Girls

An edgy coming-of-age comedy-drama about 20-somethings living in Brooklyn, Girls grows out of the experiences of one woman –- Lena Dunham, the writer, director and star of this lightning rod of an HBO series. Funny, frustrating, irritating, vulnerable and extreme, Dunham’s lead character, Hannah Horvath, and her group of girlfriends are trying to make it in the big, glorious, intimidating city. Sound like a familiar TV tale? Well, it isn’t. Girls is so personal, idiosyncratic, self-indulgent and naked that it is unlike anything television has ever seen. And yet, in Dunham’s crazy, problematic world, viewers find reflections of their own lives, ambitions, romances and anxieties. The show evokes laughter and tears, often at the same time, and has touched a cultural nerve, particularly among some female viewers who have finally found a show to call their own. For its daring, sometimes uncomfortable honesty, Girls receives a Peabody Award.