S05.E05: Queen For Two Days

[AmandaPanda]

Hannah and her mother attend a female-empowerment retreat; Shoshanna gets a surprise visitor in Japan; Jessa asks her sister for a favor.

[CofCinci]

Do they have Jemiima Kirke's real sister playing her show sister?  I love her in Mozart in the Jungle.

[bunnywithanaxe]

(reeling with joy.)

Shosh. Works. For. A. Cat. Cafe. Ohhh my god.

[WhosThatGirl]

Shoshana's new job has to do with cats! Which is AMAZING. Cats, you guys. But also a Cat Cafe. I've kind of be intrigued by those. I don't fully understand them but they intrigue me, because.. you know, cats. Anyway, Lil Baby Aidy. 

[bagatelle]

Now that Shosh has everything, she's leaving?  Too sudden, considering how much she loved Japan.

[jenh526]

I loved the whole storyline of Shoshanna, and the end scene was very poignant. I think I've had nightmares like that.

 

Adam and Jessa seem right together. Much better match than Adam and Hannah, IMO. 

 

Gotta admire Hannah/Lena for being so comfortable with her body, but I was wondering who the heck takes off their underwear and sleeps in a bra? 

[iggysaurus]

Do they have Jemiima Kirke's real sister playing her show sister?  I love her in Mozart in the Jungle.

 

I like Lola Kirke too, but no, the sister here is played by Marianna Palka.  I recognized her from a documentary in which she finds out whether she has Huntington's Disease or not. 

 

I like Jessa and Adam together.

 

Yeah, who sleeps in a bra but takes off their undies? I would be more likely to take off the bra and sleep in undies.  Or wear undies and a tank top, especially if my mom was sleeping in the same room. 

[hoodooznoodooz]

Could someone please explain Hannah's mom saying, sex has actually even been better lately, less pressure. Hannah protests, "Mom!" Am I missing something? Or is it just the most obvious humor?

Hannah takes off her underwear to go to sleep. And her mom is her roommate that night. I guess Lena Dunham just wants to get a reaction from us.

I really thought Shosh was happy in Japan. Huh.

[WhosThatGirl]

Tonight, I kind of liked Adam and Jessa and I'm so confused now on where the show is going with that. Like, at first after last week I would just assume this would be a fling that would break Hannah's heart and a roadblock on their inevitable reunion but now I have no idea what the hell is going on with that.

 

I still can't say anything about Sosh other than CAT CAFE, you guys! Just..cat cafe. 

 

Next week looks fun. I know we all kind of hate on Marnie-although I did like her a lot in season 1- but I'm kind of curious for her to get a episode where she maybe figures out she is slowly losing her mind and has been for a little. 

[AlliMo]

Being as it was a comfy sports bra, I actually get the bra-but-no-underwear sleeping thing. Some things need to breathe and some things need to not flop about, and nightgowns can get all tangled.

 

That seminar or whatever it was looked like my worst nightmare. Hannah's throwaway line about Eileen Fisher made me snort.

 

Jessa may be the most irritating fictional character of all time to me.

 

I like Marianna Palka, but I have no idea what kind of accent she was going for there. She was also in a relationship with Jason Ritter who plays the boyfriend Shosh left behind, so it's a beautiful little circle of friends going on here, clearly.

Edited March 21, 2016 by AlliMo

[hoodooznoodooz]

Yeah, Palka's accent was all over the place. It seemed as if sometimes she just forgot to use one.

Ugh. I think Jessa orchestrated the whole thing to manipulate Adam into offering to provide the money.

Was Shosh freaking out because she let Yosh assume that she was a virgin? So she has been dreading the trip to meet the grandmother for so long that it caused this meltdown?

Hee, hee:

Are you the yoga teacher?

Oh, my god, no. I wish. Although I do teach spin in Westport. And also yoga.

