Girls (TV series)

American comedy drama television series (2012–2017)

Girls

Genre| Comedy drama
Created by| Lena Dunham
Showrunner| Lena Dunham
Starring|

* Lena Dunham
* Allison Williams
* Jemima Kirke
* Zosia Mamet
* Adam Driver
* Alex Karpovsky
* Andrew Rannells
* Ebon Moss-Bachrach
* Jake Lacy

Composer| Michael Penn
Country of origin| United States
Original language| English
No. of seasons| 6
No. of episodes| 62 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers|

* Lena Dunham
* Judd Apatow
* Jenni Konner
* Ilene S. Landress
* Bruce Eric Kaplan

Producers|

* Peter Phillips
* Dan Sterling

Editors|

* Shawn Paper
* Paul Zucker
* Myron Kerstein
* Nat Sanders
* Kate Hickey
* Robert Franzen
* Catherine Haight

Camera setup| Single-camera
Running time| 26–41 minutes
Production companies|

* Apatow Productions
* I Am Jenni Konner Productions
* HBO Entertainment

Original release
Network| HBO
Release| April 15, 2012 (2012-04-15) –
April 16, 2017 (2017-04-16)

Girls is an American comedy-drama television series created by and starring Lena Dunham, executive-produced by Judd Apatow. The series depicts four young women living in New York City. The show's premise was drawn from Dunham's own life, as were major aspects of the main character, including financial isolation from her parents, becoming a writer, and making unfortunate decisions.[1] The series is known for its postfeminist commentary and conversation around body politics and female sexuality.[2]

Lena Dunham created Girls with the intention of offering a more realistic and nuanced portrayal of the lives of young women in their twenties. The show, which premiered on HBO in 2012,[3] revolved around a group of friends played by Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, and Zosia Mamet, navigating the challenges of relationships, work, and self-discovery in New York City. The first season of Girls was filmed between April and August 2011. The first three episodes were screened at the 2012 SXSW Festival and the series premiered on HBO on April 15, 2012.[3] The series ran for six seasons until April 16, 2017. There were a total of 62 episodes.[4][5]

Dunham, who both created and starred in the series, aimed to provide an authentic representation of the experiences, struggles, and relationships of young women.[6] She wanted to present a narrative that went beyond the glamorous or idealized portrayals often seen in mainstream media. Girls received attention for its frank and sometimes controversial depictions of sex, relationships, and personal growth. The show was seen as a departure from traditional television narratives, offering a more unfiltered and honest exploration of the complexities of adulthood, particularly from a female perspective.[7]

The show has received critical praise and numerous awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and the British Academy Television Award for Best International Programme.

In 2019, Girls was ranked 18th on The Guardian's list of the 100 greatest TV shows of the 21st century.[8] In 2021, BBC placed it 30th on its list of the best series of the century.[9] In 2022, the series was ranked 65th on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest TV shows.[10] In 2023, Variety included it at 86th on its own list of the greatest TV series of all time.[11]

## Synopsis

[edit]

Two years after graduating from Oberlin College, aspiring writer Hannah Horvath is shocked when her parents announce they will no longer financially support her life in Brooklyn, New York. Left to her own devices, Hannah navigates her twenties "one mistake at a time."[12] Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver, Alex Karpovsky, and Andrew Rannells co-star as Hannah's circle of friends, as they cycle through friendships, romantic partners, careers, and new experiences.[13]

## Topics explored

[edit]

Girls explores several topics across its six seasons. Dunham explains Girls never started with an "overt, political, or even [exact] artistic mission statement."[14] While the primary themes in the television show explore interpersonal relationships—particularly female friendship and romantic affairs—New York City culture, coming-of-age struggle, career, mental health, artistic boundaries and self-reflection, Dunham states the show was never "stuck in any specific formula."[14] She also noted "the series reflects a part of the population that hasn’t previously been seen on either film or television and fills the gap between the characters on Sex and the City and the CW’s Gossip Girl."[15] The series ultimately explores how significantly flawed, unlikable, morally ambiguous characters in their twenties navigate the challenges of adulthood and learn to embrace their imperfections.[16][17][18]

## Cast and characters

[edit]

Promotional poster for the series premiere showing the cast. From left to right: Jemima Kirke (Jessa), Allison Williams (Marnie), Lena Dunham (Hannah), and Zosia Mamet (Shoshanna).

### Main cast

[edit]

