I guess she put her reputation on the line somewhat, but she certainly had a tremendous amount of control. The show could have backfired, but it would have been because she created a product that was either objectively substandard or not to people's liking. I'm pretty sure with this much personal involvement HBO…

I guess she put her reputation on the line somewhat, but she certainly had a tremendous amount of control. The show could have backfired, but it would have been because she created a product that was either objectively substandard or not to people's liking. I'm pretty sure with this much personal involvement HBO…

Veena Sud did it.

Veena Sud did it.

Wow, that's another great possibility - but once again, we don't know because the show has had very little of her in the past few episodes. And I'm saying this because I like Shoshanna and I like these ideas about what motivates her, but she's completely underwritten.

Wow, that's another great possibility - but once again, we don't know because the show has had very little of her in the past few episodes. And I'm saying this because I like Shoshanna and I like these ideas about what motivates her, but she's completely underwritten.

I like this explanation but you have to admit we've seen so little of Shoshanna these past few episodes that that's all (reasonable, thought-through, plausible) conjecture. And I'm saying this because I wish somehow there'd been time devoted to establishing this type of characterization with her.

I like this explanation but you have to admit we've seen so little of Shoshanna these past few episodes that that's all (reasonable, thought-through, plausible) conjecture. And I'm saying this because I wish somehow there'd been time devoted to establishing this type of characterization with her.

It seemed pretty unrealistic that

It seemed pretty unrealistic that

@avclub-eac75edc18b8546c46893fe4b75ab995:disqus Dunham was approached by HBO to develop a show with this exact concept and point of view. She didn't write it and then shop it around. 

@avclub-eac75edc18b8546c46893fe4b75ab995:disqus Dunham was approached by HBO to develop a show with this exact concept and point of view. She didn't write it and then shop it around. 

I actually think if any show is trying to challenge "masculine expectations," it's that one. It's not a great show, and suffers from a lot of annoying tropes (like Apt 23 itself is unreasonably nice, especially when the show takes a lot of pains to show how much June, the protagonist, is financially struggling).

I actually think if any show is trying to challenge "masculine expectations," it's that one. It's not a great show, and suffers from a lot of annoying tropes (like Apt 23 itself is unreasonably nice, especially when the show takes a lot of pains to show how much June, the protagonist, is financially struggling).

Olivececile beat me to it so now this is just a post for me to say Joel McHale has to be in douchey, self-pitying Jeff Winger mode for me to be into him, face or no face. Maybe it's just the stubble and Beetlejuice underwear. Boop de boop de boop boop sex!

Olivececile beat me to it so now this is just a post for me to say Joel McHale has to be in douchey, self-pitying Jeff Winger mode for me to be into him, face or no face. Maybe it's just the stubble and Beetlejuice underwear. Boop de boop de boop boop sex!

I'm speaking from a purely visual point of view; maybe I should go back and watch a few of those earlier episodes to contrast with the later ones. I've thought the visual style and the cinematography was improved but perhaps I just didn't feel the need to parse the show apart into pieces I enjoy when I liked the…

I'm speaking from a purely visual point of view; maybe I should go back and watch a few of those earlier episodes to contrast with the later ones. I've thought the visual style and the cinematography was improved but perhaps I just didn't feel the need to parse the show apart into pieces I enjoy when I liked the…

I just like the use of "StrawManDerWerff," which is a spectacular piece of punnery.

I just like the use of "StrawManDerWerff," which is a spectacular piece of punnery.