Girls: Season 1
  • Network: HBO
  • Series Premiere Date: Apr 15, 2012
  • Season #: 1 , 2
User Score
7.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 241 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 179 out of 241
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 241
  3. Negative: 45 out of 241

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  1. MarcDoyle
    Apr 16, 2012
    8
    Like musiqfanatic, I was prepared to be strongly annoyed by the show - the lead character in particular. But the first episode won me over. There's an authentic, non-cliched feel to it. I'm looking forward to getting to know her and her circle of friends. One issue - I like Peter Scolari as her father, but her mother is a miss. I won't get specific as to the why - it's too harsh.
  2. Seriosity
    Mar 20, 2013
    10
    Go with the critics on this one; this is another superb show from the always reliable HBO. Lena Dunham has an incredible ear for realistic and interesting dialogue. That alone would be enough for me to watch, but where the show truly shines is in its characters. they are all so strange yet relatable, and frustrating but hopelessly sympathetic. 9.5/10
  3. A_Northerner
    Dec 23, 2012
    7
    Remember the four Manhattan based women on Sex and the City? Splashing the cash to keep up with the fashion and attending NY's most glamorous parties? Forget them. Four girls in New York is where the similarities end. These girls live in Brooklyn, struggle to pay rent and are more likely to attend parties in warehouses.

    Based on some of her own experiences, Lena Durham (who plays lead c    haracter Hannah) created and wrote the show, as well as directing five of the ten episodes. She deserves credit for writing such a fresh take on the 'girls story'. The girls in question are not always at their glamorous best, crude, promiscuous and are supported by a witty and often hilarious script. Their day to day issues are largely trivial, Hannah's parents cut her off financially, Marnie's boyfriend is too perfect, Shoshanna is a virgin and Jessa returns from travelling unhappy at adapting to the real world. Despite this, the script makes these trivial storylines more than amusing and the pure oddness of the supporting characters, mainly Adam (Adam Driver), really helps. One guy decides not have to have sex with Shoshanna when he discovers she's a virgin because "virgins get attached. Or they bleed.". To which she replies, "I'm a totally unattached bleeder". Chris O'Dowd makes a hilarious cameo in a later episode as a wealthy businessman who gets agonisingly close to having a ménage a trois with Jessa and Marnie, only for it to fall apart before his eyes and actually be more annoyed that the girls spilt wine onto his expensive rug.… Expand
  4. skantea
    Apr 19, 2012
    3
    I'm not a big fan of nepotism, but I'm fair and will give credit where credit is due. That said, there is very little credit due here. Just rich kids trying to feel something real, giving up and just faking it. A lot of critics will give a project credit because of its pedigree. It's called the Halo Effect, when something's value is raised just because of the hands that touched it. That's happening here and people will continue to defend it for a while but as the viewers flee so will all support. It's technically polished but still just a fart in the wind.… Expand
  5. LetzTalkMoveez
    Nov 21, 2012
    7
    It's a love-hate relationship with "Sex and the City" that Lena Dunham explores in "Girls". The thing is, yes, not everyone is Carrie from that show, but most people aren't Lena Dunham either which seems to be the thing the show forgets. Thankfully, the over-honesty is mostly endearing and Dunham is as likable as she could be playing what I'd assume is herself.