Main article: List of Girls characters

* Lena Dunham as Hannah Helene Horvath: an aspiring writer living in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, originally from East Lansing, Michigan, known for her spunk and bad decisions, who struggles to support herself and find a direction in her life. There is much conversation around Hannah's body and her own (as well as other characters') perception of it.[2] In season two, she struggles with a relapse of the OCD symptoms she suffered from in her youth. In the final season, she becomes pregnant after a brief fling, and later leaves New York City to take a teaching job upstate and raise her baby.[19]
* Allison Williams as Marnie Marie Michaels: Hannah's best friend and, at the start of season 1, roommate. Domineering and arguably as self-centered and narcissistic as Hannah, Marnie struggles in her relationships with Charlie and Ray for much of the series, and eventually ends up marrying her musical partner, Desi Harperin. When both her career and her marriage ultimately collapse, she moves upstate with Hannah to help raise her baby.[20]
* Jemima Kirke as Jessa Johansson: One of Hannah's closest friends, Jessa is a global citizen of British origin and is known for being bohemian, unpredictable, and brash. Throughout the course of the series she deals with the consequences of poor choices, including a short-lived marriage and a stint in rehab due to heroin and cocaine addiction. When she pursues a relationship with Hannah's ex-boyfriend Adam, she and Hannah have an explosive falling-out. Ultimately, Hannah and Jessa manage to reconcile before Hannah's departure from New York.[21]
* Zosia Mamet as Shoshanna Shapiro: Jessa's naive and innocent American cousin who is a Media, Culture, and Communications major at New York University. She is embarrassed to still be a virgin at the start of the series.[22] The character is fast-talking and her lack of enunciation gives her a mumbling, nervous persona. After a brief career stint in Japan, she comes to realize that her friendship with the other three has only ever held her back, and ultimately distances herself from them.[23]
* Adam Driver as Adam Sackler: an aloof, passionate young man who works as a part-time carpenter and actor. At the start of the series, he is in a casual relationship with Hannah, which becomes serious before ultimately falling apart as he gains success as an actor. He later enters a volatile relationship with Jessa, which is implied to be ongoing as the series ends. Adam is an alcoholic who has been sober for years.[24]
* Alex Karpovsky as Raymond "Ray" Ploshansky (seasons 2–6; recurring season 1):[25] Originally Charlie's friend, but later a friend of the others, he is the group's straight man. Eventually, he has sexual and romantic relationships with both Shoshanna and Marnie. At the start of season 3, he is made manager of a spin-off of Grumpy's, called Ray's.
* Andrew Rannells as Elijah Krantz (seasons 4–6; recurring seasons 1–3):[26] Hannah's ex-boyfriend from college, who reveals that he is gay. Despite some initial hostility between the pair, they eventually become friends and later roommates on and off. The two grow much closer as roommates.
* Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Desi Harper in (seasons 4–6; recurring season 3): Adam's co-star in Major Barbara and Marnie's bandmate. Desi and Marnie become engaged and later marry. Marnie ends the relationship with him when she tires of his childishness and self-indulgence. In season 6, it is revealed that Desi is addicted to prescription pain killers after Marnie cheats on Ray with him[clarification needed].
* Jake Lacy as Fran Parker (season 5; recurring season 4): A colleague of Hannah's whom she dates. In season 5, Fran moves in with Hannah and Elijah, but he and Hannah break up by the end of the season.

### Recurring guests

[edit]

* Becky Ann Baker and Peter Scolari as Hannah's parents, Loreen and Tad Horvath (seasons 1–6)
* Christopher Abbott as Marnie's ex-boyfriend Charlie Dattolo (seasons 1–2, 5)
* Kathryn Hahn and James LeGros as Katherine and Jeff Lavoyt, the parents of two young girls who Jessa babysat (season 1)
* Chris O'Dowd as Thomas-John, an affluent venture capitalist. (seasons 1–2)
* Rita Wilson as Evie Michaels, Marnie's mother.[27] (seasons 2–6)
* Jon Glaser as Laird Schlesinger, Hannah's neighbor and a recovering drug addict. (seasons 2–6)
* Colin Quinn as Hermie, Ray's boss at the coffee shop. He dies in "Painful Evacuation" from scleroderma. (seasons 2–6)
* John Cameron Mitchell as David Pressler-Goings, Hannah's editor for her e-book. (seasons 2–3)
* Shiri Appleby as Natalia, Adam's ex-girlfriend. He abruptly breaks up with her after getting back together with Hannah. (seasons 2–3)
* Gaby Hoffmann as Caroline Sackler, Adam's extremely troubled sister. (seasons 3–6)
* Richard E. Grant as Jasper, Jessa's friend from rehab. (season 3)
* Gillian Jacobs as Mimi-Rose Howard, Adam's new girlfriend after Hannah moves away to Iowa. (season 4)
* Jason Ritter as Scott, an entrepreneur and Shoshanna's boyfriend. (seasons 4–5)
* Aidy Bryant as Abigail, Shoshanna's former boss from when she worked in Japan. (seasons 4–6)
* Corey Stoll as Dill Harcort, a successful news anchor and Elijah's love interest. (seasons 5–6)

### Guest stars

[edit]

* Chris Eigeman as Hannah's boss who fires her in the pilot.[28] (season 1)
* Mike Birbiglia as Brian, an employer who briefly interviews Hannah for a job.[28] (season 1)
* Skylar Astin as Matt Kornstein, Shoshanna's former camp counselor.[28] (season 1)
* Bobby Moynihan as Thadd, Thomas-John's best man.[28] (season 1)
* Jenny Slate as Tally Schifrin, a former classmate of Hannah whose professional success is a source of annoyance.[29] (season 1, season 5)
* Michael Imperioli as Powell Goldman, a former writing mentor of Hannah's she meets at a party.[30] (season 1, episode 9)
* Billy Morrisette as George, Elijah's first boyfriend after coming out to Hannah.[31] (seasons 1–2)
* Donald Glover as Sandy, a Black Republican who Hannah briefly dates.[32] (season 2)
* Jorma Taccone as Booth Jonathan, an avant-garde artist who leads Marnie on romantically after they meet at an art gallery.[33] (seasons 1–2)
* Greta Lee as Soojin, Booth's former assistant who hopes to open her own art gallery, much to Marnie's annoyance.[29] (seasons 2–3)
* Ben Mendelsohn as Salvatore, Jessa's flaky dad.[28] (season 2)
* Carol Kane as a member of Adam's AA group.[28] (season 2)
* Patrick Wilson as Joshua, a doctor with whom Hannah has a one-night stand. Years later, he delivers the news that she is pregnant.[29] (season 2, season 6)
* Amy Schumer as Angie, Natalia's friend.[34] (seasons 2–3)
* Bob Balaban as Dr. Rice, Hannah's therapist.[28] (Seasons 2–4)
* Danielle Brooks as Laura, one of Jessa's co-rehabbers. She is the first African-American woman to appear on the show.[35] (season 3)
* June Squibb as Grandma Flo, Hannah Horvath's dying grandmother.[36] (season 3)
* Felicity Jones as Dottie, the daughter of Richard E. Grant's Jasper.[28] (season 3)
* Patti LuPone as a fictionalized version of herself.[37] (season 3)
* Reed Birney as the fictional husband of Patti LuPone.[38](season 3)
* Jenna Lyons as Janice, Hannah's boss at GQ magazine.[39] (season 3)
* Amir Arison, Jessica Williams, and Michael Zegen as Kevin Mimma, Karen, and Joe, Hannah's colleagues at GQ. (season 3)[40][41][42]
* Natalie Morales as Clementine Barrios, Desi's girlfriend who he leaves to be with Marnie.[29] (seasons 3–4)
* Louise Lasser as Beadie, an artist for whom Jessa briefly works as an assistant.[29] (season 3–4)
* Jason Kim, Marin Ireland, Desiree Akhavan, Ato Essandoh, Peter Mark Kendall, and Zuzanna Szadkowski as Chester Chong, Logan, Chandra, D. August, Jeffrey, and Priya, Hannah's classmates at the Iowa Writer's Workshop.[33][34][43][44] (season 4)
* Zachary Quinto as Ace, the ex-boyfriend of Adam's girlfriend, Mimi-Rose.[28] (season 4)
* Jen Jacob as Larraby Delayne (season 4)
* Natasha Lyonne as Rickey, Bedelia's daughter.[28] (season 4)
* Marc Maron as Ted Duffield, a gruff community board leader.[28]
* Spike Jonze as Marcos[45] (season 4)
* Fred Melamed and Jackie Hoffman as Avi and Shanaz, friends of Hannah's parents.[46]
* Maude Apatow as Cleo, one of Hannah's students.[29] (season 4)
* Douglas McGrath as Toby Cook, the principal at the school where Hannah teaches.[34] (seasons 4–5)
* Lena Hall as Holly, a lesbian working at a women's retreat[47] (Season 5)
* Julia Garner as Charlie's Roommate[48] (Season 5)
* Ethan Phillips as Keith, Tad Horvath's partner after coming out as gay.[34] (seasons 5–6)
* Lisa Bonet as Tandice Moncrief, a spiritual coach who comforts Desi after his divorce from Marnie.[29] (season 5)
* Riz Ahmed as Paul-Louis, a surf instructor and the father of Hannah's child.[29] (season 6)

