Girls (HBO TV series)

Jehhillenberg

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Does anyone else watch this?

It follows an aspiring writer, Hannah, and her friends, all 20-somethings, post-college in New York. They're not rich. They're lost. They're very much representative of a generation.


I tuned into the show and love it now. I find it refreshingly realistic as I identify all too well with the characters and their lives at this point in my life.
 

kuwisdelu

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I've seen it. I liked it.

The first episodes were pretty good, and I think it got better as it went along.

Reminded me of a friend of mine who used to live in LA.
 

Jehhillenberg

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Yeah the first season was good so I'm looking forward to the new episodes.
 

Rhoda Nightingale

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I watched a couple episodes and loathed the characters. I can't imagine talking to my parents the way the main character does to hers, that attitude of entitlement and absolute lack of respect. I know it's not unrealistic in a larger sense, but it really put me off. Also the token virgin REALLY pissed me off.
 

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Watched the first season, hate it deeply. I think it's badly, shallowly, written by someone who seems not to think narrative or character are important at all.
 

rugcat

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I think it's brilliant.

It's a bit like Sex and the City, one difference being that SATC was a fantasy about how women behave and talk and think -- written (albeit cleverly) mostly by gay men.

Girls is an authentic and very funny take about what it's like to be a twentysomething growing up in today's society -- written by Lena Dunham, a twentysomething young woman -- and a hugely talented one at that.

Just won the Golden Globes award for best comedy series, and Lena Dunham won for best actress in a comedy series -- both well deserved.
 

kuwisdelu

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Saw the first couple of episodes, but found it annoying. The characters seemed whiny to me.

I watched a couple episodes and loathed the characters. I can't imagine talking to my parents the way the main character does to hers, that attitude of entitlement and absolute lack of respect. I know it's not unrealistic in a larger sense, but it really put me off.

That's what we mean when we say

They're very much representative of a generation.

I take it ya'll aren't Brett Easton Ellis fans, either?
 

Jehhillenberg

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I think it's brilliant.

It's a bit like Sex and the City, one difference being that SATC was a fantasy about how women behave and talk and think -- written (albeit cleverly) mostly by gay men.

Girls is an authentic and very funny take about what it's like to be a twentysomething growing up in today's society -- written by Lena Dunham, a twentysomething young woman -- and a hugely talented one at that.

Just won the Golden Globes award for best comedy series, and Lena Dunham won for best actress in a comedy series -- both well deserved.

BAM. Exactly.

And they have references to "Sex & the City" throughout the show also, mainly through the formerly token virgin character, Shoshana. I think it may even have a touch of "Entourage" to it as far as the pack of girls go.

I am a new fan of Lena Dunham. I think she's doing it right.

I shall now live vicariously through Lena...acting, directing, writing, and producing her own show.
 

Rhoda Nightingale

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I take it ya'll aren't Brett Easton Ellis fans, either?

After all of one book I wouldn't call myself a "fan" yet, but I think he's brilliant, actually. I know why you're drawing the comparison, but honestly I can't put my finger on why this show bugs me, but American Psycho is one of my favorite books/movies ever.

Must be the token virgin. I really, really hate the token virgin.
 

J.S.F.

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I watched a few episodes. The acting is very good, very believable, which is probably why some of the characters piss me off. You know you're good at acting when the fans believe you really are that person...or so that saying goes. I wouldn't call myself a fan, but the show is generally very good in all aspects.

As for the token virgin, we all were...once. Things like that I let go. Will the show get better? Hope so.
 

Rhoda Nightingale

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As for the token virgin, we all were...once. Things like that I let go. Will the show get better? Hope so.

It's not that a token virgin exists in this show that bothers me--it's her character being depicted as a naive ditz. As a 29 year old virgin who is neither naive nor a ditz, I find that trope both insulting and unrealistic.
 

Jehhillenberg

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It's not that a token virgin exists in this show that bothers me--it's her character being depicted as a naive ditz. As a 29 year old virgin who is neither naive nor a ditz, I find that trope both insulting and unrealistic.

Since you elaborated on why you don't like her character, I do agree with that. I think that is just her personality though. I'd like to believe her personality and quirks are independent of and don't necessarily exist just because she happens(ed) to be virgin.

But that naive-quirky-odd-intelligent-sheltered trait often paired with being a virgin is getting/had gotten old. If the show took a different approach with being the token virgin or 20-something virgin in today's world, my mind would be blown to smithereens. That'd be awesome.

Now that that ship has sailed, her quirky personality is still there and she acts the same for the most part, just less obsessive about "losing it," her virginity.
 

lastlittlebird

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I love it, perhaps partly because most of the characters really annoy me. Those kinds of people annoy me in real life as well. But, I feel like the writers get that. It's not that they're oblivious.... the intent is to skewer that kind of self-centred behaviour.

Plus I have an unfortunate crush on Adam. Don't tell anyone.
 