[tennisgurl]

Sometimes, I feel like Lena is really brave for showing her body so often, and other times, I feel like her nudity just makes no sense to the plot. Like, who sleeps with a bra and no underwear? Or who goes on a hike in a pretty revealing bathing suite? 

 

I am sad to see Shosh is ending her stay in Japan. It seems kind of random too. She seemed so happy there, then all of the sudden, shes homesick and wants to go back to the US. I mean, its  Cat Cafe Shosh! A Cat Cafe!

 

The song they played at the end was really pretty.  

[cpcathy]

It's David Bowie. Here's a cover:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwOWHqbqeto

[iggysaurus]

Yeah, Palka's accent was all over the place. It seemed as if sometimes she just forgot to use one.

 

 

Well, Marianna Palka herself is Scottish, and Jessa mentioned in the show that her sister is Scottish. I agree the accent didn't necessarily sound Scottish but maybe the actress herself doesn't have a really region-specific accent and just went with her own accent (mix of American and Scottish?).  It would be one thing if an American actress was supposed to be playing a Scottish person and "forgot" to use the accent, but since the actress is Scottish but living in America, I figured it wasn't that weird. 

 

P.S. I shazam'd the closing song because I wasn't familiar with that particular cover of "Life on Mars," and Shazam said it was by Aurora.  I liked it. 

Edited March 21, 2016 by iggysaurus

[WhosThatGirl]

I think we are supposed to assume that Sosh was cleverly covering up how much she loved Japan to her former boss, like her "I love Japan! Look how cute and wonderful and quirky it is!" like when you say you're great but saying it so much it isn't true, but that wasn't the vibe I got from her at all. She seemed excited. Like as excited as she was a few weeks ago when we saw her last before she got fired. So I am confused too. I think they probably could have held this "oh my god, I am not actually really happy.." for another episode? Like, maybe having her explain to us that her first job in Japan had an end date for when she would return to the US but then she got fired so she got a job set in Japan with no clear end date and she started to freak out. I think they really could have held off on this freak out of hers and have it make more sense. I know the end goal was probably to get her back to NY but still.. I think we needed more time and not this insta freak out that happened like two and a half seconds after she had a love speech about Japan. 

 

I did like Hannah at the retreat. That did seem like the stuff of nightmares, actually and I'm with Hannah, if something says retreat I'm probably going to back resort type outfits too. I do not sign up for walking through woods, nothing about that seems relaxing.

 

I never would have guessed that Jessa was playing Adam for the money, but maybe so. But..again I go back to not knowing where the show is going with this. Like, are Adam and Jessa a serious thing? As I said earlier, I just assumed this would be a roadblock for..things to happen and eventually Adam and Hannah getting back together. 

 

I kind of missed the adventures of Elijah and Ray at the coffee shop. Lena should really get on HBO to do some sort of internet webisode for episodes with those two. 

[Primetimer]

Hannah joins her mom for a spa weekend so that they can both learn something about the value of a kind man who makes you miserable.

Read the story

[SassInMass]

I truly believe that when Yoshi mentioned that they would give each other their virginities, Shoshonna suddenly realized that she was in fact running from her problems. She wasn't honest with Yoshi, and so, the closest person to her there, who she could potentially see having a romantic relationship with, didn't actually know her. So, it was then that she felt alone in a foreign place. Noone really knew her. And Yoshi, as much as she liked him, he could never accept her for who she really is, and she knows it. Japan, for her, was like living in a dream world, one she doesn't really truly belong in. I'm sad for her because I think she was in denial, and now reality has hit for her.

Edited March 21, 2016 by SassInMass

[lucindabelle]

Life on Mars was in two HBO shows today and made sense in both, in this one and in vinyl, but man it was weird hearing that one David Bowie song twice.

I think Adam and Jessa are the real thing and I think their little sex game demonstrated that.

[WhosThatGirl]

This was a good episode but I can't lie and say I didn't miss Marnie and Desi, if only for their fights over ridiculous things. Like I'm uber excited to see them fight about Marnie not having a scone with him next week. Like, I thought nothing could rival the tiny shelf fight of last week but perhaps I am wrong.

