2012 was a big year for the HBO series Girls and I predict that 2013 will be even bigger for creator and cast member, Lena Dunham and the series. After winning two Golden Globes and appearing on several magazine covers over the past few months, I can’t understand why the world is just catching on.
I admit I was skeptical when the first season of Girls premiered. Initially, I didn’t appreciate the dry sense of humor or unabashedly straightforwardness of the four female characters, Hannah, Marni, Jemma and Shoshanna. However, I gave the show a second chance about half way through the first season, and instantly became hooked. I won’t argue that Girls is for everyone. I do believe it appeals more to females, ages 18-30. And even then, not all females will be amused by the characters’ promiscuous behavior, complex relationships, and witty personalities.
Nonetheless, Girls is more worthy of praise than harsh criticism. This HBO series is about these four friends living in New York City; they are not beautiful, seemingly perfect females with excessive piggy banks and glamorous lifestyles. In fact, Girls dives into the problems many of us face today—landing an internship over a full-time position and still trying to figure out exactly what it is that we want to do.
It is nearly impossible not to admire Lena Dunham for her daring dialogue. It isn’t eloquent or polite; rather it is full of curse words, sarcasm and inappropriate jokes. Even the male actors are not the typical studs we’re accustomed to seeing on TV. Many of us have never seen such characters before. They prove that guys, just like girls, aren’t perfect and also make mistakes.
Although the language and sex scenes may make Girls a bit too “dirty” for some female viewers, Dunham truly has created a show that can make us all laugh at our everyday problems—dating jerks, discovering who we are, and accepting our imperfect bodies. I admire Dunham for fearlessly appearing naked in nearly every episode. She admits that she’s overweight, but doesn’t hide behind her muffin tops. Instead, she’s confident and doesn’t care that millions of viewers are scrutinizing her curvaceous figure. Because that’s the point of Girls, it’s an in-your- face, realistic portrayal of what life is like for girls after college, which is increasingly difficult to find on television today.
Don’t forget to tune into the second season of Girls, Sundays at 9pm on HBO!