HBO: Girls

chillster76 · 17-04-2012, 12:27

Anyone else catch this? I don't think it will set the world alight, but it was nicely paced and had a few good laughs. I'll certainly be sticking with it for now.

bronso · 17-04-2012, 13:28

Yeah, I thought it was excellent. Like a mix of Whit Stillman (Last Days of Disco in particular) and Louis CK.

fattyboombatty · 24-04-2012, 16:41

well, this is my new favourite show. the opening scene of ep 2 was ******* hilarious.

the joke in the job interview was a cracker too.

bronso · 24-04-2012, 17:04

Yeah, Episode 1 was great observational/character-based "soft comedy", more smile-inducing than gut-busting. Episode 2 had all those qualities, but heaped on a pile of laughs as well.

Definitely one of my favourites right now.

TonyG · 30-04-2012, 21:55

Continues to improve with every episode for me. This week's highlight was that whole hilarious conversation with the ex who was gay.

.... the main girl is like a female Woody Allen.

Anyone know what that last music track was? ... It was infectiously catchy.

Richie · 30-04-2012, 22:56

Robyn "Dancing on my own".

Robby · 01-05-2012, 04:21

Episode 3 was great, I've totally warmed to this show now and its characters weird idiosyncrasies and it's good to see Jorma from the Lonely Island doing something different, he should be a great addition to the cast if he sticks around.

TonyG · 01-05-2012, 07:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richie

Robyn "Dancing on my own".

Cheers Richie.

I see this has already been awarded a 10-episode, second season.

camaj · 01-05-2012, 12:48

It's a bit annoying that it sets itself up to be an ensemble drama but it's really only about that one girl, the other 3 make fleeting appearences

TonyG · 01-05-2012, 13:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaj

It's a bit annoying that it sets itself up to be an ensemble drama but it's really only about that one girl, the other 3 make fleeting appearences

It's no real surprise as she also writes, directs & produces the show too.

Doesn't bother me as she's the funniest element of the show, although I don't mind seeing more of the dark-haired lass who is gorgeous.

Richie · 01-05-2012, 14:31

Lena Dunham is a real talent even if her influences are very obvious. Considering she's written, directed and acted in all of this, it's quite an accomplishment at not quite 26.
You can't really fault her point of view or lack of scope as she's obviously drawing from personal experience for much of this and it's really very funny in a wonderfully awkward way. Although I do agree with critics who say it's not cosmopolitan enough for New York 2012 and that a better title for the show would've been 'Privileged White Girl Problems'.
As it stands though, this is a definite blu-ray purchase for me as it has much replay value.

bronso · 01-05-2012, 15:37

The third episode wasn't quite as funny to me as the second, but this remains my favourite new comedy. It's making me laugh more than Veep, which is decent but so far a bit toothless.

As for diversity, I'd rather have a realistically all-white cast (even in a diverse city like New York, lots of people hang out mostly with people of their own background) than a show with five white people and a token black guy who only hangs out with white people, like you see in most other shows.

And if the title is a problem, should Friends have been called "Young, attractive white friends living in apartments they could never realistically afford"?

I don't mean to go off on you, Richie, but I think the critics have poor arguments, and are suspiciously selective in their outrage, singling out a show by a young woman with a personal and distinctly female perspective while giving most other shows a pass for the same things. (Bored to Death was just as homogeneous and frivolous a depiction of New York, from a male Jewish perspective. Louie is only slightly more diverse. And shows like 2 Broke Girls go out of their way to perpetuate ethnic stereotypes.)

fattyboombatty · 01-05-2012, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyG

It's no real surprise as she also writes, directs & produces the show too.

Doesn't bother me as she's the funniest element of the show, although I don't mind seeing more of the dark-haired lass who is gorgeous.

she is, isn't she. she really reminds me of someone and i can't think who. her eyes are so familiar.

she hasn't been in anything else, though.

danielsesay · 01-05-2012, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by bronso

I don't mean to go off on you, Richie, but I think the critics have poor arguments, and are suspiciously selective in their outrage, singling out a show by a young woman with a personal and distinctly female perspective while giving most other shows a pass for the same things. (Bored to Death was just as homogeneous and frivolous a depiction of New York, from a male Jewish perspective. Louie is only slightly more diverse. And shows like 2 Broke Girls go out of their way to perpetuate ethnic stereotypes.)