[tennisgurl]

I cannot believe I didn't recognize Life on Mars! That was a really good cover. 

[crimsongrl]

"All I need is a good book and a bottle of wine and that's it...Perfect morning!"

[anonymiss]

LOL @ "Nice is a mask angry people wear to hide their inner assholes.”

 

It's like how Shosh was feeling in Japan with their emphasis on politeness and decorum e.g., her comment about losing it if another person bows and apologizes to her.

[scrb]

They probably had enough budget to shoot so many scenes in Japan. Lena said she actually went to a fetish club in Japan and said she thought it would be cool to shoot in Japan.

So they may have shoehorned this little arc about Shoshanna digging it there and then the job goes and she eventually comes back.

If she stayed for a couple of years, she'd drift away from her circle in NY and they have no reason to keep her on the show.

[Armchair Critic]

I thought it was unrealistic that the hot lesbian went for Hannah. 

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

I actually thought the initial sex scene with Hannah and the yoga instructor was incredibly hot, and wanted the scene to stay put instead of reverting to the sad divorcées. Of course, I forgot this is Girls, and the second sex scene pretty much annihilated any interest I had. Like I get Lena Dunham's point about unrealistic Hollywood sex, but RL sex has been known to be fun every once in a while. That's why we do it.

[qtpye]

I thought it was unrealistic that the hot lesbian went for Hannah.

 

 

Despite, not exactly fitting the conventional image of attractiveness, Hannah does not ever seem to have trouble attracting people.  Hannah, can probably come  off a little endearing, until you actually get to know her.  I actually kind of love that Hannah does not seem to have issues with her appearance, but sometimes Lena uses her body for comic relief and I wonder if that would be true if she had the standard Holly Wood figure?

 

It's interesting that Hannah seems to be able to let go of Fran pretty easily.  I still do not know what her decision was about the relationship.

 

I found it sad that her mother stayed in the marriage, because as a sixty year old woman, she felt like she did not have many options.  It might be realistic, but it reinforces the trope as a woman, society finds you useless once your youth and beauty are gone.

 

Also, I do not know what is wrong with a woman who is alone.  Being by yourself with a glass of wine and a good book is better then being with a man you have no connection with.

 

Shosh and Japan seemed like such a good fit, I still do not quite understand what makes her return so quickly?  She cold stay a couple of years and then go back.

 

I guess it is just a plot contrivance to get her back to NYC with the rest of the girls.

[cardigirl]

I found it sad that her mother stayed in the marriage, because as a sixty year old woman, she felt like she did not have many options.  It might be realistic, but it reinforces the trope as a woman, society finds you useless once your youth and beauty are gone.

 

Also, I do not know what is wrong with a woman who is alone.  Being by yourself with a glass of wine and a good book is better then being with a man you have no connection with.

 

I think Hannah's mom was deciding that what she had with Hannah's father was enough.  And they do have connection, the connection of a long history together, plus a daughter.  I loved that scene when the women were discussing their lives as divorcees. It is a difficult transition to make, especially after a long marriage/relationship.  Being alone can be great, but, similar to the empty nest syndrome, getting divorced later in life is scary and may not lead to a fascinating richer life.  It sounded like she was settling, but maybe she wasn't. Maintaining her home (not just the house) and staying in a friendly relationship with her husband, she could do worse.  And many women are worse off, financially, emotionally, after a divorce. It's a lot of loss to contemplate at age 60.  

[qtpye]

And many women are worse off, financially, emotionally, after a divorce. It's a lot of loss to contemplate at age 60.

 

 

Yeah, I just read an article, from a fairly liberal and feminist friendly source, about how retired older women are usually devastated financially.  It was pretty depressing.  I guess if Hannah's mother is satisfied and content, then she should stay put,

 

However, she did make a comment that if it had happened twenty years earlier, she would have probably bailed, so her age and options were definitely a factor (which is realistic).

