(Photos by Amy Lombard)
If the streets of the East Village seemed eerily deserted last night, it’s because everyone was packed into Professor Thom’s to watch the season premiere of (cue Santigold riff) GIRLS. And over in Greenpoint — at Alex “Ray” Karpovsky’s favorite bar, Greenpoint Heights — the audience was equally rapt. That’s where we chatted up 15 of Hannah Horvath’s neighbors to find out what they thought of the first episodes, and what they’re looking forward to this season.
SARAH JACOBS (above)
How did you feel about the end of season 2?
I thought it was pretty sweet. I didn’t really like Adam — I was always on the fence about him — but in that moment was like, OK nevermind, he’s a good guy.
What do you think is going to happen in season 3?
Well, I hope Marnie stops being a fuck-up, and like, starts doing some shit finally. I feel that she could really do some great things but she gets too stuck in her own head.
A highlight of last season for me was Marnie singing “Stronger” by Kanye West. If you could pick another godawful song in Season 3 for her to sing what would it be?
Oh, that’s easy. Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home.”
ALEXANDRA STRADA
How did you feel about the end of season 2?
At the end of season 2 I guess it was kind of a dark ending? It was around the time when they were introducing the topic of OCD. I thought that was actually really impressive and important that they talked about that — but, it was also just incredibly dark. When I think of the end of the season I think of the Q-tip episode… but in general, I’m excited for the new season.
What about the very last scene with Adam and Hannah?
I thought it was sweet on one level — I like Adam as a character. I hate the idea that this guy had to come and save her. I felt like it was unnecessary and odd tone given the feminist nature of the show.
What do you think is going to happen in season 3?
Well, I think that Marnie’s going to have a breakdown, for sure — she’s definitely going down that road. I think that Jessa is similarly going to be in a dark place after the divorce. I think this season might be about resilience and people moving in and out of problems they have been having.
OLGA GRIGORENKO
How did you feel about the end of season 2?
At the end of last season, everything kind of worked out for everyone. I feel like the more interesting things are the kind that don’t work out, though….
Did you think it actually did “work out,” though?
No, no, no. I guess it felt like it fell into place on a superficial level. Obviously it isn’t going to stick, so I’m looking forward to the likely hilarious ways it will fall to pieces again.
What character are you most looking forward to this season?
Um, Shoshanna, I think. I feel like I wanted to see more about her last season. I think she’s so hilarious and I want to see what happens to her.
What would be the ultimate breakthrough for her character in season 3?
I don’t know — something totally out of left field, because she’s such a kook.
STEPHANIE BROWNE
What are you hoping for this season?
I’m hoping everyone will regulate, I guess you could put it that way — or at least reach some sort of middle point. I feel like the characters were all over the place at the end of season 2.
What’s something you’d like to see change in season 3, or characters that are overlooked in the show you’d like to see more of?
I think Ray and Shoshanna’s relationship was completely overlooked and is actually really important to the show. They’re from two completely different worlds. She can be so ditzy and completely different from anyone else in the show, and yet he seems to be on the other end of the spectrum considering he’s not in college and does not have much direction in life… Yet it seemed like they had the most stable relationship of anyone in the show. I think they are trying to make a point with that. I think Brooklyn and the culture here in general is judged off first impressions, how people look and make assumptions based off what a person does and where they’ve been. I mean, there was just none of that in their relationship. It seemed very genuine.
EMELLIE O’BRIEN
How did you feel about the end of season 2?
I was so angry at the end of last season. I was angry because I feel that Lena Dunham has created this really incredible show to portray women in all of these ways that haven’t otherwise been portrayed, or just always mixing it up with unique and complicated characters. But I felt like the way the show ended last season was very formulaic, very “storybook ending” with Adam coming to her rescue. As a feminist, it was incredibly frustrating to watch.
What character are you looking forward to seeing develop over season 3?
They all are in this pivotal turning point in their lives it seems. Jessa sort of falls off the map. I’m certainly curious about her, where she’s been and what’s next for her. Everyone has gone through a lot of trauma, but I have always identified with Lena Dunham’s character, Hannah. I just love the way she embraces her imperfections. I’m most excited for her this season.
What do you anticipate for the first episode and this season in general?
I really hope Lena Dunham does something to turn around what happened in the last episode of season 2. Taking that “storybook ending” and turning it on its head in some unexpected way. But yeah, I’m hoping for stereotypes to be broken this season mostly.
ED GATELY
How did you feel about the end of season 2?
Honestly, I can’t remember what happened.
Well, Adam basically runs through the streets of Brooklyn to come to Hannah’s rescue…
I’m not a huge fan of the relationship with Adam. I kind of just want him to go away.
What do you think will happen to their relationship this season?
It will probably be more, “Will they, won’t they?” — a frustrating on-and-off type of thing.
What are your hopes for season 3 in general?
I’d like to see what happens to Jessa. I’m most interested to see how Jessa responds to everything that happened, especially with her marriage: will she take it as an “I’m never committing again” or if it gives her a chance to grow up and mature. Hopefully sort of just like growing up and realizing maybe the way she’s doing things isn’t working.
THOMAS WHIDDEN
How did you feel about the end of season 2?
I felt like all the characters were at the same point they were at at the very beginning of the show. They made all this progress with story lines, yet they all ended up in the same place.
Was there one character in particular that you were frustrated with?
Lena’s, definitely. Yeah.
What do you hope for her character in season 3?
Um, I don’t know. That’s not my job.
MELISSA RHEA STAMMER
What are you hoping happens in season 3?
