Girls‘ latest installment corroborates that Elijah was up to something back in Season 1, when he told Hannah that her dad, Tad, was gay. Apparently, the only person on the show with a fully functional gay-dar is Hannah’s once boyfriend, who is now one of her best friends and roommate.
The news is delivered as the Horvaths exit their couples therapist’s office, and Loreen’s initial response is that her husband is not homosexual but a thunder stealer instead. She believes him to be jealous of the fact that she’s gotten tenure: moreover, she accuses him of making up his newfound sexual preference in order to mask why he no longer desires to be intimate with her. In spite of how defensive and ridiculous his wife’s demeanor is, Tad, who is sensitive to the fact that he is scaring her, remains calm while claiming that him being gay has nothing to do with her. Loreen refuses to accept that notion by spitting out “It’s not NOT about me, Tad.” Had my eyes been closed at the time I would have believed it was Hannah uttering those words. Obviously, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Speaking of, the proverbial apple is still in charge of illuminating young minds. Hannah is engaging as an educator, which is great; however, she does cross lines that exist for a reason, while basically doing a Never Been Kissed reboot of sorts.
In the meantime, Desi keeps outdoing himself as the worst idea Marnie has ever had. He not only blows the money they got as an advance from the record label but also calls his girlfriend a rain cloud. As funny as it was to see a tantrum coming from the Glenn Hansard wannabe (who thinks he’s found the recipe to become “My Bloody Valentine”), the fact that Marnie is still not waking up and leaving him is worrying to say the least. I was glad that she called him out when she realized Desi had spent $2,000 on guitar pedals, though. But it is just not enough. Desi is the very definition of toxic, and Marnie is blind enough not to notice.
Back to another couple in trouble, the Horvaths attend a celebratory dinner event that Avi and Shanaz, their friends, host in honor of Loreen’s tenure. Far from enjoying the gathering, Hannah’s mom spends the evening being bitter; as a result, when Tad offers a toast in her honor, she snaps at him and seeks shelter in the bedroom. Again, this is something the audience can picture Hannah doing, in fact not so long ago it was the younger Horvath who was taking a room hostage.
In what felt like an “out of left field” event, Avi follows Loreen, admits he’s infatuated with her, and tries to kiss her. It is unveiled the two had a furtive encounter once. Loreen hysterically laughs at the situation.
Speaking of laughter, Shoshanna asks Jessa for advice regarding her date with Jason Ritter’s character. Yes, she is listening to Jessa, who believes having had four men trying to commit suicide for her makes her deserve a badge of honor. Just when I was expecting the recovering addict to suggest something worthy of a straight jacket, she recommends Shosh to surprise the man she’s trying to conquest.
Before her date, Shoshanna helps Ray with his campaign, and while they are at it, they attempt to prove they can be friends by discussing their respective love lives, or lack thereof. Shosh opens up about her upcoming date, and Ray admits his heart and mind need to synchronize. She thinks he is not over her but gets shocked to learn that her former flame is still infatuated with Marnie.
Back to Hannah’s front, she tries to get a second chance with Fran, who gracefully rejects her. The irony is that, for once, she actually owned her mistake and tried to fix things up. Perhaps one day late and a dollar short, but I still give Hannah points for trying, not to mention that this is the one scene in this episode of Girls where she acts her age.
Shoshanna’s date goes fine despite the fact that her awkwardness and lawnmower of a mouth could have neutralized any future between her and the entrepreneur. He was slightly patronizing yet she did not seem to mind. The jury is still out on him.
Desi, who I find guilty of being a narcissistic lame excuse of a man, meets Marnie at a cafe. While she is articulate at explaining why his actions hurt her and how she can associate their little argument over money with her parents’ divorce, Desi delivers a horrendous apology he must have found in the same recipe book where he discovered the formula to being “My Bloody Valentine.” Then he decides to ask Marnie to marry him. Of course, she says yes. The entire world does a collective eye roll.
Hannah, who is absolutely in the dark regarding her parents’ marriage and its inevitable demise talks over the phone with Loreen and proceeds to start one of her oral diatribes, which is cut short by the matriarch braking down and letting out that Tad is out of the closet.
This episode of Girls provided many well crafted scenes, most of them successful at moving the plots forward; however, in my opinion, though good, the chapter was one of the more disjointed ones of the season.
Highlights:
– Loreen crying in her car and then starting a war against the wine Tad picked. The acting was so on point that the scene was heartbreaking in both the best and the worst of ways. It’s easy to understand this woman’s pain and hopelessness. Also, I agree with you, Loreen. No one likes Riesling.
– Hannah and Cleo’s friendship. It’s inappropriate on every single level, yet the piercing scene, graphic and all, was a lot of fun to watch. Hannah simultaneously makes the best and the worst of mentors.
[Photo via HBO]
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