So I had this whole idea about how I was going to kick off my new weekly column, but as I sat watching the latest season of “Girls” I dramatically crumpled up my notes and aimed for the trash can (I missed)—it was that good.
You’ve probably already heard of “Girls,” especially if you happen to be a twenty-something college student on the verge of graduation and an impending existential crisis, which I’m assuming you are. For those of you who aren’t familiar, its an HBO original comedy/drama following a group of friends as they attempt to navigate the uncertainties of young adulthood amidst the chaos of New York City. It’s witty, it’s familiar and season three has been excellent so far.
There have been a number of developments since the conclusion of season two, the most scandalous being that Christopher Abbott, aka Charlie, has since left the show. Sorry Marnie (Allison Williams), but it looks like you’re officially single, so pull yourself together and get ready to mingle. Second, I am all but completely disinterested in what Jessa (Jemima Kirke) and Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) are doing with their lives. Jessa is found serving a stint in rehab and Shoshanna seems to be enjoying her final days of college. They’re both taking some time to work on themselves.That’s great—let’s move on.
I might be sad about the loss of Charlie if it weren’t for the introduction of an arguably more colorful character: Adam’s certifiable but oddly likable sister Caroline (Gaby Hoffmann). She is incredibly volatile, yet with her emotional instability comes the added bonus of not giving a damn. So far we’ve seen her dance like a lunatic, perform cartwheels through a cemetery and crush a glass between her bare hands. She’s a living, breathing grenade and I’m guessing that Adam (Adam Driver) and Hannah’s (Lena Dunham) relationship will be one of many casualties.
While I was off forming other attachments, I started to really dislike Marnie, though I’m wondering if it’s because all of the traits I tend to find annoying about myself and others seem to be magnified in her. We know that Charlie is never coming back, yet she continues to suffer from the quarter-life crisis that began after their initial split last season. In her own words, she is “taking risks” and “putting herself out there creatively,” mostly in the form of musical numbers. I mean don’t get me wrong, I feel her pain metaphorically speaking, but I am not a Marnie. I don’t ever plan on making a music video of myself covering Edie Brickell’s “What I Am,” nor do I plan on subjecting my friend’s birthday bash to an impromptu karaoke performance of Rent’s “Take Me or Leave Me.” But you never know, desperation and rational logic are mutually exclusive.
It has taken over twenty episodes, but I finally feel like I am starting to grasp the essence of Adam. We already know he is a weird dude who happens to have no verbal filter and some interesting vulnerabilities, yet I am continuously surprised by his insightfulness. This season he has dealt some fantastic advice and it’s clear that he truly does love Hannah.
Speaking of, what has become of Hannah in the 10 months since last season’s finale? It appears as though she is still stuck in a liminal stage between acting like a child and behaving like an adult. She seems to be making strides in her professional endeavors, yet something tells me that her psyche is still the mess it was pre Q-tip incident. When she is forced to grapple with the concept of mortality after the death of her editor, she handles it how any sociopath would—completely devoid of emotion. I sat there with my mouth ajar as the final scene came to a close. The camera slowly pushes in on a seemingly distraught Hannah as she recounts a story about her childhood cousin, who passed away tragically from muscular dystrophy. Sad, right? It would be, if it weren’t for the previous scene in which crazy Caroline recounts the exact same, fictional story.
What do you do when you have no feelings? That’s easy, just steal someone else’s. Hannah is no stranger to the occasional emotional crisis or mental breakdown, but by the end of the third episode viewers are left with the lingering—and completely reasonable—question, is Hannah a sociopath?
If you’re a fan of the show but have not been keeping up with the third season, I highly suggest you reconsider, if for no other reason than to experience Marnie’s aforementioned music video.
Have you recorded your own cover of Edie Brickell’s “What I Am” to rival Marnie’s? Send it to Callie at ckollenbroic@wisc.edu.
