HBO's "Girls"

The HBO hit "Girl's" finished it's second season not too long ago. I remember when it was just getting ready to premiere and all the hype it was getting. My husband and I are avid HBO fans, so we of course DVR'd the first couple episodes. It took me all of about 5 seconds to decide I hated it and felt completely disconnected from the main girl, Hannah. I think we casually watched the first two episodes, but quickly stopped recording it and never really thought about it again.

Well, it got all sorts of awards this year and I saw the creator and star Lena Dunham accepting the awards and kind of felt the same way as I did when I watched the first episode. It was just something about her that mad me feel uneasy when I saw her. I was telling this to my Dad and Sister when they were over for coffee a couple weeks back and I completely offended my sister. Of the two of us, she is definitely the more image conscious or so I thought. Well, she hit the nail on the head of why I didn't like her. Lena is not your typical TV show star, she isn't even you're typical co-star. She has some odd tattoos in very visible places and they're quite large. She is a little over weight. She doesn't seem to slather on the make up. Her outfits on the show are less than flattering. She is just kind of frumpy and for some reason frumpy makes me feel uncomfortable. After realizing that I was basing my whole opinion of her on her looks, I felt pretty low. No longer will I let this be a truth about myself. I hate evening reading these words as I type them because it makes me feel disappointed in myself.

My sister has been singing this show's praises since she first saw it and promised me I would love it too, if I would only give it a chance. I am not normally one to buy into Hollywood's ideas of how an actress should look and I don't particularly like the media telling people how they should look either; I kind of felt embarrassed and I figured I owed this show (girl) another chance. And seriously -- I couldn't be happier that I did! The premise is a group of twenty something young women trying to make it on their own in Brooklyn. It's kind of like a prequel to Sex and the City. There is just something very raw about the show that makes you keep coming back for more. I think the frankness of the show is what turned me away at first. It didn't necessarily have the feel good fairy tale feel to it that we are all so used to when we turn on the ole' boob tube. Life isn't always pretty and it can be very trying and confusing at times... especially for young women. I love that the show is real and down to earth and shows people living life how it really is. They're not in some staged apartment that we're all supposed to pretend is a piece of crap - even though it clearly isn't... like in Friends. I mean seriously, that apartment was amazing and we ALL know! Ha! That surely wasn't real life. Anyway, the show digs deep and explores a lot of uncomfortable subjects and definitely isn't suitable for everyone and certainly not young children. It's an in your face kind of show, but isn't life kind of in your face everyday?

It's based on some of 26 year old Lena Dunham's real life experiences. I love that she not only writes the show, but that she stars in it and directs it occasionally. She is completely involved and has made herself very vulnerable by putting her life stories out there like that. She has turned her own life struggles into a TV show for the WHOLE world to view. That takes real courage. It says something about her and I truly appreciate her for that. One day I would like to think I have courage like that. I can't believe I almost didn't watch this show because she didn't look like she fit the bill for being the star of a show. That was very shallow of me and I am glad my sister called me out on it because otherwise I wouldn't have had to pleasure of enjoying this series. The old saying always seems to remain true, "You can't judge a book by it's cover."

P.S. I highly recommend this show, but I want to remind you that it is not a G rated show. After all, it is HBO so if you're not into that, then it's probably not going to be a good match for you. That is all.

Over & Out
-ejw