S05.E06: The Panic In Central Park

[AmandaPanda]

Marnie needs space after an argument with Desi and while on her walk, unexpectedly sees someone from her past.

[CofCinci]

Was Charlie working construction?

[Brooklynista]

Did Marnie climb in that bed with those dirty ass feet???? Did she really just do that??

...not that Hannah would notice.

Edited March 28, 2016 by Brooklynista

[WhosThatGirl]

I've never been as excited for an episode of Girls as I was for this episode! 

 

That scone fight. This is probably the the only thing I will miss from Desi/Marnie is their stupid fights! I mean, no one else is going to build tiny shelfs and yell at her about breakfast foods but this stupid guy! Also if Desi did anything productive it was make Marnie at least somewhat enjoyable, hating her husband so much as a viewer made her likeable. 

 

And omg, CHARLIE, YOU GUYS! Charlie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What was he doing hanging out on the streets? By like cardboard boxes? What..? And holy crap, his dad killed himself? That's such a sad drop in thing there, Girls.  Along with the drug problems. The hell. Also, I knew he had a drug problem when he kept running for bathrooms. 

 

It was kind of sad that this was the most fun Marnie has had in like, a while.  Before she found the drugs. I hadn't seen her smile in quite some time.

 

I thought it would be nice to see Charlie and it was until I saw him had a drug problem happening. But I am sorta glad that Marnie realized she no longer wants to be married but also that I don't have to feel conflicted with wanting her and Ray to be together.  

 

Marnie was awesome tonight ("you know what, maybe I do get married"). And holy crap, Marnie is becoming self-aware and I like her again. I haven't liked her this much since season 1. Marnie, you guys.

[DrivingSideways]

Um... was this not the worst, most boring episode of Girls ever?  Terrible.

[Tooch]

I....hope Marnie used a condom when she fucked an IV drug user with garbage bags on his windows.

[CofCinci]

Um... was this not the worst, most boring episode of Girls ever? Terrible.

Yes, it was. The episode was only Marnie scenes too. Bold choice that sadly failed.

[DrivingSideways]

I enjoy hot mess Marnie very much... but in small doses.  The show hasn't laid enough groundwork for us to give a shit about Marnie, her husband, or her ex.  

 

I always want Girls to be better than it is... I keep watching because elements of it work really well... but the storytelling does not hang together very well.

 

Interesting to see the ex back (I can't remember the actor's name)... didn't he and Lena have a huge falling out?

[Pogojoco]

It wasn't really a falling out, he just didn't want to play Charlie anymore. He said he respected Dunham's work a lot and the show, but he didn't relate to the character.  So either it wasn't a "falling out" or he just got over it. 

 

I know Charlie is a sad IV drug user, but he looked fantastic. Even with a tattoo that says "Humble Life" on his chest. 

 

I'll miss Desi's ridiculousness "You recoiled from my touch." 

Edited March 28, 2016 by Pogojoco

[WhosThatGirl]

I didn't think it was that awful. Maybe I just have low expectations? I'm glad Charlie's drug use didn't send Marnie running back to Desi, as I thought it might make her be like, "this is what my life should be", and Marnie was my favorite in season 1. And she's sort of back to being that. I don't know. I will sit alone in my little boat by myself. 

[represent]

I thought it was good episode, and sad (Charlie) at the same time. From the time she decided to take off with him and they hit the store to buy dresses, the episode started to have an ominous feel to it.  Glad it didn't get any darker than seeing where Charlie lived and worse that he was a drug addict. Except for the fact, that after she found the needle, I was like, holy shit, I hope she used a condom, it didn't look like they did.

At the end I'm glad that it showed Marnie being introspective after her Charlie experience instead of what I have at home is better. No, it's all fucked up Marnie, glad that was your conclusion as well. 

 

I think Desi's  you recoiled from my touch line is the best one of the night. I too am going to miss their fights because of him, he's so pitiful, yet knew exactly what he was doing every time. 

 

Marnie, telling him she can't understand what the hell he was saying when he was crying was even better, just no warmth at all which is what he deserved.  

 

Funny, I'll kinda miss it for the laughs.

 

Oh I forgot the most horrific thing in this episode, Marnie's bare ass feet on NYC streets, seriously?!  What the hell happened to her sneakers?