[jeansheridan]

I think Hannah's mom was deciding that what she had with Hannah's father was enough.  And they do have connection, the connection of a long history together, plus a daughter.  

I loved her very specific lists of why she wanted to stay with him. Home, he is funny, and he plays Scrabble well. I won't say it is too late for her to fall in love again but she isn't wrong about health issues. Although she is a bit young to be that dire. Boomers are a sturdy bunch.

I don't need to like Hannah but I especially despised her behavior this week. Her snottiness to a group of older women, complaining about the food, poking AT the food like a 10 year old. She was worse than an entitled 10 year old. They would be more mannered. And that woman enabling all of her worst tendencies--you deserve better, nice guys are assholes, rules don't apply to you, ignoring the food spitting....UG.

I got this weird feeling Jessa and Minerva manipulated Adam into supporting her. Not sure why I felt that way other than she is a addict and uses people. But Minerva was just the right kind of awful to make him protective.

Can Addy Bryant stay? She is not the most nuanced of actors, but her oddly direct big sister energy is refreshing. Her calm "you are fully crying" comment was wonderful. Her ability to listen and not advise immediately was great. I love Ray, but he jumps into fixing mode too quickly.

[cardigirl]

I definitely believe her age is a big factor.  And finances, all of it.  I didn't mean to say that divorce isn't devastating when one is younger, it's just that younger means more time to recover, rebuild.  And, she definitely could build a new life, throw out the old, lots of women (and men) are forced to do it and learn to thrive despite it.  But it is daunting.

 

Being alone with a good book is great, but books don't laugh with you.  ;)  

[Tooch]

Hannah accepting her body type is a great aspect of the show--and realistic. I see women shaped like Hannah who wear bikinis at the beach, etc, and I say good for them. Wear what you like! But I also sometimes roll my eyes at just how far Lena takes it. Like let's get the most horrible possible bathing suit for her body and then shoot her from behind, from below. Like, what's the point of that? I am a lot fatter than Hannah and even I was like "good god woman, that is not a good look".

I wasn't into the random lesbian hookup, and did not think Hannah going down on a woman was in character at all.

[luna1122]

Is this Hannah's first/only dip into the lady pool? Cuz going from some macking to full on vagina eating is a big leap. Ambitious.

[TVForever]

Could someone please explain Hannah's mom saying, sex has actually even been better lately, less pressure. Hannah protests, "Mom!" Am I missing something? Or is it just the most obvious humor?

.

Because nobody wants to imagine anything about their parents actually having sex. We know they do, we just don't need that picture in our heads.

[EdnasEdibles]

I truly believe that when Yoshi mentioned that they would give each other their virginities, Shoshonna suddenly realized that she was in fact running from her problems. She wasn't honest with Yoshi, and so, the closest person to her there, who she could potentially see having a romantic relationship with, didn't actually know her. So, it was then that she felt alone in a foreign place. Noone really knew her. And Yoshi, as much as she liked him, he could never accept her for who she really is, and she knows it. Japan, for her, was like living in a dream world, one she doesn't really truly belong in. I'm sad for her because I think she was in denial, and now reality has hit for her.

 

 

I think this is it exactly. When I was around Shosh's age I moved to Texas. If someone visited I could take them to the cute little restaurants and shops and show off the town and I could tell myself it was an adventure and I was having fun. But it's not a vacation, it's life. And every once in a while I'd have a conversation with someone where they'd be like "Oh when you get married and have kids you'll have to move out here because the schools are good" and reality would come crashing down and I'd want to say "oh but no, this is just an adventure, this isn't my life. I'm not really going to do my life here. I'll go back to my life soon."  - I think that's what happened with Shosh. She's having an adventure, trying new foods, working at a cat cafe, dating a different sort of man than who she normally dates - but he's thinking of his life. Grandma, virginity, marriage, forever. 