Initially, I want to say happy endings for all, but I just want them to break up with their boyfriends and stay single. Probably because I’m really bitter right now.
Why exactly are you bitter right now?
I guess because I’m single right now, and at the end of last season a lot of them got back with
their boyfriends. So, OF COURSE, I want them to be single again.
Like a lot of us, it seems they pick people who might not actually be the best for them.
Exactly. There was way too much of a fairytale ending at the end of season 2.
Do you think it will turn out as a “fairytale ending” by the end of season 3?
Well, I think Hannah and Adam do have the best chance. They just work for some reason. I think Marnie and Charlie just always felt forced. I think she just wanted his money.
JEN HITCHINGS
How did you feel about the end of season 2?
Oh man, I was conflicted and confused. It left me with a lot of things to look forward to in season 3.
What do you anticipate will happen in season 3?
I hope Hannah will get her shit together.
What character do you like the most?
Adam. Adam’s my favorite. He’s crazy, which is really what’s so intriguing about him. He has a heart of gold in a way, so I want to see what happens. I don’t think he should be with Hannah, though… Eh, actually, maybe they should? Maybe they’re one of those couples that’s kind of terrible together, but at the same rate they keep going back to each other.
MADELEINE HARRINGTON
How were you feeling at the end of season 2?
Oh, I had the chills. That’s how I felt cause I was like, what the fuck?
In a good way or a bad way?
In a jealous way. I was like, I want that dysfunctional relationship! I want a man to love me like that.
Do you think that generally speaking the girls here in Brooklyn want that as well?
I definitely know that I do. Every girl wants the bad boy, they want an entertaining thing.. like, “Oh my god! He’s just so aloof!”
What were you thinking about how Hannah and Adam finished season 2?
A lot of people didn’t like it. Most people were talking about how, you know, a man just comes and saves her… but I didn’t see it like that at all. I just saw it as two people who loved each other. He was pretty fucked up for a while, and she took care of him. Then it went the other way, and I really liked that. Plus, she had that kooky haircut and he liked her regardless. I was a big fan of the finale, yeah.
In an ideal world, what would happen in season 3 for you?
Character development. That would be awesome. Ray would be a little more likable. I would see less of Jessa, cause I hate that bitch. Lena would go to therapy and go on meds like a normal person with OCD, and stop being so influenced by her conservative parents and maybe get a real job? I’m a writer, and what annoys me most about her is that she’s like, “Oh no, I can’t do this reading — I’m too insecure.” Like, stop being insecure. That’s not in the cards for writers. I’d like to see Hannah and Adam stay together. I think the fucked up shit will settle. I think after awhile you get tired of being crazy.
MOLLY VINICOR
Do you have a favorite character?
Eh. I think they are all irritating in their own individual way, like they’re supposed to be. There’s something endearing and irritating about each and every single one of them. I guess I like Shoshanna, the most innocent one.
Well, this season it appears she’s not the innocent one anymore.
Do you think this season she’s going to go wild on us?
Yeah, probably. I did really like when they made her smoke crack. That was pretty funny. I don’t think I would like it if she developed a drug habit, that would make me sad. It might have been her peak when they made her smoke crack — how can you top that, honestly? I mean, like, if they just continued with that I think it would just be…
She’d end up living in Tompkins Square Park, that could be a new twist.
Yeah, true. I don’t know what they would do with her.
ELLISA KELLER
What are you looking forward to most this season?
I wanna see how Hannah and Adam’s relationship progresses. I didn’t understand why she was pushing him away, but I knew they were going to end up together. I feel like their relationship in the first season was really short lived, as in them actually being boyfriend and girlfriend. I kind of want to see how that progresses from the really over the top romantic gesture at the end of last season.
Do you think they will be together for most of season 3?
I think so. I think she got the whole random hookup thing out of her system in the second season — like the random stranger who she stayed with for four days. Now she’s going to realize what she wants in her life.
What about the rest of the characters?
I think Shoshanna is just going to go totally wild this season. I think Ray, just like…I mean, she’s just super young. So going into a serious relationship and having her boyfriend live with her without her knowing… I don’t know. She didn’t go through The whole, “I’m going to hook up with a lot of random people” phase. Everyone needs to go through that phase. Marnie, on the other hand, is going to keep embarrassing herself. That scene with her singing was the most cringe-worthy scene yet. I hated it so much. I’d be more interested in her story line if Charlie was still on the show.
CHRIS TACKETT
So, basically, at the end of last season everyone went off the deep end, you could say.
Do you think this is going to be resolved this season?
The show took a dark turn. Nothing is ever totally resolved, but they won’t want people to feel like the angst of New York life is hopeless. The first season was like, oh this is totally great and fun with all the partiesthen the second season it showed how hard and challenging it is living here with work and relationships. This season I think they’re going to want to make you fall in love with the characters again.
Is there one character in particular you’re excited for this season?
I think Lena Dunham’s character Hannah. She’s a writer, I’m a writer…
So, you guys just understand each other.
Exactly.
KRISTINE GUICO
What did you think about the episodes tonight?
They were OK. I think I expected a little more since it was the season premiere and all.
What were you hoping would happen?
Well, I mean, obviously I wish Charlie was on this season… I don’t know, I guess more drama? I didn’t feel like anything really happened. They showed too much of the road trip and it just sort of dragged on. Jessa tried too hard and really bugged me.
What are you hoping for the rest of the season?
To see more of their growth and development in the characters.
DANIELLE GRECO
What brought you here tonight?
I definitely do not watch this show. I’m here for the wings.
Correction: the original version of this post was revised to correct Chris Tackett’s first name.