Zeitgeisting TV: 'Girls' and 'Looking' : Episodes 9

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

"Looking"

Jason St. Amand, National News Editor

Both episodes of this week's "Looking" and "Girls" had a strong focus on relationships. For Patrick, it was about moving forward with his relationship with Kevin. They apartment hunt together (Kevin settles on a sleek chic place at the start of the episode) and later on Patrick introduces Kevin to his mom -- something that went horribly wrong at the end of last season when he was dating Richie. But while things seem great, "Looking For Sanctuary" is cut with an ominous layer. The signs have been sprinkled out all season that things aren't going to be a cakewalk for Patrick and I think we'll be getting that in the Season Two finale.

Patrick's mother has done a complete turnaround since we last saw her in Season One: She's no longer the judgmental and aloof nightmare that made Patrick a ball of nerves, and it looks like she's puff-puff-passing a little more since last season's wedding episode.

Patrick's mother, Dana (Julia Duffy), is calm, understanding, fun, drunk and, well, motherly. She approves of Kevin and asks Patrick to come to the zoo with her and his sister the next day. Patrick says he'll have to think about it as he's going mattress shopping with Kevin (barf), but Dana stresses that it's important he tag along. Still, Patrick has reservations since his sister, Megan (Kelli Garner) is super pissed that Kevin and Patrick are together. (In case you forgot, Season One ended at Megan's wedding, where Kevin and Jon were guests. It was revealed that Jon and Megan's husband work together and since Kevin "suddenly" dumped Jon, Megan has even de-friended Kevin on Facebook.)

But Patrick goes along with it and manages to go mattress shopping with Kevin. The two are at the apex of their new coupleness and it's the perfect / grossest moment for Kevin to ask Patrick to move in with him.

Meanwhile, things are coming to a head with Doris and Dom. They get into a big blow out argument about their relationship after Doris reveals that she may not be able to give him her father's money because her uncle is contesting the will. This, of course, isn't really the main problem but the ugly fight brings up all the underlying issues that they haven't talked about: Doris is serious with Malik, but finds herself putting Dom before him and, when she doesn't, she feels guilty. It's a hard transition for her as Dom as been her no. 1 for what seems like most of her life.

Agustin and Eddie encounter a bump in their own relationship: After Eddie convinces Agustin to paint a mural for the homeless shelter, they run into Agustin's old boyfriend Frank at a coffee shop. Agustin introduces Eddie as his "friend," and there is some weird tension between everyone involved. Eddie complains and Agustin sets him right by telling him he "can't have it both ways." Remember, Eddie isn't into labeling what they have together. Also, earlier in the episode, Agustin wonders if he should start PrEP as it's the "socially responsibly San Francisco gay man thing to do," but Agustin is worried about the side effects.

Patrick's sister reveals herself to be a real turd during their zoo fieldtrip. She spews slightly homophobic remarks, blaming gay male promiscuity on the demise of Kevin and Jon's relationship. Dana tries to smooth things over by saying, "Isn't it different for two men?" It's funny and wrong, but it resonates.

Things all come together (or fall apart, depending on how you look at it) when Dana reveals why she asked her children to come out to the zoo with her: She's planning on leaving their father for another man, saying she has to "honor her truth." Patrick initially freaks out about it but she flips the script right back on him and point to how his relationship with Kevin started.

After speaking with Malik, Dom apologizes to Doris, but it's too late: Their fight was a rude awakening and she can't be a "co-dependent mess" anymore. Just like with romantic relationships, friends often break up, but we rarely see something like that on TV. Doris confesses she can't be around Dom and needs to start a new chapter of her life with Malik.

In one of the final scenes of "Looking For Sanctuary," Patrick asks his mother if she's made the right choice to leave his father. Duffy is stellar in this scene and we see Dana start to shed her confident shell that she was wearing at the zoo. She tries to give Patrick safe answers that her entire life wasn't a lie, but you can see that's not the case. After his meeting with his mom, Patrick runs to Kevin and tells him he'll move in with him. Again, that ominous cloak rears its ugly head.

