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Girls Season 3

nymusix

By nymusix
in Girls [V]

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nymusix

nymusix

Since there was no forum created yet I figured I'd create the thread for the season 3 premiere here and once the forum was created this thread could be moved! Thanks! :)
 

In the Season 3 premiere, Hannah tries to keep her OCD under control as she focuses on living with Adam and her writing career. Meanwhile, Adam has an unpleasant encounter with Natalia at Ray's new coffee shop; Marnie and Shoshanna attend a dinner party at Hannah and Adam's; and Jessa doesn't make many friends in her new surroundings.  

Hannah reunites with Jessa on a road trip with Adam and Shoshanna; Marnie moves into her own apartment.

Ffiferoo

Ffiferoo

Hannah's parents!  Laird!  Taco!  I wanted to love this episode so much, but I just can't with Marnie singing Take Me or Leave Me and continuing to fuel my dislike.  The thing I hate is that there are so many of these cringingly spot-on moments of things that would happen and be terrible, so I simultaneously identify with it and want it to end right. now.  

I'm interested to see where the plot goes with Adam's sister, but I hope it'll just be another episode or two, unless the unpredictable crazy moments taper off a lot.  It's hard to watch him continually try to convince Hannah how toxic his sister is while Hannah continues to be appropriately nice (albeit in an understandable way).  

It was good to see more of Ray this week.  Maybe nothing will come of it, but I'd love to see some awkward fallout from his "fight".   

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clemmyb

clemmyb

I, too, struggle constantly with Marnie.  She's this weird blend of little girl desperate for attention and sociopath, and sometimes it's so uncomfortable to watch her that I have a visceral response when she's onscreen.  But that YouTube video?  Completely amazing.  Probably the best thing I've seen all week.

And I'm with you on seeing more of Adam's sister (Gaby Hoffman killed it in this episode), but not too much.  It's one of those things where I don't want her to overwhelm the narrative.

Did anyone else notice that Jessa was in the episode but never even had one line?

Ffiferoo

Ffiferoo

I'm heartened by the fact that I'm liking the episodes this season more as it goes on, which is much closer to my experience with the first season than the second.  Hannah again was Hannah, and I continue to find her awful mostly because she is too-real and too much like people I know.  This was one where Adam said everything I was thinking, and I also got on board more with Caroline here.  I loved her trick with the "Margaret" story, paired with the predictability of Hannah co-opting it once she knew it was fake in order to garner sympathy from Adam.

The scene between Shoshanna and Jessa was great, with both of them recalling these deaths in ways that were so true to form for both of them, and Jessa not even listening.  It came off so childish to me for her to describe Season as her "favorite friend".

TravisNelson76

TravisNelson76

My problem with the season so far is that Hannah has gone from being supremely annoying (in a very compelling and entertaining way) to being an actual sociopathic monster.  I mean, how much would it surprise you to find that Hannah has secretly been a serial killer for the last few months?  Not as much as it should!

Actually, compiling "could possibly be a serial killer" ranking for Girls characters would be very difficult!  Ray's at the bottom.  But aside from that... Marnie could TOTALLY go all American Psycho.  Jessa, Adam, and Caroline as nearly as sociopathic as Hannah.  Oh!  And I could easily see Shosh as a serial killer in the model of that awesome Australian horror movie The Loved Ones.  

My "could be a serial killer" rankings (most to least likely): Hannah, Marnie, Jessa, Caroline, Shosh, Adam, Ray.

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Ffiferoo

Ffiferoo

I loved this episode so much!  I had a panic moment when Hannah quit the job at GQ thinking that she would go back to not working there with all of the new co-worker characters that I now love and then I was so happy when she didn't!  All of the conversations in the snack room and the meeting and Hannah's phone conversations with the plaid shirt guy whose name I don't remember were my favorite.  I haven't enjoyed Hannah's storyline this much since the first season, so I hope this continues for as long as possible (although I give it two more episodes at this job tops).  

Ray and Marnie this week were also amazing - I hate them as a couple but Ray says the best things around her, and the scene in the Chinese restaurant was gold.  

