Season 1 of Lena Dunham’s HBO comedy GIRLS left us wondering about all the stuff contemporary twenty-somethings are getting themselves into nowadays, in the midst of living in a world where boyfriends propose the idea of peeing on them in the shower—in a world when sometimes you just gotta live with the fact the one you once loved’s touch now feels like a weird uncle. And well, let’s just say last night’s season 2 premiere “It’s About Time” said so much in the way too short half hour of time we had with the people of GIRLS.
Hannah: If you remember anything about the season 1 finale it’s that while in the midst of an argument out on the street, Adam got hit by a car. Hard. And it was kinda Hannah’s fault. Except for she’s being a really good person by actually catering to him and his leg-long cast (she holds a bucket for him while he pees), laying with him at night while he suffers from painful immobility. But she’s just not into it anymore, unable to reciprocate to Adam’s caring for her. Her new fuck buddy Sandy, who happens to be a fellow lit dork, seems to enjoy Hannah both intellectually and sexually, but I can’t help but think this is all nonsense and like Hannah has reiterated many times before: she’s afraid, and deals with the fear of loving Adam back by what she knows (getting naked.) Meanwhile, her and Elijah have decided it’d be a good idea to (like, they’re totally going to have theme parties!) move in together. The housewarming party was a bit disastrous (thanks a lot, alcohol!), and things ended up getting weird with Elijah’s boyfriend George (let’s just say he got a lil too wasted.) After dealing with all the bullshit of the party and fulfilling her duty of checking on Adam, she ends up at Sandy’s house really late (surprise, surprise!) But the question remains: how long will this Sandy thing last, and will she be having sex with Adam again by the end of next episode?
Marnie: It appears that up until pretty recently everything went according to plan for Marnie. And by plan I mean according to her perfectly organized and dictated plan. Now, things are sort of unexpectedly tumbling for her and she has lost most control over a lot of aspects (and people) of her life: Charlie, Hannah, and now, her job; which, let’s face it: was really the only thing she had going for her. The episode opens up with her walking alongside her (now ex) gallery boss somewhere in Manhattan, who has to “let her go” due to financial reasons. Flash forward to post-fire, Marnie and her mother meet for lunch to talk, and the conversation gives you a good idea of the two’s relationship—her mom, casually dating a guy nearly Marnie’s age, leaving Marnie naturally offended and disgusted by all of this. Then, to make matters worse, later on at Hannah’s party she encounters Charlie, whose girlfriend sarcastically asks her where to get pot (and ends up leaving because she just really needed some weed.) The two then talk briefly, and it’s a little bit weird, as always. But at the end of the night, after the whole Elijah incident (which: WHAT!?!), she ends up at Charlie’s, because I question Marnie’s motives for certain things, and am eager to see how she’ll deal with all of this—or if the poor girl will ever just relax and get laid!
Shoshanna: I. Love. Shoshanna. Can we talk about how perfect the scene of her practically performing a séance in her studio apartment is? Her naiveté comes out through her very funny and lovable awkwardness that has shone most while in the presence of the person responsible for her recent deflowerization: the very funny Ray. But “sticking to her guns,” Shoshanna refuses to give in to what she views as being “devalued,” and pushes Ray aside (though is simultaneously totally ridiculously and secretly obsessed with him.) She kind of had me worried at the party (her karaoke song was Sean Kingston’s “Suicidal”), but her “Oh em effing gees” were reassuring enough for me to know that she will somehow be affected by Ray in a way that could transform her character altogether (for the better!)
Jessa: If I could describe Jessa’s life in a Beatles song it would definitely be “Day Tripper.” In he brief moment we saw of her and her newly-acquainted hubby, who coincidentally also loves to travel (and of course, has money) honeymooning together, her hair is cornrowed and the two are notably drunk laughing about how she doesn’t even remember where he lives. Much like the ridiculousness of the two’s marriage (and the whole wedding party altogether), Jessa is pretty crazy for jumping into some relationship (marriage) that was really weird from the get go (like, remember that almost threesome?). But what seems luxurious and fun now has a potential threat of being outweighed by the obviousness of Jessa’s free bird tendencies. Will the two’s time together be cut short by her often irrational and not really thought through decisions, or is this for real?
Quotables:
“Pretty bitching cheese plate you brought over.” –Ray
“You said you made me feel like your whole body was a clit!” –Adam
“OH EM EFFING GEE. This place looks like, amaz. It used to be a total dump, no offense.” –Shoshanna
“Elijah’s being a fascist dictator. I have to go back.” –Hannah
“You could sing professionally.”-Elijah “I know.” –Marnie
“You know how hot you are, that’s why youre such a bitch.” –Elijah
“I don’t really care about labels. You’re here all the time, you’re my main hang.” –Adam
“A panda next to a gun next to a wrapped gift? It makes no sense!” –Ray, on Emojis.
“It’s really hard to run with a boner, so you have to come to me.” –Sandy
“Don’t say ‘love’ to me.”—Hannah. “It was a joke ‘love.'”—Sandy. “Don’t even say a joke ‘love.'”
“I ask the universe to present me with my path, and to ruin Ray’s life.” –Shoshanna
“How do you feel?” –Hannah “Like I got hit by a fucking truck, which I did.” –Adam
“You look 30 years old.” –Marnie’s mom “Mom, please!” –Marnie “I miss the softness in your face.”
“Sometimes all you need is a pair of rough hands on your body.” –Marnie’s mom
“I definitely want to do a Japanese snack night.” –Hannah
“Do you think there’s any pot at this party?” –Audrey
“I could never be a gay man. I hate giving blow jobs and having anal sex.” –Marnie
“Do you want to watch Bag of Ants?” –Adam
(photo via Collider)