  6. khan2705
    Jun 14, 2012
    10
    I started watching this show a few days back, just decided to give it a shot after such superb critical acclaim and a very shocking awful response by viewers which is something i hate because they love Gossip Girl and PLL but hate "One of the Best Comedy Show of all time" no kidding this show rocks. Lena Dunham is a real genius, very supremely talented, she created it, writes it, directed a few episodes and is a executive producer. HBO always comes up with great TV shows but this is something else, last year was Enlightened and now Girls. The very raw, raunchy, bold, dark and yet quite touching, funny and utterly lovable nature of this show makes it one of the best offerings. They aren't just rich and spoiled because they actually work, or on the verge of becoming responsible, this is based on actual realistic experiences and shows much closer the life of ordinary GIRLS in New York. A brilliant effort, i truly love this show and very happy for Lena Dunham.… Expand
  7. GotTheseScars
    Jan 27, 2013
    8
    I was apprehensive when I first started watching "Girls", but as the season progressed I became increasingly intrigued by the show, and after finishing the 1st season I realize how good it really was. Some other users have complained about it "not being up to HBO standards", but I believe in all its simplicity it actually shines by being completely straightforward, not hiding anything in it's depiction of a group of mid 20s girls living a glamour-less New York lifestyle.… Expand
  8. nerdyhousewife
    Sep 3, 2012
    10
    OMG. How could the user reviews be so wrong? How can *The Wire*, with its droll attempt at reality, outrank this show with users? Bizarre. If you haven't seen this show, please try it out. It's so honest and likeable. I watched the whole first season over labor day weekend. My fav line: "I am 13 pounds overweight and it has been awful for me my whole life!" The show feels like an attempt to portray everything embarrassing about being a girl in her 20's, while somehow still finding acceptance and joy.… Collapse
  9. darktyler
    Sep 12, 2012
    10
    I feel that I have to defend the show. Don't get me wrong I don't think it was the perfect start for a freshman series. It was very good, though. It showed how it feels to be young, confused, bold, dreamer, a failure, in love, and above all humane in the city that never sleeps in 2012 where everything is possible and thus in question. By the end of the season finale, I was quite impressed by the universe Mrs. Dunham created and I anticipate the next season eagerly. P.S For those of you who think the protagonist is ugly well...It's not Sex And The City!!!… Expand
  10. ShoCh
    Jun 10, 2012
    10
    It's so funny to read the negative user reviews for Girls - 'nepotism!' they cry, 'RICH SPOILT WHITE PEOPLE' they screech, 'HBO what have you done - have you gone mad?' they whine. Get a grip. This show is refreshing and brilliant and funny and edgy. Sure - the characters aren't all loveable and perfect all of the time - but then, who is? Anyone comparing this show to Sex & the City is doing it a disservice - in SATC you have 4 one dimensional characters who you never believe could be friends in a real-life situation (they're so different to each other in such obvious ways that they wouldn't last a minute in each other's company), however, in GIRLS, the characters have real and complicated emotions, they are sometimes disloyal, they can be selfish and they make stupid decisions - but they can also be supportive and sweet and the kind of friend you would want to have on your side. All of the naysayers could be male because every female I know absolutely loves this show - perhaps seeing females as normal people who look like they forgot to shave their legs and may not have showered today turns their stomach a bit. If you are a fan of shows like Freaks & Geeks or the 'mumblecore' style of movie making, watch this. If you're not - steer clear or you will be outraged (read the red reviews for a comedic demonstration of utter indignation and unbounded fury).… Expand
  11. TheKiddy
    Apr 23, 2012
    2
    There seems to be a kind of knee jerk response from critics to many HBO shows: they must be good because they are HBO. Meanwhile, as here, there is a definite disconnect between professional critics and viewers. My bias runs the other way.. Based on history -- The Sopranos, The Wire, Sex and the City, Curb your Enthusiasm, etc. -- I take a more "prove it" stance. I want HBO to prove it still has it. This is the cable network that set the bar after all. "Girls" is simply not up to standards. Watch the first scene again. If this were not HBO, and you hadn't been told by critics and others that it is fantastic, would you watch beyond that scene?… Expand
  12. TastyJamProject
    Apr 18, 2012
    1
    This is legitimately one of the worst shows I have ever seen on television, and it frightens me that HBO would have this on their otherwise respectable network. I am in awe that Judd Apatow was involved with this, as he's usually hilarious. The acting is stale, the lead characters are privileged, dumb and annoying and there is scarcely any humour to the show. It's just about a pathetic, whiny rich girl. If you think this is intelligent humour, you're probably the type of person who reads "Into Thin Air" and thinks they've climbed everest. Poor writing, poor acting, poor everything. This is extremely shallow, unintelligent, bland, repetitive crap. Stay away.… Expand
  13. couchpotato
    Sep 8, 2012
    9
    i thought this comedy was one of the best new shows of the season. im glad it got renewed. the only bad thing about Girls is the constant attention to Hannah (Lena Dunham). I want to know about the other characters not just her.