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TravisNelson76

TravisNelson76

Ah... the Airing of Grievances.  So satisfying!  Every show should do this on occasion.  Like, wouldn't it be fun if Raylon, Art, Rachel, and Tim [Justified] all got drunk and just laid into each other?  Ditto: everyone on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.  CORRECTION: I just want Gina to get drunk and air each and every one of her personal grievances.

Lesson: MORE GRIEVANCES.

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teecer

teecer

I can't with Shoshana this season. It makes no sense that they invited her to the beach house. She was Jessa's default roommate because they're cousins (right?) and Marnie's default roommate when she and Hannah "broke up" the first time. It always felt like they invited her along the first season because they felt sorry for her or obligated to include her with Jessa, and maybe along the way they actually became friends? But not really, because she obviously hates all of them. Not that the girls aren't hateable, I just don't see why Shosh would be so angry with them. UNLESS she found out that Marnie was sleeping with Ray, which would have made sense. But she didn't. So...why?

I think I would like this show more if it was called Jessa & Marnie, and was basically a reboot of Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23.

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Ffiferoo

Ffiferoo

I think it makes sense that Shosh was there - the whole point of the trip according to Marnie was to "heal" their relationships.  The recent friction between all of them has included Shoshanna, and since it was Marnie's pet project so to speak, her sleeping with Ray probably factored into her decision to bring Shosh along, even though she certainly doesn't want anyone to find out about it.  At the end of the day, though, Shoshanna doesn't really fit in with the other three, and she has plenty to be angry about based on personality clashes alone.  

nymusix

nymusix

  • Author

This episode was really satisfying. June Squibb is so good, can we talk about a surprising late career revival? And I liked that the episode took Hannah out the environment were used to seeing her in and got us to see a little bit how she got to where she is. I was really happy with the actress who played the cousin, I thought she was really appropriate to the world. And I love the little story about touching one's chachi. Because yeah. Chachi. 

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Ffiferoo

Ffiferoo

That whole thing was a little horrifying to watch.  I really can't believe that Marnie allowed Hannah to borrow her apartment for that whole role-playing scenario - like, did Hannah not tell her what the plan was?

I also was surprised that Shoshanna was putting up with Jessa and Jasper in that state at all, especially after her angry drunk rant a few episodes ago, but I was also kind of proud of her for her meddling.  It ended up working out pretty much as well as it could have, under the circumstances.  

TravisNelson76

TravisNelson76

What do we think about the Adam-Ray bathroom time in this episode?  On the one hand, I like it as a call-back to the Hannah-Marnie relationship of the first season and the way their bathroom time served as an expression of their comfort with and closeness to each other.  On the other hand, would Ray really be that comfortable shaving next to Naked Bathing Adam?  

Brn2bwild

Brn2bwild

(edited)

Like many, I have a love-hate relationship with Girls.  However, after watching Season 3, it's leaning toward "not completely hate."  While yes, Hannah remains so irritatingly self absorbed, as do many of her friends, I like the fact that: (1) the show's writers (including Dunham herself) are well aware of their corrosive self absorption, and (2) the girls themselves seem to be growing more self-aware and humbled.  For the first time, I don't think Jessa is a waste of space.  I can actually stand listening to Shoshannah.  Hannah seems to have more going on than "what gross thing can I do next?"  Marnie... well, jury's still out.  It is good to see after they became so unwatchable in Season 2.  Even if they still are largely unlikeable, and even if Hannah continues to get major breaks that virtually no one of her age and background would get, it's nice to see that the show's writers are at least steering them onto more relatable ground.  

Edited by Brn2bwild
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halgia

halgia

(I split this off into a new topic because it's not "small talk." If you'd like to change the title or something, report it and we will.)

I did like season 3 a fair bit; they've all had some time to grow and whatnot, and seem more like real people. One thing that didn't work for me, though, was the stretch in the early-middle where Hannah was just a complete sociopath (particularly the episode where her editor died). It felt like a new turn for her character that was much more extreme than what we'd seen of that before, and also kind of went away without notice.

