Failure is the bread and butter of HBO's Girls. Other TV programs about women and friendship— Broad City, Sex and the City, even Orange Is the New Black—tend toward cheer and optimism, even when the subject matter is painful. But Girls had a bleak world view. There are plenty of "dark" HBO joints, but nothing hit home quite like Lena Dunham's creation. The Leftovers is apocalyptic; Game of Thrones, an overblown fantasy. Girls, by contrast, is horrifyingly mundane, not escapist or otherworldly (if frequently absurd), and never aspirational in the slightest. The series suggests ordinary friendships and ideals die continually, especially when you're young and still transitioning into a full-fledged person.
Millennials famously flail where their parents saw success. They earn less than baby boomers did, despite having more education. They are less likely to own homes, more likely to be crippled by student debt.

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