## Production

[edit]

Lena Dunham's 2010 second feature, Tiny Furniture—which she wrote, directed and starred in—received positive reviews at festivals as well as awards attention, including Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest and Best First Screenplay at the 2010 Independent Spirit Awards.[49][50] The independent film's success earned her the opportunity to collaborate with Judd Apatow for an HBO pilot.[51] Judd Apatow said he was drawn to Dunham's imagination after watching Tiny Furniture, and added that Girls would provide men with an insight into "realistic females."[1]

Some of the struggles facing Dunham's character Hannah—including being cut off financially from her parents, becoming a writer and making unfortunate decisions—are inspired by Dunham's real-life experiences.[1] The show's look is achieved by furnishings at a number of vintage boutiques in New York, including Brooklyn Flea and Geminola owned by Jemima Kirke's mother.[52]

Dunham said Girls reflects a part of the population not portrayed in the 1998 HBO series Sex and the City. "Gossip Girl was teens duking it out on the Upper East Side and Sex and the City was women who [had] figured out work and friends and now want to nail romance and family life. There was this 'hole-in-between' space that hadn't really been addressed", she said.[1] The pilot intentionally references Sex and the City as producers wanted to make it clear that the driving force behind Girls is that the characters were inspired by the former HBO series and moved to New York to pursue their dreams.[1] Dunham herself says she "revere[s] that show just as much as any girl of her generation".[1]

Dunham's identity and her creative endeavors played a pivotal role in establishing the groundwork for the show, persistently surfacing in discussions surrounding "Girls." There are several key aspects: emphasis on the privileged environment of her upbringing in New York's art scene and her early intellectual maturity; her utilization of personal experiences to craft candid and humorous storylines; her generation's experience of minimal privacy both in real life and online; and her deliberate choice to portray her body onscreen, preemptively addressing potential criticisms regarding her body size.[53]

As executive producer,[54] Dunham and Jennifer Konner were both showrunners of the series while Dunham was the head writer.[55][56] Apatow is also executive producer,[54] under his Apatow Productions label. Dunham wrote or co-wrote all ten episodes of the first season and directed five, including the pilot.[54][57] Season one was filmed between April and August 2011 and consisted of 10 episodes. As did the second season, running on HBO from January 13, 2013, to March 17, 2013.

On April 4, 2013,[citation needed] Christopher Abbott left the series. Dunham announced via Instagram on September 6, 2013, that production for the third season had concluded.[58][59] Season 3, which contained 12 episodes as opposed to the previous 10-episode seasons, ran from January 12, 2014, to March 23, 2014. The fourth season of the series started filming in April 2014.[60] On January 5, 2016, HBO announced that the series' sixth season would be its last, allowing the writers to create a proper finale.[61]

## Episodes

[edit]

Main article: List of Girls episodes

Season| Episodes| Originally released

|
|

First released| Last released
1| 10| April 15, 2012 (2012-04-15)| June 17, 2012 (2012-06-17)
2| 10| January 13, 2013 (2013-01-13)| March 17, 2013 (2013-03-17)
3| 12| January 12, 2014 (2014-01-12)| March 23, 2014 (2014-03-23)
4| 10| January 11, 2015 (2015-01-11)| March 22, 2015 (2015-03-22)
5| 10| February 21, 2016 (2016-02-21)| April 17, 2016 (2016-04-17)
6| 10| February 12, 2017 (2017-02-12)| April 16, 2017 (2017-04-16)

## Reception

[edit]

### Critical response

[edit]

Critical response of GirlsSeason| Rotten Tomatoes| Metacritic

|
|

1| 94% (49 reviews)[62]| 87% (31 reviews)[63]
2| 94% (36 reviews)[64]| 84% (20 reviews)[65]
3| 91% (32 reviews)[66]| 76% (18 reviews)[67]
4| 83% (24 reviews)[68]| 75% (16 reviews)[69]
5| 86% (22 reviews)[70]| 73% (13 reviews)[71]
6| 90% (39 reviews)[72]| 79% (15 reviews)[73]

#### Season 1

[edit]

The first season of Girls received universal acclaim from television critics. On review aggregation website Metacritic, the series' first season holds an average of 87 based on 29 reviews.[63] The website also lists the show as the highest-rated fictional series debut of 2012.