 

I'll always be a proud born and raised New Yorker, but I wouldn't let my puppy put his paws on that pavement,  much less my bare feet.

Edited March 28, 2016 by represent

[angelamh66]

I really liked this episode. I thought it was quite compelling actually. Guess I'm one of the few. It was good to see Marnie have an epiphany of sorts. Hopefully it sticks and she doesn't just go running to the next d-bag.

[WhosThatGirl]

Oh I know Marnie running around in bare feet on NY streets..ick!!!! And I don't think they used a condom, per the wedding episode Marnie wears an IUD, so doubt they used a condom. But I doubt the show will ever venture back to that tidbit. 

 

I don't know. It was nice to see Marnie happy. I called her having this idea of being married at 25 ("and a half years old") but also, she's still pretty young and she felt like once she was at the wedding day, it had to happen because well, here they were. I feel like as much as some people get "cold feet", when you are asking your friends if you are making the right choice, I think you are well aware you aren't and she knew this when she asked Hannah. So, she knew it was young and she knew it was a bad idea and did it anyway. 

[iggysaurus]

I liked it.  I generally like all the episodes that focus on one character or one situation.  It was weird how lighthearted it seemed even while really serious stuff was going on (drugs, divorce).  

 

Marnie in that ridiculous skimpy dress all episode -- all I could think of was how cold and uncomfortable I'd be. Walking around with nearly her whole chest exposed, and bare shoulders/arms, and wet hair half the time.  

 

The part where she pretended to be a hooker was odd.  I know she gave that guy a fake name and he'd probably have no way to track her down, but still, pulling a stunt like that is something that could get you killed!  

 

The montage of them eating all that food was awesome. It made me want spaghetti and meatballs really bad. 

 

I half expected this to all be a dream and Marnie would wake up at the end. 

[chocolatine]

Not to body shame, but Allison Williams looked painfully thin in the red dress, and then there was that scene of Marnie and Charlie eating spaghetti with meatballs and pizza, which made me worry that she has an eating disorder and starved herself for weeks in preparation for the scene where she would have to eat. I re-watched some S1 episodes recently, and it's jarring how much thinner AW is now compared to four years ago.

 

Back on topic, I was very sad to see what became of Charlie. Even with his app not working out, he seemed like a guy who had his shit together and could have moved on to another successful venture. It made me way more sad than a fictional story should.

[Primetimer]

Marnie figures out what we've known all along, in the most inadvisable way possible.

Read the story

[lidarose9]

I thought it was a good episode, but the woman who plays Marnie is just not a great actress. For one thing, she seems unable to wipe the faint trace of a half-smirk off her face at all times. It really makes it hard to take her moment-of-truth moments seriously. But really the range of what she is able to convey is so weentsy. She's got maybe 3 expressions. Her line readings are often slightly out-of-tune. I just have never quite bought her whole characterization. I think Marnie is a brilliant character being played by a kinda basic actress.

 

I agree about the skinniness, and I think that dress was specially chosen to play it up. She looked like a wound. 

 

I caught my breath when she said he made her cover her face the first 2 times they fucked, cuz he felt so guilty. I thought, omg, what kind of woman would come back a second time after that. Only someone really deluded. 

 

Also, the reunion with Charlie was a real life fairy tale, all in 1 day, until she found his drug stuff. Marnie finally got that happy ending. The story could have gone several directions at that point, most of them all very tired and predictable. I love that she didn't do any of them. 

 

[The Solution]

Am I a terrible person because I have also said to someone "You won't kill yourself. You're far too narcissistic."?
 

[LilaFowler]

I thought it was a good episode, but the woman who plays Marnie is just not a great actress. For one thing, she seems unable to wipe the faint trace of a half-smirk off her face at all times. It really makes it hard to take her moment-of-truth moments seriously. But really the range of what she is able to convey is so weentsy. She's got maybe 3 expressions. Her line readings are often slightly out-of-tune. I just have never quite bought her whole characterization. I think Marnie is a brilliant character being played by a kinda basic actress.

Summarized to perfection.

[tennisgurl]

You know, for an episode all about Marine, one of the most ridiculous people in all of TV, I actually liked that a lot. Marnie actually showed some self awareness and character growth, even in the midst of her...Marnieness. 

