Tonight the 2nd episode of "Girls" aired. It's become quite the cultural touchstone for its awkward depictions of sex, privilege, meta-privilege, ironic millennial hipsterdom, complete absence of black people save for a jolly homeless man, and the fact that the whole shebang is being driven by a 25 year old. (See Amanda Dobbins, "Anatomy of a Backlash" at NY Mag and get caught up: vulture.com). How'd you likey?

I'm having a love/hate relationship with it. Parts of it ring very true to me (dating in your early twenties, for one). But it is also so egregiously lacking in certain areas....

in addition to the problems of diversity already mentioned, I find it untenable that even if Hannah, herself, is self-indulgent and her ambition is limited to talking/whining vs doing (certainly we've all known those people) that NONE of the characters on the show possess that no-holds-barred, sometimes laughable, sometimes baseless, sometimes awe-inspiring, megalomaniac ambition that defines so much of this city.

That no one one in her world is ridiculously, actively ambitious for something (be it love, work, money, social status) rings very false to me. I've worked with plenty of kids this age whose hustle and drive is stunning.
Its absence is especially weird considering Dunham herself must be enormously ambitious to be this successful at age 25.

What frustrates me the most about "Girls" is that Lena Dunham's entire repertoire consists of works where she directs herself playing a version of herself, which after about the third project starts to make her seem like an egomaniac unwilling to push out of her comfort zone.

I'd have had infinitely more respect if she were behind the camera and had found a brilliant young comedienne whom she'd plucked from some open mic night in Williamsburg to play Hannah, thus putting two talented young women on the map at once. Maybe the actress could even have been non-white.

But, no.

I just watched Episode 2. A. Glad I'm not 24. B I was a hater, but now, I think it's just so painfully true. It reminds me of the awkward 24 year old with no self esteem that I was. I don't want to go back there!

I love it. Absolutely love it. I think the harsh reviews to the show have been a bit much. I mean it's a TV show and we're allowed to be critical but holy shit has this one gotten a ton of press about all of it. I watch it in entertainment mode and just honestly enjoy it. The sex scene starting Episode 2 deserves an award in amazing awkwardness.