Girls

Lena Dunham created Girls with the intention of offering a more realistic and nuanced portrayal of the lives of young women in their twenties. The show, which premiered on HBO in 2012, revolved around a group of friends played by Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, and Zosia Mamet, navigating the challenges of relationships, work, and self-discovery in New York. The first season of Girls was filmed between April and August 2011. The first three episodes were screened at the 2012 SXSW Festival and the series premiered on HBO on April 15, 2012. The series ran for six seasons until April 16, 2017. There are a total of 62 episodes. A five-episode revival of the series is scheduled to begin production in 2027.

Dunham, who both created and starred in the series, aimed to provide an authentic representation of the experiences, struggles, and relationships of young women. She wanted to present a narrative that went beyond the glamorous or idealized portrayals often seen in mainstream media. Girls received attention for its frank and sometimes controversial depictions of sex, relationships, and personal growth. The cringe comedy show was seen as a departure from traditional television narratives, offering a more unfiltered and honest exploration of the complexities of adulthood, particularly from a female perspective.

The show has received critical praise and numerous awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and the British Academy Television Award for Best International Programme.

In 2019, Girls was ranked 18th on The Guardian's list of the 100 greatest TV shows of the 21st century. In 2021, BBC placed it 30th on its list of the best series of the century. In 2022, the series was ranked 65th on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest TV shows. In 2023, Variety included it at 86th on its own list of the greatest TV series of all time.