Lena Dunham's 'Girls' Revived for Five Episodes at HBO After Gen Z-Led Resurgence
On Wednesday, HBO revealed that Lena Dunham's series Girls will make a comeback with five additional episodes, spurred by Gen Z audiences who have rediscovered the show online. Originally debuting in 2012, the series encountered criticism for its portrayal of sexism, body image, and diversity. According to The New York Times, viewership surged from November 2022 to January 2023. The revival was largely driven by memes on TikTok and Instagram. In 2023, comedians Amelia Ritthaler and Evan Lazarus introduced the Girls Rewatch podcast, featuring guests such as Dunham and other cast members. Dunham's memoir, Famesick, released in April, became a New York Times bestseller. In a Substack post, she acknowledged her fans for this revival, highlighting a trend of reboots and Gen Z's affinity for millennial optimism.
Key facts
- HBO announced Wednesday that Girls will be rebooted for five episodes.
- The original series premiered in 2012 and faced backlash over sexism, misogyny, body comments, nepo baby allegations, and lack of diversity.
- Viewership doubled between November 2022 and January 2023 compared with the previous three months, according to The New York Times.
- Gen Z viewers fueled the resurgence through memes, clips, and podcasts on TikTok and Instagram.
- Amelia Ritthaler and Evan Lazarus launched the Girls Rewatch podcast in 2023, featuring guests like Lena Dunham and cast members Allison Williams, Andrew Rannells, and Zosia Mamet.
- Jemima Kirke commented on the podcast's Instagram, saying 'I think this was like 70% cuz of you guys.'
- Lena Dunham's memoir Famesick, published in April, was an instant New York Times bestseller.
- Dunham credited fans in a Substack post published Wednesday for helping her be ready to return to the series.
Entities
Artists
- Lena Dunham
- Allison Williams
- Andrew Rannells
- Zosia Mamet
- Jemima Kirke
- Amelia Ritthaler
- Evan Lazarus
- Hunter Harris
- Peyton Dix
- Evan Ross Katz
- Judd Apatow
- Adam Driver
- Jenni Konner
- Amy Gravitt
- Andy Cohen
Institutions
- HBO
- The New York Times
- Girls Rewatch podcast
- Lemme Say This podcast
- Substack
- TikTok
- Netflix
- BBC
- Vogue
- Theranos
- Kellogg's Diner
Locations
- Brooklyn
- New York
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York City
- Iowa
- Japan
- Williamsburg
- Hudson Valley