Change is a scary thing, isn’t it?
Girls features characters who consistently fall back into old patterns, looking for a direction, a goal or sense of self-worth to grasp onto. Yet, what happens when those old patterns are broken, when we run into obstacles that, only weeks before, were facilitators?
Take Shosh, for example, who finds out she can’t graduate and pours her heart out to Ray, essentially begging him to take her back. It’s a genuine, heartbreaking moment–not to mention brilliantly acted by Zosia Mamet–but it’s also a necessary facing up to reality; he decides not to take her back, and the simple truth is that he’s moved on. This parallels the situation Adam and Hannah were in last season, but the difference is that Hannah took Adam back. Now, though? Now, it’s all different.
When you’re in a relationship, some of your inherent self-centeredness is going to look bad to the other person no matter what, much like Adam practicing his character and closing himself off to Hannah a lot of the time, or Hannah going to him with the news about Iowa right before his performance (this is far from an ill-intended act, though, or a blatantly manipulative one like we saw early on in the season). It seems inevitable that this is the way it would all turn out and that they’d be at a crossroads over their careers, because Adam is the kind of guy who criticizes the fact that nothing’s easy with Hannah, seeming like someone who hasn’t quite grasped the concept of being with another person.
I really like that final scene because of, interestingly enough, the self-centeredness of it. And it’s not the irritating, off-putting kind of self-centeredness that she’s become known for, but rather the fact that it’s a moment where she realizes she has a new direction to take (and therefore, for the show to take). It isn’t about getting back at Adam or about getting back together with him, or about her pushing her friends away. She’s not going to come out of this emotionally unscathed, but she learned something about her artistic and creative ability from her relationship with Adam, and she can take solace in the letter. She can take solace in knowing that those two plane rides can take her very, very far.
GRADE: B+
OTHER THOUGHTS:
-Elijah and his suit shorts. Brilliant. I also loved him making his way into the photo-shoot at the end of the episode.
-“I’m kinda intuitive about these things. I’ve predicted two divorces, one pregnancy, and a couple of natural disasters.” Also, “Iowa is not a coast.” Elijah, I want season 4 to just follow you around.
-“At intermission, you’re going to buy me some M&Ms, and then we’re going to have a fucking chat.”
-Marnie’s at her most disappointing in this episode–from her lame apology to her making out with Desi–especially after the arc she’s been on and the confidence she’s built up; then again, I can certainly see Marnie Michaels shining through. In a little bit, she’ll turn out just like Clementine, wearing the same green dress and trying to recapture the magic.
-Jessa and Beady’s storyline is way too rushed in this episode, but I think Beadie’s a great presence on this show; she seems like a vision of the future for all these characters, almost like a cautionary tale. For a show about people falling back into old patterns and trying to find a sense of direction, she’s a nice character to have. Also, Louise Lasser is very good in the role.
-Caroline and Laird are back, and Caroline feels a labia forming!
-I haven’t covered this season, save for two episodes, but I really liked it. It was a nice, self-contained story, and although I would’ve liked to see a bit more experimentation, it was very enjoyable. My two favorites were “Beach House” and “Flo”, both solid A episodes. Thanks for reading!
Photo credit: HBO, Girls
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