 

It was cool seeing Charlie again, but sad seeing how much his life is messed up. How depressing. Going from future tech king to working some random job and having a drug problem. I assume this is the last we see of Charlie, but I hope we see him sext season or something, having gotten his life together again. 

 

25 1/2. Yeah that explains it. 

 

I will miss Desi. If nothing else, he actually makes the rest of the cast seem like a bunch of well adjusted, empathetic, young adults. Your the worst Desi. 

[Cutty]

Didn't buy Charlie's development. Totally out of character from the guy we knew for 2-3 seasons.

Dunham said in the recap that she got the inspiration for this episode after watching The Panic In Needle Park. Swing and a miss, Lena.

Did enjoy the breakup scene with Desi.

[WhosThatGirl]

I could buy Charlie having a breakdown if his Dad killed himself and them him not wanting to go into an office everyday and then a drug problem. It kind of..does make sense in a way. People react to things like that in strange ways. So, to me..I could see it happening. 

[scrb]

Marnie doesn't know what she wants out of life.

But she could start with a sandwich or two if she wants to fill that dress.

Maybe she should have went for a scone.

[WhosThatGirl]

But then she would have had to spend time with Desi. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. 

[LilaFowler]

I figured the my-dad-hanged-himself was a druggie lie once Marnie started in on him and how he mistreated her, just like the "I have diabetes" line.  YMMV.

 

I still enjoy this show despite its failings and shortcomings.  Nothing about this Marnie-centric episode was based in reality or fueled by logic.  I mean, of course Marnie would have a fight with Desi, run into her ex on a random street, buy a cool dress from a cool store, go to the Plaza, sell some drugs, pretend to be a hooker, score lots of cash, pig out, have sex, take a shower with a random (who tells flat-chested Marnie that she has nice tits), find some needles and then walk barefoot across NYC.  Of course.  In reality, Charlie was working some low-level job somewhere and dating a nice girl while Marnie went out, got some froyo and then went home to Desi.  But it's a show, I get it.  Lena wrote the episode so of course it won't make sense.  It was entertaining.

Edited March 28, 2016 by LilaFowler

[ChelleGame]

Desi's line, "You will get murdered one day," made me laugh until I was sick. He is/was just such a ridiculous character. And the constant crying. 

 

Poor Charlie. That took a sad turn but I really liked the episode. The actor has a sweet face but his three friends on the street were so sketch I knew something bad was coming down the pike/pipe (which one is it?).

 

Almost passed out at the sight of her bare feet on those New York streets.

[CofCinci]

It wasn't really a falling out, he just didn't want to play Charlie anymore. He said he respected Dunham's work a lot and the show, but he didn't relate to the character. So either it wasn't a "falling out" or he just got over it.

Well, she gave him a whole new Charlie to play.

So, does Marnie end up with Hep C, HIV, or fetus?

[runforcover]

amazing. really good. finally.

[Maya]

I hate Marnie, but I Ioved the episode. I was worried Charlie was going to be her knight in shining armor, so I was relieved when he wasn't. I also thought that when she was under water looking around, she was going to surface and the whole thing had been a dream.

[absnow54]

I spent the entire episode holding my breath while waiting for Charlie to die, he had such an ominous dark cloud around him the whole time. I think Alison Williams and Chris Abbott have such amazing chemistry and that they really sparkled in all of their scenes together, so bummer about Charlie's downward spiral. I do think it's the last we'll see of him, since Ray has basically filled old-Charlie's role as Marnie's stalwart backup plan.

 

Desi wins another episode with "you're recoiling from my touch" and "you will get murdered." Desi is the worst, but he gets the best lines.

[amanda5858]

I dislike Marnie, but this episode was really good.  I was strangely deeply depressed about Charlie which is weird because I was sort of meh about his character when he was on it. Maybe he can stop for a scene with Ray one time?  I was glad to see Christopher Abbott, I saw his movie James White recently and he was great.  

Edited March 28, 2016 by amanda5858

[grumpypanda]

Weird episode, Charlie looks pretty healthy for an iv drug user living in a shit hole apartment. Usually coke makes you lose your appetite and lose weight but Charlie gains weight because shortly after shooting up he has a hankering for spaghetti.