James Poniewozik from Time reserved high praise for the series, calling it "raw, audacious, nuanced and richly, often excruciatingly funny".[74] Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter called Girls "one of the most original, spot-on, no-missed-steps series in recent memory". Reviewing the first three episodes at the 2012 SXSW Festival, he said the series conveys "real female friendships, the angst of emerging adulthood, nuanced relationships, sexuality, self-esteem, body image, intimacy in a tech-savvy world that promotes distance, the bloodlust of surviving New York on very little money and the modern parenting of entitled children, among many other things—all laced together with humor and poignancy".[75] The New York Times also applauded the series and said: "Girls may be the millennial generation's rebuttal to Sex and the City, but the first season was at times as cruelly insightful and bleakly funny as Louie on FX or Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO."[76]

Despite many positive reviews, several critics criticized the characters themselves. Gawker's John Cook strongly criticized Girls, saying it was "a television program about the children of wealthy famous people and shitty music and Facebook and how hard it is to know who you are and Thought Catalog and sexually transmitted diseases and the exhaustion of ceaselessly dramatizing your own life while posing as someone who understands the fundamental emptiness and narcissism of that very self-dramatization."[77]

#### Season 2

[edit]

The second season of Girls continued to receive critical acclaim. On Metacritic, the second season of the series holds an average of 84 based on 19 reviews.[65] Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter stated that "Girls kicks off its second season even more assured of itself, able to deftly work strands of hard-earned drama into the free-flowing comedic moments of four postcollege girls trying to find their way in life".[78] David Wiegland of the San Francisco Chronicle said that "The entire constellation of impetuous, ambitious, determined and insecure young urbanites in Girls is realigning in the new season, but at no point in the four episodes sent to critics for review do you feel that any of it is artificial".[79] Verne Gay of Newsday said it is "Sharper, smarter, more richly layered, detailed and acted".[80] Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly felt that "As bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as it was in its first season, Girls may now be even spunkier, funnier, and riskier".[81] In reference to the series' growth, Willa Paskin of Salon thought that Girls "has matured by leaps and bounds, comedically and structurally, but it has jettisoned some of its ambiguity, its sweetness, its own affection for its characters. It's more coherent, but it's also safer."[82]

#### Season 3

[edit]

The third season of Girls received positive reviews. On Metacritic, the third season of the series holds an average of 76 based on 18 reviews.[67] Rotten Tomatoes reports a 91% approval rating from critics, based on 32 reviews with an average score of 7.9/10. The consensus states: "Still rife with shock value, Season 3 of Girls also benefits from an increasingly mature tone."[83]

Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter lauded the first two episodes, and commented: "Going into its third season, Girls is as refreshing and audacious as ever and one of the few half-hour dramedies where you can feel its heart pounding and see its belly ripple with laughter."[84] In addition, The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and PopMatters praised the comedic portrayal of its lead female characters.[85][86][87]

#### Season 4

[edit]

The fourth season of Girls received generally positive reviews. On Metacritic, the fourth season of the series holds an average of 75 based on 16 reviews.[69] Rotten Tomatoes reports an 83% approval rating from critics, based on 24 reviews with an average score of 7.5/10. The consensus states: "Girls is familiar after four seasons, but its convoluted-yet-comical depiction of young women dealing with the real world still manages to impress."[88]

#### Season 5

[edit]

The fifth season of Girls received generally positive reviews. On Metacritic, the fifth season of the series holds an average of 73 based on 13 reviews.[71] Rotten Tomatoes reports an 86% approval rating from critics, based on 22 reviews with an average score of 8.14/10. The consensus states: "Though some characters have devolved into caricatures, watching them struggle in Girls is more fun in season five, with sharper humor and narrative consistency than prior seasons."[89] Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter gave the season a positive review writing: "Girls had only a niche audience. It's possible that being freed from the responsibility of the zeitgeist is what has kept Girls so watchable. The start of the fifth season won't launch an armada of think pieces, but if you still get pleasure from watching these flawed, often awful characters make flawed, often funny choices, Girls is still Girls."[90]

#### Season 6

[edit]

The sixth season of Girls received highly positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the sixth season of the series holds an average of 79 based on 15 reviews.[73] Rotten Tomatoes reports a 90% approval rating from critics, based on 39 reviews with an average score of 8.10/10. The consensus states, "In its final season, Girls remains uncompromising, intelligent, character-driven, compassionate – and at times consciously aggravating."[91]

The broadcast of the season's third episode "American Bitch" in Australia on Showcase had to be edited, due to a scene that breached the maximum MA15+ classification of the broadcaster.[92]

### Criticism and impact

[edit]

The pilot was met with criticism regarding the all-white main cast in the otherwise culturally diverse setting of New York City.[93] Catherine Scott of The Independent asked: "What's there to celebrate for feminism when black, Hispanic or Asian women are totally written out of a series that's supposedly set in one of the most diverse cities on earth? But also, what's there to celebrate for feminism when a show depicts four entirely self-interested young women and a lead character having the most depressing, disempowered sexual relationships imaginable?"[94] Fox News's Hollie McKay wrote that many white Americans are friends with other people of the same race, and adding a "token" African-American or Asian-American friend would be "immature" to reality.[95] Writing at The Hairpin, Jenna Wortham deemed the series' lack of a main black character "alienating, a party of four engineered to appeal to a very specific subset of the television viewing audience, when the show has the potential to be so much bigger than that".[96] Maureen Ryan from The Huffington Post attributes the lack of diversity to the industry as a whole, specifying that not only is it "easier (and lazier) to attack a 25-year-old woman who's just starting out than to attack the men twice her age who actually control the industry", but that "of all shows, this is the one that is being attacked for being too white."[97]

Lesley Arfin, a writer for the show, responded to the criticism, tweeting: "What really bothered me most about Precious was that there was no representation of ME". Arfin later deleted the comment following backlash.[98] Dunham has publicly said, "I really wrote the show from a gut-level place, and each character was a piece of me or based on someone close to me". She adds that she wanted to avoid tokenism in casting. The experience of a black character would involve a certain specificity, a type she could not speak to.[99]