Robert Nesti, National Arts and Entertainment Editor

This was the best episode of the season for me, which might seem strange since it lacked the style that Andrew Haigh brought to the episodes he directed this season. It was more direct, prosaic almost in its presentation. What I loved about it is how it showed each of the three main characters in flux, and did so with smart writing and direction. What could have easily been soap operatic -- Patrick's encounter with his mom and sister; Dom's blowout with Doris; and Agustin's direct confrontation with Eddie about how they define their relationship -- were so well textured into the narrative that they were equally touching.

But why am I finding Patrick annoying? What was endearing about him last season -- his social awkwardness -- has evolved into something off-putting. Maybe I'm channeling Richie's judgmental side, but what are we to think of his role in Kevin's break-up with Jon? Last week there was at least humor when the geek in the wheelchair slammed them for their matching sweatshirts and similar manner; but this week he seems to believe the perfect gay couple scenario that Kevin offers him. But aside from the sex (which is no doubt hot) and their tech interests, what do they have in common?

What interests does Patrick have, anyway? He's just pretty and vacant; what challenge there was in his life came with Richie pushing back on him. The past few weeks he's become little more than Kevin's boy toy. There was little backlash after his drunken outburst a few weeks ago, despite the numerous hurtful things he said. It's like Patrick gets a pass because he's pretty and nice; but how nice is he?

Last season it was Agustin who was the jerk. It was funny that Frank, his old boyfriend from last season, asked him where he's hiding Agustin because the person he was speaking to had changed so dramatically. I have to say that I've grown fond of his changed persona -- he's less angry and envious of others, and more caring, and it appears to have evolved naturally.

Eddie obviously has a lot to with it, but Eddie has his issues. That Agustin was able to be speak so frankly to him made the "let's be boyfriends" scene far more genuine than any of the conversations between Patrick and Kevin. It's as if he's finding his way to a new maturity; The cost of this may be his friendship with Patrick, but we'll have to wait and see.

The same can be said of Doris, who has emerged as this season's most interesting character. Last year she was virtually a comic sidekick to Dom, but this season with her growing relationship with Malik and her realization that with middle-age having arrived, she's become a more interesting character.

Things are different between Dom and her; she has a depth of character that moved beyond the "fag hag" status she pretty much saw herself as having. She even acknowledged that in her parting words to Dom, which were harsh, but honest.

In all the relationships there is a therapeutic component; that is, those characters (Doris, Agustin, and to some degree Eddie) that have embraced self-reflection have grown, while those that have not (Dom, Patrick, Kevin) have not. Richie sits somewhere in the middle -- is he looking at his rigidness and changing? Interestingly, he was absent from last night's episode; he will no doubt be part of next week's finale.

As for Dana, Patrick's mother, she also is transformed. Not so much one of those ladies who lunch as she was last season, but someone far more in touch with feelings and needs. Julia Duffy was softer, more comforting, more maternal this time around; but also as much in the throes of change as everyone else on the show, looking for an answer herself while her children turn to her for guidance.

"Girls"

Jason St. Amand, National News Editor

I'm relieved that "Girls" is where it is. At the start of the season, I was concerned the show had nothing much to say. But once Hannah was out of Iowa and back in the Big Apple, things picked up and have continued to chug along, especially with "Daddy Issues," which opens up with Jessa and Ace (Zachary Quinto) having sex and feeling like they're in a Tiffany music video -- a great way to start any episode of "Girls"!

Tad, Hannah's father, comes to New York to talk to his daughter about his coming out. Elija seems to be enjoying this way too much, and instead of being a good friend to Hannah and how she's coping with the new change, he decides to take her father out and teach him how to be a proper NYC gay.

