Girls is coming back

HBO announced Wednesday that Lena Dunham's Girls will be rebooted for five episodes, largely thanks to Gen Z giving the show its long overdue redemption arc.

Gen Z revived it online

Using memes, clips, and podcasts, Gen Z proselytized the show through their native tongue: the internet. Their collective manifestation led to the revival announcement.

The original was controversial

When Girls first aired in 2012, rave reviews were usurped by relentless sexism and misogyny. Critics attacked Dunham's body, the sex depicted onscreen, nepo baby allegations, and the series' lack of diversity.

Viewership surged a decade later

Between November 2022 and January 2023, the series' viewership doubled compared with the previous three months, The New York Times reported. TikTok and Instagram memes sparked a cultural resurgence.

Gen Z understood the satire

Gen Z identified with a satirical style millennials had missed. Amelia Ritthaler, 28, says Gen Z was raised on post-ironic, emotionally removed social media and watched Girls through that satirical lens Lena wrote it in.

“So much of what we were raised on was this post-ironic, emotionally removed, 'world is burning, but let's dance through it' kind of social media.”

Podcasters brought cast members back

Brooklyn comedians Amelia Ritthaler and Evan Lazarus launched the Girls Rewatch podcast in 2023. They posted memes on TikTok and Instagram, eventually hosting Dunham and cast members including Allison Williams, Andrew Rannells, and Zosia Mamet.

“I think this was like 70% cuz of you guys.”

Dunham's memoir fueled nostalgia

Lena Dunham's memoir Famesick, published in April, further fueled Girls nostalgia. The book was an instant New York Times bestseller with a buzzy tour, coinciding with the show's redemption arc.

Dunham credits the fans

In a Substack post published Wednesday, Dunham wrote that seeing the love fans shared for Girls helped turn her around. She acknowledged she once wanted to outrun Hannah and her ladies.

“Maybe there was once a part of me that wanted to outrun Hannah and her ladies. Seeing the love you've so generously shared for it helped to turn me around.”

Gen Z craves millennial optimism

Gen Z is ripe for millennial optimism they never experienced. Nostalgia for the mid-two thousand tens has cropped up online, with people longing for fixed gear bikes and sepia toned photos.