Zeitgeisting TV: 'Girls' and 'Looking' : Episodes 5

EDGE editors Jason St. Amand and Robert Nesti comment on this week's episodes of HBO's "Girls" and "Looking."

This week, episodes 5 of the current season.

"Looking"

Robert Nesti, National Arts and Entertainment Editor:

"Looking for Truth," the fifth episode in this season of "Looking," brought to mind the best episode from Season One, "Looking for the Future." That was the one in which Patrick and Richie spent the day together on a walk through Golden Gate Park, finding romance in the process. For many that episode brought to mind "Weekend," British director Andrew Haigh's feature about two men that spend a weekend together that led to his involvement in this HBO series. Its intimate conversation, the hand-held cameras, the naturalism of the acting are part of what make Haigh's work distinctive in that film and on this series. (Again, he directed this episode.)

Again, Patrick and Richie spend the day together. Richie posted on Facebook that he needs the help of someone to drive a truck back from Oakland where he grew up and Patrick volunteers. His reason may not be completely altruistic: his relationship with his boss Kevin is on the rocks and he uses this trip to gauge how serious Richie is with new boyfriend, the ginger journalist Brady. Again, as they did last season, the pair have a sweet rapport - Patrick's snarky attitude plays well off Richie's seriousness; the difference this time is their complicated history.

That leads to that beautifully executed final moment when Patrick finds the words to apologize for his bad behavior when they broke up and to come clean as to the reason why: he was fucking around with Kevin just hours before that confrontation. You sense Richie's hurt at this revelation, but also his understanding that this is behind him. He can accept Patrick as a friend, nothing more. But is this the truth Patrick was looking for?

Much of the show dealt with Richie's strained relationship with his family, his dad in particular. He reveals little, but the interactions with his cousins (one a feisty woman who reveals too much, the other a male who nearly comes to blows with Richie) that indicate that he left his East Bay neighborhood behind for SF because he was gay. "I know what it's like to feel like you can't be yourself when you go home," Patrick tells him. "And so you either stay away, or you go home and kind of pretend." But what we've learned about Richie is that he can't pretend - his righteousness may make him more rigid, but he's turning out to be the show's moral anchor, for better or worse.

Unlike "Looking for the Future," this episode doesn't just focus on Patrick and Richie. A sequence followed the growing romance between Agust�n and his bear co-worker Eddie. When Eddie doesn't show up for work, a concerned Agust�n visits him with matzo ball soup. Eddie's fine, just taking a mental health day and the pair (literally) do a mating dance (to CeCe Peniston's "Finally"). Eddie, though, sets up boundaries that will likely be hit upon in upcoming episodes. Still, it was a sweet moment augmented by Eddie opening up about how he became positive. When Agust�n appears disappointed that Eddie wasn't infected in a gang bang (rather by an ex-), Eddie jokes: "Are you disappointed it wasn't, like, Bukkake Sex Pig Party: Part 666?" Again, "Looking" makes real situations not uncommon with gay men and makes affecting drama from them. Eddie, played to the comic hilt by Daniel Franzese, is a great addition to the cast.

Another addition turned out to be Jon, Kevin's boyfriend, who turns up in Kevin's office during a party after Patrick huffs out in anger. At first we're led to believe that this is going to be the moment when Kevin drops the Patrick bomb on Jon; but instead they have a tender moment, suggesting that, again, Kevin continues to emotionally punt rather than deal with confrontation. Could the "Truth" that Patrick learns is that both relationships he's been in are over?

Jason St. Amand, National News Editor:

I agree, "Looking for Truth" is the best episode in this lukewarm Season Two of "Looking." And you're right, Haigh's "Weekend" touch was all over this episode. Just two people spending time together, getting to know each other to see what's there.

I still dislike these two very much: Now that Patrick is on the outs with Kevin, he turns to Richie - how convenient. And high and mighty Richie goes along with him just "as friends." I don't know, but if I were Richie's boyfriend, I wouldn't be too happy to know that he spend the day gallivanting around town with his ex.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the little moments in this episode - when Patrick met Richie's sassy cousin who told him that he really broke Richie's heart and that Richie was head over heels for Patrick. And then when Richie told that dude (his other cousin) to fuck off before Patrick sprayed Richie with the hose.

To me at least, Patrick had ulterior motives with hanging out with Richie - whether he knew it or not. Now that it looks like Kevin is out of the picture, Patrick, who seems to always be in the need for some kind of company of a guy, hopes to weasel his way back in to Richie's life. Sure, first as a friend but I can't imagine that reuniting as pals is Patrick's end game here. I'm sure Richie knows it too, so it's interesting that he's allowing him back in his life.

Though I dislike Agust�n lot as well (why am I watching this show?) I do like Eddie a lot and think he works with Agust�n. I enjoy watching him break down Eddie's wall and Eddie opening up. I think he's kind of surprised that someone is so into him but he's yet to really come clean about it. The dance scene was wonderful and it reminded me of when Hannah and Marnie danced to Robyn's "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn in Season One of "Girls."

