Girls Season Three Premiere Recap

We love Girls! You love Girls! So for the entire third season we'll be doing weekly recaps on Monday. Check back in to get our editors' takes on what went down, plus an exclusive illustration from

Girls Illustrated

artist Nina Cosford

. (And, of course, spoiler alert! Although you can watch both

episode 1

and 

episode 2

right now for free.) 

Have you ever had just a really bad year. Like, the type that feels like one big downer...but that somehow, as you ring in the next one and feel this groundswell of hope, you realize just how important it was? You know, because you grew as a person, somehow becoming smarter and wiser in the process? (Yes, I just raised my hand too.)

Well, if there's anything we learned from the season three premiere of

Girls

, it's that Hannah Horvath & Co. haven't quite gotten to that point yet. Jessa? Rather than turning inward, she's busy tearing down her fellow rehab-ers and continuing the same old cycle of dropping in on her friends and disrupting their lives when it best suits her. Marnie? If she's not at rock bottom following her breakup with Charlie, she's pretty darn close to it, putting on a fake smile while still wallowing in self pity (related: the story she tells about how they broke up--he left her the day they were planning on making pizza--was kinda hilarious). Shosh? OK, it seems like post-Ray she hasn't just been playing the field, but also getting a lobotomy (seriously,

Girls

writers, what's the deal with making her such a caricature that she's painful to watch?). 

And then there's Hannah: Still getting pulled into her friends' dramas because, while it would be better for them if she just stayed away, it makes her feel in control so she goes headfirst into a road trip to pick up Jessa (which we find out didn't even need to happen; it's just that Jessa couldn't bear to be alone, even on a flight back).

Both the first and second episodes were classic

Girls

: They give us every reason to hate, and yet there we were watching through to the end credits. But there are hints of growth for the series as well, starting with Adam. Previously a satellite character, these episodes presented him with even more complexity than we've seen before. You shake your head at his selfishness--cue that scene with Hannah where he goes off on not wanting to hang out with her friends--and then are shocked when he delivers the most honest--but uplifting--"aw girl, forget him, he wasn't anything special" speech we've ever heard. He punches the car stereo and later sends Shosh out of the hotel room because he can't go to sleep without screwing, and yet doesn't really seem to put up a fight when it comes to driving on a multi-day road trip to pick up his girlfriend's friend from rehab. (Don't even get us started on that epic moment between Adam, ex Shiri Appleby, and her friend--played by Amy Schumer)

Have the

Girls

girls rebounded from the really bad year that was Season Two? It's hard to tell--but it looks like we're going to watch them try to get there. Keep reading in the gallery to get all of our episode superlatives (from best song to biggest WTF moment) and exclusive illustration--and check back next Monday for our take on episode 3!

Girls Season 3 Episode 1 Superlatives

Best Outfit: Shoshana's cut-out dress she wears to Hannah's mini-dinner party. (And then on the road trip--does that mean she had a walk of shame the whole ride?!)

Best Song: Broncho - "It's On" (played during the end credits)

Best Cameo: We heart Danielle Brooks (aka Taystee from Orange is the New Black) as the lesbian Jessa outs--and, um, does other things with--in rehab, but you just can't compete with Kim Gordon (as Jessa's rehab-mate). I mean, she's meant to be a crazy meth-head and she still looks pretty awesome. "Scrunchies?! I've never worn a fucking scrunchie in my entire life."

Favorite Quote: "I'm not interested in anything [my friends] have to say--that's not the point of friendship!" --Hannah trying to convince Adam to have a dinner party at their apartment.

WTF Moment: "Guess what, she's pregnant, okay? She's pregnant with your child. What you put in her, it made a baby in her, and now she's pregnant. How does it feel to have abandoned your son?!" AKA the coffee shop confrontation scene.

Life Lesson: Adam on relationships and breakups: "And then one day, after being fucked up for months, I realized something: I didn't know her. She didn't know me. Just because I tasted her cum and spit or could tell you her middle name or knew what records she liked, that doesn't mean anything. I didn't know her. That's  not a connection, anyone can have that. Really knowing someone else, it's a completely different thing, and when it happens you wont' be able to miss it. You'll be aware, and you won't be hurt or be afraid, OK?"

Girls Season 3 Episode 2 Superlatives

Best Outfit: Jessa's oversize coat and chartreuse skirt in rehab. Yes, she still looks insanely chic in rehab.

Best Song: Maroon 5 - "One More Night" (Come on, if you were in the car you'd sing along too.)

Best Cameo: Rita Wilson as Marnie's trying to be cool, trying to be supportive (and kind of failing at both) mom.

Favorite Quote: "I hate to break it to you but school is the best gig you'll ever have. i mean, your job is basically just to be yourself. That's why I apply to grad school every single year." --Hannah

"Honestly the only people that I ever hear say that are people who don't make any money." --Shoshanna

WTF Moment: Adam kicking Shoshanna out of the hotel room because he can't go a day without doing it. Awwwwkward.

Life Lesson: "Yeah but you know what Adam? I don't want to do it, and it's really liberating to say no to shit you hate. So you go ahead, you live your truth, I'll be here, living my truth." --Hannah refusing to go on a hike with Adam and Shosh. (In her defense, you really can't hike in clogs. It's a fact.)