Blu-ray Review: Great Set For HBO’s ‘Girls,’ Best New Show of 2012

Printer-friendly versionE-mail page to friendPDF version

CHICAGO – HBO’s “Girls” was the best new show of 2012 and one of the best shows, period, new or old. Knowing they have a growing cultural phenomenon on their hands (more people seem to be talking about January’s upcoming season two premiere than any sophomore season that I can ever remember), HBO has given fans of the show a gift, a season set with multiple ways to watch the program along with stellar special features. It’s a great way to use the gift card money you may have acquired from Santa this week.

Rating: 5.0/5.0

Lena Dunham’s comedy is smart, funny, and well-acted to a degree that has not been given nearly enough credit. Dunham’s writing is stellar but the show doesn’t work without Allison Williams’ confidence, Jemima Kirke’s mystique, Zosia Mamet’s comic timing, and Adam Driver’s all-around brilliance (his lack of a Best Supporting Actor nod was one of the 2012 Emmys biggest snubs). I’ll be writing more about this great show next week in my final “Best of” feature of the year for the best TV. Until then, check out the list of special features below, one of the most impressive of the last year, and realize that this one purchase includes Blu-ray, DVD, and Ultraviolet versions of the show.

Girls: The Complete First Season was released on Blu-ray on December 11, 2012
Photo credit: HBO

Synopsis:
From writer/director/actor Lena Dunham and comedy veterans Judd Apatow and Jenni Konner, this scripted half-hour series focuses on a group of women in their early twenties in New York and their adventures in post-collegiate floundering. Two years out of liberal arts school, Hannah (Dunham) believes she has the talent to be a successful writer, though she has yet to complete her memoir - she has to live it first. But when her parents cut her off financially without warning, her New York life becomes a series of humiliating challenges. Further complicating things for Hannah is her unrequited passion for eccentric actor/woodworker Adam, with whom she occasionally has sex, at least when he can be bothered to respond to her text messages. As the harsh reality of rent and bills looms, Hannah leans on her very put-together best friend and roommate Marnie, who has a real job at an art gallery and an even realer boyfriend, neither of which she can admit she might not love. Meanwhile, their gorgeous British friend Jessa, who has travelled to as many different countries as she’s had “lovers,” appears in the city and moves in with Shoshanna, her naive younger cousin. Over the course of Season 1’s ten episodes, the four girls try to figure out what they want - from life, from boys, from themselves and each other. The answers aren’t always clear or easy, but the search is profoundly relatable and infinitely amusing.

Click here to buy “Girls: The Complete First Season”

Special Features:
o A Conversation With The Girls
o A Conversation With Lena Dunham And Judd Apatow
o Inside The Episodes
o 5 Audio Commentaries With Cast And Crew
o The Making Of Girls
o Deleted And Extended Scenes
o Cast Auditions
o Table Reads
o Fresh Air Interview With Lena Dunham

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com