The New York Times concluded that the series earned praise "for its sexually frank, wryly satirical look at millennial angst" and criticism "for its lack of diversity while raising "an endless stream of essays and social media posts thanks to its explorations of gender politics and post-collegiate social panic".[100] In a review for Ms., Kerensa Cadenas writes, "Despite its lack of a serious class and race consciousness, Girls does address other feminist issues currently in play, among them body image, abortion, relationships within a social media age, and street harassment."[101] Kim Price of The Independent predicted that the Girls' legacy would be the series' "mainstreaming of 'gross-out' femininity" and "intermittent and sometimes cack-handed attempts to comment on contemporary issues such as race relations or lack of opportunities for young people".[102]

In response to the critiques, Lena Dunham has acknowledged the concerns raised by viewers and critics.[6] Dunham has expressed a commitment to learning and growing from the feedback she received. She mentioned that she appreciates the discussions sparked by the show and has apologized for unintentional insensitivity or oversight in her portrayal of certain issues. She has also outwardly expressed her frustration at the critics’ tendency to overlook her ability to write with nuance, specifically in regards to her commentary on class.[7] While the characters in Girls are often criticized for their narrow and privileged view of the world, being from clearly wealthier families, Dunham actually intended this specific portrayal to use and explains how it is a tool to justify their slow maturation.[6]

Since the series' last episode premiering in 2017, the show's impact and Lena Dunham's identity have inevitably evolved.[103] Initially hyped and criticized for various reasons, including lack of diversity, Girls became a cultural lightning rod. Over the years, Dunham distanced herself from the show, focusing on personal and professional growth. The show's satirical elements and its influence on the portrayal of sex and body image with disarming honesty trademark its originality. Despite initial controversy, Girls is appreciated for this originality and its contribution to feminist television.[104]

In December 2023, Variety ranked Girls #86 on its list of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time.[105]

### Accolades

[edit]

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Girls

Since its debut, the series has received numerous accolades including two Primetime Emmy Awards, Peabody Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Directors Guild of America Award. Dunham has been nominated for sixteen individual awards for her role as the series lead, as writer, and as producer. Several of Dunham's collaborators have also been nominated for various awards including co-stars Allison Williams and Adam Driver as well as recurring guest stars Riz Ahmed, Becky Ann Baker, Gaby Hoffmann, Andrew Rannells, Matthew Rhys, Peter Scolari, and Patrick Wilson.

## Broadcast

[edit]

Girls premiered on April 15, 2012, on HBO in the United States.[106][107] The first three episodes were screened at the 2012 SXSW Festival on March 12.[3]

HBO renewed the series for a second season of ten episodes on April 30, 2012.[54][56][108][109]

On January 7, 2014, the premiere of the third season of Girls was shown at the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City.[110] Models Karlie Kloss, Karen Elson, and Hilary Rhoda; designers Nicole Miller, Cynthia Rowley, and Zac Posen; and editors Anna Wintour, Joanna Coles, and Amy Astley were all in attendance.[110] The after party was at the Allen Room and "hosted by HBO and the Cinema Society".[110]

### International

[edit]

Girls premiered on OSN in the Middle East on September 7, 2012.[111] In Australia, it premiered on Showcase on May 28, 2012.[112] The series began airing on HBO Canada on April 15, 2012. In New Zealand, the SoHo channel premiered Girls in May 2012.[113]

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the series premiered on Sky Atlantic on October 22, 2012.[114] The second season premiered on January 14, 2013,[115] and the third season began airing on January 20, 2014.[116] The fourth season premiered on January 12, 2015.[117]

## Home media

[edit]

Season  | Episodes  | release date  | Rating

|
|
|

Region 1/A | Region 2/B[13][118] | Region 4/B[119][120] | BBFC | ACB[121]
Standard releases (DVD and Blu-ray)
Season 1  | 10  | December 11, 2012  | February 4, 2013  | December 12, 2012  | 18  | MA15+
Season 2  | 10  | August 13, 2013  | August 12, 2013  | October 23, 2013  | 18  | MA15+
Season 3  | 12  | January 6, 2015  | January 12, 2015  | December 10, 2014  | 15  | MA15+
Season 4  | 10  | February 16, 2016  | February 15, 2016  | December 9, 2015  | 18  | MA15+
Season 5  | 10  | January 3, 2017  | January 16, 2017  | December 7, 2016  | 18  | MA15+
Season 6  | 10  | July 26, 2017  | July 24, 2017  | July 26, 2017  | 18  | MA15+
Multiple releases (DVD only)[122]
Seasons 1–2  | 20  | No release  | August 12, 2013  | November 20, 2013  | 18  | MA15+
Seasons 1–3  | 32  | No release  | July 12, 2015  | No release  | 18  | —
Seasons 1–4  | 42  | No release  | February 15, 2016  | December 9, 2015  | 18  | MA15+
Seasons 1–5  | 52  | No release  | No release  | December 7, 2016  | —  | MA15+
Seasons 1–6  | 62  | No release  | July 24, 2017  | July 26, 2017  | 18  | MA15+

