Girls is coming to the UK on Monday 22nd of October to much anticipation. Could it be the new Sex and the City, or is it more akin to Executive Producer Judd Apatow's gross out comedies?
One of the reasons Girls has created so much of a stir on both sides of the Atlantic may be because of writer, and lead, Lena Dunham. At just 25 years old, she writes about the trials and tribulations that people her own age are going through – a novelty amongst particularly American sitcom writers who are usually much older than the demographic they are attempting to portray.
Perhaps it is this age difference which creates the realness of Girls. Dunham plays Hannah, the main character, and is unafraid to have her wander around her apartment in just a t-shirt and knickers, a true depiction of how young women live their lives in the private spaces of their homes. The sex scenes are equally unashamed, and even gritty, in their depiction of how awkward sex in your twenties can be, when you are discovering what you like and what you don’t, how to say yes and how to say no.
There is a total contrast between Girls and the last phenomenally successful all female lead show set in New York, Sex and the City. Many people seemed to watch the show for the outfits and the, frankly, unobtainable glamour of living in the big city which the show portrayed. Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte were never short of a cocktail dress, a cocktail, or a date, while their actual incomes were rarely discussed. Girls talks about the reality of being young, broke and impassioned in this economy.
While Dunham might be writing about an age which she is directly experiencing, can she claim a difficult background? Her parents are creatives Carroll Dunham and Laurie Simmons, so undoubtedly Lena was exposed to plenty of encouragement, as well as the potential to make the right connections early on in her career, while her character Hannah isn’t quite so lucky.
When looking over writers of current successful sitcoms in the UK, we notice that almost invariably young women are conspiculously absent. Where are the Lena Dunhams on this side of the pond? Are the BBC and Channel Four wary of hiring younger writers, waiting for them to work for free for a few years before putting their faith in them and hiring them?
When reading through the entries for the Comedy Writing Awards, several of the funniest scripts were from what would be classed as younger writers. Anyone who argues that the talent isn't out there is simply wrong. Perhaps we need more opportunities for young screenwriters to showcase their burgeoning talents?
Girls is on Sky Atlantic, Mondays at 22:00. For more information see HERE.