  14. krnology
    Feb 14, 2013
    4
    I watched the entire first season of Girls to make sure I wasn't missing anything. After the final episode concluded I was left confused why so many critics gave this show glowing reviews. It has moments that are interesting, but they are maybe 2-3 minutes per episode in length. I also was unable to connect with any of the characters since the show did its best to make them all equally unlikable. For me, Girls is one of those shows where the numerous critics glowing praise was completely off base.… Expand
  15. todayor
    Apr 24, 2012
    9
    Let me just say, I love this show. Although there are only two episodes, this skilled ensemble has managed to be incredibly involving, funny, and surprisingly substantial- which many funny shows often forget to do. It is a brilliant commentary on the life of a middle-class girl trying navigate the struggle for independence in a time when a college degree is about as useful as, let's say, a curling iron. I love the witty banter and utter lack of pretense. I hope that it only gets better, as I think it will!… Expand
  16. AlFall
    Apr 16, 2012
    10
    Girls is a great work not only of television but of literature of the English language. While other TV shows portray young people as having lives of wealth, glamor, and hot sex, this series dares to display the painful economic and social realities of recent college graduates of 2012. It is easy to identify with and care about every character, even though some characters are indeed harsh; Hannah's mother may seem cruel, but if my daughter were sitting in front of me, high on Opium, asking for $1100 per month, I would be harsh too. Where this show is really spot on is its portrayal of how young women view relationships with men; they complain about guys who are insensitive and uncaring, yet they sleep with these very men - then a woman who has a nice boyfriend jokes that "he has a vagina".… Expand
  17. AJ21
    Apr 28, 2012
    7
    After two episodes although interesting I'm just not sure I can stay with it for much longer as the repetitiveness has already begun. I hope the brilliant writer, Lena Dunham, can continue to rip but I'm skeptical. Interesting show so far though.
  18. TheVegan
    May 6, 2012
    3
    OMG I can not believe this show has such strong reviews. Plus it's not just on TV it's on HBO so it must be good. Well, it's not! I watched the first episode and didn't enjoy it at all. But it was highly rated and on HBO so I thought I would give it another chance. I then watched the second episode all the way through and that was it. I can take no more. There is nothing interesting about this show at all. At least from my point of view.… Expand
  19. topgun86
    Jul 26, 2012
    8
    Definitely a conversation worthy show for anyone in their 20s. As the season progresses the characters are easier to understand and are more sympathetic. Lena hits topics that no other writer on TV has hit. Hopefully this show does not become Bored to Death or even Eastbound as it is most likely this decade's Sex and the City.
  20. jessegirl87
    Mar 29, 2013
    1
    I think this show is just a Lena Dunham vanity project. It's self indulgent and certainly not a reflection of reality for young people, as others suggest. It's about poor little privileged girls, living the hipster lifestyle and not being particularly funny or interesting. I also find it quite odd that it's completely white washed when it's supposedly set in New York City which happens to be one of the most diverse places in America, let alone Brooklyn. I mean, even the background actors are all white. I think the alleged feminism is also very misguided.… Expand
  21. jasher
    May 9, 2012
    5
    This is a tough show to love, but not easy to hate either. Yes, the characters do come off as spoiled babies for the most part, and their problems seem pretty shallow compared to what others in this country are going through right now. At the same time, I would be lying (and I think some of you other reviewers would be, too) if I didn't admit I see at least some of my own (unfortunate, but still real) everyday shallowness within these characters. In that sense, it's hard for me to be too judgemental of them, lest I be a hypocrite. However, I would like to see these characters grow and become less shallow as their lives go on. Not that the (mostly) witty dialogue or smart situations need to change in the process, but I don't want to see characters a couple of seasons from now (if by some chance this show makes it that far) that are just as narcissistic as they are now. Overall, I think "Girls" has promise but is a long way off from being something great.… Expand
  22. FriedConsole
    Apr 29, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. They should just title this show Sex and the City: Next Generation but that would insult the former show. What is it about a fantasy New York setting that captivates women to make them actually move to New York to try to create this fantasy that doesn't exist? Stay in the suburbs spoiled white women this is not the real New York. Sex and the City at least had likable characters. I was hoping all of them would get run over by a NYC taxicab. It is amazing how the 4 characters fit right into the Sex and the City stereotype characters. Oh the one that is a virgin is soooo Charlotte and so on. This is waste of earth resources.… Expand
  23. Cookielove
    May 30, 2012
    10
    This series is a must see for both young adults as well as parents. For once there is a show that actually shows how girls are for real. From trivial drama to life changing decisions, through trying so incredibly hard to please other people just to be loved and all that self obsessed me, me, me indulgence that most 20 somethings have to go through at some point in order to pass into adult life, wiser and hopefully as a better person. It's witty, right to the point and very addictive, with characters that you love to hate and then love some more. And most of all; it sure is a breath of fresh air for all those girls and women out there trying to fit their feet in to Carries expensive uncomfortable shoes, thinking life is like "Sex and the City", when actually for most people, it is more like "Girls". Watch, and love!… Expand
  24. killingspree
    Apr 22, 2012
    0
    WHY ON EARTH WOULD ANYONE WANT TO WATCH A SHOW ABOUT RICH SPOILED WHITE PEOPLE? NOTHING IS GOOD ABOUT THIS SHOW AND THE CRITICS ARE DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT'S GOOD OR BAD.
