TV Recap: Girls - "One Man's Trash"

Left to right: Lena Dunham and Patrick Wilson

Welcome back to the TV Recap column for the Golden Globe-winning HBO series Girls. Join me as I capture the exploits of the Lena Dunham-penned series as it ventures through another season of scandal, accidents, and life in general. Will it be another great season for the Tiny Furniture director and her growing cast of friends? Tune back every Friday to find out more.

Just as I have predicted. This season of Girls follows a similar formula to that of last season. True, there is not any HPV revelations of diary-intruding moments, but we do get those character moments that play out beat for beat almost the same. We have a couple ascending and descending by the fourth episode, and sure enough, episode five is a Hannah (Lena Dunham)-centric episode similar to that of "the Return," last season's episode five. I am not accusing the show of running out of ideas. Far from it. However, in a time when the drama could not be getting any higher (we really must know what happened to Adam), we take a moment to cool off and get an intimate portrayal of our protagonist doing something she doesn't normally do.

The episode begins at Grumpy's, where Ray (Alex Karpovsky) and Hannah are busy talking about the origin of the word sexit. Hannah feels like she made it up, but after Ray discovers on Urban Dictionary that this isn't the case, things begin to elevate. Nearby neighbor Joshua (Patrick Wilson) stops by to complain about someone from the place leaving trash in his cans. All he wants is an empty trash. Ray, being the manager, tries to convince him that he'll handle it, but when Joshua refuses to accept it, the two get into a heated argument. Suddenly, Joshua retreats and Ray threatens to turn off the wi-fi if people keep staring at him. Hannah takes this opportunity to stalk Joshua back to his house.

On his porch steps, she tries to apologize on behalf of all Grumpy's employees. She states that she is the one responsible for the garbage dumping because it is her vice, as she has never had a trash can to call her own. She also claims that she quit (though the latter half reveals that she didn't) and she isn't in a condition to yell at him. Suddenly, Joshua lets her in and the two begin talking. Joshua is currently separated from his wife, lives by a frat that plays Sean Paul music, and has a really nice house. Hannah's instincts take over and suddenly she makes out with him. She is scared of what is to come, but luckily it is just acceptance. Joshua wants to treat her right, calling her beautiful and giving her pleasurable sex. He even calls in sick from work the following day just because they are having such a wonderful time.

After having a shower with a programmed heater, she passes out. Joshua comes in to rescue her and lets her gather her senses in his room. When she comes to, she begins flipping out on him. She feels that he is such a nice guy that she can be honest and open with him. She believes that he is the perfect guy, who only was sent to her too make her realize that she was lonely. Still, despite Joshua's desire for her to stay, she feels like he is being forceful in straining information out of her, including a potential childhood rape story. He tries to clear it up by saying that a boy gave him a hand job once, but that only results in her saying that he wasn't forced into anything.

She also reveals that she is so stressed because she wants to live the life. She read an article on Fiona Apple that said that she just wanted to experience it all, and that she somehow relates. She goes on experiences just so she can share them, including an abusive round of sex involving chest punching. Despite all of this, there is a part of her that feels like she is only using Joshua for his niceness. Joshua doesn't feel that way, but the crying Hannah just wanted to vent to someone.

The episode ends with her collecting the trash out of the house from the past few days and dumping it in his garbage can. She heads out, possibly to work, wearing the same outfit that she wore at the beginning. There is little chance that we'll ever see Joshua again, and it is a shame, because he really was a nice guy.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Left to right: Dunham, Wilson, and Alex Karpovsky

Before I dive into the episode, I will point out that I personally believe that this episode has way more parallels with "the Return" than the initial Hannah-centricity of everything. There's the passing out in showers, brief time from supporting casts, and even sex with someone that Hannah will probably never see again. True, sex has been more abundant this season, but it doesn't take away from the fact that I felt like this episode was just a more intimate version of the previous episode. Whereas in that one, we get Hannah having an eye opener over her own potential, we get her opening up to Joshua about her weaknesses. 

Also, how about that great job by Ray? I must admit that after last week's episode, I was wanting to dive more into that story, but even five minutes of him is better than none. He is still a great character and being homeless doesn't really change the fact that he is a manager who knows how to look up sexit in a heartbeat. He is still really awesome and while he may be the lesser in the argument with Joshua, he still carries his own. The confidence and power that he brings to the performance delivers some much needed Ray that otherwise would have been sorely missed.

As for the main story. I will admit that it wasn't greatly intriguing for the most part. I am fine with getting Hannah-centric and intimate with someone for an entire episode. It helps us to better understand the character. However, it is hard to really support a relationship that feels like it is only meant for a few days. Why get to know Joshua? I get that she wants to experience life, but unless this is going to benefit somewhere down the line, what is the point?

However, it was nice to hear Hannah finally break down and talk about her career goals. She wants to experience it all, and therefore does really stupid things. It is the arc of the entire series. True, it may seem redundant, but Hannah really nails it in this scene. However, I am convinced that jazzhate articles and the predicted backlash from "Bad Friend" will not happen. It is too progressed in the story (or is this out of order?) for that to really happen. I kind of would like to see Hannah get some credit for her work this season, even if it is just her flashing a computer screen with a published article. It feels like a great tease, especially now that we are expected to accept her as a more vulnerable person.

Patrick Wilson was fine, though I feel like along with Donald Glover, the cameo boyfriends haven't really been that amazing this season. They feel more like archetypes that check off where Hannah could go. I worry about the show exploring more niche boyfriends over the years, but that doesn't mean that there are moments to redeem themselves. I feel like Wilson, as nice as he was, did a fine job, though wasn't particularly engaging. He just wanted to make her feel nice, and besides that being a change of pace for the show, it just didn't feel like an engaging story. Maybe at 20 minutes, this would have been spectacular, but there is just a sense of too much filler.

We have now gone three episodes without Adam. I know that we had to write Elijah off because of Andrew Rannells and the New Normal, but what's up with Adam? I know that Adam Driver was in Lincoln, but surely the shooting of that didn't eat up more than a few days. I want to know if he is ever coming back, or even if he is just now stuck in jail for a lot of uncovered crimes. In fact, how about that boat he planned to sink on New Year's (from: "Welcome to Bushwick a.k.a. the Crackcident")? Did that ever happen?

I feel like this season is ripe with possible plots that need to be explored. That is probably why this episode feels like a tease. However, there is only hope that somehow understanding Hannah as this vulnerable human being will somehow benefit the rest of the show. True, we have begun to see Marnie as imperfect, but Hannah? Maybe this is some reconciliation leading up to a redemptive third season? Who knows. 

Overall, this was an okay episode, though one that I felt was a little overlong and as much as I like Patrick Wilson, I feel like he was unable to carry everything by himself. Either the episode needed to be shorter, or another, briefer plot line needed to accompany it.