There are some shows that take themselves too seriously. They know it, you know it, and the whole world or critics seems to think that because of this, their work is true cinematic genius. Those shows end up on the list of "best shows you're not watching". Then there are the shows that think they're funny. They think it and for some reason we go along with it. Those shows win emmys.
Both have been said about HBO's series Girls. Well, with the small amount of dead time I had before the Olympics took over 2 weeks of my life I was able to watch the 10 episode season at HBO Go. While there are moments that the show seems too serious and melodramatic without realizing it, it is also refreshingly funny - in that ironic way, most of the time. Thus, I'm sure it will end up on the "watch me, please" list and win emmys.
Take for example our main character Hannah Horvath - she's awkward and sarcastic and tries very hard to be funny, but much of the time she seems to be cracking a joke, I don't know if I'm supposed to laugh or sit stone-faced. It's an interesting challenge for this viewer and I really enjoy the sense of imbalance her character brings. While other characters are more together - at least you think in the beginning of the series - Hanna is a hot mess: just out of college she has no job, wants to be a writer, wants her boyfriend to love her more than she loves him without understanding the clear boundaries of their relationship, and is constantly dealing with a skewed body image most girls would understand. She's not the adventurous one, she's not the perfect one, and she's not the quirky one. What kind of girl is Hanna then? That's what the whole first season is trying to define for us.
Every time I was an episode, riddled with Hanna's self-loathing/self-loving, I feel like I should be using the hash tag #firstworldproblems for any comments I may have. And for some reason, you feel like the show knows that and is commenting simultaneously on how important/unimportant these 4 girls' problems are.
And I'll try not to gush about how Girls is the brain child of Lena Dunham who writes, produces, stars, and even directs (an episode) the show. Point blank - it makes the show even more fantastic for this girl right here.
Think a gritter, angrier Sex in the City, if we really need a comparison. Though somehow, I don't think that does either show justice."Girls" is a refreshing short season to watch this summer. Bravo HBO for green-lighting a show without supernatural anything in it or politics.