What I’m Watching: Girls (Season Premiere)

Girls: Season 4, Episode 1 “Iowa” (B)

I haven’t exactly been anticipating the return of this show, mainly because, despite a strong season finale, last season really lost me. Returning to it now, what I notice most is that none of the main four female characters are particularly likeable. Hannah took that dive a while ago, and heading off to Iowa to pursue some sort of responsibility for her life doesn’t seem like it’s going to change too much. Hannah used to be an extremely compelling character, and there’s just something that’s changed that has made her shrill rather than endearing. That’s more than true of Marnie, who has been heading in this direction for a while now and who doesn’t do a great job of earning sympathy for herself when she breaks down crying after people didn’t listen to her playing since she’s sleeping with her fellow musician and lying to his girlfriend’s face about it. It’s nice to see Ray and Shoshana talking again, even if it was awkward, and I love the fact that both of Shoshana’s parents are named Mel Shapiro, much to their chagrin. Jessa getting her elderly friend to admit that she loves her more than her own blood relative was twisted in her typical way, and I certainly hope that we’ll see more of Natasha Lyonne’s Rickey, who has more than a little bit of contempt for Jessa. Honestly, the character to watch in this installment was Adam, who is occasionally deeply affectionate with Hannah and just as often so entrenched in his work and his perception of self. Somehow, a boy has become this show’s most magnetic character.