In terms of the romantic elements, a much lighter approach is taken towards reconciling Hannah and Adam’s relationship, which took a nosedive at the end of the last season – out of her somewhat selfish decision to drop a truth bomb on him moments before he made his Broadway debut. Teetering on shaky ground, her imminent New York exit forces them each to confront the journey she’s about to embark on; a point made all the more palpable by Marnie’s song penned for her friend. “What are you thinking about?” she asks him. “Nothing, I’m just listening to the music. What about you?” “The maze of our future,” she responds faux-enigmatically. Whereas previous stabs at getting to the grit of their issues has been aired by raised voices and dramatic sprints across the city, this time their uncertain future is grazed over and left to air dry without a definitive resolution.
The only major confrontation for Hannah comes from Jessa, who, like Shoshanna, is relegated to the sidelines for the majority of the 30 minutes. Nonchalantly brushing off her reason for not hanging out prior to her leaving, Jessa enters the bathroom while Hannah recites a series of self-important aphorisms to the mirror. Where Hannah is trying to carve out a brighter future for herself, Jessa hoists all of her failure onto her supposed friend. Calling out Hannah for abandoning the rest of them, Jessa’s pushy selfishness in contrast to Hannah’s somewhat grounded and quiet attitude only serves to reinforce her friend’s decision to leave.
After being retrieved from rehab ceremoniously by Hannah, now Jessa stomps her feet with indignation and throws her toys out of the pram in a how dare you leave me after you dragged me back here? huff. A clear cut moment highlighting the self-entitled, me-me-me aspect of the show that’s been critically analysed to death, it’s a refreshing change to note that its not Hannah who’s being greedy in this instance. Holstering the typically indulgent whims of our leading lass for most of the episode, the biggest gripe here is the simple fact that she’s leaving. There’s no space for self, as she welcomes Marnie in to help her load up her parents’ car the next morning.
An effective, low-key debut to the fourth season of Girls, peppered with a few spiky moments – including a brilliant Natasha Lyonne as Beadie’s daughter – the simmering tension between Hannah, her friends and her boyfriend will hopefully explode spectacularly a few episodes down the line. For now, Hannah’s quiet departure as a just-rising Adam peers out of the window, seems to be as she might say – unwinding just right.