‘Girls’ Review: ‘Hostage Situation’ Has A Horror Movie Premise – IndieWire

LAST WEEKS REVIEW: Season 6 Premiere Finds the Light While Escaping It All

Hannah is finally getting some traction in her career, and it looks good on her. Although shes the same self-indulgent, dramatically inclined person weve always known, theres a newfound calmness about her as she settles into something resembling maturity. This week it manifested in a surprising heart-to-heart between Hannah and BFF Marnie, with whom Hannah had escaped the city so that Marnie could partake in some self-indulgences herself (namely in the form of ex-husband Desi). In a poignant moment, Hannah admitted that shes no longer judging because shes finally realized no one has it all figured out, and we actually believe her. Even though hours earlier she was lamenting about having to keep Marnies tryst with Desi a secret from Ray.

Although Hannah and Marnie seemed to have finally reached a new point of understanding in their friendship by the episodes end, that trust will eventually be broken when word gets back to Ray about Marnie and Desi sleeping together. Earlier in the episode, Hannah was so busy making the cheating all about her by venting to Elijah, that she didnt even stop to consider Elijah might tell somebody else. Like Rays bestie Shoshanna at the networking event he was going to with her, for example. Sure, Hannah probably didnt expect Elijah to spill the beans, but it should have at least been a consideration as she was talking about being such a great secret-keeper.

No one could put us off fro-yo like Marnie and Desi. Or vintage cars. Or romantic cabin weekends, while were at it.

Shoshanna and Elijah was a weird pairing to be sure, but it was fun to see how their personalities intersected (also it resulted in Elijah doing his best Shosh impression, which was pretty spot on). Luckily they bonded over their mutual dislike of Jessa, who crashed the event after pointedly not being invited by her cousin. For Elijah, that dislike spewed out of a loyalty to Hannah, but for Shoshanna it ran much deeper. For years she was swayed by her cousins free-falling behavior, and she now blames her for her own wayward adventures. Perhaps the blame isnt fairly placed, but Shosh has finally found herself in a good place again. Following her Japanese jaunt shes finally landed a junior marketing position for a great company, so its understandable that she doesnt want her cousin around to bring it all down again.

The impressive list of final-season guest stars continued this week as former Parenthood star Joy Bryant stopped by as the owner of a random shop Hannah escaped into while Marnie and Desi fought over the aforementioned frozen yogurt. Although the interaction was short, it was a zen-like moment for a very confused Hannah, who didnt understand why the woman wasnt a model in Dubai. In return the woman gifted Hannah with a gorgeous tea set that would supposedly save her life. Or just crash onto the floor as a drugged-up Desi tried to break back into the Poughkeepsie cabin. Speaking of

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Of all Desis neurotic behavior, it was his confession to popping oxy that made Marnie finally wise up and dump him? Obviously Desi gives Marnie that self-assuredness that she so desperately seeks, but at this point her fun romp is completely damaging to both men in her life. Desi because he isnt used to be rejected and has that whole emotionally frail artist thing going on (read: his oxy addiction) and Ray because hes wanted actually have something real with Marnie for so long. This will obviously all blow up on her at some point as Ray hopefully finally gets wise to the way hes being treated.

For all the hurt Jessa has caused other people, you still cant help but feel sorry for her and her current plight. She has been starving for female friendships ever since Hannah walked out of her life, which is why she invited herself to hang out with her cousin at the networking event. For Shosh it was worlds colliding, but for Jessa it was a chance to finally find companionship outside of Adam. When she dropped her stolen snacks outside the party during the screaming match with Desi and Shosh and yelled, Now Ive got nothing, Jessa wasnt just lamenting about her midnight snack. Its a plight we can understand as an audience because weve watched Jessas struggle to do the right thing in her private life and fail for six seasons now. But for friends who have continually been affected by those poor decisions, well, they just have nothing left to give.

As the final season gets into full swing, well leave this episode behind with this telling quote from Hannah Horvath: It can be hard to have observations about other people when youre only thinking about yourself. I would know.

Next Week: Matthew Rhys guest-stars in a bottle episode that brings the focus back on Hannah.

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'Girls' Review: 'Hostage Situation' Has A Horror Movie Premise - IndieWire

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero