GIRLS - Finale Recap: Happily Whatever After
GIRLS concluded Season 3 tonight with an episode that gave each leading lady a moment or two of closure, whether they liked it or not.
Season 3 has been a bit of a tough ride for our four favorite (?) girls, mostly because it’s hard for us to continue making excuses as the episodes fly by week to week, year after year, and we realize that most of these characters have shown little to no growth over the course of a few seasons’ worth of television time. That’s not to say that there aren’t witnessed learning experiences, but rather, that we’ve come to learn that these characters tend to react much more so to earth-shattering moments or life-altering news than simply to the bumps in the road of daily life. Well, unless you count the untimely death of Hannah’s editor. Sometimes I feel like I learn more from Hannah Horvath’s fictitious life than Hannah does. Don’t we all? It’s finale time, though, so we went into this week’s episode ready for Lena Dunham and her crew to deliver some closure true to GIRLS’ form.
First, it’s important to note that most of the dramedy during the Season 3 finale took place during or around Adam’s big Broadway debut in Major Barbara. We didn’t see much of Adam at all until the close of the episode, but that was pretty much the one moment we needed between Hannah and her beau. Adam, for what it’s worth, is probably the character that’s exhibited the most growth over three seasons. Come to think of it, he’s basically a new person at this point all together. More on this later, but I think it’s important to point out that Hannah has played a pivotal role in these positive changes considering the fact that she’s seemed like a burden to him throughout much of Season 3.
Shoshanna:
HBO "GIRLS"
Shoshanna has had a season full of sorting through the baggage and nonsense of others, but that’s not to say that she isn’t partly to blame for the fact that she flunked a bogus NYU course and ended up ineligible for graduation. Still, there’s nothing quite like watching Shoshanna Shapiro cry on GIRLS. It should be illegal. Knowing Shosh to be a girl of order and a normally model example of a contributing member of modern society, it was almost a relief to watch her rip her apartment to pieces after hearing the sour news. On the other hand, we did not want to watch a perfectly primped Marnie “confess” to sleeping with Ray just after the fact. That is, unless Shoshanna tackled her afterwards, which she did!I hate you!Perfect. Not that Marnie really cares.
Perhaps the most touching moment during Episode 12 was Shoshanna’s chat with Ray over some m&ms during intermission. Without much time to talk, we were led to believe that she was going to simply let Ray have it the way she did with Marnie; however, what came next was perfectly pathetic and kind of necessary. We didn’t want to watch Shoshanna beg for Ray to take her back over and over and over again, but it made perfect sense. She’s had a year of wild freedom, at least for Shoshanna’s standards, but she now credits that year without Ray for taking away her success. It might not seem super logical in the way we’re accustomed to watching Shoshanna behave, but she was in desperate need for an emotional moment after an entire season of mostly critical slams and callous, albeit refreshing, slams on the other girls. I’ll say this for Ray; I’m so happy that he did not take her back as Charlie did with Marnie at the end of Season 2. Shoshanna most likely already knows that this was not the right decision for her. She just needs to learn that sometimes sh*t just happens.
Marnie:
HBO "GIRLS"
If the other three girls have struggled with taking steps forward in life, Marnie has actually taken steps backwards. Now, it’s almost as though she’s under the impression that admitting her faults allows her the freedom to abuse them, as though nothing more is expected of her, so she might as well do whatever she pleases.
This week, Marnie wished Desi luck before his big Broadway debut by gifting him a James Taylor guitar pick, only to then end up on the receiving end of a quick make-out session in his dressing room before heading to her seat. Of course, Marnie was beaming with excitement and bragging to all those who would listen, including Hannah who rightfully scolded her for messing with another person’s relationship yet again. Had she not learned from the Shosh situation? Of course not. Marnie didn’t, however, expect to see Desi’s girlfriend, Clementine, in the bathroom after the play. She has Marnie’s number, and she did a very good job of pegging Marnie as some sort of inadequate nuisance rather than an actual threat. If there’s anything that will get through to Marnie, it’s being made out to be a total joke.
Marnie closed out her arc for Season 3 by hopelessly watching from afar with tears welling in her eyes as Desi and Clementine argued outside of a bar on the street. Welcome to true rock bottom, Marnie.
