This show is such a gem, and I want it to get the attention it deserves! It’s written by Lena Dunham and her husband as a semi-autobiographical story about their relationship. It stars Meg Stalter from “Hacks,” who is hilarious, although it’s not a straight-up comedy – there are plenty of dramatic and poignant scenes. It made me cry multiple times.

I feel like the show got some negative reviews from people who don’t like Lena Dunham and used the opportunity to work out their own issues about her, or people who were expecting it to be more of a comedy, but I think this New Yorker review was pretty accurate.

Part of why I loved it is that it’s ultimately a show that very effectively communicates how we all have a lot of baggage from our childhoods, past relationships, etc., and often what we think of as those special “you know it when you meet THE ONE” romantic feelings are the result of being drawn to partners who help us heal that damage, even if we’re not necessarily conscious of it.

I also like the way it portrayed flawed characters who are capable of change – both Jessica and Felix are very flawed, as are most of the people in their orbits – but the show doesn’t condescend to any of them, and doesn’t “punish” them for their issues. Instead, it portrays them all as deserving of love and friendship (honestly, even Zev). The show also illustrates the way that people we think of as “villains” in our own personal stories may have a very different perspective. I thought the Wendy character arc was particularly satisfying and surprising.

Finally, it was wonderful to watch a female character who is not a size 2, but has a positive self-image and is not insecure about her weight. She’s also ambitious and very good at her job, which again, is unusual for shows with young women at the center.

The writing is excellent, and it’s definitely not a “two screen” show – there is a lot of subtlety in the dialogue and reactions that is easy to miss. I watched it through twice, because so much of it is told in flashbacks, and I picked up a lot of nuances the second time around, after I knew what was going to happen.

As a bonus, the soundtrack is incredible, and there are a ton of charming cameos. Richard E. Grant as Jessica’s boss was my personal favorite, as was Andrew Scott (from “Ripley”) as the narcissistic director. It’s just a wonderful show. It’s 10 episodes, ranging from 30 to 50-ish minutes, so not a huge time commitment. Just watch it and then we can talk about it!