'Girls' Recap: Marnie Plans A Weekend Trip For The Girls, Shoshanna Yells At Everyone

by UInterviewFebruary 17, 2014, 12:00 amNews >

In an effort to reconnect with her friends, Marnie plans a weekend away that ends in a drunken confrontation in this week's Girls, “Beach House.”

Marnie (Allison Williams) has been feeling the tension in her relationships with Hannah (Lena Dunham), Jessa (Jemima Kirke) and Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet), so she invites them all to spend a weekend with her at her family friends’ beach house in North Fork. Marnie has a grand idea for the trip, complete with Martha Stewart-like name cards and a strict itinerary, which includes airing out grievances at dinner.

Hannah, Shoshanna and Jessa resent Marnie’s oppressive planning. Hannah’s first form of rebellion is to leave the house in nothing but her bathing suit, which gets her kicked out of a convenience store. Her second is to invite Elijah (Andrew Rannells), her gay ex-boyfriend who happens to be in town with a few of his gay, male friends, over for dinner. Marnie is not pleased with the addition of Elijah and his friends, but the weekend continues.

Marnie finally opens up about her devastating breakup with Charlie during a sweet moment with Elijah. She reveals that Charlie had mentioned the idea of proposing over the phone, but then when he came home to their apartment, he told her he didn’t love her, packed up his things and walked out the door.

Marnie also has a bit of a heart-to-heart with Hannah, but their reconciliation is short lived. Marnie still wants to have the makeup dinner with just the girls, but Hannah invites the boys to stay anyways, resulting in small portions and a very sour Marnie. The evening begins to get better when one of Elijah’s friends teach them all a fun dance, but Marnie criticizes Hannah’s skills, setting off a drunken, tell-all fight between the four girls.

Marnie and Hannah are fighting viciously, but it’s Shosh who really goes off. Full of alcohol and fed up with her friends, Shoshanna lashes out at everyone. To Hannah, she screams that she’s fed up with Hannah’s complete narcissism. She points out Marnie’s self doubt and anxiety, saying she’s tired of how high strung it makes her, and then turns on Jessa, who just got out of rehab, and dismisses her sober wisdom.

“You guys never listen to me. You treat me like I’m a f—king cab driver. Seriously you have entire conversations in front of me like I’m invisible. And sometimes I wonder if my social anxiety is holding me back from meeting the people who would be actually right for me instead of a bunch of f—king whiny nothings as friends,” Shoshana says.

After Shosh’s outburst, things calm down a bit, with Hannah telling Marnie that maybe she should consider lowering her expectations and not holding her friends to impossible standards. Hannah explains that she loves Adam because he asks for nothing, making her want to give more, and instructs Marnie to try and do the same.

Meanwhile, Elijah confronts his boyfriend, Paolo, after Hannah encourages him to stand up for himself when he feels his boyfriend is condescending. Paolo says that Hannah is the most ridiculous person he’s ever encountered, and doubts whether or not Elijah understands the more casual nature of their relationship. When his Paolo floats the idea of breaking up, Elijah kisses him to make him forget it.

The next morning, Marnie comes downstairs and is surprised to see the girls cleaning. They work together and leave together. The episode ends with all four girls sitting on a curb, silent, waiting for the bus. They dance the routine from the night before together silently.

Girls airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on HBO.