[grumpypanda]

I don't think sleeping without underwear is weird but sleeping without underwear with your mom in the next bed is definitely strange. And brush your teeth! Sometimes I think Hannah is the grossest character on tv.

I was also struck by how frumpy Hannah looked compared to her mom when they walked into the retreat together. Lorraine put some effort into her outfit and looked stylish and cute and Hannah looked so dumpy. And why was she wearing that same horrible outfit everyday? She must reek from wearing the same clothes for days on end.

Anyway, I love Shosh in Japan and I don't want her to come home. The cat cafe looks awesome, I want to go!

Edited March 21, 2016 by grumpypanda

[pbutler111]

Do they have Jemiima Kirke's real sister playing her show sister? I love her in Mozart in the Jungle.

 

I was hoping for this as well. Too bad.

Edited March 21, 2016 by pbutler111

[cpcathy]

I thought we only saw the one day, maybe I'm wrong.

Yes, no underwear is a no no in bed. What if you get your period?

I also thought Hannah was a raging bitch this episode. She really does anything her own way, doesn't she?

Also did not believe the random hook up. I don't body shame Lena in any way,but I didn't believe either that the lesbian would be into her. I believed Hannah could hook up with Patrick Wilson a few seasons ago, but this pushed it for me.

What other show was Life On Mars played?

[CofCinci]

Well, Jessa and Adam won me over with that deranged role play. They're a perfect match. I didn't interpret the dinner as Jessa trying to manipulate Adam into paying for school. (She was trying to manipulate the sister! Gee, look at how stable I am and look at my loving boyfriend. Now, give me some of grandma's money.). Adam is more of a traditionalist. He wants to be a provider. He would have happily raised that aborted Mimi Rose baby. He fell for Hannah once he recognized that she needed a caregiver. I'm interested to see where Adam and Jessa go, especially now that he's paying for her eduction.

I can't wait for Hannah to learn that Jessa and Adam are not only in a relationship but he's now financing Jessa's latest whim.

What other show was Life On Mars played?

American Horror Story

[ahpny]

Could someone please explain Hannah's mom saying, sex has actually even been better lately, less pressure. Hannah protests, "Mom!" Am I missing something? Or is it just the most obvious humor?

 

 

Hannah's comment is simply the usual disinterest/near horror children have picturing their parents having sex. More enigmatic is Hannah's mom's comment that sex with her now-outed husband is better than sex with her formerly-closeted husband. I interpreted that to mean Hannah's father was better at sex now because pressure was relieved by his outing and he didn't have to pretend he was something he wasn't. Also, he still loves his wife and may be trying extra hard to please her given his guilt and desire to stay together. 

[sugarbaker design]

Vinyl.

[marny]

What confused me is that one second, Hannah's mom said she was now in a sexless marriage, and the next she said the sex was better now. All in the same conversation. Which is it? 

[The Solution]

I also thought Hannah was a raging bitch this episode.

Just this episode?

[cpcathy]

LOL, yes, more than usual!

[absnow54]

This was a good episode but I can't lie and say I didn't miss Marnie and Desi, if only for their fights over ridiculous things. Like I'm uber excited to see them fight about Marnie not having a scone with him next week. Like, I thought nothing could rival the tiny shelf fight of last week but perhaps I am wrong.

And also, my first thought when she ran into someone unexpected during the preview was that Charlie is going to randomly overcome his Lena Dunham hate to deliver Marnie's much needed wake up call that none of her friends have been capable of. And now I'm counting down the minutes until next week's episode. For a Marnie plot. Help.

[Lone Wolf]

I think Adam and Jessa are the real thing and I think their little sex game demonstrated that.

I liked the fact that he was right in the moment with her - those actor's improv skills came in handy.

 

I thought it was unrealistic that the hot lesbian went for Hannah. 