Anyway, Desi does get some great lines. He's right, Marnie may end up getting murdered. She does do some really stupid things.

[marny]

I was so glad when Marnie said something to Charlie about his stupid fake accent. When he started talking, all I could think was "When did Charlie become a street tough?" It's like he was suddenly in Newsies.

[peeayebee]

I want an episode centered around Rips.

 

I too wondered if Charlie was making up the story about his father killing himself. Actually, I think it's true because I don't think we'll see Charlie again. Marnie saw her fairy tale night come to a crashing halt.

 

Not sure what the point of the mugging was. An omen to Marnie that things are not that great?

 

Like everyone else, I loved Desi line about Marnie recoiling from his touch. Extra funny that he repeats the line.

 

I also loved the girl in the shop who had Marnie pegged pretty quickly.

 

I didn't like the food eating scene. They looked like pigs.

 

I wish I cared more about Marnie.

[EdnasEdibles]

I'm old so I don't pick up on things but Charlie is a drug dealer, right? HIs friends at the beginning said something that alluded to that and then the old man's girlfriend said that they were buying coke from him, didn't they?

 

I can buy Charlie's breakdown - I think he was just as messed up as the rest of them and then if his dad did kill himself, that would send anyone over the deep end. 

 

Desi is so ridiculous. So very ridiculous. And I also would have left him there in that fucking mess of an apartment that he destroyed. 

[Momof2boyz]

I didn't like this episode.  The whole thing seemed like a terrible dream.  I kept waiting for her to wake up.  As laughably awful as Desi is, I still felt kind of sorry for him.  I thought that was a pretty shitty thing of her to do, to just walk off and spend the whole night out.  She should have been honest about her feeling earlier, before cheating.  Whether she rushed into the marriage or not, she still said those vows.

[CofCinci]

I spent the entire episode holding my breath while waiting for Charlie to die, he had such an ominous dark cloud around him the whole time.

When the kid pulled the gun on Charlie, I thought he was going to get shot/die.

I'm curious about where Marnie will go next.... Seems like she could use the retreat that Hannah visited last week.

Also, I hate to admit it, but I kept waiting for a Jessa/Adam scene. These two fucks have grown on me and I'm all in with that "ship."

[candall]

I only started watching last season so I had no pre-knowledge of Charlie.  When he asked for the bathroom, I thought he was going to shoplift a dress.  Then I thought he went next door and robbed the place to pay for the dress.  Then I thought he had set up the whole robbery to get Marnie's purse and jewelry.

 

I also waited for the girl in the bathroom to be Charlie-related.

("That's my towel."  GAG ME.)  "Just" a junkie made a little dying Pacman sound in my head. 

 

Rejoicing with everyone else that Marnie didn't wind up seeing Desi with a fresh and forgiving perspective.

 

I'm not the most fastidious person in the world, but even the charming little tree-lined streets in New York have sidewalks stitched together with black polka dots of . . .gum?  Phlegm?  Rip off Charlie's socks or tie those garbage bag curtains around your feet.  Flash the cab driver?  Anything before trooping crosstown barefoot.

Edited March 28, 2016 by candall

[TaraS1]

I really liked the tension of this episode - for me, it made for one of the most exciting episodes in a long time.  I was actually afraid that the mugger was going to shoot Charlie.  

 

But I didn't understand why Marnie was so surprised at the end that Charlie was using drugs when she already found out earlier that he was dealing cocaine.  Maybe it was the fact that he was shooting up, but still...

 

So nice to have a break from Hannah and Jessa.

[jennylauren123]

For those of us worried about Marnie's feet, she said in an interview that she wore a little moleskin on them.

 

I hope it was more than a little!

[lidarose9]

I got the idea that Marnie walking home barefoot was kind of a statement in itself. Maybe she was punishing herself. She had shoes at one point. She had clothes. She could have pulled on one of Charlie's t-shirts or sox. She could have called a friend for a ride. The long walk home was something she chose. 

[Pallas]

Not sure what the point of the mugging was.

