On the 16 April 2017, we said a fond farewell the HBO series which is described as a “comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their mid-20s.” Created by and starring Lena Dunham, it follows the highs and lows of four girls in New York as they attempt to make sense of their lives. When “Girls’” had its premiere in 2012, it was an instant lightning rod. I’ll take you back to the first trailer which gives a taste of the series’ originality, humour, and frankness.
I remember being captivated from the first episode, and I was captivated by one thing: its realism. The image of Marnie shaving her legs in the bath while Hannah eats a cupcake in that same bath is indelibly fixed in my mind as the first moment of realism. It is not a coincidence that Shoshanna talks in depth about the show Sex and the City in the first episode: this is a Sex and the City where you don’t get to wear a new designer outfit everyday, and sex isn’t AMAZING every time it happens. In Hollywood, women can have euphoric orgasmic sex within minutes, and look beautiful doing it. “Girls” never bothered with these lofty heights. Instead the sex was awkward, unflattering, noisy, sweaty. In one word, it was real.
(Photo Credit: Pinterest)
Since the show’s premiere, it has been heavily criticized for the incredibly self-absorbed nature of the characters. And yes, I would have to agree, there are moments when I think that Hannah must say the word “I” at the rate of 100 times per minute. But, through this display of narcissism, Lena Dunham is exploring something important; she is exploring the universal pitfalls of youth, and an acknowledgement that human beings are inherently narcissistic, envious and insecure. What is so impressive is that, in “Girls”, this exploration is humorous, witty and above all, touching. Most importantly, we see some of our youthful selves in these characters, engaging in an act of awkward self-recognition even as we criticize and laugh with them.
So goodbye “Girls”. Lena Dunham certainly is not “the voice of a generation”, but she is “a voice of a generation” that has been touching, witty, and thought provoking. Lena Dunham, I salute you.
(Photo Credit: Liberty Belle Magazine)