Adam, if I were Marnie, I’d put on a HAZMAT suit to pack my things and I’d move the hell out.

Hannah's boyfriend Adam (Adam Driver) questionable hygiene practices lead to some really interesting situations.

Having said that, I was happy to see Hannah pass on sex with Adam in lieu of a shower after a creepy workout session and all that sex. For a moment, I felt I needed to take a shower myself — until the most hilariously disgusting scene in the whole episode occurs. Adam, being the horn dog he is, creeps up behind Hannah in the shower and after gallantly offering her shampoo, showers her in a golden moment. Oh yes, he went there! Just like Jessa, I couldn’t help but wonder if Adam is “like a great thinker or a total fucking idiot!”

Marnie manages to spit out the most honest thing I’ve heard her say in a few episodes:  “That isn’t fun for me—being the uptight girl.” She couldn’t be with better company than Jessa to shed that unwanted label and with her new found sense of adventure, the two end up in the Brooklyn apartment of an unnamed jet-lagged man (played by the fabulous Chris O’Dowd). It’s funny how Jessa can sniff out what a weirdo O’Dowd’s character is within minutes of meeting but it’s the new and improved Marnie who takes the bull by the horns when she liplocks with Jessa. The look of shock and anticipation on O’Dowd’s face as he anticipates a threesome is priceless! The scene is brilliantly played by all three actors, especially as the girls make out to the background sounds of monkeys gibbering and the guy goes ballistic when they don’t let him in on the action. I thought it was a refreshing take on a threesome scene but I especially loved how Jessa keeps her cool during the tirade and adds a little touch of cruelty in the end: “And just so you know, I’m going to eat her cunt on the sidewalk right now.”

In the spirit of full-disclosure, I must admit that in spite of the funny moments of this week’s Girls episode, I found it too Adam-centric for me. To be fair, I admire how his character is full of misplaced confidence, how he infuses a dose of unexpectedness to the series and doesn’t care what others think. However, the word weird isn’t encompassing enough for me to begin to describe him. Then, I can’t get passed some of Adam’s less than desirable hygienic habits as I value good hygiene in a man. But regardless of what I may think, Adam certainly succeeds in keeping Hannah’s attention. She clearly has a soft spot for the bizarre, and when domesticity seems to cause her and Adam to get in on each other’s nerves, he does something unexpected to keep things interesting. And that to me circles back to supporting the notion that there truly is someone for everyone in this world.

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.

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