Meanwhile, back at school, Hannah loses it when she finds out her teen BFF Cleo has been ignoring her, which I can only assume is because of the piercing fiasco. The school principal overhears Hannah call her a bitch, and takes her into his office. You assume this is it for her, as most schools probably have a strong policy on teachers inappropriately lashing out on students. But it appears this school is super chill and tries to have a conversation about boundaries. None of that matters, because Hannah defends herself by telling her boss that her father just came out as a proud gay man, which of course breaks the boundary discussion they just had.

Things later come full circle when Elija, Tad and Hannah talk about Tad's sexual past, and the whole thing about being a "daddy," which even made me uncomfortable. Even for Hannah, who is the queen of over sharing, this is too much.

Things also come to a head with the love square of Ace, Mimi-Rose, Jessa and Adam. Ace takes Jessa to an Ethiopian restaurant that "happens" to be near Mimi-Rose's place. Ace decides to stop in and say "hello," which turns out to be a nightmare of sociopathic proportions.

MMR proves to be a horrible person and is either a robot or an alien. Ace tries to make her jealous by pawing at Jessa, and the entire thing blows up with MMR declaring she doesn't want to be with Adam or Ace. Jessa convinces Adam he needs to dump MMR's ass and that Ace and MMR deserve each other. Adam does just that, and the two leave to Ray's election night party, where Shosh has been toiling away at setting things up for him and getting a cake with his face on it. But Adam says he can't go in because he can't face Hannah right now.

Then there's Marnie and Desi, fresh and high off their engagement. Marnie says to keep quiet about it but, being the monster that she is, instantly tells Ray she's getting hitched. Of course, Marnie has to make everything about her, and later in the night makes an announcement that she and the D-Bag of Brooklyn are engaged.

The last scene shows Ray, who did win his spot on the council, and Hannah in full #FML mode: They hate Marnie, they hate life and they are just over it. Though they have never been best friends, they have always had a mutual respect for each other and shared the same sarcastic sense of humor throughout "Girls." I wonder if this will bring them closer together -- not in a romantic sense but just better pals.

Robert Nesti, National Arts and Entertainment Editor

This was the tightest and richest episode of the season for me. It was like a snapshot of where these friends are as they approach the end of their fourth year together. Though together isn't the right word -- moving apart would be better.

Still, the snark in the script was strong. What makes the show so good is how it remains so funny as it depicts these tangled relationships; and, boy, things are messed up.

I loved how Hannah, so clueless in her inappropriate relationship with her student Cleo, took what her principal told her -- that she needs to understand that there are boundaries in her life -- and applied it to her relationship with her father, Tad. No doubt it would be upsetting to have to talk to her dad about gay stuff, but for Hannah to fall upon the notion that she needs boundaries here only underscores her self-absorption. She just doesn't want to know about it -- it has nothing to do with boundaries. Does that suggest some internal homophobia, agiesm, her discomfort about talking about sex? Not sure, but it certainly was handled with deft humor.

Ray's victory party was also shrewdly handled. It was funny how his acceptance speech about the community was more directed at Marnie than it was on those who voted for him. It was also funny how she appropriated the moment to take center stage to announce her marriage to Desi. She always needs to be in the spotlight, and here was another example.

Adam's relationship with Mimi-Rose approaches the surreal. She's some sort of sociopath, don't you think? Oblivious to the emotions around her and locked into some sick dynamic with Ace, who, like Desi, is pretty much a moronic archetype. If there's a criticism of this season, it's that these lesser characters lack much dimension. Who would ever find a dweeb like Ace interesting? That Jessa did certainly has me wondering about her.

Adam again emerges as the strongest character on the show, not only because he has dimension, but because Adam Driver plays him with such conviction. You actually feel for him when he decides not to go to Ray's victory party. Getting back with Hannah may be the worst thing for him -- but I do hope he's not written out of the show as it moves forward.

And the episode ended on a great note -- Hannah and Ray are over it. Fortunately the show has yet to jump the shark, mostly because Dunham, her writers and directors maintain a satiric tone while continuing the story as it moves to its season finale next week.

But will the show return? I have no idea if HBO has renewed it.

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