TV

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Graphic Girls episode 'complicated,' says Apatow

By: Victoria Ahearn

Posted: 03/14/2013 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Lena Dunham and Adam Driver

TORONTO -- Girls executive producer Judd Apatow says he thinks a graphic sex scene in Sunday's episode of the HBO series is drawing such strong reactions from critics because it deals with complicated emotions that aren't often explored on TV.

In the instalment of the Golden Globe-winning dramedy, about a group of 20-somethings in New York City, recovering alcoholic Adam (Adam Driver) has a dark sexual encounter with his girlfriend.

The incident is one of several cringe-inducing moments in the episode, which also sees budding writer Hannah (series creator, director, producer and writer Lena Dunham) grappling with her deteriorating mental state.

Girls is known for its frank and unvarnished portrayal of the characters' lives and often elicits passionate reactions from viewers.

But March 10's -- entitled "On All Fours" -- seems to be particularly polarizing.

An article posted on The Hollywood Reporter website, for instance, read: "Girls: Did Lena Dunham Go Too Far?"

Meanwhile, a laudatory article on Variety's site declared: "HBO's Girls is Defiant in the Best of Ways."

"There's complicated emotions and we're talking about people trying to make connections, and sexuality, and things that go right and wrong in sexuality," Apatow said Tuesday in a telephone interview to promote next week's DVD/Blu-ray release of his comedy film This Is 40.

"There's a deep exploration of serious mental issues that Hannah's having, and I think it's a really fascinating storyline we're following that forces people to think about a lot of issues much deeper than they usually have to think about ... when they're watching escapist entertainment."

Apatow added he's "very proud" of what Dunham has done with the show, which wraps its second season on March 17 with an episode the two wrote together.

"I think the finale is fantastic," he said. "I'm excited for people to see the conclusion of this story she's telling.

"And some of it is shocking but you know, life is shocking, so we're just showing certain corners of life that people don't explore too often."

HBO Canada also airs Girls, which has been renewed for a third season.

Apatow said he finds some criticisms of the series "inherently sexist."

"You don't have to be that deep a thinker to understand that when a young, strong woman who's comfortable with her sexuality presents her world view with confidence, it throws people," he said.

"But that's fine. I think all these debates is one of the great purposes of the show. It's making people think about all different aspects of entertainment and feminism and sexuality and what's happening with young people today.

"So to me, it's all fantastic. I like that people brawl about it."

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 14, 2013 C17

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More TV

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.