Jessa:
HBO "GIRLS"
Jessa began her work with Beadie (Louise Lasser) during Episode 12, but the job description didn’t include all that Beadie’s expectations entailed. Basically, Beadie was ready to die, and she figured that Jessa was just the right person to, well, help kill her. Of course, Jessa has access to drugs, but mostly, this was a very moving arc for Jessa that allowed her to stare death in the eyes. Of course, Jessa wasn’t really fazed by the process as much as she was simply not interested in participating, which is probably the same quality that compelled Beadie like her to begin with. Beadie’s relentless pleas eventually convinced Jessa to help her do the deed, and the two shared what were supposed to be Beadie’s last moments on Earth alone together. There’s a weird connection here, and I’m not sure if GIRLS is going to keep up this bond during Season 4, but Beadie did not die. In fact, it was Jessa who called 911 in a panic once the woman realized what was about to happen. Jessa needs a healthy mentor figure who understands and appreciates her. I’ve always felt that Jessa is the character with the most capacity for growth, mostly after watching her during the first season of GIRLS; however, Jemima Kirke was largely absent during Season 2 due to her pregnancy, and Season 3 Jessa was too consumed by her drug addiction to move forward. Season 4 is looking promising, though!
Hannah:
HBO "GIRLS"
After losing her book to a bad publishing deal, Hannah’s dwindling writing career has been at the center of her story for Season 3. This week, however, an unlikely new opportunity appeared out of the blue. Hannah was accepted into an incredible graduate program, the Iowa Writing Workshop. If Marnie was that excited for her, well, it can’t be that good, but I’m going to go ahead and assume that it’s actually a stellar program because Hannah was willing to drop the bomb on Adam just before his debut.
On Adam's success:
https://twitter.com/girlsHBO/status/447919079052296193
First, I should note that Hannah’s parents were incredibly excited for this opportunity for their daughter, who, as I said, has had a rough year professionally. Still, Hannah initially went back and forth between considering leaving for school and staying in NYC for her relationship. The conversation with her proud parents sort of pushed her over the edge, and she headed for Adam’s dressing room to share the news along with wishing him luck. Everything Hannah does has an extreme tinge of selfishness to it, though Adam loves her so much that he probably doesn’t see it entirely as so. Still, half of the conversation on Hannah’s end was most likely honestly sharing the news to make Adam happy that she’s begun to catch up to him creatively. The other half was most definitely covert boasting in Hannah's own internal chess match of fame and success.
We know this because Hannah was literally sleeping through Adam’s play until he made his actual acting debut on stage and lit up the entire room. It was so great to see Hannah in a selfless moment of wide-eyed adoration and with such pride in her boyfriend. The fact that she was the first audience member to stand and applaud during the cast’s final bow was also great. After so many episodes spent feeling sorry for herself while Adam succeeded, it was fitting to close out Season 3 with a moment where all of that self-pity just faded away.
Afterwards, however, things did not go so well. Even Elijah (Andrew Rannells) gave Adam’s performance a rave review, yet in the back alley behind the theater Adam revealed that, to him, he’d choked, and he blamed Hannah’s news of grad school for his screw-up. Of course, nobody else felt that his debut was anything less than perfect, and we personally witnessed Hannah expressing true happiness for him as she watched in the shadows of the audience. In the end, we’re not sure where this leaves these two as we head into Season 4 of GIRLS, but Adam doesn’t want to deal with Hannah’s baggage and drama any longer. Apparently, moving to Ray’s for a few weeks to get away from her did not equate to moving away to graduate school in Iowa.
Hannah closed out her storyline for Season 3 by heading home alone, whipping back out her acceptance letter, and smiling. That was an awesome way to end Season 3. As I wrote earlier in the recap, GIRLS is never going to hand these people everything for nothing. If they want to take steps forward, sacrifices will be made. After Hannah’s mental breakdown on the Season 2 finale, it seemed her happiness and stability was entirely tied to Adam. That's incredibly unhealthy. To watch her potentially lose him, only to then find her own happiness as an individual, was important.
PS- Congrats to Caroline (Gabbi Hoffman) and Laird (Jon Glaser) on the impending birth of their baby girl! (Caroline can just feel the labia forming already!)
What did you think of the Season 3 Finale of GIRLS, Episode 12, “Two Plane Rides”? Is this the end for Hannah and Adam? Did you like the trade that was made regarding Hannah’s personal happiness at the end? How will Shoshanna cope? Will Marnie ever learn? Do you like the potential Jessa has heading into Season 4?
Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of the Season 3 Finale of GIRLS, Episode 12, “Two Plane Rides”!