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f Goldberg, Lesley (January 13, 2012). "TCA: Lena Dunham Says HBO's 'Girls' Isn't 'Sex and the City'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
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* "Girls - The Complete First Season [DVD] [2012] [2013]". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 2 [DVD] [2013]". Amazon.co.uk. August 12, 2013. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 3 [DVD] [2015]". Amazon.co.uk. January 12, 2015. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 4 [DVD] [2016]". Amazon.co.uk. February 15, 2016. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 5 [DVD] [2016]". Amazon.co.uk. January 16, 2017. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
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59. ^ West, Kelly (August 19, 2013). "Girls Season 3 Production Video Looks Like A Day At The Beach, Hello Ladies Gets A Second Teaser". Television Blend. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
60. ^ Bibel, Sara (October 16, 2013). "HBO Confirms January Premiere Dates for Series 'Girls', 'True Detective', 'Looking'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
61. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (January 5, 2016). "'Girls' Ending After Season 6 on HBO". Variety. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
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75. ^ Goodman, Tim (March 11, 2012). "Review: 'Girls' Is Brilliant Gem For HBO". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
76. ^ Stanley, Alessandra (January 10, 2013). "The Edges Are Still Sharp in Brooklyn". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
77. ^ Cook, John (April 16, 2012). "Small Girl Big Mouth': A Girls Recap". Gawker. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
78. ^ Goodman, Tim (January 4, 2013). "'Girls' Season 2: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
79. ^ Wiegland, David (January 10, 2013). "'Girls' and 'Enlightened' reviews: Daring, doubt". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
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82. ^ Paskin, Willa (January 10, 2013). ""Girls": Hannah Horvath no longer cares what you think". Salon. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
83. ^ "Girls: Season 3". Rotten Tomatoes. February 12, 2014. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
84. ^ "Girls Review". Hollywood Reporter. August 15, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
85. ^ Stanley, Alessandra (January 9, 2014). "Looking Again at That Mars-Venus Thing 'Girls' Returns and 'Looking' Will Debut on HBO". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
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87. ^ Landweber, Michael (January 12, 2014). "Growing Up Is Getting Complicated, in a Good Way, in Season 3 of 'Girls'". PopMatters. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
88. ^ "Girls : Season 4". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
89. ^ "Girls : Season 5". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
90. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (February 19, 2016). "Girls' Season 5: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
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92. ^ Knox, David (March 3, 2017). "R-rated episode of Girls trimmed to MA15+". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
93. ^ Makarechi, Kia (April 16, 2012). "'Girls' Reviews: New HBO Show And Lena Dunham Face Backlash On Racism And More". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
94. ^ Scott, Catherine (October 24, 2012). "'Girls' is not diverse, not feminist and not empowering". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
95. ^ McKay, Hollie (April 18, 2012). "Criticism of HBO's 'Girls' for being about 'white girls, money, whining' justified?". FoxNews.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2012. "Most wealthy white girls in America are surrounded by other wealthy white girls, so that's who they choose to be friends with. So what? Are we so immature that we need to throw in a token African-American or Asian to make us better about the fact that some white people have zero exposure to diversity?"
96. ^ Wortham, Jenna (April 16, 2012). "Where (My) Girls At?". The Hairpin. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
97. ^ Ryan III, Maureen (April 25, 2012). "'HBO's 'Girls' Isn't Racist, Television Is Racist (And Sexist)". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
98. ^ Reeve, Elspeth (April 18, 2012). "'Girls' Writer Responds to Critique of 'Girls' with Horrible Joke". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on December 30, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
99. ^ "Lena Dunham Addresses "Girls" Diversity Criticism & Why I Just Don't Care... | Shadow and Act". IndieWire. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
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106. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 13, 2012). "Premiere Dates For HBO's 'Girls', 'Game Of Thrones', 'Veep' & 'Game Change'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
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109. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 30, 2012). "HBO Renews Comedy Series 'Veep' And 'Girls' For Second Season". Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
110. ^ a b c Maza, Erik (January 8, 2014). "'Girls' Season 3 Premieres at Lincoln Center". WWD. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
111. ^ "The ultimate HD Television experience". OSN. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
112. ^ "Airdate: Girls". TV Tonight. April 24, 2012. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
113. ^ "SOHO". Skytv.co.nz. Archived from the original on January 22, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
114. ^ "Girls Launches October 22nd". Sky Atlantic. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
115. ^ Jeffery, Morgan (November 19, 2012). "'Girls' season two UK premiere date confirmed by Sky Atlantic". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
116. ^ Fletcher, Alex (December 19, 2013). "Girls season 3 gets UK Sky Atlantic air date". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
117. ^ "Sky Atlantic Sets UK Premiere Date For 'Girls' Season 4". TV Wise. December 18, 2014. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
118. ^ Region B (UK) Blu-ray sets:
* "Girls - Complete HBO Season 1 [Blu-ray] [2013] [Region Free]". Amazon.co.uk. February 4, 2013. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 2 [Blu-ray] [2013] [Region Free]". Amazon.co.uk. August 12, 2013. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 3 [Blu-ray] [2015] [Region Free]". Amazon.co.uk. January 12, 2015. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 4 [Blu-ray] [2016] [Region Free]". Amazon.co.uk. February 15, 2016. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 5 [Blu-ray] [2016]". Amazon.co.uk. January 16, 2017. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 6 [Blu-ray] [2017]". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
119. ^ Region 4 DVD sets:
* "Girls: Season 1 (DVD)". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 2 (DVD)". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 3 (DVD)". Ezydvd.com.au. Retrieved May 16, 2017. [permanent dead link]
* "Girls: Season 4 (DVD)". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 5 (DVD)". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on July 14, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 6 (DVD)". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
120. ^ Region B (AU) Blu-ray sets:
* "Girls: Season 1". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on January 12, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 2". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 3". Ezydvd.com.au. Retrieved May 16, 2017. [permanent dead link]
* "Girls: Season 4". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 5". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 6". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
121. ^ ACB ratings:
* "Girls season 1". Classification.gov.au. October 23, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
* "Girls season 2". Classification.gov.au. August 14, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
* "Girls season 3". Classification.gov.au. November 4, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
* "Girls season 4". Classification.gov.au. November 3, 2015. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
* "Girls season 5". Classification.gov.au. October 21, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
* "Girls season 6". Classification.gov.au. June 5, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
122. ^ Multiple season sets:
* "Girls - Season 1-2 [DVD] [2013]". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 1-3 [DVD] [2015]". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 1-4 [DVD] [2016]". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Seasons 1-4 (DVD)". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on July 14, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 1 - 5 (DVD)". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on December 19, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls - Season 1-6 [DVD] [2017]". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
* "Girls: Season 1 - 6 (DVD)". Ezydvd.com.au. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* Girls at IMDb

Girls at Wikipedia's sister projects:

