So I just read here that Girls is drawing its biggest ratings among middle-aged men. This surprises me about zero per cent. Because it reminds me of how many men over 40 I know who really, deeply connected to Lost in Translation when it was released. The allure of the young, clever, beautiful woman still unsure of her place in the world, looking to the wise, flawed-but-great man she’d grown to adore for guidance is what that was all about, I’m pretty sure.
Don’t get me wrong; I liked Lost in Translation a lot. But it inspired some crazyass projection. The same kind that’s possibly explaining why Girls—which I love—is so popular with the fellas. For a certain kind of guy, the notion of a very young, intelligent woman who hasn’t quite found her footing in the world yet can be quite attractive. She can be his equal, but never his peer.
Also, don’t they take their clothes off? It is HBO…
Also the curiosity of “how do the free people do it these days?” not that all middle aged men are married. But the marrieds, in my experience, often wonder about the non. And the old, always always, about the young…!
It could be that it’s just intelligently written. A lot of guys liked Tiny Furniture, too. That was a great movie. Smart, nicely shot, well-paced. But it wasn’t sexy.
Lena Dunham’s character is pretty refreshing for any audience. This seems like a show where, quite possibly, guys aren’t projecting a ton of psychosexual bullshit onto these girls. They may actually just be enjoying the show for what it is: funny and good.
(Unless of course there is some dark “show-us-your-tiiiiiits!” corner of the internet where guys are talking about humping these four girls in some sicko way that I have managed to avoid. Because in that case, I take it all back.)
Never thought about it that way, but it makes perfect sense.
I heart Lena Dunham. Like, a lot – I read that article too and was surprised. I love your theory – and loved the way you expressed it. May I quote you?
Kim, you are brilliant and this blog is the perfect forum for you. I read Lucky for years but you were holding back on us, girl.
I see you as a cultural critic in…Vanity Fair? The Daily Beast?
Yup.
i think the ratings are a majorly skewed b/c 50 year old men are probably less likely to illegally download than 25 year old women… but that aside, this makes me think of how “ghost world,” which started as an awesome comic about female friendship, was turned into a movie that played up sad-sack middle age man wish fulfillment in a manner that was truly disappointing.
I envision all the men who avidly watch and enjoy Girls as James Legros as Jeff. These middle aged hipster doofus men who try desperately to figure out what new music on Spotify is cool and wear Threadless shirts on the weekend. And who still spark it on occasion.
I love Girls for how cringe-worthy it is, remembering how lost and twee I was at age 23, but this show isn’t really FOR ME. When I watch it I find myself giving advice to all the characters in my head.
Unless they give the wonderful Kathryn Hahn a bigger role I find it hard to relate to .other than I feel like going in the wayback machine to my younger self. I did love Kathryn’s ” mermaid hair/happiness” speech to Jessa.
I loved that speech.
I think it rang so true. I think ” Kathryn” was totally seeing her younger self in ” Jessa” and it was this sorta sad juxtaposition between a younger woman and an older woman who had probably wrought her own discourse back in the day.
Now I’m doing that thing where old people talk about TV show characters like they are real people.
HOW MANY DAYS UNTIL BREAKING BAD?!
I watched Girls once with my daughters (ages 15 and 16) and my 20-year-old niece.
Our thoughts:
No people of color in Brooklyn? (My daughters.)
The sex was demeaning. (The 20-year-old.)
College graduates should not be asking their parents to support them. (Me.)
The verdict:
We were bored and could not relate. Haven’t watched it again.
In typical fashion, my husband has only just heard that this show exists.
I told him that I thought it was a waste of my time but that he could always watch it via On Demand or HBO GO and judge for himself. He seems to have already forgotten about it.
I am over the “lack of diversity” complaint. The writer has said she is writing what she knows and I respect her for that. If her friends are a white washed group, that is her perogative to write about that and her honesty is refreshing. I would rather her be honest than toss in a few “token” characters just to illustrate a false sense of diversity to ease some liberal consciences and then torn apart for inaccurate portrayals.
Dude, I feel you so hard on this.
Hate Lena, love the show….accurate portrayals according to my 15 year old son who despite being sorely disappointed in the past 3 episodes; would rather watch than eat. Has Adam Driver’s character alredy jumoed tne shark? Still would do him