Series Review: Girlboss

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[alert type=red ]Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers[/alert]


1. Sophia

In the first episode of this show, which is loosely based on Sophia Amoruso’s autobiography, #Girlboss, we are immediately introduced to 23 year old Sophia Marlowe (Britt Robertson) and her best friend, Annie (Ellie Reed) who have a wholesome if sometimes turbulent friendship, complete with nihilistic catchphrase, “Love you in case I die”.

It’s not too long before the series’ love interest, Shane (Johnny Simmons), is signposted to viewers by some super subtle eye contact made between him and Sophia in a dingy bar in which Shane’s band are playing. Dax (Alphons McAuley), the bartender of this dimly-lit joint, also conveniently happens to be Shane’s roomate, and Annie’s boyfriend.

When we first meet Sophia she works in a shoe store. But she’s rude, entitled and dislikeable and we can’t work out how she’s held down her job for so long if this is how she’s been behaving every day; turning up late, ignoring clients, browsing eBay at work, eating her boss’ lunch and so forth. But of course, it figures – we need to see Sophia getting fired to understand the urgency for her to find a source of income so she doesn’t get evicted from her apartment.

When Sophia finds a 1970s motorcycle jacket in a vintage clothing store for a mere $9 dollars and flips it on eBay for $600, her fiscal prayers seem to have been answered. Thus the entire premise of the show – the birth of an online vintage fashion outlet – is generated.

Sophia: “This is an original 1970s East West calfskin motorcycle jacket in perfect condition. Know what your shit’s worth, ’cause you just got played. Bam, son!”

Immediately the series feels a little bit tired, in a Lena Dunham-esque ‘20-something-in-the-States-struggling-to-make-it’ kind of way. But unlike the Girls protagonist Hannah Horvath, at least Sophia seems to have self-awareness that she is not a very nice person. But similarly to Horvath, Sophia seems unable to comprehend why her father might be disappointed that she turns up to pre-scheduled dinners late, and in this episode, with a stolen carpet in tow.


Verdict: A little slow to get going because of all the character introducing and background building, but intriguing enough to want to continue watching. Redeemed by a really, really cool leather jacket.

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