Okay, so I just watched the pilot of HBO's new series, "Girls". After reading a few diatribes online, I was curious to see what all the hate was about. After the credits ran I sat there, having been thoroughly entertained and impressed with Lena Dunham's writing, and thought to myself "Seriously??"
In a world where "The Real Housewives" are more popular than The Pope (to some), why is a narrative show about complicated white girls living in New York City some sort of bastion for anger, mockery or jealousy?
So, these actresses are related to famous people! Who cares?? I'd be hard pressed to find a show where someone in the cast/crew was not related to a well known/successful member of the entertainment industry. I'd also be hard pressed to find someone in the position to benefit from their parents' success who would pass that gift up.
I wonder if any of this criticism would be bandied about if this was a show about four white guys. Was "Entourage" criticized for being "too white" or "too sexist" for that matter. I highly doubt it. The Washington Times said the show "depicts a wasteland of promiscuity". Are they seriously saying that females depicting what it's actually like to be young and dating in NYC should all wear scarlett letters while the bachelors of TV, be it Don Draper, Vincent Chase or Hank Moody are just "being men"??
I lived out my early 20s in NYC and what they are showing, whether it pisses people off or not, is exactly what it is like to be between your parents nest and your own in a very rich city. Yes, some people are poorer than the girls depicted and yes, these characters come off a bit spoiled. Cause they are. And what is wrong with putting that type of person under a microscope? Why do audiences totally eat up the Kardashians' wasteful bullshit yet totally rip down women who are working hard and being creative?
The thing that puzzles me is that most of this backlash is from women. Shouldn't we, as an overall group, applaud interesting shows that portray some of the realities of being a woman? It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but in my opinion, it beats watching four idiot guys bum around L.A. screwing everything that moves. But, perhaps, that reality is more palatable to the audience at large than four female-relatives-of-successful-people portraying layered, keenly-observed characters written by a young author with a very bright future.
