What I’m Watching: Girls (Season Premiere)

Girls: Season 3, Episodes 1 and 2 “Females Only” and “Truth or Dare” (B)

I was conflicted about this show during its second season since I felt that a few of its plotlines took an unfortunate direction after things had already been interesting enough in the first season and the start of the show’s second year as well. Now, in the aftermath of Hannah’s breakdown and Marnie’s creative-differences-prompted breakup, things actually seem to be relatively on track for most of our characters. Hannah is receiving positive feedback about her writing and has managed to stay on track with the production of her work, which is good. But then there’s the incredible enigma of Adam, a character who has no trouble saying that he has no interest in spending time with his girlfriend’s friends and is usually prickly and antisocial around them, yet rises to the challenge when Marnie or Shoshanna, or even Jessa, need support. Aside from some hiking-related protest, Hannah is not going to initiate any change, and, remarkably, their partnership seems to be working despite his usually condescending attitude. Jessa managed to get kicked out of rehab, no small feat, taking some time beforehand to awaken Laura (played by Danielle Brooks, Taystee on “Orange is the New Black”) to some new sexual truths, and then completely manipulating Hannah into driving all the way to Vermont to pick her up from rehab. Having her back in New York should prove interesting if nothing else. Among the most entertaining moments of this two-part premiere was Hannah and Shoshanna’s tangential discussion about the pronunciation of Ryan Phillippe’s last name and other words of idiotic wisdom from Shoshanna.