What I’m Watching: Girls (Season Premiere)

Girls: Season 2, Episode 1 “It’s About Time” (B+)

After this show’s big wins at the Golden Globes the same night that this episode aired, I had forgotten just how much I found this show appealing. It’s all about the writing and the fact that this show knows how to use actors and characters subtly. The best illustrations of that are two actors who have series regular commitments to NBC shows, Andrew Rannells and Donald Glover. Rannells’ Elijah seems to be taking on a much bigger role this season, and he’s already one of its best additions, far more bearable than his character on “The New Normal.” I almost didn’t recognize Glover because his character is so much more muted than Trey on “Community,” and I think he’s probably the first good choice that Hannah has made when it comes to men. Adam isn’t entirely out of the picture, of course, and he’s still saying manipulative things, like that he doesn’t know how to behave without her, and he’d die if she went away. I’m glad to see Shoshanna still feeling strongly about Ray, and standing up to him (“I am really tired of being insulted, even when it comes before a compliment”) only to see him try harder to win her affection. Telling her that she has a beautiful, fresh, vibrant sincerity sounded like a good enough line to me. I think that the casting of Rita Wilson as Marnie’s mom was absolutely perfect, and it’s clear that Marnie isn’t headed anywhere good as she continues to think that she can be friends with Charlie despite the obvious problems with that. I love that Elijah and Marnie almost had sex (“You can only make fun of bisexuals and Germans, and I’m both”) only to see that plan fail miserably. Jessa and her new husband seem to be having a good time together, though we saw precious little of them in this opening installment. The best line of the night comes from Elijah: “I didn’t even know there was a G train.”