Jehhillenberg

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I love it, perhaps partly because most of the characters really annoy me. Those kinds of people annoy me in real life as well. But, I feel like the writers get that. It's not that they're oblivious.... the intent is to skewer that kind of self-centred behaviour.

Plus I have an unfortunate crush on Adam. Don't tell anyone.

He had to grow on me, because he's a straight-up douche. But as Hannah pointed out, he is charming and he did come around eventually. The guy just says whatever the hell is on his mind at the moment. He's got no filter. But I like that to an extent. I started to feel like he had some sort of mental problem. He's hilarious, strange, and has a great bod, so I'm entertained :) haha
 

Jehhillenberg

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I also like the little variety of guys the show has so far.
 

lastlittlebird

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Yeah I like that too. Often with a "female-centric" show I feel like the male characters are all the same character, each with a slightly different problem of the week.
But the men of Girls are definitely individuals.
 

CharacterInWhite

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Did it occur to anybody else that the "token" virgin is a virgin because she's incredibly neurotic? She probably scares her potential partners away with her chatter-boxiness (yes I just made that a word).

I think she's neurotic first and virginal second...

I'm only on the third episode, mind you, but her character hasn't evoked quite the same reaction as everyone else. In fact, I'm mostly just afraid of her.
 

Jehhillenberg

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Did it occur to anybody else that the "token" virgin is a virgin because she's incredibly neurotic? She probably scares her potential partners away with her chatter-boxiness (yes I just made that a word).

I think she's neurotic first and virginal second...

I'm only on the third episode, mind you, but her character hasn't evoked quite the same reaction as everyone else. In fact, I'm mostly just afraid of her.

That's basically what I meant when I mentioned her personality. I think that is her personality and not necessarily *because* she's a virgin.

I think Shoshanna is an acquired taste. I didn't get her in the first couple of episodes, but she's just fine with me now; as the season progressed.
 

Rhoda Nightingale

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No, I get what you guys are saying--that personality type isn't necessarily tied to her virginity, which isn't a lasting thing. But like you said in post #14, the two traits (virginity and an excess of neuroses) are SO common they've become obnoxious, and this show isn't an exception to that. Also I'm tired of virginity being an ISSUE that must be resolved at some point in a character's development, but I guess that's too much to ask from most media, everywhere.

Eh, token virgin aside, I'm clearly not in the target demographic here anyway. From what I did see of it, I did think it was very realistically written and gritty. I just hated all the characters. That's a dealbreaker for me, no matter how clever or nuanced any other part of a work of fiction is.
 

Jehhillenberg

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No, I get what you guys are saying--that personality type isn't necessarily tied to her virginity, which isn't a lasting thing. But like you said in post #14, the two traits (virginity and an excess of neuroses) are SO common they've become obnoxious, and this show isn't an exception to that. Also I'm tired of virginity being an ISSUE that must be resolved at some point in a character's development, but I guess that's too much to ask from most media, everywhere.

Eh, token virgin aside, I'm clearly not in the target demographic here anyway. From what I did see of it, I did think it was very realistically written and gritty. I just hated all the characters. That's a dealbreaker for me, no matter how clever or nuanced any other part of a work of fiction is.

Very valid, indeed.

In this sex-crazed world, characters like Shoshanna (the virginal aspect) are a rare gem to come by.

And yeah, I love that realistic, gritty writing style of the show. Dialogue ain't bad at all either. :)

~~~~~~~~~~
Rhoda, what if a show was created based on the opposite angle of Sex & the City where the MC was a virgin and nothing was wrong with it or the person. More like Virgin in the (Sex) City :D
 

Rhoda Nightingale

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Rhoda, what if a show was created based on the opposite angle of Sex & the City where the MC was a virgin and nothing was wrong with it or the person. More like Virgin in the (Sex) City :D

Well that right there is one of the things I love about Jon Snow from Game of Thrones--he's celibate (at least so far, I've only read the first book, seen the first two seasons of the show), and it's mentioned a couple times, but it's not an Issue--it's a footnote in his character development, and only tends to come up when some other character wants to make a Thing of it.

Completely different genre and audience, I know, but boy, do I appreciate GRRM for giving the world that character. If he gets killed off, I will cry for days.

It would be nice if we could see a character like that in a contemporary setting though.
 

CrastersBabies

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I just caught a nice marathon of this on HBO (free for the weekend!). The pilot was a bit shaky, but it really grew into its own. Adam makes me laugh out loud.
 

Jehhillenberg

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Well that right there is one of the things I love about Jon Snow from Game of Thrones--he's celibate (at least so far, I've only read the first book, seen the first two seasons of the show), and it's mentioned a couple times, but it's not an Issue--it's a footnote in his character development, and only tends to come up when some other character wants to make a Thing of it.

Completely different genre and audience, I know, but boy, do I appreciate GRRM for giving the world that character. If he gets killed off, I will cry for days.

It would be nice if we could see a character like that in a contemporary setting though.

Here's hoping to that...


That is if I don't accomplish first :D