Girls Season 5 (2016)

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Girls Season 5 Review

The fifth season of Girls is such a stupendous season of television that ranks among the best that the series has had.

Yes, this is easily the best season of Girls after the first one. And it is always admirable when you’ve got a show this long in its run that is this good. Most of the characters got proper and satisfying arcs and the season is well filmed, well shot and again stupendously well acted.

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“I need to see how other people see me,

because it’s the only way that I can see myself“

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First, let’s talk about Shoshanna. I really liked her during this season, especially because she finally got a lot going for her and she even got an entire episode for herself which was great. I really do not know how to feel about Girls’ depiction of Japan and its society and somehow the portrayal felt fake to me. But because I am not sure and I don’t know enough about said subject, I do not consider it a big problem.

I loved her friendship with Ray and I really liked her problems and how she was nostalgic in Japan and yet frustrated in America after she witnessed the gentlemanly quality of the Japanese people. That was all very well done and I am looking forward to the next season and I hope she gets to have her happy ending because she is the only decent person of the foursome.

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Now Marnie is an interesting character this time around because she is much more likable and much better developed than ever before actually. I really admired her breaking up with that scumbag Desi, but her episode with Charlie is just absolutely astonishing! It is probably my favorite episode of the show to date as it is just so great. I always respected the show for having different story structure than other similar shows in that the characters sometimes get the whole episode for themselves which is unusual but highly welcome. Her entire episode could have been a disaster, but it ended up being incredibly romantic and so well made and acted with the city adventures between the two being beautiful. And it was interesting watching Charlie after all those seasons and how he changed a lot physically as well as financially and that was well crafted.

Jessa is as unlikable as she ever was, but at least she is aware of that which is something I’ve always appreciated about her. She is a very bad person, but is self-aware at least. Her relationship with Adam felt odd from the beginning and their argument in the finale felt abrupt and unusually disappointing, but at least their hooking up and their trouble with Hannah was well realized. I didn’t expect Adam to be this selfish, but the friction that this relationship caused between Jessa and Hannah was well explored and realistic.

Hannah’s breaking up with Fran was somewhat typically handled, but I liked how they portrayed Fran and how he suffocated her with that niceness and judging nature. She didn’t get a lot to do in this season, but I liked how confident she ended and her relationship with everyone including the city is strong and she is a very realistic and very well developed main character.

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As for the supporting characters, Ray continues to be used by all these women, but at least him ending up with Marnie could hopefully lead to his happiness. Hannah’s parents and his dad coming out and the marriage staying somehow afloat isn’t as well depicted as I hoped it would have been, but it was still interesting to follow. Elijah is the best he’s ever been in this season and this is the first time that we get to follow him and his relationship was very well handled, it was dramatic and it ended in a heartbreaking manner. I have never liked him, but at least he is becoming a better person as is evidence with his interactions with Hannah and her parents.

Overall, this fifth season of Girls has its many problems, but it is mostly very strong with all of the characters getting mostly very good storylines, the finale was satisfying and the season is filled with good dialogue, emotion and excellent performances.

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Worst Episodes: Japan and Homeward Bound.

Best Episodes: Wedding Day and The Panic in Central Park.