"Girls"

Robert Nesti, National Arts and Entertainment Editor:

"Girls" hit a penultimate note this week: the break-up between Hannah and Adam. Not that it wasn't expected: there have been hints over the past few weeks that Adam was seeing someone new, but Hannah's escape from Iowa brought their relationship to a head in ways that left Hannah living in a storage locker which Adam rented to put her stuff. The final image - the door to the unit open with Hannah's suitcase sitting in front of it - was a shock. She is homeless.

She also appears to have brought this end on herself. If there's a lesson to be learned from "Sit-In" is never sign over your New York lease to someone else, in this case Hannah giving her Brooklyn digs to Adam, who - in seemingly no time at all - found a new girlfriend, moved Hannah's stuff to that storage unit and broke down the wall between the two bedrooms. Hannah was truly out of sight and out of mind.

But what made this episode so telling was that Hannah wasn't seen as much as a victim of Adam's double-handedness, but the perp - that she left New York without really tying things up properly and this is the result. Interestingly her best friends offer her more "tough love" than sympathy - pretty much telling her to move on. Hannah, of course, behaves as you expect her to: reverting to the bedroom and refusing to leave. Once there she's visited by each friend separately with varying degrees of success: Shoshanna appears more interested in finding out just who Mimi-Rose is and does a Google search on her name, which yields a YouTube video of a speech Mimi-Rose gives about relationships. Jessa attempts to underplay her involvement in Adam's new relationship that she helped come about; while Marnie, who comes the next morning, offers what turns out to be the best advice: just let him go.

When Adam and Hannah do have a conversation, it comes when he nurses her hand that she burned in a kitchen accident the night before. He also reverts to form - showing her empathy for her physical wound, but, ironically, little for the psychic wound he's brought on her. Perhaps Hannah should have realized they were over when she left, but the moment when he said to her "thanks for dropping by" really hit home.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the episode was laced with humor. The arrival of a much-pregnant Caroline and her boyfriend Laird gave the writers a chance to infuse some Millennialish satire. Always inappropriate, Caroline hit a home run with her crack about her brother and his attraction to Hannah: "He's really at his best when he's nurturing the poor, the lost, the profoundly damaged. Which is why you were so perfect for him." And Ray's monotonous rant about the traffic issues outside his apartment eluded to the self-absorption that marks all these characters.

But it turns out to be the maligned Mimi-Rose who offers Hannah her best advice. In her video, which Hannah eventually watches, she says: "Think of all your ups and downs, your hopes and fears. How many of them have been yours, and how many of them have been constructs of romantic discord?" Hannah is working through one of those constructs. Still the writers couldn't resist giving Hannah the moment to make a dig at her romantic interloper's full name Mimi-Rose Howard: "That's just a woman's name and a man's name with a flower stuck in the middle of it!"

Jason St. Amand, National News Editor:

Yeah this was the climax of Season Four of "Girls." Up until this point, Adam has been one of my favorite characters on the show, but the fact that he's so devoid of understanding and kindness, especially to someone whom he considers his best friend, really grosses me out. I still think Adam Driver is the best actor on "Girls" but Adam the character went from hero to zero for me.

Sure he's entitled to break up with her - he's assuming Hannah was going to be in Iowa for at least two years - but to do so in such a sly way, thinking he doesn't really owe her an explanation is totally gross, but unfortunately not unexpected, as you point out.

I'm not sure if Hannah brought this on herself - I think she assumed Adam would be a decent enough human being that he would let her know he can't continue in this kind of long distance relationship and they'd work out the logistics. To come back to your home to find that your (ex)boyfriend packed up all your shit and a new, pretty and successful woman is living in your place is a lot to take in and I don't blame Hannah for the way she acted. I don't think its fair to say, "Well that's Adam!!" and shrug your shoulders.

Marine's advice is probably the way Hannah should go but probably won't.

While this episode was one of the best this season, I'm still not convinced "Girls" has much more to say. The off-again-on-again flip-flop isn't interesting for a show like this. This is deep sitcom "Friends" territory, but Hannah is not Rachel and Adam is not Ross. I don't mind the wackiness "Girls" often dips into but the direct "Friends" parallel is kind of a letdown. I really hope next season is the last because I'd hate to see this show be hammered into the ground.

It was a pleasure to see Caroline (Abby Hoffman) return. I really wish they'd make her a regular as she's phenomenal in Amazon's "Transparent." Her presence is fantastic and she elevates the episode for me tenfold.

As you said, the closing scene is kind of devastating. I'm sure by next week, Hannah will have figured something out - maybe living with Marnie and her new man baby boyfriend / singing partner Desi. But at this point, Hannah is absolutely the only person I truly care about. Despite her shortcomings and self-absorption, I find her charming and compelling.

This story is part of our special report: "Zeitgeisting TV". Want to read more? Here's the full list.