* Media from Commons
* Quotations from Wikiquote
* Data from Wikidata

Awards for Girls

* v
* t
* e

BAFTA TV Award for Best International Programme

1960s|

* L'Aiguille Du Midi (1964)
* President Kennedy's Funeral (1965)
* Living Camera (1966)
* No Award (1967)
* The Anderson Platoon (1968)
* Czechoslovak Television Service (1969)

1970s|

* The First Television Pictures From The Moon (1970)
* No Award (1971)
* The Sorrow and the Pity (1972)
* Deutsche Olympische Zentrum (Munich Olympic Games) (1973)
* No Award (1974)
* No Award (1975)
* The Magic Flute (1976)
* Edvard Munch (1977)
* No Award (1978)
* No Award (1979)

1980s|

* No Award (1980)
* No Award (1981)
* No Award (1982)
* The Miracle of Life (1983)
* No Award (1984)
* Das Boot (1985)
* No Award (1986)
* Heimat (1987)
* Lowest Of The Low (Ganz Unten) (1988)
* Tanner (1989)

1990s|

* Hotel Terminus (1990)
* The Ten Commandments (1991)
* The Civil War (1992)
* Tosca (1993)
* The Oprah Winfrey Show (1994)
* NYPD Blue (1995)
* ER (1996)
* Murder One (1997)
* Friends (1998)
* The Larry Sanders Show (1999)

2000s|

* No Award (2000)
* No Award (2001)
* No Award (2002)
* No Award (2003)
* No Award (2004)
* No Award (2005)
* No Award (2006)
* Entourage (2007)
* Heroes (2008)
* Mad Men (2009)

2010s|

* Mad Men (2010)
* The Killing (2011)
* Borgen (2012)
* Girls (2013)
* Breaking Bad (2014)
* True Detective (2015)
* Transparent (2016)
* The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2017)
* The Handmaid's Tale (2018)
* Succession (2019)

2020s|

* When They See Us (2020)
* Storyville: Welcome to Chechnya: The Gay Purge (2021)
* The Underground Railroad (2022)
* Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2023)
* Class Act (2024)
* Shōgun (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

1960s|

* The Governor & J.J. (1969)

1970s|

* The Carol Burnett Show (1970)
* All in the Family (season 1/season 2) (1971)
* All in the Family (season 2/season 3) (1972)
* All in the Family (season 3/season 4) (1973)
* Rhoda (season 1) (1974)
* Barney Miller (season 1/season 2) (1975)
* Barney Miller (season 2/season 3) (1976)
* All in the Family (season 7/season 8) (1977)
* Taxi (season 1) (1978)
* Alice / Taxi (season 1/season 2) (1979)

1980s|

* Taxi (season 2/season 3) (1980)
* M*A*S*H (season 9/season 10) (1981)
* Fame (1982)
* Fame (1983)
* The Cosby Show (season 1) (1984)
* The Golden Girls (season 1) (1985)
* The Golden Girls (season 1/season 2) (1986)
* The Golden Girls (season 2/season 3) (1987)
* The Wonder Years (season 1/season 2) (1988)
* Murphy Brown (1989)

1990s|

* Cheers (season 8/season 9) (1990)
* Brooklyn Bridge (1991)
* Roseanne (season 4/season 5) (1992)
* Seinfeld (season 4/season 5) (1993)
* Frasier (season 1/season 2) / Mad About You (1994)
* Cybill (1995)
* 3rd Rock from the Sun (season 1/season 2) (1996)
* Ally McBeal (season 1) (1997)
* Ally McBeal (season 1/season 2) (1998)
* Sex and the City (season 2) (1999)

2000s|

* Sex and the City (season 3) (2000)
* Sex and the City (season 4) (2001)
* Curb Your Enthusiasm (2002)
* The Office (UK) (2003)
* Desperate Housewives (season 1) (2004)
* Desperate Housewives (season 1/season 2) (2005)
* Ugly Betty (season 1) (2006)
* Extras (2007)
* 30 Rock (season 2/season 3) (2008)
* Glee (season 1) (2009)

2010s|

* Glee (season 1/season 2) (2010)
* Modern Family (season 2/season 3) (2011)
* Girls (season 1) (2012)
* Brooklyn Nine-Nine (season 1) (2013)
* Transparent (season 1) (2014)
* Mozart in the Jungle (season 1) (2015)
* Atlanta (season 1) (2016)
* The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (season 1) (2017)
* The Kominsky Method (season 1) (2018)
* Fleabag (season 2) (2019)

2020s|

* Schitt's Creek (season 6) (2020)
* Hacks (season 1) (2021)
* Abbott Elementary (season 1/season 2) (2022)
* The Bear (season 2) (2023)
* Hacks (season 3) (2024)

* v
* t
* e

Writers Guild of America Award for Television: New Series

* Grey's Anatomy (2005)
* Ugly Betty (2006)
* Mad Men (2007)
* In Treatment (2008)
* Modern Family (2009)
* Boardwalk Empire (2010)
* Homeland (2011)
* Girls (2012)
* House of Cards (2013)
* True Detective (2014)
* Mr. Robot (2015)
* Atlanta (2016)
* The Handmaid's Tale (2017)
* Barry (2018)
* Watchmen (2019)
* Ted Lasso (2020)
* Hacks (2021)
* Severance (2022)
* The Last of Us (2023)
* Shōgun (2024)

* v
* t
* e

HBO programming

Current and upcoming

| Current|

* 100 Foot Wave (since 2021)
* The Comeback (since 2005)
* Dune: Prophecy (since 2024)
* Euphoria (since 2019)
* The Gilded Age (since 2022)
* Hard Knocks (since 2001)
* House of the Dragon (since 2022)
* Industry (since 2020)
* It's Florida, Man (since 2024)
* The Last of Us (since 2023)
* Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (since 2014)
* Real Time with Bill Maher (since 2003)
* The Rehearsal (since 2022)
* True Detective (since 2014)
* The White Lotus (since 2021)

|

Upcoming|

* The Chair Company (2025)
* It: Welcome to Derry (2025)
* Task (2025)
* Untitled Rachel Sennott TV series (2025)
* Half Man (2026)
* A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026)
* Lanterns (2026)
* Harry Potter (2027)

