‘Girls’ season 4, episode 6 review: Pain and progress
Tonight was an episode of “Girls” we have waited for perhaps since the start of maybe the third season, if for no other reason than that it represented something that this show has long needed: Real, tangible progress. Everyone has their own stages of discovering adulthood, and we are in an age now where you can stretch out a period of immaturity deep into your twenties.
Clearly, Hannah has been doing that in many ways, but through counseling and maybe some self-convincing, she has learned something: Maybe she genuinely does enjoy helping people. The idea of Hannah in a way is absurd, but at the same time, this could be what she has yearned for when it comes to giving some balancing to her life. There can still be a part of her that is self-serving and works on producing quality writing, but she can help others at the same time. Hannah has been far too singular in her focus, and in being in this environment, she could even come up with further inspiration for her own work.
Meanwhile, it took Ray sitting within a room full of do-nothing members of government to realize that he actually wants to enact real change, and it goes far beyond him wanting to stop the noise on his street. He remains our favorite character, and the idea of him running for public office could be a fantastic storyline. Can you imagine him campaigning? Like Hannah, he wants to help others, but in a certain way also help himself.
We have gone probably a few paragraphs too long without really mentioning what will for many be the big takeaway from the episode: Adam learning that Mimi-Rose had an abortion, and she did not bother to tell him until after the fact. We’re not going to get too much into the “who was right” side of things, mostly because there are so many political potholes here that we don’t feel like falling into. What we do know is that every emotion portrayed in this felt real and genuine, and that is what made it so compelling. Of course Adam was upset as a result of this, and of course someone like Mimi-Rose felt like she had the right to do what she wanted, and would tell Adam about it later. Seemingly, these two are staying together.
As for Marnie and Desi … less is more. We never loved the two of them together, and we still don’t love them now. It’s just akin to watching someone repeatedly try to audition for “American Idol,” even though they’re not very good, and we’re using this analogy more with the relationship than her talent. Desi is a waste of her time, and yet she doesn’t realize it.
Minor complaints aside, this is an episode that proved “Girls” is not trying to create a stagnant show. Maybe these changes for these characters do not stick, but the idea that they are changing at all is exciting. Grade: B+.
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