Correct. I think a lot of these shows are true to type. New York really is a city of different worlds.

camaj · 01-05-2012, 22:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyG

It's no real surprise as she also writes, directs & produces the show too.

Oh that's her? I was under the impression that they were all just actresses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bronso

As for diversity, I'd rather have a realistically all-white cast (even in a diverse city like New York, lots of people hang out mostly with people of their own background) than a show with five white people and a token black guy who only hangs out with white people, like you see in most other shows.

New girl, we're on to you!

scoobyood · 01-05-2012, 23:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by fattyboombatty

she is, isn't she. she really reminds me of someone and i can't think who. her eyes are so familiar.

she hasn't been in anything else, though.

'

' indeed. You would't get "New" Jess running off to frig one out.

She looks like the love child of Brooke Shields and Jennifer Garner.

This show is great. Can't think of anything more to say about it! Has real charm.

Richie · 01-05-2012, 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by bronso

As for diversity, I'd rather have a realistically all-white cast (even in a diverse city like New York, lots of people hang out mostly with people of their own background) than a show with five white people and a token black guy who only hangs out with white people, like you see in most other shows.

And if the title is a problem, should Friends have been called "Young, attractive white friends living in apartments they could never realistically afford"?

I don't mean to go off on you, Richie, but I think the critics have poor arguments, and are suspiciously selective in their outrage, singling out a show by a young woman with a personal and distinctly female perspective while giving most other shows a pass for the same things. (Bored to Death was just as homogeneous and frivolous a depiction of New York, from a male Jewish perspective. Louie is only slightly more diverse. And shows like 2 Broke Girls go out of their way to perpetuate ethnic stereotypes.)

I've been thinking about your post today and upon reflection, you are absolutely right.

I think most of the criticism stems from the show being launched and lauded as a realistic look at young adult women in NYC (which of course it is, just not every young woman). 'Friends' on the other hand was the very definition of 90s aspirational telly and obviously utter fantasy.

I think it's the expectation (amongst media critics who want to appear aggressively PC) of the word realistic that's the problem. Perhaps it's critics' own experience of city life that leads them to label the show "white washed" (although speaking from personal experience, the majority of meeja gatherings seem to be populated by white hipster *****, of which 'Girls' has plenty on show)?

'Privileged White Girl Problems' would've been a slyer title imho (just because it's more eye-catching to me than the rather bland 'Girls') but regardless, I think this is a show with something to actually say and it's exciting for a comedy to exist in a wider context beyond the screen (much like 'Sex & the City' 13 years ago).

You're right of course about others shows that get a pass for the same things but the difference here is that the show has quite a (refreshingly) brutal honesty about it and the expectation from the title was that it was inclusive (which as we all know just simply isn't viable without being trite - see 'Friends'). If Dunham is following the write-what-you-know ethos then like I said you can't fault her point of view, which is after all her reality.

I really do like this show and if the season continues the way it has to date I may end up loving it.

MetalGearAl · 02-05-2012, 07:17

Hmm, considering my interest piqued with the praise that's being dropped for this in this thread, hadn't heard of the show until now.

BigH · 02-05-2012, 07:55

watched the first ep last night - really enjoyed it (although English girl's accent is a bit iffy)- definitely a 'keeper'

Xenole · 07-05-2012, 11:26

I've watched the first 2 episodes and have to say it's watchable but only in a throwaway sense.

Character wise, can't remember a single name and other than the lead girl, who is at least more "normal" that usual, I'm not really bothered about any of them, especially the "English" girl.

It seems to be a far weaker cross between HBO's axed "Tell Me You Love Me" and "Sex In The City" etc and I'll be suprised if it gets beyond 10 episodes.

(Watch pretty much anything Dsiney related these days for the Hispanic girl/boy, white boy/girl, black girl/boy mix. 100% guauranteed to have all 3 as friends).