Former

| Series|

| 1970s
debuts|

* HBO World Championship Boxing
* HBO Sports Bowling
* Inside the NFL
* On Location
* Race for the Pennant
* Standing Room Only ("Vanities")
* Tennis on HBO
* Time Was

|

1980s
debuts|

* 1st & Ten
* The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
* America Undercover ("Autopsy", "Real Sex" and "Taxicab Confessions")
* Babar
* Braingames
* Encyclopedia
* Encyclopedia Brown
* The Ghost of Faffner Hall
* The Hitchhiker
* HBO Storybook Musicals
* The Kids in the Hall
* Maximum Security
* Not Necessarily the News
* One Night Stand
* Philip Marlowe, Private Eye
* The Ray Bradbury Theater
* Seabert
* The StoryTeller
* Tales from the Crypt
* Tales of Little Women
* Video Jukebox
* The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

1990s
debuts|

* The Adventures of Paddington Bear
* The Adventures of Tintin
* Arliss
* The Baby-Sitters Club
* Boxing After Dark
* The Chris Rock Show
* The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures
* Crashbox
* Def Comedy Jam
* Dennis Miller Live
* Dream On
* George and Martha
* Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
* HBO Comedy Half-Hour
* Hotel Room
* The Larry Sanders Show
* Lifestories: Families in Crisis
* A Little Curious
* The Little Lulu Show
* Mr. Show with Bob and David
* The Neverending Story
* Oz
* Perversions of Science
* Pippi Longstocking
* Rainbow Fish
* Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
* Reverb
* Saban's Adventures of Pinocchio
* Sex and the City
* The Sopranos
* Spicy City
* Tenacious D
* Todd McFarlane's Spawn
* Tracey Takes On...

2000s
debuts|

* Animated Tales of the World
* Big Love
* Bored to Death
* Carnivàle
* Cathouse: The Series
* Classical Baby
* Curb Your Enthusiasm
* Costas Now
* Da Ali G Show
* Deadwood
* Def Poetry Jam
* Eastbound & Down
* Entourage
* Extras
* Flight of the Conchords
* G String Divas
* Harold and the Purple Crayon
* Hung
* In Treatment
* I Spy
* Joe Buck Live
* John from Cincinnati
* K Street
* Kindergarten
* KO Nation
* The Life & Times of Tim
* Little Britain USA
* Lucky Louie
* The Mind of the Married Man
* The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
* On the Record with Bob Costas
* El Perro y El Gato
* Pornucopia
* Project Greenlight
* Rome
* Six Feet Under
* Stuart Little
* Summer Heights High
* Tales from the Neverending Story
* Tell Me You Love Me
* True Blood
* Tourgasm
* Unscripted
* The Wire

2010s
debuts|

* After the Thrones
* All Def Comedy
* Angry Boys
* Animals
* Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons
* Ballers
* Barry
* Big Little Lies
* A Black Lady Sketch Show
* Boardwalk Empire
* The Brink
* Camping
* Crashing
* The Deuce
* Divorce
* Doll & Em
* Enlightened
* Esme & Roy
* Family Tree
* Funny or Die Presents
* Game of Thrones
* Gentleman Jack
* Getting On
* Girls
* Hello Ladies
* Here and Now
* High Maintenance
* His Dark Materials
* How to Make It in America
* Insecure
* Ja'mie: Private School Girl
* Jonah from Tonga
* The Leftovers
* Life's Too Short
* Looking
* Los Espookys
* Luck
* Masterclass
* My Brilliant Friend
* The Newsroom
* Random Acts of Flyness
* The Ricky Gervais Show
* The Righteous Gemstones
* Room 104
* Sally4Ever
* The Shop
* Silicon Valley
* Succession
* Togetherness
* Treme
* Veep
* Vice
* Vice News Tonight
* Vice Principals
* Vinyl
* Westworld
* Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas

2020s
debuts|

* 30 Coins
* Avenue 5
* Betty
* Fantasmas
* The Franchise
* How To with John Wilson
* The Idol
* Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show
* Lovecraft Country
* The Nevers
* Painting with John
* Pause with Sam Jay
* Perry Mason
* Rain Dogs
* Run
* Somebody Somewhere
* The Time Traveler's Wife
* The Vow
* We're Here
* Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

Miniseries|

* Agents of Chaos
* All the Rivers Run
* Allen v. Farrow
* Angels in America
* Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl
* The Baby
* Band of Brothers
* The Case Against Adnan Syed
* The Casual Vacancy
* Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes
* Catherine the Great
* Celtics City
* Chernobyl
* The Corner
* Elizabeth I
* Empire Falls
* Exterminate All the Brutes
* From the Earth to the Moon
* Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways
* Generation Kill
* Get Millie Black
* Gunpowder
* God Save Texas
* House of Saddam
* I Am Not a Monster: The Lois Riess Murders
* I Know This Much Is True
* I May Destroy You
* I'll Be Gone in the Dark
* Irma Vep
* The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
* John Adams
* The Lady and the Dale
* Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York
* Landscapers
* Laurel Avenue
* Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God
* Mare of Easttown
* McMillions
* Mildred Pierce
* Mind Over Murder
* Mosaic
* Mrs. Fletcher
* The New Pope
* The Night Of
* Nuclear Family
* Olive Kitteridge
* Our Boys
* The Outsider
* The Pacific
* Parade's End
* The Penguin
* Phoenix Rising
* The Plot Against America
* Pray, Obey, Kill
* Q: Into the Storm
* The Regime
* Scenes from a Marriage
* The Seekers
* Sharp Objects
* Show Me a Hero
* Small Town News: KPVM Pahrump
* The Sympathizer
* Tanner '88
* Telemarketers
* The Third Day
* The Undoing
* Watchmen
* We Are Who We Are
* We Own This City
* White House Plumbers
* Years and Years
* The Young Pope

See also
Max
HBO Storybook Musicals
HBO Asia original series
HBO Canada original series
HBO Europe original series
HBO Latin America original series

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Israel

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