TV Recap: Girls, ‘Sit-In’

Sit-In Plot Summary:

On this week’s episode of Girls, titled ‘Sit-In,’ Hannah (Lena Dunham) finds out the truth about Adam (Adam Driver) and tries to get by with a little help from her friends.

While Girls has been known to stick to the comedic side of the real world, this episode made sure the audience was prepared to ‘Sit-In’ for some emotional stuff. This week’s episode was an emotional roller coaster from the start, showing what may be the saddest and most unexpected breakup for the show, that of Adam and Hannah.

Let’s be honest, things haven’t always been so solid for these lovebirds. However, this break-up was an unexpected turn for the writers — having Adam move on so fast from a relationship that neither Hannah nor the viewers was even sure was over. To start, the writing in the episode seemed to really hit home, making an episode so emotional there was barely anytime for comedy in it. While some may read that as a bad thing, it was far from it. It was a refreshing turn of events for a show so known for its outrageous comedy, to finally show life in its true form, which most of the time happens to be somewhat cruel and unforgiving. With each character reaction that happened through the episode, the writers kept up with their theme of reality and it was just so great to hear some honest talk coming from characters, and Hannah herself, who all seem so self-involved it is scary.

To add just the right amount of perfectness were the performances of Driver and Dunham, who carried most of the episode by just being who they are. It was heartbreaking in every sense to see these characters finally drift apart, but it was even more heartbreaking to see a human side finally come to light for these two, which makes their performances in this episode unforgettable.

In particular, Dunham made such a convincing performance as a broken hearted woman that it tugged at my heartstrings instantly. The way she fell apart in a matter of seconds as her and Adam talked was so flawless that you weren’t sure if this was actually happening to Dunham in real life. Only four words can do her justice for her work in this episode, Dunham needs an Emmy. Along with the writing and acting, the directing and cinematography in the episode were perfect, reminding me of how certain Oscar winning movies are shot. The end shot of Hannah’s bag in front of a steel door may not mean anything by itself, but mixed with the depressing ending of the episode, and the meaning of her bag just laying there alone, seemed to scream 1000 words.

All in all, this episode was perfect by simply taking out the one thing that seemed to carry the show form the beginning, which was its comedy aspect. The episode really focused on the issue at hand, and to add too much comedy to it would have distracted the viewers from what was really happening, which was simply showing a girl dealing with heartbreak in a realistic way. With the writing, acting, and direction, this episode may be one of the best Girls has ever had. So while sitting in on this episode may be hard to bear for some, it is a must for all.

Rating: 9 out of 10

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Laura Dengrove is the one of youngest members of the Pop-Break staff and is a critic for television/movies of all types on Pop-Break. She’s in her first year at college where she will be studying to obtain her bachelors degree at Rutgers University for Journalism/Public Relations. She was the editor for the Arts and Entertainment section of her school newspaper, runs her own blog (Pop Culture Darling), and interns for Design New Jersey. She also has an in-depth knowledge about all things True Blood and an avid Eric and Sookie shipper.
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