  25. vern
    Apr 23, 2012
    8
    I don't really understand why people are getting SO aggravated that some of these girls come from money, and depend on their parents. Like stated in other reviews here, there are moments where feeling sympathy for these girls can be hard, but this didn't bother me THAT much. While most people do not have constant financial support from their parents, people like this definitely exist. And if you can't look past this, then don't watch the show. From the first episode, I can say that this is a well-made show with well-written characters. It kept me interested throughout most of the show, and is genuinely funny. By the end, I wanted to see what happened next.… Expand
  26. thecurrentstate
    Apr 22, 2012
    2
    We're welcomed to the show with a run of the mill conversation between an average american brat and its unforgiving parents whom have suddenly decided to cut off life support rendering said brat to throw an inconclusive tantrum from which nothing is resolved, the title screen rolls 'GIRLS' and before any are formally introduced, we already find ourselves disliking them all.

    A few awkward     transitions later we're presented with a failed attempt of affection between two of what appears to be a triad of mentally stunted individuals under a single roof. Two of them deciding upon bathing mutually, likely to cut expenses that were forfeited to purchase a cupcake the more androgynous of the two engulfs while assuring the other that her boyfriend must have a vagina because he's chemically drawn to a **** who confirms to those watching she knows nothing of the opposite sex as she discusses men in an elementary fashion while she walks down the street with her equally confused sidekick.

    Another awkward conversation follows between the seemingly clueless female and her boss as they discuss the potential of herself being officially hired by the company on a permanent basis, he proceeds to take a dump on the idea of her future opportunity and sends her on her merry way frowning like she just soiled her diaper we begin to feel an ounce of sympathy for the girl and pray to the conclusion that she'll finally get her **** together until we see her dwindle into the arms of a pimply white knight who knows exactly what to say to get her to remove her panties to silence their incompatibility and life confusions leaving a feeling of disgust inside our body as we're left to witness him take advantage of her reproductive orifice.

    The camera shoots back to her apartment where her roomates are boring each other to death and cracking awkward jokes until ms. haven't a clue walks through the door apparently smelling of so much sex it overpowers the stale stench emitting from all currently known characters until we're treated to a bathroom **** fight between best friend and british newcomer which is just enough to get you half stiff until we find out one girl is already pregnant and ofcourse by accident because none of these girls have what it takes to even take care of a goldfish.

    So, if you're interested in further speculation of twenty four year olds leeches who act they're four years old. I recommend you stay tuned.    … Expand
  27. VasyaNYC
    Apr 25, 2012
    1
    For all the froth collecting around this show regarding its excessive nepotism, racial exclusiveness/insensitivity, sloppily uninspired and weird sex, etc., what really matters for a viewer in the end is that the show just isn't any good. The characters are uninteresting, not relateable; the script tries but isn't actually funny; the question you'll keep asking yourself over and over will overwhelmingly be "Who cares?" Seriously, Who cares? I'm giving it a 1 for providing the service of helping to more easily identify really dumb people without having to seriously engage them ("Girls" fans are sort of like the people reading Thomas Friedman books on the subway... except dumber and more vapid).… Expand
  28. Delixu
    May 18, 2012
    1
    I started watching the show with very high expectations, and I was very disappointed. The characters are too shallow (read: spoiled little brats), and it seems to be nothing but a pathetic attempt at recreating Sex and the City with younger girls. I gave up after falling asleep during all 3 episodes I watched, and I could not put myself through any more. Woeful.
  29. minadomingos
    Jul 9, 2012
    0
    The show is just like the main actress: An Granade. It's the worst thing I ever saw.It's boring, most of the girls are very ungly, slow, not point and absolutely not funny at all.
  30. orbit
    Nov 12, 2012
    8
    In my opinion it takes some episodes to really appreciate this show but once you do you love it. It's like a mix between US tv series Sex&the city (but it's deeper and more interesting and realistic) and UK tv series Skins. Give it a shot
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Zap2it (Inside the Box)
    May 7, 2012
    80
    Four episodes in, and Girls is still packing tons of jaw-dropping, head-shaking, eyebrow-raising scenes into 30 minutes each Sunday night.
    Read full review
  2. People Weekly
    Reviewed by: Tom Gliatto
    Apr 16, 2012
    100
    It's a raw, ironic, occasionally touching comedy of post-millennial manners. [23 Apr 2012, p.37]
  3. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    Reviewed by: Rob Owen
    Apr 16, 2012
    70
    Girls grew on me. As annoying as the characters can be, they also evince recognizable traits in absurdly realistic situations.
    Read full review
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