 

1) It pays homage to a similar NYC mugging in Heartburn (heroine/victim's marriage on the rocks, the mugger makes off with the wedding ring), by Lena's mentor Nora Ephron, and

 

2) It frees Marnie from all baggage, including "proof" of her identity, which she now knows is really an open question. 

[wendyg]

"Yes, I am only 25 and a half years old..."

 

"No, that sounds right."

 

Loved that.

[Kbilly]

So Marnie freaked about the drug use but not the dealing? Charlie looked great with some meat on his bones. I wondered if the tats were real. Going from his architecturally perfect apartment to that dump, changing his whole demeanor from being overly sweet to overcompensating toughness--he had such a big fall. I wonder why he never leaned on his buddy Ray. I kind of liked when Marnie was giving him the business about leaving her cold with a homemade pizza but then she just went with it.

 

When Desi said she was going to get murdered did he mean her heart? Just an odd thing to say but he was an odd guy. 

 

I teared up when Marnie climbed into bed with Hannah, just thinking back on how close they once were. Coming back to that true relationship that she really trusted was sweet to me (even if it is with selfish Hannah!) I almost wish it would have ended with Hannah draping an arm around her or them laying there looking each other in the face.

[Eyes High]

Desi's hipster nonsense is incredibly entertaining to me. I love that the writers keep making him more and more ridiculous.

Who says that their age is X years and a half? Children, that's who.

Edited March 28, 2016 by Eyes High

[CofCinci]

So Marnie freaked about the drug use but not the dealing?

Probably because Charlie was selling recreational Coke to rich adults. It was a thrilling adventure for her. Little did she know that Charlie was mostly likely selling/delivering for Rips & Crew only to support his own addiction.

[Clanstarling]

I agree about the skinniness, and I think that dress was specially chosen to play it up. She looked like a wound.

Maybe that was intentional - it seems a perfect metaphor for the episode.

 

 

take a shower with a random (who tells flat-chested Marnie that she has nice tits)

Small doesn't mean unappealing or unattractive. Society places way too much value on large breasts. (speaking as someone who has had large ones since the 6th grade)

[represent]

Someone said they thought it all might have been a dream. For a minute, I too thought that when she and Charlie fell in the water and they had that camera shot of her wide eyed, still in the water.  At that point, I definitely thought that the next shot would be her waking up.

 

Actually, now that I think about it, it was kind of strange how still she was that Charlie had to pull her up out of the water. I was like, is she at peace or something, trying to kill herself, waiting to be rescued, what? It was a bit strange.

 

When Desi said she was going to get murdered did he mean her heart? Just an odd thing to say but he was an odd guy

 

I thought he meant literally that she's going to get herself murdered, that she can't take care of herself and doesn't make good decisions. She couldn't figure out that something was very off with Charlie but many of us could.  Like I said, for me, his friends gave me an uncomfortable feeling and as soon as they took off to buy dresses, the show had this ominous feeling for me.  Meanwhile she's skipping around on her "happy, free" adventure and even after she got to his room she still...My lord, that place was horrible.

I kinda thought that he might have a point, except I knew it was all self-serving and about keeping Marnie from leaving.

He also knows damn well that he's nuts and she married him anyway.

He knows just how flaky she is, and how bad she is at making good decisions.  And one day one of those decisions could lead to her being murdered.

 

Hell, she was almost murdered that night for crying out loud and I'd say the company she chose, because she couldn't pick up that something was seriously off, she has no instincts, was part of her life being in danger IMO.

Edited March 28, 2016 by represent

[iggysaurus]

Meanwhile she's skipping around on her "happy, free" adventure and even after she got to his room she still...My lord, that place was horrible.

 

I thought that was meant to illustrate that Marnie was making a deliberate effort to just "go with the flow" and not be her usual uptight self who would've been horrified by that place. (Well, most of us would, but particularly someone like Marnie.)  Earlier in the episode, she started to question Charlie about something odd he said or did, and then she said "You know what, never mind. I'm not trying to change you anymore."  Or something to that effect. So the whole thing with her embracing all the odd adventures even when it was something that any normal person would see as a huge red flag, was all about her trying to not be Marnie and be someone totally different for the night ... just abandon herself to whatever happens and let herself be swept away by Charlie even if it was just a fantasy.

[CofCinci]

Do you all think she would have run off with him if she didn't find his kit?