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| Left to right: Lena Dunham and Peter Scolari |
With the end of another great season of Girls, it comes the annual tradition of ranking all 10 episodes from best to worst. Unlike the problematic fourth season, this time it's a little difficult to rank them all. With limited exceptions, this season has been one of the series' all time bests and reflects growth in the subtle details. Thanks in part to Lena Dunham's great writing, this is one of the most coherent, funny, and emotional seasons to come out of HBO. So, which one is the best and which is the worst? Click the jump and discover for yourself. If you disagree about anything, please feel free to drop your complaints in the comments. They're all good episodes, but some are just better than others.
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| Left to right: Christopher Abbott and Allison Williams |
1. "A Panic in Central Park"
Topping the list is what will likely be one of the series best period. Following the departure of Christopher Abbott early in the show's run, there's something that has been aimless and unappealing about Marnie's (Allison Williams) existence on the show. Even marrying another man and trying to get a music career going has resulted in a rather unsatisfying life. However, the return of Abbott as Charlie ended up producing a great episode that captured the magic of old loves and showed a certain bond and desire that remains in our hearts. From the random introduction to the wonderful capsized boat, this episode is full of pure optimism and romance in ways that the show rarely does. Considering that it managed to turn Marnie from a mediocre side character to the show's most endearing for one episode is a testament to how effective this episode is, and how much we wish that Abbott wasn't busy being an indie film star to still bring Marnie joy on this show.
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| Zosia Mamet |
2. "Japan"
While there is a later heartbreaking moment in which Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) reveals her loneliness in Japan, the first episode manages to reflect a certain excitement and openness that she has in her new residence. The episode serves more as a chance to let Shoshanna be happy in ways that she has rarely expressed in the previous four seasons. It is so effective that one cannot help but wonder if she actually was better off away from everyone. While the inevitable answer is no (whether or not it had to do with production reasons), there's a joy in living out that fantasy and feeling like you could reinvent yourself in a new land. If this also helps to establish anything, it's that the show is capable of making episodes based around supporting characters and find new and wonderful ground to explore. The S&M scenes alone are worth the price of admission.
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| Scene from Girls |
3. "I Love You Baby"
While the season as a whole has been strong, there's something amazing about how the show managed to end on a high note. With most of the season being about loneliness and its effect on emotional and productive states, there's something cathartic to having it end on a note where most people end up happy. With Hannah back writing stories and everyone else finding acceptance of some sort, this is a rather optimistic ending; and one that isn't without rich thematic undertones. The closing montage is arguably one of the show's most upbeat moments, and the fact that while everyone has gone their separate ways, they have found solace in their paths. It sets a high bar for whatever the remaining 10 episodes will have next year.
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| Left to right: Andrew Rannels and Alex Karpovsky |
4. "Good Man"
This is the first episode following the premiere, and the first to fully explore what the characters have been up to. Considering how everyone seems to have their own important plot to deal with, it's a miracle that this episode ends up working as well as it does. From the introduction of Hannah's dad's (Peter Scolari) new lover to the rivalry between Ray (Alex Karpovsky) and a rival coffee shop, there's a lot to unpack in this episode, and it's done with one of the funniest episodes of the season. There's never a dull moment, and it perfectly sets the ground for most of what's to come in the remaining eight episodes. If nothing else, it's fun to watch Adam and Jessa (Jemima Kirke) attempt to have a normal relationship. You know it won't last. In fact, it almost doesn't even last this episode.
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| Left to right: Dunham and Jenny Slate |
5. "Love Stories"
In the penultimate episode, it seems like everyone is working towards their own end game. Everyone is in town, and their journeys are far from similar. Over the course of the episode, Hannah meets an old friend (Jenny Slate), steals a bike, and gets high to discuss her problematic relationships of the past. If anything, this is the episode where the stagnant love lives that haunt the protagonist is finally given up for good. It's full of humor and effectively uses the entire cast in ways that most of the season hasn't. If nothing else, this is the farewell to Fran (Jake Lacy), who is somehow both too good for Hannah and the most tragic Girls character yet. The only question is where does she go from here? Meanwhile, Adam and Jessa get stuck with Laird's (Jon Glazer) baby, which is possibly the only dull spot in an otherwise great episode.
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| Scene from Girls |
6. "Old Loves"
It is tough to really determine how to feel about Hannah and Fran by this episode. While the season definitely suggests that they were never right for each other, this is possibly one of their low points. Between getting into fights at school and Hannah deleting Fran's personal sexy pictures, it's a surprise that this isn't the only relationship that falls apart. There's also her relationship with Jessa, which seems to suggest that they would never get back together. Otherwise, this is a good episode with plenty of memorable moments and the first real look into Jessa and Adam's weird relationship. It doesn't help that Desi and Marnie round out the episode with yet another meandering story - and one that thankfully leads to "The Panic in Central Park" two episodes later. Still, it's a miracle that Hannah ends up being remotely sympathetic by the end of this season based on her unlikable nature in episodes like this.
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| Williams |
7. "Wedding Day"
What this episode does so well is lay the groundwork for one of the series' strong seasons. While it may be a meandering trip to the altar for Marnie and Desi, it inevitably brings the entire cast together to reveal all of the small things that we'll explore later on. There's Desi's immaturity, Shoshanna's time in Japan, Jessa's resourcefulness, and even Fran's incompatibility with anyone. The episode manages to have a lot of fun with its limited subject and reflects why the cast works so well together. The only sad thing is that they don't get together too much for the remaining episodes. With that said, it's still a very upbeat and happy episode with the promise of a great season to follow. Thankfully, it delivered in spades.
8. "Homeward Bound"
While the episode may have one of the most poetic and beautiful final moments in the series' run, the episode before it does feel a little off. While it does have the break-up scene that we have been waiting for between Hannah and Fran, it also has a lot of Hannah being sort of selfish. When Ray gives her help, she accepts it until it shows one hurdle. The rest of the episode isn't much better in that sense and leaves her in another one of her most unlikable moments in a season full of them. Thankfully, there's the return of Shoshanna to balance out the story with a return that is met with a certain hostility. Also, Marnie and Desi are recording again, and it's not going to end well for them. Still, Hannah's selfishness is at its peak at this point, and it's kind of hard to like this episode a lot because of it.
9. "Hello Kitty"
If there's one redundancy this season that somehow isn't as much of a turn-off as I make it out to be, it's Hannah's annoying selfishness. While it was inevitable that she's discover what was going on with Jessa and Adam, the fact that it came after a series of problematic episodes with Fran only makes it harder to take. Also, the idea of awkward live theater does provide some room for inspiring humor. However, it doesn't really amount to much by the end beyond some revelations that could've been solved in different ways. As people seeing the show suggest, the story was hard to follow. It's a dumb concept, and one that feels confusing to have Hannah even attend in the first place. Also, flashing a coworker may be among the dumber things that she's ever done in the series.
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| Left to right: Dunham and Becky Ann Baker |
10. "Queen for Two Days"
It is tough to rank this as the "worst" episode of the season, if just because of how prescient it is to understanding Hannah's demeanor. However, the mother/daughter time does feel out of place with the rest of the season. Hannah's brief foray into lesbianism isn't particularly exciting, and it does end in a very confusing moment for everyone involved. However, it still manages to feel important because it lets Hannah admit for the first time that she hates Fran. Meanwhile, her serving as a barrier for her parents is particularly tragic and uncomfortable in a lot of ways. What's arguably also interesting is that while this is an event meant to enlighten the patrons, Hannah only becomes more frustrated with the passing of episodes. It's a good episode, but it definitely lacks the punch of the other nine episodes.
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