My initial take was that Hannah was being her usual self-involved selfish self, not giving her another 30 seconds, but if as others have pointed out she's never performed cunnilingus, maybe she came to some sort of self-discovery that it wasn't for her.  Still seems like she could have hung in as a courtesy, though.  The tears afterward were a nice touch (I've experienced that) but I think the show was playing it for laughs as opposed to an emotional release.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Lone Wolf

[represent]

 

I got this weird feeling Jessa and Minerva manipulated Adam into supporting her. Not sure why I felt that way other than she is a addict and uses people. But Minerva was just the right kind of awful to make him protective.

I sure hope this is the case, cause I wouldn't be surprised. Jessa is the only one of these girls I give the side eye to. Like I said, I find her mean, don't trust her at all. The others are self-centered, gross(I'm looking at you Hannah), did she actually spit out her food on/into other food that people were going to eat? Really Dunham?

 

That being said, can't trust a mean person and don't want them around me if I can help it.  Add to it Jessa an addict and mean,  a dangerous combination. 

 

I hope she burns the shit out of Adam, it'll serve him right especially since I think he only got with Jessa to hurt Hannah. And for what? Someone tell me what Hannah did to him... Didn't she go to his play, he yelled at her like she was a dog, she left for Iowa, came back and he was with that Rose girl in their apartment....Where in all this was Hannah spiteful to him? Because annoying which she is, and spiteful which she isn't IMO, are two different things.

 

Spiteful might deserves spiteful in return, annoying and needy doesn't.

Edited March 21, 2016 by represent

[LilaFowler]

That sex scene between Lena and the yogi was disgusting.

[WhosThatGirl]

The only thing I remember about the play is that Adam felt Hannah was being all clingy and he moved out of their place so he can focus on the play and then he got mad that she told him about Iowa on opening night. And before Iowa I think they were in a Limbo place but still very much together and then Jessa hooked him up with that Mimi-Rose girl and moved her into Hannah's apartment. Yeah, makes no sense. And then he wanted her back and she said no. But I have no idea if he really likes Jessa, deciding to hand over a large sum of money towards her college is a BIG deal and not something someone would do for a fling. At least not that I would think. Jessa should burn him, though. He's obviously an easy person to play. This would be the second girl to do so  MR screwed with his head too. 

[candall]

I have always loved, admired and applauded Lena's nakedness, but hell's bells, there's naked and then there's deliberately choosing a bikini bottom that's too small so you'll have exaggerated fat rolls.

 

I think Dunham's a hero for championing a much-needed "love your body" movement.  That rear end shot was jarring because it felt more like:  "I'll be unflattering about myself before anyone else has a chance."  Noooo, Lena, don't forget you're beautiful!

[peeayebee]

I don't need to like Hannah but I especially despised her behavior this week. Her snottiness to a group of older women, complaining about the food, poking AT the food like a 10 year old. She was worse than an entitled 10 year old. They would be more mannered. And that woman enabling all of her worst tendencies--you deserve better, nice guys are assholes, rules don't apply to you, ignoring the food spitting....UG.

I didn't like seeing Hannah behave like a spoiled child. She walked into that place determined to hate everything. I hate that kind of attitude. The only thing she got out of this trip was discovering that she wasn't into lesbian sex.

 

Being disdainful of the other women was bad. Treating the phone guy rudely was bad. Spitting food back into the original bowl was terrible. But worst of all... She doesn't brush her teeth at night. Great job, Hannah. Let all those food particles sit for several hours to eat away at your teeth.

 

I did get a chuckle out of the scene where the women are dancing, then her mom bumps up to her, and Hannah yells, "Mom!"

 

I don't think Jessa is using Adam to finance her college. I think everything in that scene was as we saw it. I hated Hannah's sister. Ick. 

 

I'm so sad that Shosh wasn't really happy in Japan. I'm not into reality shows, but I would watch the Yosh and Shosh show. I guess she was in a sense just playacting all along, just like she was playacting in the sex club. And she could pretend to be a virgin until the reality of meeting Yoshi's grandmother came bearing down.

 

BTW, aren't there cat cafe in the US?

Edited March 21, 2016 by peeayebee