I mean, I’ll grant that they are a few of these things, but I’m not sure how it necessarily follows that this is a weakness. Much gets made of the “flawed” character, as though this quality is inherently good and interesting, and I don’t subscribe to this philosophy. I wasn’t able to get into The Mindy Project because while Mindy Kaling touted her protagonist as “flawed,” I couldn’t find enough redeeming qualities about any other characters or stories that made these flaws interesting or keenly observed. So I understand that people might hear Girls characters described as “flawed” and think that’s supposed to mean that makes them good. I don’t agree with this.
However, I also don’t agree with the idea that characters have to be likeable, or even relatable, to be interesting. Tony Soprano isn’t exactly a likeable or relatable dude, but he is a fascinating character. That’s an extreme example, and many other shows make characters interesting in more realistic and subtle ways. The characters in Girls remind me of friends who become your friends for good reasons initially but are often the source of irritation and frustration. Or they remind me of people who come from privilege but then have to endure the struggles many of us have had to deal with for some time. This isn’t a criticism but an observation, and one that can be handled with awareness and embarrassment, and that’s the way I find Girls handles it. This isn’t a show that would argue against being labeled as full of “first world probems,” but it still is a fascinating take on upper middle class angst, not unlike someone like Kurt Cobain might express. Dunham and company just do this with more irony and humor.
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Published: Mar 5, 2013 02:25 pm