First, let’s briefly refresh ourselves on “Ladies” — and why it brought about controversy within the first place. From the very first episode — the place Hannah tells her aggrieved dad and mom, “I believe that I stands out as the voice of my technology. Or no less than a voice. Of a technology” — the present was criticized for a way unlikable the characters could possibly be, particularly Lena Dunham’s Hannah. Dunham, because the present’s lead, was flanked by Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, and Jemima Kirke, and all of them had been additionally criticized for being “nepo infants” (each Mamet and Williams come from established trade households, whereas Kirke’s father is a musician and Dunham’s mom is an artist). “Ladies” additionally featured a ton of nudity and specific intercourse scenes, normally that includes Dunham, whose plus-size physique drew critiques from bad-faith actors who merely did not wish to see a practical girl’s curves on-screen. (Not for nothing, the present additionally launched Adam Driver to each Hollywood and the world at massive.)
For what it is value, “Ladies” — and by extension, Dunham — at all times knew precisely what it was doing. Characters like Williams’ Marnie Michaels, one of the odious but earnest villains in tv historical past, had been by no means meant to be “likable” and even essentially life like. Nonetheless, Dunham bought continuously raked over the coals by critics regardless of the present being a reputable success — and one which’s been persistently re-evaluated within the years because it premiered. So what did she do after “Ladies?”