Now that the tidal waves of hype and backlash have (mostly sort of) come and gone, it's safe to say that, no, Lena Dunham's Girls is not a younger, newer version of Sex and The City (for those looking for that, we'll leave you and your Fendi baguette with CW's The Carrie Diaries).
Yes, it is about a group of privileged, entitled, educated, and even spoiled 20-somethings in New York as played by a group of young women who count newscaster Brian Williams, Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke, and playwright David Mamet among their famous, successful parents. No, Dunham does not spare herself or her Eloise tattoos the teensiest bit. And, yes, accidental crack-smoking, naked cupcake-eating, and unsexy sex all make cameos in the raw, hilarious series.
For fans who've watched religiously and already know all the above, this Sunday will be bittersweet as it marks season one's finale -- and then they'll be stuck with True Blood's freaky fantasies. But thankfully there's plenty of Girls-related ephemera to keep them busy before season two begins ...
5. Tiny Furniture Whoa. Wait. You mean you haven't seen Dunham's debut? Watch. It. Now.
Not only will it enhance how you take in Girls, but you'll see how Dunham's aesthetic and storytelling have evolved since making the 2010 indie flick Tiny Furniture, which could serve as an almost-prequel to the program.
That's not to mention you'll see Girls characters Jessa (Jemima Kirke) playing a similar burst of boho-glam messiness and Ray (Alex Karpovsky) as one of Dunham's largely uninterested love interests.
4. Girls Paper Dolls The good folks over at Vulture know that you're in for a boring spell and concocted these printable paper doll depictions of Hannah (who you know would be so into these), Jessa, Shoshanna, and Marnie to keep you busy and from acting like a grownup. Please note the perfectly detailed accessories including the aforementioned cupcake, a Jewel CD, and a laptop open to a Google search for AIDS.
3. Community Season two promises a new character played by Donald Glover, former 30 Rock writer, Kanye-worshipping rapper, stand-up comedian, and member of Community's ensemble cast that includes Joel McHale and Chevy Chase.
Whether he's being brought on to quell all those "Girls is sooo racist!" critics or simply join a cast of fellow funny up-and-comers is unclear. What is? Glover is funny. And to fully appreciate his place in pop culture Community is a must-watch. Please note, as indicated by this supercut of Glover's character Troy crying, this show is nothing like Girls.
2. Get HBO? While it's implausible that the characters on Girls get the premium cable channel (that would be so meta), you might as well bite the monthly bill-shaped bullet and upgrade if you want to catch all their exploits next season without having to mooch off of your cool friends who let you watch their TVs.
Plus, HBO likely will replay the first season over the summer and you'll be able to watch it on demand. In other words, if you missed any eps you'll be able to catch up without downloading a million viruses from pirated videos, and there are a bunch of other killer shows that'll ensure you stay indoors all summer. Hurray!
1. Go to New York You're overdue for a vacation from writing your manuscript and working dead-end jobs, right? But of course you are.
Take a quick jaunt to the east coast and use this handy, interactive map from WNYC to experience the city the way Dunham's characters do: largely downtown.