Hannah does get big breaks, but at least it's not like she or even her friends are always the one always getting everything. For example, Soojin taking off and shaming Marnie with how useless she is (though then the whole Marnie/Desi thing made it clear that she's actually a good singer).

Brn2bwild

Brn2bwild

(edited)

Thanks, I wasn't sure.

It's true, the "big break" thing isn't uniform -- Marnie's life seems to consist of watching other people around her become more successful (first Charlie, then Soojin).  Jessa relapsed and Shoshannah's life looks like a mess.  Ray has a moderately successful life, but it feels like one that is relatable.

Hannah's trajectory isn't totally unrelatable, but it does feel a bit blessed.  Even before the e-book, she seemed to be getting the big meetings to write stories (ex: taking cocaine).  We hadn't seen her write anything before she landed the e-book deal.  (And I agree, her tactlessness achieved new heights at the funeral -- find another way to get that info, Hannah!  Though I'm not so sure her self-absorption was so surprising, since she had shown that ability to say whatever she was thinking, no matter how insensitive, before.  Maybe her total inability to feel any sorrow for her editor's death was the most surprising.)  Then suddenly she's at a big meeting to get her book published in hard copy.  Then she has a pretty significant "let down" job at a big company.  And then finally, admission to the Harvard of writing programs.

I never went to a school that specialized in writing, so I don't know if those breaks are more typical for people with creative writing degrees, but they felt more like Dunham's idea of what "average joes" would go through.

One thing that made me laugh a little was Dunham's response to criticism that she and the other cast members benefitted from nepotism.  She was like: "Yes, but it's not like it was inevitable that we would end up on a TV show."  Maybe so, but your path is slightly smoother when your parents know MERYL STREEP and your dad is a national newscaster for a major TV network.  

Edited by Brn2bwild
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bunnywithanaxe

bunnywithanaxe

 

(And I agree, her tactlessness achieved new heights at the funeral -- find another way to get that info, Hannah!  Though I'm not so sure her self-absorption was so surprising, since she had shown that ability to say whatever she was thinking, no matter how insensitive, before.  Maybe her total inability to feel any sorrow for her editor's death was the most surprising.)

Hee!  Good point. Speaking for myself. I think I am always just waiting for evidence that she had some kind of limit. "Oh, I see what she is thinking, but she won't really say it, not here. No, she is demonstrating empathy and sensitivity and surely  that will guide her in keeping that bullshit comment in her mouth. She won't really --GAHHH! NO! HANNAH,YOU FUCKING MORON!"

The fun is in the anticipation.

I agree with the consensus that Hanna's job trajectory is drenched in serendipity, but maybe that is her trope-- let's give this girl fantastic, unheard of opportunities, and watch her fuck them up! 

MelsW

MelsW

I just finally got caught up with Girls and finished Season 3. I really enjoyed S1. S2 became the season of hatewatching. S3 has brought me back around and I am starting to like the show again. I like where they have brought the men of the show- Adam, Elijah and Ray...hell, even Laird! Marnie still remains insufferable due to her being stuck in the "fancy people want to work with me" mode.

MelsW

MelsW

It always looks like Hannah is wearing ill-fitting H&M clothes. Which, I must admit, everything from H&M ends up ill-fitting on me so I get it. the only time I thought Hannah looked great was in the S3 finale when they were at Adam's Broadway debut. She wore some sort of strapless (maybe it was a-line?) dress and it (GASP!) flattered her body type. That may have been the first and only time I have seen the Hannah character dress in a way that compliments her body.

taanja

taanja

I don't know? maybe I just take "Girls" at face value and watch it as it was meant to be watched ---as entertainment. All I know is I am always entertained.

 

And it's not like Hannah's self-absorption is something new. That seems to be a running theme for the entire series. An only child who thinks the universe revolves around her? check.

 

I kind of like that basically everything is handed to Hannah on a silver platter. And that basically she is her own worst enemy and will somehow fuck it up.

 

Usually on a show with multiple characters there is one I don't like (or even can't stand which has made me quite watching several shows) but on Girls I seem to like all the characters for the different personalities they represent. No one bugs me so much that I have to turn it off. So for me -- that is a plus.

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