Warning: Spoilers Ahead!
I’ve been absolutely loving Mindy Kaling’s HBO show, The Sex Lives of College Girls. It is so rare to find a TV show or movie that is centered around college life, let alone one that is actually funny or relatable. As a college girl myself, it is so refreshing to not have to watch a show about high schoolers. Last week wrapped up season 2, and I am so excited that they’ve already announced another season. Here’s what I thought about this season.
whitney
A lot of fans were not happy with Whitney’s storyline this season. Specifically, people did not like her relationship with academic rival Andrew, post-Canaan break up. Some did not see the chemistry between Whitney and Andrew, but maybe I’m just a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers trope because I didn’t hate it. He also happens to be played by Charlie Hall, the charming son of Julia Louis-Dreyfus. But I will admit he did give me the ick, especially after their date episode (who likes a guy that complains to waiters?).
I was happy to see Whitney come into her own a little more, especially since soccer season is over. I think I’d like to see more about Whitney next season than just biochem, but I’m glad she’s really embracing her academic side and wanting to work towards something by herself (like turning down the internship her Senator mom got her). It made me really sad that Whitney had to see Canaan and Kimberly kiss since it’s clear she still has feelings for him. Now she’s going to be living in the Kappa house, so I wonder if she will be distancing herself from the group next season. I want to see more Whitney next season!
leighton
I think Leighton has had the most character growth this season. First off, this was the first time Leighton was out as gay. I’m so happy that she no longer has to hide who she is and can finally explore her sexuality. Leighton also really stood up for her values this season. Going off on Kappa moms about being inclusive and eventually dropping the sorority were huge for Leighton. I think she’s really trying to grow as a person and also proved that by going back to the Women’s Center. I thought it was big for Leighton to defend the center to Tatum and break things off with her. But I will say, I did like their relationship and was sad to see it end so soon. It felt rushed and came out of nowhere. Not long before this, Leighton was coming out to her dad at dinner (also an amazing moment for Leighton!) and talking about how much she liked Tatum. Getting back with Alicia, who I do also like, felt a bit forced and rushed. I’m not sure how I feel about them back together.
Alas, the moment that really stood out to me this season was Leighton and her mom finally getting along. Her mom being accepting of her sexuality and dropping Kappa really made me happy because those were the things Leighton worried the most about in terms of pleasing her mom. Overall, I think this was a really good season for Leighton.
bela
I have to admit, Bela was really frustrating me this season. She was very self-destructive, self-centered, and hurt a lot of the people around her. Cheating on Eric with that comedian two seconds after becoming exclusive? Not cool, Bela. She also got herself into a lot of trouble with the other girls at the Foxy, leading them to kick her out. A lot of Bela’s problems seem to stem from putting herself first, like letting herself be the cover of the story on the Foxy and excluding the other founders. It seemed really harsh for Bela to belittle a Foxy writer who basically worshipped her. With all this being said, I can’t hate Bela. I think she is hilarious and I love that she is unapologetically herself. It broke my heart when she went to her meeting about transferring out of Essex and revealed that she just wants everyone to love her. I’m interested in how that’s going to play out next season. I can’t imagine Essex without Bela.
kimberly
Okay, I love Kimberly and before the season ended I thought her section was going to be only positive things. I think she is one of the funniest characters because she’s one of those people who is just funny without trying to be. Her one-liners always make me laugh out loud, notably “I always thought Aladdin had BDE.” However, I’m a little confused by some of her storylines this season. The last season ended with Kimberly losing her scholarship after cheating on her econ exam, so this season started with her trying to figure out how to pay for school. Instead of telling her parents so they could co-sign a loan for her, Kimberly decided to sell her eggs. I was really surprised that she actually went through with that and her parents never found out. I can’t say I’m happy that the writers decided to do that and then it was so quickly glossed over. Selling your eggs is a big deal and it just seemed like a weird quick-fix.
Next, Kimberly had her relationship with Jackson. A lot of people have been confused by how Kimberly gets so many hot guys, but I think it’s just because she’s not afraid of being herself, and don’t forget she’s played by the beautiful Pauline Chalamet (sister of Timothee)! What a lot of people are not happy with, including myself, is her crush on Canaan. First of all, her crush seemed like it came out of nowhere, and was another rushed storyline this season. I always liked their friendship and I don’t really see the chemistry between them. Also, why would Kimberly do this to Whitney? I know she hooked up with Leighton’s brother Nico last season (who I was sad to see gone this season), but it still seemed out of character to go behind her good friend and roommate’s back like that.
underrated character
Can we talk about Lila real quick? She completely steals the show in every scene she’s in. When Lila said “I’m not picky as long as he is perfect looking,” that was real. Her delivery gets me every time. I’m happy to see her girlbossing at Sips as the new manager. I think it will be hilarious to see how she reacts to Kimberly and Canaan getting together next season. Someone needs to put Kimberly in her place.
final thoughts
Overall, I think the show could really benefit from having either a longer season or longer episodes (or both!). Right now, there are only 10 episodes per season and each are about 30 minutes. With four main characters, we need more time to develop their storylines. A lot of plotlines felt rushed because it was too short. Despite my critiques, I really do like this show and can’t wait for season 3!